Double decanted a large glass first night and drank balance over next two night under pump. Not super impressed (relative to high expectations). Good flavors and more balance, just not sure this is worthy of high end status. Or is it just me, no longer loving cabs?
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30 min decant paired with steaks. I have not yet had a 2013 Napa cab that I would say has truly entered its drinking window and this was no exception. Brooding, opulent, and tightly wound. All the ingredients are there to make for a terrific wine including beautifully balanced dark fruit and oak and a minerality or graphite that I had it picked up before. Intensity and long finish. Note to future self: Time and air are your friend here.
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Napa, St. Helena, classic 2013 Spottswoode Cabernet Sauvignon Estate. Sharp mid-garnet, viscous (13.9 alc.); berries, mint, cassis, herbaceous red fruit and wood nose; mid acids; mid+ tannins; medium depth; a little unbalanced; semi-long, tight, berry, mint and wood finish. Needs time. 17-17.5/92-93.
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Dark fruits, currants, cigar tobacco, mocha, noticeable graphite & underlying savory quality in a full body with perfectly intregrated tannins, medium acidity & a deft touch of oak. A tad tight, but an exceptional wine. At a nice stage, but still has potential.
30 min decant. Expressive nose and first sip lingered for a full 60 seconds on the palate. Still early in it's evolution but ready for business. Very refined, complex wine. Nicely balanced and great with a steak.
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The complete Spottswoode package in its early maturity if you can say that about a 10 year old wine from this property. Huge nose of arrestingly beautiful fruit, tobacco, spice and herb de provence. Layer after layer of graphite, florals and dark fruit. Lovely.
25th Annual Lyon 10 Year Retrospective (Lyon Down Inn): 94+ with "bigger" jammier black fruit than the Monte Bello right before it. Mocha, herbs and graphite wave their pom-poms from the sideline. I could not decide if this was mountain vs. valley fruit during this blind tasting. 93 on day 2.
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USA 2013 tasting by Sander (By SS @ De Ertepeller in Papendrecht): Beautiful bouquet with dark berries and some herbs and spices. On the palate dark berries, chocolate, beautifully fresh acidity and round, still somewhat sticky tannin. Great length. Beautiful wine.
Wine was subdued at first but then came shining through after 90 mi ute decant. Leather, dark fruit and graphite. Lasting 30-40 second finish, but fruit has begun to lie down a bit. Plenty of tannins still left
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This was my second favorite Cab of the night. Plenty of fruit and structure here, but the wine was more reserved and elegant than some of the others. I’d like to try this again.
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Still tight after a 1 hr decant. Just needs more time. One of my dads (he’s 90) favorites. He has a case and a half. It has the life of a 20-30 yr wine. At leas he will drink well
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17x Spottswoode (2x SB, 5x Lyndenhurst, 10x Estate Cab): Ten vintages of the flagship Estate Cabernet Sauvignon side-by-side. What makes these Spottswoode wines great is their weightless structure and feel as well as the absence of the excess ripeness or extraction that can be found in some Napa Cult Cabs. These wines are still distinctively Napa and not Bordeaux-esque but definitely on the more elegant, finesse-driven side of the spectrum. Still, not all vintages masked the alcohol perfectly. The best wines were the structured 2013 (96pts), followed by magical 2012 and a very promising 2020 (both 95pts).
TN: Rather muted nose. Only with time more red cherries and some minerality come through. On the palate this shows a bit more with fine, elegant dark and blue berries, tobacco, some crushed rocks. Weightless texture, ultra-fine tannins, well-integrated acidity but lots of structural integrity. The elegance is the absolute highlight but the wine needs more time to come out of its shell and show all the complexity that should and likely is there. A true success.
Decanting: Opened 6 hours prior to the tasting. Quickly double decanted 3 hours prior to the tasting. Could have used one or the other hour in the decanter.
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Spottswoode tasting (Widder (Meilen ZH)): Spottswoode tasting with proprietor Beth Novak-Milliken with 10 vintages Spottswoode, 5 vintages Lyndenhurst, 2 vintages Sauvignon Blanc. All bottles were opened at 15.00 and briefly decanted for the event which started at 19.00. Main observations were: i/ The flagship Spottswoode was typically light and elegant for a Napa Cab with 2013 being the wine-of-the-night (closely followed by 2014, 2019 and 2020, ii/ the Lyndenhurst tends to be rather extracted and lacking mid-palate presence, although the 2019 broke this rule and was towering over the rest. Brief history, snippets from Beth and complete list of wines included in the tasting story.
Tasting note: A stunner immediately. Electric, fully charged and ready to explode, but with rather low intensity initially (others felt this was closed). This is a beast still sleeping. Polished and well-defined dark cherry and blueberry fruit. Thick mineral foundation. Sprinkled with sweet spice, gingerbread and a fine layer of tobacco. The palate was fruity, boasted fresh acidity, a firm structure and great balance. For 2013 surprisingly tamed already while still clearly youthful and muscular. Beth said this was >85% Cab. 96 for now but definitely with upside potential. Would revisit in 3-5 years the earliest.
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A monster tasting at Laszlo's: Blind. Redcurrant, blackberry, gravel and plums on the nose. Tannins are purposeful, with lovely acidity and drive. Super structured still, this needs another 10-15 years easily.
Still epic. Just starting to enter a beautiful drinking phase. Tannins are starting to resolve and everything tastes so pure and delicious. I knocked it down one point from my previous note because the nose was a little more muted than before, but I suspect it may be due to the stemware. Advice… don’t be like me, drink this wine with the finest stemware. It deserves it.
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Saw the "not ready" notes but couldn't wait longer. What a mistake. great backbone, lots of flavor elements and I see how this will be awesome in 5-10 years but it is tight and too tanic now. Gave it 92 because of potential but I feel it will be 96 or better in 2030. Kicking myself for openning but glad I have plenty left.
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Much better than my last note. Wonder if Coravin has an impact if you don't drink quickly. Big, good flavors, long finish, still big tannins. Will get better for a while.
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I like this; I just don’t get the ratings. It was a fine bottle of wine but It was very simple and linear. Decanted for an hour. Could’ve been a $30 California cab.To be fair, we drank this at elevation which always adds an unknown variable. However, we drank it next to a 2014 Horsepower Echalas Syrah and imo the latter bottle blew it away.
Not sure how to score this. Bottle had been Coravin’d about a year ago, and first taste straight from bottle seemed totally clipped and acidic. I was fretting. Over the night it got better, and second night under pump it was drinking like I expected. Don’t know if this is a common experience or just needed to breathe.
What I love about Spottswoode is its consistently linear evolution. I always enjoy the first decade when the Estate Cabernet is still youthful and primary as you would expect in a new world wine, but still classically balanced, and not over-the-top opulent as some modern wines. But the best Spottswoode vintages evolve (and improve, imo) into the second and third decades to show secondary characteristics that are beautifully nuanced. This 2013 is still in its youthful phase but delicious, and after some air, give hints that it will turn into a beauty in the next decade. This is going to be a treat to follow.
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Initial scents upon opening were vanilla, wood and some semblance of a red fruit be it blackberry or a plum. After a few swirls we started tasting some more upfront blackberry, vanilla, toast and tannin. Acid was kinda negligible. After a few hours, it did open up and the acid grew up a bit but at that point, the notes were starting to dissipate. We saved some for the next 48 hours with no improvement over the following nights, with the last night showing some vinegar-esq notes emerging with an odd caramel finish. Bottle was purchased from reputable vendor, and it wasn’t corked. Not sure if this is worth it’s asking price. The 2013 is a drinkable wine yes, but from my experience with this bottle, not something worth saving for a special occasion.
I have to admit that my first 3-4 bottles of the 2013 Spottswoode had me question my sanity to committing to a purchase of a full case. The wines were dense, packed with dark fruit and lacking in any of the elegance I recall from this notable winery.
Spottswoode was one of the few remaining California wines I drank -- along with Forman, Corison and Montelena from time to time. Once you have the Napa cabs from the early nineties burnt into your cranial hard drive, everything since feels like a big let down.
I decanted this wine and let it sit for about 30 minutes. The squid ink blackness of the color stood in sharp contrast from the aged Nebbiolo we had the evening before. I prepared for another disappointment. The good news is that the wine has settled and lost some of its youthful masculinity. I'm not sure th wine is worth $175.00 a bottle but it was at least drinkable.
Dark purplish red. A bit mute on the nose with dark berries with cinnamon, and graphite. Heavy tannins (7.5/10) with a full body. Layered palate with dark chocolate, black berries, cedar and earthiness. Long finish. Drink till 2048.
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Deep purple,pronounced rose,strawberry,red cherry,green bell pepper,tomato leaf,ripe fruit,vanilla,cloves,wet leaves,forest floor,dry,medium(+) acidity,smooth medium(+) tannin,medium alcohol,medium(+) body,long finish,outstanding wine,suitable for bottle ageing. Ok,no lychee this time, sorry for the wrong description on 2014. Can’t stop drinking it, so balanced. And I feel it very close to margaux
Tasted alongside a 2017 Realm The Bard and a 2017 Carter Weitz Vineyard. The cork had some seepage but nothing that would make a somm consider the wine flawed. No sign of aging visually. A healthy amount of vanilla on the nose but more linear with a metallic nature to it, dried dark fruit on the palate more like a clean, classified growth Bordeaux. The finish ended faster than one would like. Will be interesting to see if another bottle will yield consistent results or if the cork actually did prematurely age the wine.
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Decanted for 2-3 hours and obviously needed more but enjoyable and totally closed of. Very compact/precise with no wasted space or excess like a top notch Barolo. Red fruit centric with dusty earth, tobacco and mineral. Really nice.
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Amazing stuff. Decanted for 5 hours. Gorgeous dark purple color. Beautiful nose with tons of fruit. Tight on the palate but nice earthy notes, some cherry cola and dark fruit. This definitely needs more time to come together and I will need to patient with my other bottle.
high quality, I would hold off on drinking now..Pro reviews are much higher, suggesting to me that I need to let my last bottle age more. It was balanced, smooth, very nice,
Opaque. Fruit and spices on the nose. More of the same on the palate. Pure. Luxurious. Perhaps cellar for another 5+ years for added complexity? Or don’t. True to its origin today. Amazing juice now. And for years to come.
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Had this blind next to the 12 and 17 vintages. This was slow ox'd for about 4 hours before the first sip. I guessed this was the 12 in the tasting. Showed expressive and fabulous floral aromas, with complementing notes of violets, black fruits, asian spices and cigar box. At least initially, this showed by far the most fruit. Very pure, wrapped in seamless tannins and as always with Spottswoode, not in your face, but nevertheless a lot of fruit for this vintage. The mid palate is full, and starts to develop more complexity with complementing earth driven flavors and minerality. Finish is long and satisfying. Impeccably balanced, there's a ton of life left here and more upside potential. 96+
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Decanted for 5 hours, but wasn’t enough as this needs another 10 years. The decanting however did help this a lot and is very enjoyable with proper wide-based decant time. Intense black cherry, strawberry, raspberry, cassis, five spice, loads of cinnamon and clove, some background vanilla and tobacco, full body, great balance with a finish of a wall of high tannins. Like Jeb said, this is a classic example of Napa Cabernet. Great wine, but I don’t see this as “perfect”.
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Special occasion wine. I let it decant for 2+ hours. Great first impression with the look and smell before my first taste. Medium body and defineltly cherry. This wil only get better over time and i am glad i have a few more in my cellar.
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Sampled in a tasting with other Napa's: Corison, Rudd, Cardinale Chappellet and Favia. All top notch and no disappointments. Spotteswoode is aging well with a great core of fruit and notable tannin. A little more time in the bottle would be appropriate but no disappointment drinking now.
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BlackBerry aromas but mild at that. On the palette the wine is creamy and mouth coating. Immediate notes are black cherry, some cassis and very present acidic backbone. Mid pallete continues strong acidity and a spice laden finish. A little out of balance. Nonetheless a respectable showing. I expected more. Letting last bottle sit for another year.
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30 minute decant. Wonderful nose and mouthfeel at this young stage. Senses might be off a bit at this altitude but this wine cut through all the elements wonderfully. I'm thinking the drinking window starts in 2023.
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First taste of this vintage and its a big winner. Great flavors, depth and finish. Not exotic in any way, just what most of us amateur wine geeks like. Will definitely get better if you can wait a couple years.
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Tightly coiled, hints at the pleasure to come but hard to discern much beyond monolithic wall of fruit right now. Shut down? Third bottle I’ve had, tremendous effort.
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Dark purple, full bodied. Faint nose, dark berries, black fruit Dry, lots of acidity, tobacco and leather, black tea, long finish Excellent structure in this wine.
A very young sophisticated wine that will age well.
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Very young, I'll wait a minimum of 6-8 years before opening another bottle. Nevertheless, this clearly has great potential. There's so much going on in your nose and mouth. Blueberries, blackberries, black cherries, plums, black currants, licorice, chocolate, coffee, leather, and hints of floral in the nose. Flavor like the nose with rich black fruits, licorice, and chocolate. Medium to full bodied, this is an elegant wine, very well balanced, complex, and a long lingering finish. Can't wait to try this after it has developed some more in the bottle!
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Decanted 2 hours before tasting. For me Spottswoode is on a par with the Bordeaux Premier Grands Crus Classés, but distinctively Spottswoode. The closest comparison I would have is Chateau Margaux in a good year. The 2013 is young, in my view needing another four or five years to give of its best. The wine is I feel perfect in structure and balance with blackcurrant and violet in nose and palette, dense, but with precision and focus. Right now I get the intellectual satisfaction and some but not all of the emotional high I have had from previous vintages, in particular the 2010. A superb wine which I found myself thinking about for days afterwards. The perfect wine in five years? ***(***)
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Wasn't quite sure what to expect with this young cab. 90 minute open air decant. Perfume of wild blackberries & cassis filled my small tasting room. Core of black fruits dominate mid-palate . Like most Spottswoode cab's it maintains a well structured balance of acids. This 2013 vintage has immense power/potential and could warrant 96-97 rating 5 years from now.
Have 2 more I lay down until 2023 minimum. Very good now but patience will pay off with this wine. 94-95pts
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This is not ready just yet! It has potential to become a good juice. I think it needs 5 more years to start showing its stuff. Right now the nose is muted and it took one hour in my glass before I can smell some fruit and spices. Texture is good with slow developing legs in the glass. It's just a pup right now. If you must drink it now then wide decanter for 6 hours.
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Lower score given only because this is far from ready for drinking. Give it at least 5 more years in the bottle to come into its prime drinking window. It will definitely warrant a 95+pts when it grows out of its dumb phase.
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Well, I can't figure out Spottswoode. I had the '12 around a month ago and it was just awesome. I had this wine tonight and it was the opposite. Hum...
Tasting at a local wine store. Dark ruby/purple fruit - currants, dark cherry, blackberry, and dark raspberry. Smooth mid-palate but the fruit came across a little light and flavors somewhat muted especially in consideration of the 99+ rating from Parker. Decent finish but not overly long nor deep and a little acidic. I'll refrain from rating it because this vintage needs more time, however, I was underwhelmed at this stage. According to the store, this bottle was decanted for a couple hours. 88% cab, 8% cab franc, and 4% petit verdot. WA anticipated maturity 2021 to 2071 which makes sense in my opinion.
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I rarely drink young Cabernet, but ended up in a restaurant with mostly young cabernet on the list; the Spottswoode happened to be at about retail so I decided to try it. It was simply stellar. The nose was a knockout with beautiful dark fruit, spice, earth, hints of vanilla and mocha, but just hints, floral notes, and a touch of herbal notes. The palate was supremely elegant with beautifully silky tannins, nice acidity, and loads of fruit. Just a pleasure to drink and an example of what can be done with some of the fine terroir in Napa. Nothing out of place here. I still think this will be an incredible wine in 20 years so I'll hold those in my cellar, but it was certainly a treat to try young and if you enjoy young cabernet it is excellent.
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Muted, dry, and a little thin mid-palate, this Spottswoode is in need of some serious bottle time before it MIGHT show a more improved hand. 2020 is probably about right, but I'm honestly not expecting the fruit to offer any concentration worth talking about even then. Time will tell I guess.
A more classically styled Cabernet. Red current, cedar, and some spice. There is some purple fruit peeking out ever so slightly, but not enough to really add too much interest at this point. This was barely 90 points for me during this tasting. Hopefully 3-5 years in bottle will help broaden its scope a little bit more. It will never be an epic Cabernet in my opinion. But for those who like a more restrained style, this will likely provide pleasure in the coming years. 90+ points, with another point or two after 2020+.
4th Saturday group uptown tasting (R&C's): Double blind. Dark color. Aromas of incense, cherry, cassis, black raspberry and violets. Medium tannins. Cassis and chocolate with a lengthy finish. Guessed Napa cab sauv.
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The chanteuse of St. Helena returns with prowess. Though this is hidden within the carapace, the terroir and pedigree shines through. Black cherry, currant paste, cedar, fire pit, blackberry and green tobacco. Tannins at the vanguard, that are pillowy and coating, with a long and focused finish. Please cellar. I am absolutely captivated by this mythic and sultry Athena. Drink 2020 -.
PNP with a group of friends in a tasting along with a 2013 Jaffurs Petite Sirah and a 2013 Jumilla El Nido Clio. I think the Spottswood is much too young, and probably needed a couple hours minimum in the decanter. It didn't quite live up to our expectations based on the reviews here. Fruit was subdued and oak & tannins gave this more of an old-world experience than the Napa virtuoso we were expecting. In the overall analysis, most of the group preferred the other two wines to this highly pedigreed Spottswood. That said, i'd enjoy this with a good ribeye any chance I got.
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After the Pride, wow, another ravishing beauty, just classic Cab flavors, tannins that hold ripe berries in check. Love the scent of leather and palate feel.
Public tasting event - 1 ounce pours, bottles opened 2 hours prior to start
Incredibly deep purple color, tight nose but a great depth is there, plums and dark fruits, firm oak but in its proper place, on the palate a lovely buttery Cabernet fruit that is quickly absorbed into a massive and monolithic tannic structure, hints of herbal notes and dark spices, tremendous depth, long and full- yet incredibly tight- finish, slight chalk notes with time, a gentle brooding giant of impeccable balance that is just showing the barest hints of what it is to become, a most promising first impression- but I would only suggest opening one young if you REALLY want to and have several bottles laid down for a good long rest. (*****), I plan to look in again around 2025, but no sooner. Very long life ahead- decades.
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Tasting: An interesting California cab. Both modern and traditional at the same time. Sligthly perfumed, but not overextracted. Needs time, but probably better than the 2012.
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MW Institute Sit Down Tasting 2012/2013 Cabernet Sauvignon Panel, nose of blackberry pie, black fruit, same on the palate, big body, bigger than the 2012, rich fruit, medium amount of tannin-touch harsh, more bitter on the long finish than the 2012.
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Tasted at the winery...medium to dark, slightly translucent garnet/crimson. Decanted about 2 hours before tasting. On the nose I get vanilla, black and blue fruit, flint, mint and eucalyptus. Great elegance on the palate. a Big wine for Spottswoode with plenty of fine grained tannin, blackberry, black plum, pencil lead, some smoke/charcoal, tobacco and some chocolate and menthol on the finish. Very layered and complex. Pure and impeccably balanced. This is one time I agree with Parker....a nearly flawless wine with great breeding and finesse as well as power that will last a very long time.
4/5/2024 - Jerry 3 Likes this wine: 93 Points
Decanted 2 hrs
Great nose, fruit forward, smooth tannins and complex finish.
Great wine and vintage
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3/24/2024 - levinml wrote: 93 Points
Double decanted a large glass first night and drank balance over next two night under pump. Not super impressed (relative to high expectations). Good flavors and more balance, just not sure this is worthy of high end status. Or is it just me, no longer loving cabs?
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3/15/2024 - El_Dougo Likes this wine:
30 min decant paired with steaks. I have not yet had a 2013 Napa cab that I would say has truly entered its drinking window and this was no exception. Brooding, opulent, and tightly wound. All the ingredients are there to make for a terrific wine including beautifully balanced dark fruit and oak and a minerality or graphite that I had it picked up before. Intensity and long finish.
Note to future self: Time and air are your friend here.
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2/13/2024 - crooksie Likes this wine: 94 Points
Coming into great drinking window. Drank over two nights. Better second night
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2/10/2024 - ewasowicz Likes this wine: 97 Points
Nose: charcoal, blackberries, licquorice
Taste: memories of Mary Spottswoode in her little car
Fig, oak, dark berries, lush with a nice finish.
This wine is getting better just sitting here eating a dinner of pasta, spinach and chicken. Awfully good. No awfully GREAT!!
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1/2/2024 - sdwineguru Likes this wine: 92 Points
Napa, St. Helena, classic 2013 Spottswoode Cabernet Sauvignon Estate. Sharp mid-garnet, viscous (13.9 alc.); berries, mint, cassis, herbaceous red fruit and wood nose; mid acids; mid+ tannins; medium depth; a little unbalanced; semi-long, tight, berry, mint and wood finish. Needs time. 17-17.5/92-93.
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12/23/2023 - kosta Likes this wine:
Still had plenty of time, very good
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12/17/2023 - Gas Station Wine Guy Likes this wine: 95 Points
Dark fruits, currants, cigar tobacco, mocha, noticeable graphite & underlying savory quality in a full body with perfectly intregrated tannins, medium acidity & a deft touch of oak. A tad tight, but an exceptional wine. At a nice stage, but still has potential.
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12/7/2023 - chuckfr Likes this wine: 97 Points
30 min decant. Expressive nose and first sip lingered for a full 60 seconds on the palate. Still early in it's evolution but ready for business. Very refined, complex wine. Nicely balanced and great with a steak.
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11/15/2023 - RockinCabs wrote: 97 Points
The complete Spottswoode package in its early maturity if you can say that about a 10 year old wine from this property. Huge nose of arrestingly beautiful fruit, tobacco, spice and herb de provence. Layer after layer of graphite, florals and dark fruit. Lovely.
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11/4/2023 - Grinner wrote: 94 Points
25th Annual Lyon 10 Year Retrospective (Lyon Down Inn): 94+ with "bigger" jammier black fruit than the Monte Bello right before it. Mocha, herbs and graphite wave their pom-poms from the sideline. I could not decide if this was mountain vs. valley fruit during this blind tasting. 93 on day 2.
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10/29/2023 - jlgnml Likes this wine: 94 Points
Decanted for 30 min. Drank with grilled steak. Wine is appealing with a long future ahead of it, I just think it seems too young. Tight tannins.
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10/22/2023 - Zweder Likes this wine: 96 Points
USA 2013 tasting by Sander (By SS @ De Ertepeller in Papendrecht): Beautiful bouquet with dark berries and some herbs and spices. On the palate dark berries, chocolate, beautifully fresh acidity and round, still somewhat sticky tannin. Great length. Beautiful wine.
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10/22/2023 - Peter Z. Likes this wine: 97 Points
Very young, but excellent already.
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9/17/2023 - Weiner Likes this wine: 94 Points
Medium-heavier body, soft tannins, dark fruit, dark chocolate, very pleasant, it is ready now or can age longer.
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6/22/2023 - doug374 wrote: 93 Points
Drinking well, full bodied with tannins surrounding the core of a dark fruit and earthy acidity.
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6/4/2023 - melvin.danson@gmail.com wrote:
sold
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5/13/2023 - Tonythefish Likes this wine: 92 Points
Wine was subdued at first but then came shining through after 90 mi ute decant. Leather, dark fruit and graphite. Lasting 30-40 second finish, but fruit has begun to lie down a bit. Plenty of tannins still left
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3/11/2023 - Outplaying Likes this wine:
This was my second favorite Cab of the night. Plenty of fruit and structure here, but the wine was more reserved and elegant than some of the others. I’d like to try this again.
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12/29/2022 - jlgnml Likes this wine: 95 Points
Still tight after a 1 hr decant. Just needs more time. One of my dads (he’s 90) favorites. He has a case and a half. It has the life of a 20-30 yr wine. At leas he will drink well
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12/18/2022 - Cailles wrote: 96 Points
17x Spottswoode (2x SB, 5x Lyndenhurst, 10x Estate Cab): Ten vintages of the flagship Estate Cabernet Sauvignon side-by-side. What makes these Spottswoode wines great is their weightless structure and feel as well as the absence of the excess ripeness or extraction that can be found in some Napa Cult Cabs. These wines are still distinctively Napa and not Bordeaux-esque but definitely on the more elegant, finesse-driven side of the spectrum. Still, not all vintages masked the alcohol perfectly. The best wines were the structured 2013 (96pts), followed by magical 2012 and a very promising 2020 (both 95pts).
TN: Rather muted nose. Only with time more red cherries and some minerality come through. On the palate this shows a bit more with fine, elegant dark and blue berries, tobacco, some crushed rocks. Weightless texture, ultra-fine tannins, well-integrated acidity but lots of structural integrity. The elegance is the absolute highlight but the wine needs more time to come out of its shell and show all the complexity that should and likely is there. A true success.
Decanting: Opened 6 hours prior to the tasting. Quickly double decanted 3 hours prior to the tasting. Could have used one or the other hour in the decanter.
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12/8/2022 - sirpat00 wrote: 96 Points
Spottswoode tasting (Widder (Meilen ZH)): Spottswoode tasting with proprietor Beth Novak-Milliken with 10 vintages Spottswoode, 5 vintages Lyndenhurst, 2 vintages Sauvignon Blanc. All bottles were opened at 15.00 and briefly decanted for the event which started at 19.00. Main observations were: i/ The flagship Spottswoode was typically light and elegant for a Napa Cab with 2013 being the wine-of-the-night (closely followed by 2014, 2019 and 2020, ii/ the Lyndenhurst tends to be rather extracted and lacking mid-palate presence, although the 2019 broke this rule and was towering over the rest. Brief history, snippets from Beth and complete list of wines included in the tasting story.
Tasting note:
A stunner immediately. Electric, fully charged and ready to explode, but with rather low intensity initially (others felt this was closed). This is a beast still sleeping. Polished and well-defined dark cherry and blueberry fruit. Thick mineral foundation. Sprinkled with sweet spice, gingerbread and a fine layer of tobacco. The palate was fruity, boasted fresh acidity, a firm structure and great balance. For 2013 surprisingly tamed already while still clearly youthful and muscular. Beth said this was >85% Cab. 96 for now but definitely with upside potential. Would revisit in 3-5 years the earliest.
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11/12/2022 - CamWheeler wrote: 92 Points
A monster tasting at Laszlo's: Blind. Redcurrant, blackberry, gravel and plums on the nose. Tannins are purposeful, with lovely acidity and drive. Super structured still, this needs another 10-15 years easily.
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9/16/2022 - Skip4wine wrote:
did it again. will be awesome but not ready
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7/15/2022 - Jonathan T Likes this wine: 96 Points
Still epic. Just starting to enter a beautiful drinking phase. Tannins are starting to resolve and everything tastes so pure and delicious. I knocked it down one point from my previous note because the nose was a little more muted than before, but I suspect it may be due to the stemware. Advice… don’t be like me, drink this wine with the finest stemware. It deserves it.
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6/12/2022 - Skip4wine wrote: 92 Points
Saw the "not ready" notes but couldn't wait longer. What a mistake. great backbone, lots of flavor elements and I see how this will be awesome in 5-10 years but it is tight and too tanic now. Gave it 92 because of potential but I feel it will be 96 or better in 2030. Kicking myself for openning but glad I have plenty left.
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3/6/2022 - fredshouse Likes this wine: 92 Points
Was curious to try this but should have waited another 5+ years. Plenty of lovely flavors developing, but the tannins are still too firm and sharp.
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3/5/2022 - levinml wrote: 95 Points
Much better than my last note. Wonder if Coravin has an impact if you don't drink quickly. Big, good flavors, long finish, still big tannins. Will get better for a while.
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1/24/2022 - jlgnml Likes this wine: 94 Points
Dark color, decanted 30 min and could have gone longer. Good fruit, needs more cellar time. Hold.
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1/19/2022 - Brolawa Likes this wine: 90 Points
I like this; I just don’t get the ratings. It was a fine bottle of wine but It was very simple and linear. Decanted for an hour. Could’ve been a $30 California cab.To be fair, we drank this at elevation which always adds an unknown variable. However, we drank it next to a 2014 Horsepower Echalas Syrah and imo the latter bottle blew it away.
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12/26/2021 - levinml wrote:
Not sure how to score this. Bottle had been Coravin’d about a year ago, and first taste straight from bottle seemed totally clipped and acidic. I was fretting. Over the night it got better, and second night under pump it was drinking like I expected. Don’t know if this is a common experience or just needed to breathe.
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11/3/2021 - Jonathan T Likes this wine: 97 Points
What I love about Spottswoode is its consistently linear evolution. I always enjoy the first decade when the Estate Cabernet is still youthful and primary as you would expect in a new world wine, but still classically balanced, and not over-the-top opulent as some modern wines. But the best Spottswoode vintages evolve (and improve, imo) into the second and third decades to show secondary characteristics that are beautifully nuanced. This 2013 is still in its youthful phase but delicious, and after some air, give hints that it will turn into a beauty in the next decade. This is going to be a treat to follow.
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9/6/2021 - Order66 wrote: 86 Points
Initial scents upon opening were vanilla, wood and some semblance of a red fruit be it blackberry or a plum. After a few swirls we started tasting some more upfront blackberry, vanilla, toast and tannin. Acid was kinda negligible. After a few hours, it did open up and the acid grew up a bit but at that point, the notes were starting to dissipate. We saved some for the next 48 hours with no improvement over the following nights, with the last night showing some vinegar-esq notes emerging with an odd caramel finish. Bottle was purchased from reputable vendor, and it wasn’t corked. Not sure if this is worth it’s asking price. The 2013 is a drinkable wine yes, but from my experience with this bottle, not something worth saving for a special occasion.
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6/26/2021 - pepmi wrote: 89 Points
I have to admit that my first 3-4 bottles of the 2013 Spottswoode had me question my sanity to committing to a purchase of a full case. The wines were dense, packed with dark fruit and lacking in any of the elegance I recall from this notable winery.
Spottswoode was one of the few remaining California wines I drank -- along with Forman, Corison and Montelena from time to time. Once you have the Napa cabs from the early nineties burnt into your cranial hard drive, everything since feels like a big let down.
I decanted this wine and let it sit for about 30 minutes. The squid ink blackness of the color stood in sharp contrast from the aged Nebbiolo we had the evening before. I prepared for another disappointment.
The good news is that the wine has settled and lost some of its youthful masculinity. I'm not sure th wine is worth $175.00 a bottle but it was at least drinkable.
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5/15/2021 - mischwine wrote: 99 Points
more overwhelming satisfaction - WOW!
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5/5/2021 - Millennial Drinkers wrote: 96 Points
Dark purplish red. A bit mute on the nose with dark berries with cinnamon, and graphite. Heavy tannins (7.5/10) with a full body. Layered palate with dark chocolate, black berries, cedar and earthiness. Long finish. Drink till 2048.
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4/19/2021 - Weiner Likes this wine: 97 Points
Rich fruit, soft tannins luscious, not spicy, terrific balance, can drink now or sit for a few years, get some
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3/14/2021 - Applewine Likes this wine: 94 Points
Super nice. Coming into prime time for drinking
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1/19/2021 - MarshallLi Likes this wine: 97 Points
Deep purple,pronounced rose,strawberry,red cherry,green bell pepper,tomato leaf,ripe fruit,vanilla,cloves,wet leaves,forest floor,dry,medium(+) acidity,smooth medium(+) tannin,medium alcohol,medium(+) body,long finish,outstanding wine,suitable for bottle ageing.
Ok,no lychee this time, sorry for the wrong description on 2014. Can’t stop drinking it, so balanced. And I feel it very close to margaux
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12/12/2020 - CaliTom Likes this wine: 94 Points
Tasted alongside a 2017 Realm The Bard and a 2017 Carter Weitz Vineyard. The cork had some seepage but nothing that would make a somm consider the wine flawed. No sign of aging visually. A healthy amount of vanilla on the nose but more linear with a metallic nature to it, dried dark fruit on the palate more like a clean, classified growth Bordeaux. The finish ended faster than one would like. Will be interesting to see if another bottle will yield consistent results or if the cork actually did prematurely age the wine.
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11/27/2020 - MAXIMUM SATISFACTION wrote: 96 Points
Decanted for 2-3 hours and obviously needed more but enjoyable and totally closed of. Very compact/precise with no wasted space or excess like a top notch Barolo. Red fruit centric with dusty earth, tobacco and mineral. Really nice.
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10/16/2020 - ewasowicz wrote: 84 Points
Nose: Covid
Taste: fat, flabby and disappointing. I have always been a spottswoode fan. This might be a bad bottle. Oh well.
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10/16/2020 - boozebythecreek Likes this wine: 95 Points
Amazing stuff. Decanted for 5 hours. Gorgeous dark purple color. Beautiful nose with tons of fruit. Tight on the palate but nice earthy notes, some cherry cola and dark fruit. This definitely needs more time to come together and I will need to patient with my other bottle.
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9/28/2020 - michigan dogs Likes this wine: 94 Points
high quality, I would hold off on drinking now..Pro reviews are much higher, suggesting to me that I need to let my last bottle age more. It was balanced, smooth, very nice,
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9/5/2020 - Teknsteel Likes this wine: 96 Points
Opaque. Fruit and spices on the nose. More of the same on the palate. Pure. Luxurious. Perhaps cellar for another 5+ years for added complexity? Or don’t. True to its origin today. Amazing juice now. And for years to come.
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8/30/2020 - Cristal2000 Likes this wine: 96 Points
Had this blind next to the 12 and 17 vintages. This was slow ox'd for about 4 hours before the first sip. I guessed this was the 12 in the tasting. Showed expressive and fabulous floral aromas, with complementing notes of violets, black fruits, asian spices and cigar box. At least initially, this showed by far the most fruit. Very pure, wrapped in seamless tannins and as always with Spottswoode, not in your face, but nevertheless a lot of fruit for this vintage. The mid palate is full, and starts to develop more complexity with complementing earth driven flavors and minerality. Finish is long and satisfying. Impeccably balanced, there's a ton of life left here and more upside potential. 96+
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7/18/2020 - pakabear Likes this wine: 95 Points
Decanted for 5 hours, but wasn’t enough as this needs another 10 years. The decanting however did help this a lot and is very enjoyable with proper wide-based decant time. Intense black cherry, strawberry, raspberry, cassis, five spice, loads of cinnamon and clove, some background vanilla and tobacco, full body, great balance with a finish of a wall of high tannins. Like Jeb said, this is a classic example of Napa Cabernet. Great wine, but I don’t see this as “perfect”.
