Gracefully aged, tannins fully integrated a little bit of fruit still there but clearly in tertiary stage. Lovely wine enjoyed with grilled hens and smoked bratwursts.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Pleasantly surprised by the vibrancy and robustness of this in its eighteenth year, showing no signs of diminution whatsoever. This exceeded my expectations, both for that, and for its general flavor profile with its complexity and balance.
Having tasted previously the 1998, 1999, 2000 and 2003, this was the most enjoyable and best showing of the four other vintage releases I had tasted.
This was dark garnet colored, medium-full bodied, nicely balanced and complex with a structured core of black berry and black cherry fruits with notes of spice, anise and black tea with hints of pepper, graphite and oak with a pleasant lingering finish. https://unwindwine.blogspot.com/2021/01/dunham-cellars-cabernet-sauvignon-viii.html
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Showed extremely well at a tasting of Washington State Cabernet Sauvignon. Did not show the 17 years of age except in seamless flavors and lovely texture.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Blackberry aromatics immediately greet you. They are forward and quite strong and present. The background is graphite and the wine sets very high expectations. On th palette It starts with bell pepper and dried cranberry. Continues with a really smooth mid palette where the blackberry fruit emerges in a subtle but present style. The finish is a little watery and light but equally smooth and long lasting. Not Exceptional but reinforcing of my original expectation of a Walla Walla Cab.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Smooth, silky texture still showing clean, dark fruit. A little green aroma, maybe green olives, along with smoky, dark fruit. Finishes clean with slightly tart, sweet fruit.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Blackberries dominate with a silky mouthfeel, a medium body, and a clean, medium length finish. The tannins are fully integrated at this point, and this wine is drinking perfectly. I suspect it will not evolve any further, and should probably be drunk sooner rather than later.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Worth the wait. Beautiful example of Wash. cab. Blackberry jam fruit, tar, cassis; smooth and well balanced; tannins almost non-existent. Extra long finish. Just scrumptious.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
A wonderful wine with really well-integrated tannins providing structure to strong blackberry and cassis. Every part of the mouth tasted this wine and it lingered for a long time. Wonderful.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Had this last night along with the 01. Very jammy on the nose with rich black fruits and some vanilla. This is much bigger in the mouth than the 01 - almost milky. Blackberry and vanilla on the midpalate. The oak treatment seems to be a little heavier handed than with the 01, but I would not say it is overdone. This wine still has considerable grip on the transition and while drinking well now, my remaining two bottles will sleep for a few more years. Overall, we all preferred the 01, which is drinking a little better at the moment and demonstrated a lot more complexity than the 02.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Still a very good bottle, but rating doesn't stand up to some of the better wines I've had recently. Score 94 not the previous 96. Still great value for the price. Note that most recent bottle was consumed alone, without food.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
This is possibly my favorite wine and it gets better every time I try it. Note this is actually Dunham VIII, which was not on Vinfolio list at the time.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Phenomenal wine. Plums, dark fruit, cassis. Super creamy texture. Literally like you poured some half and half in here. And really well integrated oak. Would definitely recommend.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Very distinctive flavors; heavy on plum and black currant initially, then tapers off to a broader fruit finish that is on par with similar priced, high quality Columbia Valley cab blends. Didn't taste much oak at all
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
8/25/2023 - noni15 Likes this wine: 93 Points
Outstanding aged Cab from Washington....solid 93 pts. Drink up though not much legs here left.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
8/15/2023 - noni15 Likes this wine: 93 Points
Consistent with my previous notes.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
5/8/2023 - noni15 Likes this wine: 93 Points
Same as previous notes. Love this wine !
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
5/5/2023 - noni15 Likes this wine: 93 Points
Gracefully aged, tannins fully integrated a little bit of fruit still there but clearly in tertiary stage. Lovely wine enjoyed with grilled hens and smoked bratwursts.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
1/15/2021 - rmcnees Likes this wine: 91 Points
Pleasantly surprised by the vibrancy and robustness of this in its eighteenth year, showing no signs of diminution whatsoever. This exceeded my expectations, both for that, and for its general flavor profile with its complexity and balance.
Having tasted previously the 1998, 1999, 2000 and 2003, this was the most enjoyable and best showing of the four other vintage releases I had tasted.
This was dark garnet colored, medium-full bodied, nicely balanced and complex with a structured core of black berry and black cherry fruits with notes of spice, anise and black tea with hints of pepper, graphite and oak with a pleasant lingering finish.
