Rather disappointing. Decanted an hour plus. Might have been slightly flawed. Just never really opened up and had a muddled and flabby profile. Not bad exactly but not what I expected especially after holding for so long. Calistoga is usually a solid Rivers cab.
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Opened and poured into a decanter and tasted immediately. Grassl cru stem. Enjoyed with penne in a Bolognese sauce. Followed for about 1 hour with food and then later revisited after about 3 hours of air. Deep purple color. Nose of ripe black plums and blackberries. Beautiful dark fruit with an accent of mint. Good acidity to keep the fruit in balance. Some tannins show on the finish. A delicious wine.
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Opened an hour before consumption and it's drinking very well. Smooth and perfect companion for a nice steak. I think it will age a few more years, but can be enjoyed right now.
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Took at least two hours to show its stuff. Really well made on the lighter bodied side of things, the tannins have resolved but are still present enough to provide good structure. One of the better cabs I've had.
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If you don't decant a few hours, you miss the best part of this wine, Inky black in color. Black fruit, cassis, anise, cedar aromas. Followed by more black fruit, cassis, spice, cedar, leather, earth flavors. A long smooth, silky finish. Absolutely beautiful cab start to finish. My only regret is that i only have 2 more, but no hurry to open.
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This is the finest cabs I have ever tasted and one of the finest wines I've ever tasted. Decant this wine to remove the plentiful solids from the bottle and let it have several hours of air to help it open. It was quite tight at first but eventually started a wonderful transformation from very fine to extraordinary. Lots of great cab fruit but always in balance with the tannins and acids. The mouthfeel and sense of purity are great. The finish lingers in the mouth for many minutes. The wine lasted several days with little degradation.
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Excellent cabernet that is just starting to entering its prime. Needs at least an hour in the decanter. No need to rush drinking this cab should improve improve over the next five years.
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PNP, ready to go from opening. Inky color. Nose of ripe wild blackberries. On the palate, focused black fruit and hints of vanilla and chocolate. Firm, silky tannins provide structure. Medium body, medium acidity. Unmistakably Napa, with a restrained elegance.
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almost 3 years to the day from my last bottle. my assessment at that time was that this was too young, and while this has developed I think it would benefit from more age. Day 1 it came across as mid-weight with interesting notes of menthol, dark fruits and a chalky tannic finish...hiding some of the fruit. Day 2 it opened a bit with more focus to the mid pallet and slightly more fruit poking through the tannic structure. This is no doubt a well made wine that I think will continue to improve with more cellar time.
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Last bottle was better but this was good. An elegant wine, needs time in the decanter to open up. Well balanced and very enjoyable. I will say I like it at the $100-$115 I paid, I see it's now selling for $150. Not sure I would bite at that price.
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Deep purple and ruby color. Initially getting some blackberries mixed with bacon fat on the nose, along with violets. Tasting red current, blackberries, and tobacco. This is an elegant, old world style with nice acidity. Definitely leaner than I was expecting and a style that would appeal to those looking for more balance in a Napa cab.
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What a great wine. It has a real elegance to it, it's obviously young but it isn't as rich and structured as the 2013 vintage characterizes. Beautiful nose of violets, blackberries and cherries. Far exceeded my expectations.
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I let it decant for a couple of hours. I was a little underwhelmed with the nose. Very lean on the expressiveness at this point. Nice texture and balance; quite dense. May improve with age? Might be a little closed down now. I'll try some on day 2....ok- much more expressive 48 hrs later... blueberry, formaldehyde, good acidity.. likely gonna be much better 5 yrs from now.
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Decanted for three hours and drank over the following three. Reddish blue ruby color in the glass. Notes of crushed flowers, earth, damp asphalt and blueberries. I found this to be lean and balanced, with nice acid lift. It was a little light on depth and concentration for the vintage, but had excellent purity and focus. Tannins are still gripping hard, and could use a few years in the cellar. Medium finish.