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5/29/2020 - Capman Likes this wine: 95 Points
Special occasion wine. I let it decant for 2+ hours. Great first impression with the look and smell before my first taste. Medium body and defineltly cherry. This wil only get better over time and i am glad i have a few more in my cellar.
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5/28/2020 - doug374 Likes this wine: 93 Points
Sampled in a tasting with other Napa's: Corison, Rudd, Cardinale Chappellet and Favia. All top notch and no disappointments. Spotteswoode is aging well with a great core of fruit and notable tannin. A little more time in the bottle would be appropriate but no disappointment drinking now.
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5/16/2020 - tomoem Likes this wine: 94 Points
BlackBerry aromas but mild at that. On the palette the wine is creamy and mouth coating. Immediate notes are black cherry, some cassis and very present acidic backbone. Mid pallete continues strong acidity and a spice laden finish. A little out of balance. Nonetheless a respectable showing. I expected more. Letting last bottle sit for another year.
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5/3/2020 - jmprusko Likes this wine: 94 Points
Big, powerful, carmel and oak.
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2/25/2020 - MJP Hou TX Likes this wine: 96 Points
Alpino Vino @ 12,000' in Telluride
30 minute decant. Wonderful nose and mouthfeel at this young stage. Senses might be off a bit at this altitude but this wine cut through all the elements wonderfully. I'm thinking the drinking window starts in 2023.
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1/12/2020 - Vinolsen wrote:
Sren
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12/31/2019 - Schnoz wrote:
Plump, berries, lush. Great NYE dinner
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10/21/2019 - hawkeye54 wrote: 96 Points
Drank over two days. Still huge and monolithic, but excellent in it's style.
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9/2/2019 - mischwine wrote:
99+ always memorable -- (glad I have more)....so bold and balanced!!
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8/31/2019 - levinml wrote: 96 Points
First taste of this vintage and its a big winner. Great flavors, depth and finish. Not exotic in any way, just what most of us amateur wine geeks like. Will definitely get better if you can wait a couple years.
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6/15/2019 - dlcass Likes this wine: 92 Points
Decanted for an hour or so. Rather tight and not too expressive. Nice acidity and spiciness. A touch fragmented.
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3/5/2019 - dclaggett Likes this wine: 95 Points
Tightly coiled, hints at the pleasure to come but hard to discern much beyond monolithic wall of fruit right now. Shut down? Third bottle I’ve had, tremendous effort.
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12/29/2018 - Genghis88 Likes this wine: 92 Points
Thanks Rob
Dark purple, full bodied.
Faint nose, dark berries, black fruit
Dry, lots of acidity, tobacco and leather, black tea, long finish
Excellent structure in this wine.
A very young sophisticated wine that will age well.
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12/22/2018 - buckeye76 Likes this wine: 97 Points
Very young, I'll wait a minimum of 6-8 years before opening another bottle. Nevertheless, this clearly has great potential. There's so much going on in your nose and mouth. Blueberries, blackberries, black cherries, plums, black currants, licorice, chocolate, coffee, leather, and hints of floral in the nose. Flavor like the nose with rich black fruits, licorice, and chocolate. Medium to full bodied, this is an elegant wine, very well balanced, complex, and a long lingering finish. Can't wait to try this after it has developed some more in the bottle!
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11/10/2018 - baxter67 Likes this wine: 98 Points
Decanted 2 hours before tasting. For me Spottswoode is on a par with the Bordeaux Premier Grands Crus Classés, but distinctively Spottswoode. The closest comparison I would have is Chateau Margaux in a good year. The 2013 is young, in my view needing another four or five years to give of its best. The wine is I feel perfect in structure and balance with blackcurrant and violet in nose and palette, dense, but with precision and focus. Right now I get the intellectual satisfaction and some but not all of the emotional high I have had from previous vintages, in particular the 2010. A superb wine which I found myself thinking about for days afterwards. The perfect wine in five years? ***(***)
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9/18/2018 - R.Jos.Valent Likes this wine: 95 Points
Wasn't quite sure what to expect with this young cab. 90 minute open air decant. Perfume of wild blackberries & cassis filled my small tasting room.
Core of black fruits dominate mid-palate . Like most Spottswoode cab's it maintains a well structured balance of acids. This 2013 vintage has immense power/potential and could warrant 96-97 rating 5 years from now.
Have 2 more I lay down until 2023 minimum. Very good now but patience will pay off with this wine. 94-95pts
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8/31/2018 - 1964vintage wrote: 93 Points
Excellent with a long decant at this youthful moment. Should definitely improve over time.
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7/18/2018 - rylanreynolds wrote: 94 Points
Needs more time
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3/3/2018 - michigan dogs Likes this wine:
way too early, wait until 2020.
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1/2/2018 - rashcar Likes this wine: 92 Points
This is not ready just yet! It has potential to become a good juice. I think it needs 5 more years to start showing its stuff. Right now the nose is muted and it took one hour in my glass before I can smell some fruit and spices. Texture is good with slow developing legs in the glass. It's just a pup right now. If you must drink it now then wide decanter for 6 hours.
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12/23/2017 - Francophile1 Likes this wine: 90 Points
Lower score given only because this is far from ready for drinking. Give it at least 5 more years in the bottle to come into its prime drinking window. It will definitely warrant a 95+pts when it grows out of its dumb phase.
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10/10/2017 - #1Winelover wrote: 92 Points
Well, I can't figure out Spottswoode. I had the '12 around a month ago and it was just awesome. I had this wine tonight and it was the opposite. Hum...
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9/22/2017 - Badmonkey wrote:
Tasting at a local wine store. Dark ruby/purple fruit - currants, dark cherry, blackberry, and dark raspberry. Smooth mid-palate but the fruit came across a little light and flavors somewhat muted especially in consideration of the 99+ rating from Parker. Decent finish but not overly long nor deep and a little acidic. I'll refrain from rating it because this vintage needs more time, however, I was underwhelmed at this stage. According to the store, this bottle was decanted for a couple hours. 88% cab, 8% cab franc, and 4% petit verdot. WA anticipated maturity 2021 to 2071 which makes sense in my opinion.
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8/27/2017 - jnewman77 Likes this wine:
I rarely drink young Cabernet, but ended up in a restaurant with mostly young cabernet on the list; the Spottswoode happened to be at about retail so I decided to try it. It was simply stellar. The nose was a knockout with beautiful dark fruit, spice, earth, hints of vanilla and mocha, but just hints, floral notes, and a touch of herbal notes. The palate was supremely elegant with beautifully silky tannins, nice acidity, and loads of fruit. Just a pleasure to drink and an example of what can be done with some of the fine terroir in Napa. Nothing out of place here. I still think this will be an incredible wine in 20 years so I'll hold those in my cellar, but it was certainly a treat to try young and if you enjoy young cabernet it is excellent.
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5/20/2017 - AAJR Likes this wine: 94 Points
At Sparks, decanted from Magnum. No formal notes - just very enjoyable
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3/18/2017 - csimm wrote: 90 Points
Muted, dry, and a little thin mid-palate, this Spottswoode is in need of some serious bottle time before it MIGHT show a more improved hand. 2020 is probably about right, but I'm honestly not expecting the fruit to offer any concentration worth talking about even then. Time will tell I guess.
A more classically styled Cabernet. Red current, cedar, and some spice. There is some purple fruit peeking out ever so slightly, but not enough to really add too much interest at this point. This was barely 90 points for me during this tasting. Hopefully 3-5 years in bottle will help broaden its scope a little bit more. It will never be an epic Cabernet in my opinion. But for those who like a more restrained style, this will likely provide pleasure in the coming years. 90+ points, with another point or two after 2020+.
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3/18/2017 - tomoem wrote:
Totally closed wine even after 2 hours. I will try to report back after 1 day.
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2/25/2017 - AllRed wrote: 94 Points
4th Saturday group uptown tasting (R&C's): Double blind. Dark color. Aromas of incense, cherry, cassis, black raspberry and violets. Medium tannins. Cassis and chocolate with a lengthy finish. Guessed Napa cab sauv.
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12/28/2016 - Matt Scott Likes this wine: 99 Points
The chanteuse of St. Helena returns with prowess. Though this is hidden within the carapace, the terroir and pedigree shines through. Black cherry, currant paste, cedar, fire pit, blackberry and green tobacco. Tannins at the vanguard, that are pillowy and coating, with a long and focused finish. Please cellar. I am absolutely captivated by this mythic and sultry Athena. Drink 2020 -.
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12/17/2016 - ElSol Likes this wine: 90 Points
PNP with a group of friends in a tasting along with a 2013 Jaffurs Petite Sirah and a 2013 Jumilla El Nido Clio. I think the Spottswood is much too young, and probably needed a couple hours minimum in the decanter. It didn't quite live up to our expectations based on the reviews here. Fruit was subdued and oak & tannins gave this more of an old-world experience than the Napa virtuoso we were expecting. In the overall analysis, most of the group preferred the other two wines to this highly pedigreed Spottswood. That said, i'd enjoy this with a good ribeye any chance I got.
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12/11/2016 - shadow wrote: 100 Points
After the Pride, wow, another ravishing beauty, just classic Cab flavors, tannins that hold ripe berries in check.
Love the scent of leather and palate feel.
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11/22/2016 - Elpaninaro Likes this wine:
Public tasting event - 1 ounce pours, bottles opened 2 hours prior to start
Incredibly deep purple color, tight nose but a great depth is there, plums and dark fruits, firm oak but in its proper place, on the palate a lovely buttery Cabernet fruit that is quickly absorbed into a massive and monolithic tannic structure, hints of herbal notes and dark spices, tremendous depth, long and full- yet incredibly tight- finish, slight chalk notes with time, a gentle brooding giant of impeccable balance that is just showing the barest hints of what it is to become, a most promising first impression- but I would only suggest opening one young if you REALLY want to and have several bottles laid down for a good long rest. (*****), I plan to look in again around 2025, but no sooner. Very long life ahead- decades.
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10/27/2016 - Sundbyberg wrote: 93 Points
Tasting: An interesting California cab. Both modern and traditional at the same time. Sligthly perfumed, but not overextracted. Needs time, but probably better than the 2012.
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10/24/2016 - bestdamncab Likes this wine: 94 Points
MW Institute Sit Down Tasting 2012/2013 Cabernet Sauvignon Panel, nose of blackberry pie, black fruit, same on the palate, big body, bigger than the 2012, rich fruit, medium amount of tannin-touch harsh, more bitter on the long finish than the 2012.
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10/24/2016 - RajivAyyangar wrote: 95 Points
Institute of Masters of Wine - 2012-13 Cabernet Sit-Down tasting (Hyatt, San Francisco): Also a tannic beast. Similar tightly-controlled but complex black fruit - layered and complex. Similar in structure but more tannic. Feels only around 14%. Again, like the 2012, it has power, freshness, elegance, length, and complexity.
Around 9.5
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9/9/2016 - oldwines Likes this wine: 98 Points
Tasted at the winery...medium to dark, slightly translucent garnet/crimson. Decanted about 2 hours before tasting. On the nose I get vanilla, black and blue fruit, flint, mint and eucalyptus. Great elegance on the palate. a Big wine for Spottswoode with plenty of fine grained tannin, blackberry, black plum, pencil lead, some smoke/charcoal, tobacco and some chocolate and menthol on the finish. Very layered and complex. Pure and impeccably balanced. This is one time I agree with Parker....a nearly flawless wine with great breeding and finesse as well as power that will last a very long time.
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