https://unwindwine.blogspot.com/2021/01/dunham-cellars-cabernet-sauvignon-viii.html
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
4/30/2019 - Neecies Likes this wine:
Very surprised (and impressed) upon reveal. It shared a flight with WA cabs from 04, 11 and 15, and didn't show age so much as depth and character.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
4/28/2019 - IlonaN wrote: 90 Points
Showed extremely well at a tasting of Washington State Cabernet Sauvignon. Did not show the 17 years of age except in seamless flavors and lovely texture.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
3/6/2018 - tomoem Likes this wine: 91 Points
Blackberry aromatics immediately greet you. They are forward and quite strong and present. The background is graphite and the wine sets very high expectations. On th palette It starts with bell pepper and dried cranberry. Continues with a really smooth mid palette where the blackberry fruit emerges in a subtle but present style. The finish is a little watery and light but equally smooth and long lasting. Not Exceptional but reinforcing of my original expectation of a Walla Walla Cab.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
1/15/2016 - grapin'mad wrote: 90 Points
Very good. Nice bright fruit. Cedar. Menthol. Drank w/ L&I'm for M's bday
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
6/15/2015 - Martnmac wrote: 88 Points
Really enjoy. Nice quality for price
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
11/8/2014 - jkwoodward Likes this wine: 92 Points
Well integrated with resolved tannins, drinking well now.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
9/4/2013 - stevemn Likes this wine: 91 Points
Smooth, silky texture still showing clean, dark fruit. A little green aroma, maybe green olives, along with smoky, dark fruit. Finishes clean with slightly tart, sweet fruit.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
8/5/2013 - sreichlin wrote: 90 Points
Drunk in mid-2013, possibly a bit past prime, in that it was smooth but not as vibrant as I expected.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
7/12/2013 - robsalas wrote: 88 Points
If you have this wine in your cellar, drink it. It's on the decline and will not get any better.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
7/22/2012 - stevemn wrote: 92 Points
Smooth and balanced. Fruit, tannin, and oak have fully come together. Finishes smooth and lasts nicely.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
4/5/2012 - WineGeneral wrote: 92 Points
Blackberries dominate with a silky mouthfeel, a medium body, and a clean, medium length finish. The tannins are fully integrated at this point, and this wine is drinking perfectly. I suspect it will not evolve any further, and should probably be drunk sooner rather than later.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
9/1/2011 - namja307 wrote: 94 Points
Perfectly aged now. Was not overpoweringly a fruit bomb; was wonderful with no more tannin, just smooth like a port without the sweetness of port.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
7/16/2011 - Aurelius wrote: 91 Points
Worth the wait. Beautiful example of Wash. cab. Blackberry jam fruit, tar, cassis; smooth and well balanced; tannins almost non-existent. Extra long finish. Just scrumptious.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
10/8/2010 - jeffm_fla wrote: 89 Points
good, not great. maybe a little raisiny (a "tribute" to my storage conditions, perhaps). Drink now or even use for cooking --no imrpovements with age.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
9/15/2010 - jeffm_fla wrote: 89 Points
slightly tart but still pretty good. Time to finish these up because they are not improving with age
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
4/21/2010 - Margoday wrote: 92 Points
This one's finally ready!
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
4/18/2010 - pdemaio wrote: 92 Points
Classic WA cab. Quite good!
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
2/17/2010 - bear wrote: 92 Points
A wonderful wine with really well-integrated tannins providing structure to strong blackberry and cassis. Every part of the mouth tasted this wine and it lingered for a long time. Wonderful.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
1/23/2010 - skisdeeppow wrote:
Had this last night along with the 01. Very jammy on the nose with rich black fruits and some vanilla. This is much bigger in the mouth than the 01 - almost milky. Blackberry and vanilla on the midpalate. The oak treatment seems to be a little heavier handed than with the 01, but I would not say it is overdone. This wine still has considerable grip on the transition and while drinking well now, my remaining two bottles will sleep for a few more years. Overall, we all preferred the 01, which is drinking a little better at the moment and demonstrated a lot more complexity than the 02.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
11/15/2009 - jeffm_fla wrote: 94 Points
Still a very good bottle, but rating doesn't stand up to some of the better wines I've had recently. Score 94 not the previous 96. Still great value for the price. Note that most recent bottle was consumed alone, without food.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
6/13/2009 - jeffm_fla wrote: 96 Points
This is possibly my favorite wine and it gets better every time I try it. Note this is actually Dunham VIII, which was not on Vinfolio list at the time.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
6/13/2009 - jeffm_fla wrote: 90 Points
A little jammy this time. Still good but a little disappointing.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
4/17/2009 - eschuldt wrote: 92 Points
Pop and pour Very noticable black current. Nice mouthfeel and well intrgrated tanins. First Washington Cabernet, will not be the last
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
2/26/2009 - wirelesswine wrote: 92 Points
Phenomenal wine. Plums, dark fruit, cassis. Super creamy texture. Literally like you poured some half and half in here. And really well integrated oak. Would definitely recommend.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
9/27/2006 - sinebubble wrote:
Rich earth at the beginning and then fading into some oak and sweetness. Started out nice and became a little too tiresome at the end. Did not decant.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
7/27/2006 - anacapa1 wrote: 91 Points
Very distinctive flavors; heavy on plum and black currant initially, then tapers off to a broader fruit finish that is on par with similar priced, high quality Columbia Valley cab blends. Didn't taste much oak at all
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
7/1/2006 - Aurelius wrote:
Rich black currant fruit with tight structure and solid tannins; velvety mouth feel. Very nice wine.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment