This one was up and down. The big fruit phase is over. At times this was muted, others the friut partially revived. Next bottle will wait because I believe it's in a dumb phase and will develop some complexity in the future. Seems to have good structure for long aging
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Dark ruby fruit - currants/cassis, dark cherry, and blackberry. Smooth mid-palate with a nice purity (the tannins are quite soft/incorporated quite well) but it came across lighter than previous bottles - medium body. Soft/somewhat subtle flavors of dark berries, some spice, and a little graphite component. Decent finish but not overly long nor deep. Popped/poured but drank out of a decanter for a couple hours. Not much improvement with time. Drank next to the 2016 vintage which was quite a bit better - bigger/fuller fruit, more character/expressive, etc.. I really enjoyed this vintage a couple years ago when I felt it was more or less in line with the 95 rating from WA but this bottle was somewhat underwhelming. 92/93 for me at this stage. 100% cab.
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Decanted, poured into glasses and started drinking within minutes. Basically, a pop and pour wine! Tannins were soft, great nose rich with dark fruit, and the palette was well balanced without being a fruit bomb. Paired well with Italian food and I'm sure with any other savory dish.
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Decanted for one hour and placed back in the bottle to be consume 2 hours later. Big body, strong nose, dark berries and smokes in a pleasant combination with a very long finish. A glorious mouthfeel...
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This is basically exactly what I want from Napa. Big ripe fruit but very elegant with super fine and nicely integrated tannins. Drinking well out of the bottle but has many years of life ahead of it for sure.
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Without decanting, I served this to some friends with light hors d'oeuvres (we traded wines) and it was a smash from the nose on. Smack-in-the-face aroma, rich inky color, the fruity pecs of a muscular cab, and pleasant mellowing in the bottle if not in the glass itself. A superb job. Everyone was impressed, including me. I'm so glad I have one more lying down.
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Decanted 2 hours; minimal sediment. Nose of deep dark blue fruit, vanilla, some other barrel spice. Some sweet milk chocolate. Follows through on palate with nice Rutherford tannins. QPR not great for To Kalon.
Day 2: two more hours out after 1/2 bottle vac'd and put back in cellar. Really rounding out nicely with a precise blue fruit mouth-filling round note mid-palate attack that just sails through the long finish. Probably just needed a lot longer decant warmed up a little more and/or a bit more bottle time. Very nice.
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Purple fruit - blackberry, currants, and a little dark cherry. Smooth mid-palate with solid depth. Nice flavors of wild berries and a little spice. Fairly long/deep finish. Decanted for two hours and drank over another three. Improved a little with time but drinking well after the decant. In my opinion, more or less in line with Parker's 95 rating.
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Medium to dark ruby robe, nose of To Kalon floral blue fruits got nicer over the course of a 4 hour decant. In the glass it seemed to get spicier as it evolved, baking spice, all spice, hint of vanilla, black pepper, dark chocolate, espresso, blackberry liqueur...reminds me a bit of rutherford. Very flavorful but remarkably light and easy drinking. Dusty tannins are still quite prominent, will benefit from a couple years in the cellar but very very nice now.
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10/14/2023 - BilboBaggins wrote: 92 Points
Blackberry, density, some leather, a bit of spices (syrah like), feels a little older than its 11 years.
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10/5/2020 - gjv115 Likes this wine:
This one was up and down. The big fruit phase is over. At times this was muted, others the friut partially revived. Next bottle will wait because I believe it's in a dumb phase and will develop some complexity in the future. Seems to have good structure for long aging
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7/5/2020 - Badmonkey wrote: 93 Points
Dark ruby fruit - currants/cassis, dark cherry, and blackberry. Smooth mid-palate with a nice purity (the tannins are quite soft/incorporated quite well) but it came across lighter than previous bottles - medium body. Soft/somewhat subtle flavors of dark berries, some spice, and a little graphite component. Decent finish but not overly long nor deep. Popped/poured but drank out of a decanter for a couple hours. Not much improvement with time. Drank next to the 2016 vintage which was quite a bit better - bigger/fuller fruit, more character/expressive, etc.. I really enjoyed this vintage a couple years ago when I felt it was more or less in line with the 95 rating from WA but this bottle was somewhat underwhelming. 92/93 for me at this stage. 100% cab.
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12/15/2019 - ngh1016 Likes this wine: 96 Points
Evolved over 1 hour.
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7/13/2019 - M&Mcellar Likes this wine: 95 Points
Decanted, poured into glasses and started drinking within minutes. Basically, a pop and pour wine! Tannins were soft, great nose rich with dark fruit, and the palette was well balanced without being a fruit bomb. Paired well with Italian food and I'm sure with any other savory dish.
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4/20/2019 - gteran76 Likes this wine: 95 Points
Decanted for one hour and placed back in the bottle to be consume 2 hours later. Big body, strong nose, dark berries and smokes in a pleasant combination with a very long finish. A glorious mouthfeel...
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10/19/2018 - joshabramson Likes this wine: 96 Points
This is basically exactly what I want from Napa. Big ripe fruit but very elegant with super fine and nicely integrated tannins. Drinking well out of the bottle but has many years of life ahead of it for sure.
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6/24/2017 - Tomdup Likes this wine: 96 Points
Without decanting, I served this to some friends with light hors d'oeuvres (we traded wines) and it was a smash from the nose on. Smack-in-the-face aroma, rich inky color, the fruity pecs of a muscular cab, and pleasant mellowing in the bottle if not in the glass itself. A superb job. Everyone was impressed, including me. I'm so glad I have one more lying down.
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4/8/2017 - Babik wrote:
Decanted 2 hours; minimal sediment. Nose of deep dark blue fruit, vanilla, some other barrel spice. Some sweet milk chocolate. Follows through on palate with nice Rutherford tannins. QPR not great for To Kalon.
Day 2: two more hours out after 1/2 bottle vac'd and put back in cellar. Really rounding out nicely with a precise blue fruit mouth-filling round note mid-palate attack that just sails through the long finish. Probably just needed a lot longer decant warmed up a little more and/or a bit more bottle time. Very nice.
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2/11/2017 - Badmonkey wrote: 95 Points
Purple fruit - blackberry, currants, and a little dark cherry. Smooth mid-palate with solid depth. Nice flavors of wild berries and a little spice. Fairly long/deep finish. Decanted for two hours and drank over another three. Improved a little with time but drinking well after the decant. In my opinion, more or less in line with Parker's 95 rating.
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4/23/2016 - Shaun Mondavi wrote: 95 Points
Medium to dark ruby robe, nose of To Kalon floral blue fruits got nicer over the course of a 4 hour decant. In the glass it seemed to get spicier as it evolved, baking spice, all spice, hint of vanilla, black pepper, dark chocolate, espresso, blackberry liqueur...reminds me a bit of rutherford. Very flavorful but remarkably light and easy drinking. Dusty tannins are still quite prominent, will benefit from a couple years in the cellar but very very nice now.
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