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This is a big powerful well structured wine. Tannin is a bit strong at this point but the fruit is poking through with some time in the glass. I'd say this needs 2+ years in cellar to really shine. Not quite infanticide but I'd only open if you have spares to cellar. I opened this by mistake. Meant to open the 2012 but grabbed 13 instead. time for reading glasses.
At Bavette's. Cork popped about an hour before pouring while we worked through a 2012 R-M Panek. This was dark as night, almost inky. Huge wine with a soft, almost ethereal mouthfeel that conceals significant tannin. More of a savory, peppery profil than the Panek, but the combination of those flavors balanced against classic Napa fruit was stunning. Long finish, too. Don't believe I've had a better young cab than this. 98.
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4/27/2024 - yeti575rider wrote: 90 Points
Rather disappointing. Decanted an hour plus. Might have been slightly flawed. Just never really opened up and had a muddled and flabby profile. Not bad exactly but not what I expected especially after holding for so long. Calistoga is usually a solid Rivers cab.
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4/13/2024 - ScottPreston wrote: 93 Points
This is really solid, but at peak. Drink over the next 2 years.
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2/1/2024 - t_moderne wrote: 94 Points
Opened and poured into a decanter and tasted immediately.
Grassl cru stem.
Enjoyed with penne in a Bolognese sauce.
Followed for about 1 hour with food and then later revisited after about 3 hours of air.
Deep purple color. Nose of ripe black plums and blackberries.
Beautiful dark fruit with an accent of mint. Good acidity to keep the fruit in balance. Some tannins show on the finish.
A delicious wine.
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1/28/2024 - pjhr Likes this wine: 95 Points
Delicious ripe blackberry, cassis, cedar, and spice on the nose and silky palate with tasty chewy tannins on the long finish. Drinking beautifully!
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7/4/2023 - Brunello123 Likes this wine: 95 Points
Opened an hour before consumption and it's drinking very well. Smooth and perfect companion for a nice steak. I think it will age a few more years, but can be enjoyed right now.
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7/31/2022 - Mr T wrote:
Very. Ice
Similar to last bottle
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7/8/2022 - dnddrinkwine Likes this wine:
Took at least two hours to show its stuff. Really well made on the lighter bodied side of things, the tannins have resolved but are still present enough to provide good structure. One of the better cabs I've had.
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12/18/2021 - SMZ wrote: 94 Points
Smooth as silk
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11/22/2021 - lvjohn Likes this wine: 95 Points
Seems to have lots just a bit of the freshness of the first bottle, but it is still a fantastic wine. There is lots of life left and great pleasure.
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11/5/2021 - gharter Likes this wine: 98 Points
If you don't decant a few hours, you miss the best part of this wine, Inky black in color. Black fruit, cassis, anise, cedar aromas. Followed by more black fruit, cassis, spice, cedar, leather, earth flavors. A long smooth, silky finish. Absolutely beautiful cab start to finish. My only regret is that i only have 2 more, but no hurry to open.
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9/21/2021 - lvjohn Likes this wine: 98 Points
This is the finest cabs I have ever tasted and one of the finest wines I've ever tasted. Decant this wine to remove the plentiful solids from the bottle and let it have several hours of air to help it open. It was quite tight at first but eventually started a wonderful transformation from very fine to extraordinary. Lots of great cab fruit but always in balance with the tannins and acids. The mouthfeel and sense of purity are great. The finish lingers in the mouth for many minutes. The wine lasted several days with little degradation.
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1/1/2021 - Screameagle Likes this wine: 94 Points
Excellent cabernet that is just starting to entering its prime. Needs at least an hour in the decanter. No need to rush drinking this cab should improve improve over the next five years.
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7/16/2020 - Maphill01 Likes this wine:
PNP, ready to go from opening. Inky color. Nose of ripe wild blackberries. On the palate, focused black fruit and hints of vanilla and chocolate. Firm, silky tannins provide structure. Medium body, medium acidity. Unmistakably Napa, with a restrained elegance.
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5/8/2020 - kcp Likes this wine: 92 Points
Great with a steak, not quite there yet - needs to integrate more fully, but feels like it'll make it. One more bottle - I'll wait 2-3 years.
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9/8/2019 - wineguy1968 Likes this wine: 93 Points
almost 3 years to the day from my last bottle. my assessment at that time was that this was too young, and while this has developed I think it would benefit from more age. Day 1 it came across as mid-weight with interesting notes of menthol, dark fruits and a chalky tannic finish...hiding some of the fruit. Day 2 it opened a bit with more focus to the mid pallet and slightly more fruit poking through the tannic structure. This is no doubt a well made wine that I think will continue to improve with more cellar time.
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7/4/2019 - jimyeni Likes this wine: 93 Points
Last bottle was better but this was good. An elegant wine, needs time in the decanter to open up. Well balanced and very enjoyable. I will say I like it at the $100-$115 I paid, I see it's now selling for $150. Not sure I would bite at that price.
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11/16/2018 - cubswinws Likes this wine: 94 Points
Great wine with firm but pleasing tannins and round mouthfeel and long finish.
Brillant!
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12/31/2017 - td1836 wrote: 93 Points
Deep purple and ruby color. Initially getting some blackberries mixed with bacon fat on the nose, along with violets. Tasting red current, blackberries, and tobacco. This is an elegant, old world style with nice acidity. Definitely leaner than I was expecting and a style that would appeal to those looking for more balance in a Napa cab.
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12/23/2017 - BigTex22 wrote: 96 Points
This followed a Maybach Materium and absolutely held it’s own. Drank very well.
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9/17/2017 - jimyeni Likes this wine: 94 Points
What a great wine. It has a real elegance to it, it's obviously young but it isn't as rich and structured as the 2013 vintage characterizes. Beautiful nose of violets, blackberries and cherries. Far exceeded my expectations.
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7/29/2017 - Bob & Sue Atlanta wrote: 92 Points
Way too young...needs 5+ years.
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3/25/2017 - dlcass Likes this wine: 92 Points
I let it decant for a couple of hours. I was a little underwhelmed with the nose. Very lean on the expressiveness at this point. Nice texture and balance; quite dense. May improve with age? Might be a little closed down now. I'll try some on day 2....ok- much more expressive 48 hrs later... blueberry, formaldehyde, good acidity.. likely gonna be much better 5 yrs from now.
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12/4/2016 - Cristal2000 Likes this wine: 94 Points
Decanted for three hours and drank over the following three. Reddish blue ruby color in the glass. Notes of crushed flowers, earth, damp asphalt and blueberries. I found this to be lean and balanced, with nice acid lift. It was a little light on depth and concentration for the vintage, but had excellent purity and focus. Tannins are still gripping hard, and could use a few years in the cellar. Medium finish.
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9/1/2016 - wineguy1968 Likes this wine: 93 Points
This is a big powerful well structured wine. Tannin is a bit strong at this point but the fruit is poking through with some time in the glass. I'd say this needs 2+ years in cellar to really shine. Not quite infanticide but I'd only open if you have spares to cellar. I opened this by mistake. Meant to open the 2012 but grabbed 13 instead. time for reading glasses.
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4/16/2016 - jmull Likes this wine: 98 Points
At Bavette's. Cork popped about an hour before pouring while we worked through a 2012 R-M Panek. This was dark as night, almost inky. Huge wine with a soft, almost ethereal mouthfeel that conceals significant tannin. More of a savory, peppery profil than the Panek, but the combination of those flavors balanced against classic Napa fruit was stunning. Long finish, too. Don't believe I've had a better young cab than this. 98.
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12/20/2015 - Amerique wrote: 95 Points
Rich, delicious black cherry fruit, excellent structure, ample tannin, chocolate, earth, and slight vanillin flavors, multilayered texture, amazing wine
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