Sadly meh. Still feel like I'm drinking a different wine than others, tho my storage of 6 bottles wasn't the problem. This is my last, hoping higher-end TOR prove better.
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Definitely improved aging in the wine cellar. Very nice appellation wine with red and dark red fruit, good underlying structure, light oak flavors and some spice. Tried giving it extended decant to deepen but never improved much beyond "nice". A good food wine.
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A handful for one of the few social distancing with vaccinated friend. 2015 W&M Cabernet, 2014 Lewis Reserve, 2013 Tor followed by Penta and Esperanza Tequila. No notes, some memory
PnP and then decanted for 2.5 hours with best sip at the end of the night. This is a strange note fir me as the wine drank much older than it was (10-12 years) but still has fruit left (as it should at 8 years of age) to make it a real compelling wine. The aged notes lifted the overall experience to increase what was previously a disappointing wine to something interesting and enjoyable. Drink now and be surprised (if you tasted previously, all is not lost).
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Was surprised how red fruited this is. Not normally my preference in cabs but this worked in a sort of Bordeaux style that I also enjoy. Sort of a burnt caramel note with spice on the nose that was also nice. Not a typical Tor but nice wine for general Napa bottling. Decanted 30 minutes and was ready to go. No noticeable change but didn’t last long split 4 ways with dinner.
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PnP lighter red fruit profile than I prefer and not at the level of previous and future vintages. Maybe it will improve with time but probably not. Love Tor’s other wines and this in other vintages.
Two hours in the glass and the fruit subsided a bit and the acid became more pronounced.
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Agree with others. Light fruit, thin mid palate. Smooth, red fruits, not much complexity or secondary flavors. A bit of a surprise since I have thoroughly enjoyed the 2012 and 2015. I purchased this bottle directly from Tor on release.
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I feel like I had a different wine than other reviewers. I opened and poured off a glass ~3 hours before dinner (too long?); agreed with prior review that there wasn't the fruit I was expecting. Am hopeful this stage is just temporary, and the single-vineyard brethren offer a strong reprise.
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This wine is going in the right direction, and has gained some weight in the past couple years. Big and bold with blackberries balanced with some nice oakyness and medium tannins. Has the structure to go many more years. I haven’t touched any of my 2013 single Vineyards but to see this wine evolve the way it has makes me really excited to the big boy lineup sitting in my cellar!
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Packed with dark berry fruits and a bit of pomegranate, but no spice or detectable oak. This is an atypical California cab., but it is a pretty nice wine. There are no off flavors and commendable purity. Unfortunately it is no bargain either.
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Disappointed in this Tor wine. Strange how counter my notes are to others. Lacking enough fruit to make it interesting or create the front/middle/end I am used to from this producer. Not flawed just dry and nothing worth noting.
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Somewhat consistent with my notes from last year. It's tough to think Tor is charging $95 for their 2015 entry Cab... This is ok. It's good; even very good, but not great. 91.5.
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This herbal and thin wine does little credit to this spectacular producer (in a spectacular vintage, no less). Light burgundy in color, medium in body, nose of tart cherry, menthol, and graphite. Tastes of sour cherry, raspberry, red licorice, eucalyptus, and straw, with an oaky, brief, and dry finish. 14.8% alcohol. Blend of 85% Cabernet Sauvignon and 15% Petit Verdot. The wine seemed to get thinner and more tart after an hour of air.
The wine is not a disaster, but it suffers from two drawbacks: (1) the thinness in the mid-palate, which tastes hollow, almost like an entry-level Louis Martini; and (2) the briefness of the finish, which is simple and befits a wine half or less its price. I have generally loved Tor Kenward's single vineyards from the valley floor, but this is a real disappointment from this winery and at this price. It's entirely possible that this wine is going through an awkward phase, but I really tried to appreciate this wine, either for what it is now and what it is might be.
If Kenward is being honest when he says that they only make this wine in exceptional vintages, I have one word of advice: don't. If this can't be complex or promising in 2013, I'm not sure when it can be. I love the winery, but I don't love this wine.
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Originally I had high hopes for this wine in light of the great vintage and source - fruit from Beckstoffer To Kalon, Melanson, Tierra Roja, Cimarossa, Herb Lamb, Mast, and Vine Hill Ranch. However, I later discovered that it is primarily Mast and Vine Hill Ranch which makes sense. Dark red and black fruit - dark cherry, currants, and blackberry. Really smooth mid-palate but the fruit was somewhat light. Decent finish but not overly long nor deep. Decanted for one hour and drank over another two. Improved a little with time. 85% cab and 15% petit verdot.
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Best wine of the night. Herbal notes, dark fruit and loamy soil hit your nose and palate at the onset. Over the next hour, the wine showed its fullness and its full fruit. Finish was nice in length and pleasing - more than 30 seconds. This will get better with one or two more years of age - very well done
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Medium bodied ripe and red cherry fruit Give it some air time. Still, only score it 90+ Points in my book and a little soft to medium expression on the palate. I'm really surprised, I anticipated more from this vintage, not bad, but not really special.
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First taste after open: fresh mushroom and herb hit your nose after a swirl but give way to black fruits and eucalyptus. Big body with sharp acidity revealing sour cherry with some blue and black fruits trying to peek through. Medium to long finish. - in to the decanter we go!
One hour later and the nose has tamed down with more fruit. More fruit emerges on the palate as well, introducing berries and plum. Nice 20+ finish. Should get better with a few more years, but I'm drinking these while the single vineyard lay down for the long nap.
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Nice improvement from my last tasting notes. I would still say my experience with this tasting is similar to the last In terms of the description of this wine, the nose, attractive dominant aromas of cherry/ sweet and candy like. Reddish ruby semi dark color. Medium bodied ripe and red cherry fruit, with no tart notes this time. A little dusty coco and spices. This 2013 got better with air time but I will only score it 90+ Points for now. This is a better Cab with cellar time. 90.7 Points in my book and a little soft to medium on the palate.
Day 2: A solid, confirmed 91 Point wine as it is showing much better than on day one.
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Still early, but curiosity compelled me to open my first Tor Kenward from 2013. We were very pleased with the wine. The wine had a solid, but not overwhelming, backbone. On the palate, there was a wider array of lighter fruit notes than a typical Napa Cabernet. For such a young wine, it is already drinkable.
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Popped and poured. On the nose, attractive dominant aromas of cherry/ cotton candy and a little earth. Reddish ruby semi dark color. Medium bodied ripe and slightly tart cherry, fruit, restrained earth dusty coco and spices. Good but young and a step up from the 2012 vintage which I didn’t pan out for me. This 2013 got better with air time but I will only score it 90+ Points for now. This will be better with cellar time.
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3/31/2024 - rharl wrote: 89 Points
Sadly meh. Still feel like I'm drinking a different wine than others, tho my storage of 6 bottles wasn't the problem. This is my last, hoping higher-end TOR prove better.
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10/8/2022 - asteff wrote: 90 Points
Medium to dark fruited. Spices.
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12/22/2021 - iamandyc Likes this wine: 92 Points
Definitely improved aging in the wine cellar. Very nice appellation wine with red and dark red fruit, good underlying structure, light oak flavors and some spice. Tried giving it extended decant to deepen but never improved much beyond "nice". A good food wine.
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11/20/2021 - BigBoy_Sonoma Likes this wine: 94 Points
Black fruit, red fruit, cedar, herbal notes, cedar and finishes. A
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3/6/2021 - LiteItOnFire Likes this wine: 91 Points
A handful for one of the few social distancing with vaccinated friend. 2015 W&M Cabernet, 2014 Lewis Reserve, 2013 Tor followed by Penta and Esperanza Tequila. No notes, some memory
PnP and then decanted for 2.5 hours with best sip at the end of the night. This is a strange note fir me as the wine drank much older than it was (10-12 years) but still has fruit left (as it should at 8 years of age) to make it a real compelling wine. The aged notes lifted the overall experience to increase what was previously a disappointing wine to something interesting and enjoyable. Drink now and be surprised (if you tasted previously, all is not lost).
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12/18/2020 - iamandyc wrote: 88 Points
Was disappointed as it had little body and not much other substance. Red fruited with some spiciness. Tasted OK but not at $75.
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11/22/2020 - yeti575rider wrote: 92 Points
Was surprised how red fruited this is. Not normally my preference in cabs but this worked in a sort of Bordeaux style that I also enjoy. Sort of a burnt caramel note with spice on the nose that was also nice. Not a typical Tor but nice wine for general Napa bottling. Decanted 30 minutes and was ready to go. No noticeable change but didn’t last long split 4 ways with dinner.
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10/10/2020 - RPRB23 Likes this wine: 94 Points
Loved the eucalyptus on this.
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8/29/2019 - LiteItOnFire Likes this wine: 89 Points
PnP lighter red fruit profile than I prefer and not at the level of previous and future vintages. Maybe it will improve with time but probably not. Love Tor’s other wines and this in other vintages.
Two hours in the glass and the fruit subsided a bit and the acid became more pronounced.
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2/23/2019 - danielbleier Likes this wine: 93 Points
Consistent with prior notes of 5/28/2018
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1/28/2019 - Franken Berry wrote: 89 Points
Agree with others. Light fruit, thin mid palate. Smooth, red fruits, not much complexity or secondary flavors. A bit of a surprise since I have thoroughly enjoyed the 2012 and 2015. I purchased this bottle directly from Tor on release.
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1/6/2019 - rharl wrote: 90 Points
I feel like I had a different wine than other reviewers. I opened and poured off a glass ~3 hours before dinner (too long?); agreed with prior review that there wasn't the fruit I was expecting. Am hopeful this stage is just temporary, and the single-vineyard brethren offer a strong reprise.
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9/2/2018 - bplant13 Likes this wine: 93 Points
This wine is going in the right direction, and has gained some weight in the past couple years. Big and bold with blackberries balanced with some nice oakyness and medium tannins. Has the structure to go many more years. I haven’t touched any of my 2013 single Vineyards but to see this wine evolve the way it has makes me really excited to the big boy lineup sitting in my cellar!
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8/12/2018 - Justinwine wrote: 95 Points
So, so good.
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8/10/2018 - Tonythefish Likes this wine: 93 Points
See prior notes
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6/26/2018 - lvjohn Likes this wine: 93 Points
Packed with dark berry fruits and a bit of pomegranate, but no spice or detectable oak. This is an atypical California cab., but it is a pretty nice wine. There are no off flavors and commendable purity. Unfortunately it is no bargain either.
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5/28/2018 - danielbleier Likes this wine: 93 Points
Silky smooth, full of black currant and crème de cassis, backed with fine tannins.
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5/16/2018 - LiteItOnFire wrote: 89 Points
Disappointed in this Tor wine. Strange how counter my notes are to others. Lacking enough fruit to make it interesting or create the front/middle/end I am used to from this producer. Not flawed just dry and nothing worth noting.
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4/12/2018 - Tonythefish wrote: 93 Points
See prior notes. Just lovely
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2/10/2018 - Justinwine wrote: 92 Points
A very solid wine.
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9/4/2017 - bplant13 wrote: 92 Points
Somewhat consistent with my notes from last year. It's tough to think Tor is charging $95 for their 2015 entry Cab... This is ok. It's good; even very good, but not great. 91.5.
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6/25/2017 - TomOfCT Likes this wine: 92 Points
Medium bodied with a good mix of fruits. Above average tannins, but not objectionable.
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6/5/2017 - msuwine wrote: 88 Points
This herbal and thin wine does little credit to this spectacular producer (in a spectacular vintage, no less). Light burgundy in color, medium in body, nose of tart cherry, menthol, and graphite. Tastes of sour cherry, raspberry, red licorice, eucalyptus, and straw, with an oaky, brief, and dry finish. 14.8% alcohol. Blend of 85% Cabernet Sauvignon and 15% Petit Verdot. The wine seemed to get thinner and more tart after an hour of air.
The wine is not a disaster, but it suffers from two drawbacks: (1) the thinness in the mid-palate, which tastes hollow, almost like an entry-level Louis Martini; and (2) the briefness of the finish, which is simple and befits a wine half or less its price. I have generally loved Tor Kenward's single vineyards from the valley floor, but this is a real disappointment from this winery and at this price. It's entirely possible that this wine is going through an awkward phase, but I really tried to appreciate this wine, either for what it is now and what it is might be.
If Kenward is being honest when he says that they only make this wine in exceptional vintages, I have one word of advice: don't. If this can't be complex or promising in 2013, I'm not sure when it can be. I love the winery, but I don't love this wine.
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2/9/2017 - Badmonkey wrote: 90 Points
Originally I had high hopes for this wine in light of the great vintage and source - fruit from Beckstoffer To Kalon, Melanson, Tierra Roja, Cimarossa, Herb Lamb, Mast, and Vine Hill Ranch. However, I later discovered that it is primarily Mast and Vine Hill Ranch which makes sense. Dark red and black fruit - dark cherry, currants, and blackberry. Really smooth mid-palate but the fruit was somewhat light. Decent finish but not overly long nor deep. Decanted for one hour and drank over another two. Improved a little with time. 85% cab and 15% petit verdot.
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2/3/2017 - Tonythefish Likes this wine: 93 Points
Best wine of the night. Herbal notes, dark fruit and loamy soil hit your nose and palate at the onset. Over the next hour, the wine showed its fullness and its full fruit. Finish was nice in length and pleasing - more than 30 seconds. This will get better with one or two more years of age - very well done
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1/10/2017 - Yack Man wrote: 90 Points
Medium bodied ripe and red cherry fruit Give it some air time. Still, only score it 90+ Points in my book and a little soft to medium expression on the palate. I'm really surprised, I anticipated more from this vintage, not bad, but not really special.
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11/18/2016 - bplant13 Likes this wine: 92 Points
First taste after open: fresh mushroom and herb hit your nose after a swirl but give way to black fruits and eucalyptus. Big body with sharp acidity revealing sour cherry with some blue and black fruits trying to peek through. Medium to long finish. - in to the decanter we go!
One hour later and the nose has tamed down with more fruit. More fruit emerges on the palate as well, introducing berries and plum. Nice 20+ finish. Should get better with a few more years, but I'm drinking these while the single vineyard lay down for the long nap.
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7/14/2016 - Yack Man Likes this wine: 91 Points
Nice improvement from my last tasting notes. I would still say my experience with this tasting is similar to the last In terms of the description of this wine, the nose, attractive dominant aromas of cherry/ sweet and candy like. Reddish ruby semi dark color. Medium bodied ripe and red cherry fruit, with no tart notes this time. A little dusty coco and spices. This 2013 got better with air time but I will only score it 90+ Points for now. This is a better Cab with cellar time. 90.7 Points in my book and a little soft to medium on the palate.
Day 2: A solid, confirmed 91 Point wine as it is showing much better than on day one.
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3/24/2016 - TomOfCT Likes this wine: 94 Points
Still early, but curiosity compelled me to open my first Tor Kenward from 2013. We were very pleased with the wine. The wine had a solid, but not overwhelming, backbone. On the palate, there was a wider array of lighter fruit notes than a typical Napa Cabernet. For such a young wine, it is already drinkable.
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1/13/2016 - Yack Man Likes this wine: 90 Points
Popped and poured. On the nose, attractive dominant aromas of cherry/ cotton candy and a little earth. Reddish ruby semi dark color. Medium bodied ripe and slightly tart cherry, fruit, restrained earth dusty coco and spices. Good but young and a step up from the 2012 vintage which I didn’t pan out for me. This 2013 got better with air time but I will only score it 90+ Points for now. This will be better with cellar time.
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