Napa 2023: the quieter version; 2/6/2023-2/11/2023 (Napa/Sonoma California): This was a truly stunning wine and a good showing again for why wine straight from the source is a different animal. This tasted truly young (we’ve had this wine before and usually I feel like you can get a bit more age with it). Darker fruits, a bit of the sweetness, more blackberry and a lot more spice notes (love the extra spice). Very lovely and fresh and beautiful with a lot more time to go.
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beautiful Cali cab, especially if you like them big... I like them more elegant / down-sized but nonetheless this was a success for me... also didn't like the 15%'ish ABV but again that comes with the 'big' cab... is suspect some (with diff tastes than mine) would rate this 94'ish...
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NR as it was a late night bottle and no notes... but this was up to its reputation and my score of 94 on a previous bottle doesn't surprise me at all... these Lokoya's from the 90's walk the line so well between elegance (for cab, if that is a thing) and power... or said another way, they have the power of a cab but without being overpowering
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1/2 hour decant. Ripe good fruit , strawberries and anise , currants with some nice secondary flavors , which evolved into plum and stewed berries. Hour two brings out the tobacco as the fruit fades. Still enjoyable at hour two, but doesn’t need a long decant.
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Short restaurant decant at Basalt Napa. This 21 yo still has good fruit. Dark berries predominate with some currant and orange peel , Not monolithic, good balance and depth. A good finish with some roasted coffee that balances out the dark berries. This developed some great secondary flavors the longer it was open.
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perhaps the bottle I bought recently hadn't been stored the best but this felt old and tired. however, the nose was divine and this was probably stunning 10 years ago. Fill was high and the cork was great.
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I was not sure weather to decant or not so decided to do a quick 30 minutes. Still big with with tons of extraction and lip burning heat. Sweet oak, blueberry compote, vanilla, and cassis liqueur. Secondary notes of caramel, aged leather, wet wood, and eucalyptus emerge on the nose and palate. Still seems disjointed in terms of balance and not sure it will ever really come together. Improved with time open (would suggest 2 hour decant). Heavy handed syrupy 90's Napa style but still good.
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Delightful and youthful, red and black fruit jumping out of the glass, a wonderful mineralogy, acid is lovely and tannins are well integrated. Big long finish. Amazing wine.
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alive and going strong, youthful / full palate with dark red and darker fruit profile, also some minerals alongside great acid and some early secondary development... this looks like a long lifer, great now but I suspect will last another 15 years (or more?)
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Nose: The nose is well balanced with cassis, dark red cherries, licorice, vanilla oak, and some spice tones.
Taste: Full bodied and polished with silky tannins. The feel is polished and balanced with dark red cherries, cassis, vanilla oak, and licorice with a touch of florals on the back end.
Overall: This is a silky and gorgeous cab. It's well balanced and drinking great after 90 minutes of air.
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Dry, menthol, tobacco, currant, spicy cayenne on the finish. After an hour of decanting, dark chocolate exploded in mouthfeel. This wine could go great with desserts, esp chocolate. A delicious wine with a great dark character though perhaps lacking sufficient complexity to get even more points.
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Amazingly well aged, classy Cabernet sitting at the height of its prime right now. Displaying a dense ruby, inky colour, this full bodied wine is packed with fragrant aromas of plum, raspberry and subtle hints of bubble gum. On the palate the texture is amazingly soft and unctuous, as layer upon layer of blueberries, creme de cassis, indian spice and menthol tobacco are unleashed. Fully integrated, perfectly rounded lush tannins and a delightfully long, silky finish...this has it all! Enjoy over the next 3 years.
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I love the old Lokoyas. They are just so deep and rich and smooth and elegant all at the same time. My impression is the diamond mountains tend to have a but more fruit and that was true here. There's black cherry and some earthy tones and despite being 16 years old this still tastes pretty young. Next time we'll decant. Delicious wine though.
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So smooth from start to finish. Decanted for 3 hrs before drinking. First time we tried an older vintage after tasting so many '07' '08 and '09s which are wonderful but so young. I am now encouraged to let the newer ones sit in the cellar for at least another 5 yrs. Patience grasshopper :)
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Took this bottle with me to Manila in June 2010. Drank it on a humid September Sunday afternoon without food, Humphrey Bogart and Action in the North Atlantic on the telly. Wine has been refrigerated for the last 3 months, due to excessive heat and humidity in the Philippines. Still has tannins, but mellowing out 1/2 hour after popping the cork. Not terribly aromatic, black currant and blackberries are very apparent, lots of alcohol on the finish. -2nd glass update, poured from the bottle because my condo diesn;t have a frigging decanter: it is very obvious the wine became more volatile in the glass as it warmed, because the 2nd glass, poured cold, upon 1st taste, tasted very reserved. 2nd sip revealed huge blackberry on the back palate, incredible. Tannins dissipating, getting smoother, but with a little bite on the finish. 3rd glass update: incredible, very smooth and huge flavor, I taste fruits, maybe grapes :^) in there, complex but well integrated, a circus on my tongue.
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Sampled 6/19/2010. Much darker with much more abundant ripe fruit than most Napa '98s. Black currant and blackberries are dominant, but around mid palate and through the finish there is a twinge of the herbaceousness that is so common with '98s, but it is not so bad as to hurt the score by more than point. There was also some good toasted Oak and dried herbs that mellowed the herbaceousness and made it blend better. What took the wine down a second point for me was the alcohol on the finish, which was too prevalent. This wine did not need any time decanting - pop and pour, but it does have a few more quality years in it.
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i liked these wines back in the day. in fact, i thought the portfolio represented high marks for the vintage. drunk at a friend's house after TD dinner, and i'd bet a dollar to a donut that this bottle was a gift from me, circa release. however, this bottle was thin, fruitless, totally shot. nose of earl grey tea and bell pepper, watery finish. undrinkable.
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Nose of lovely rich dark cherry fruit, more of the same on the palate, well crafted, smooth taste, lots of medium tannins on a medium/long finish. The tannins overwhelmed the fruit on this day.
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10/9/2023 - Buddy318 Likes this wine: 93 Points
This was still a great wine. Just starting to brick and getting a hint of raisin but I would expect it to be fine for a coupon years more.
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2/10/2023 - MC2 Wines Likes this wine:
Napa 2023: the quieter version; 2/6/2023-2/11/2023 (Napa/Sonoma California): This was a truly stunning wine and a good showing again for why wine straight from the source is a different animal. This tasted truly young (we’ve had this wine before and usually I feel like you can get a bit more age with it). Darker fruits, a bit of the sweetness, more blackberry and a lot more spice notes (love the extra spice). Very lovely and fresh and beautiful with a lot more time to go.
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11/27/2021 - WoodieBayArea wrote: 92 Points
beautiful Cali cab, especially if you like them big... I like them more elegant / down-sized but nonetheless this was a success for me... also didn't like the 15%'ish ABV but again that comes with the 'big' cab... is suspect some (with diff tastes than mine) would rate this 94'ish...
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11/11/2019 - WoodieBayArea wrote:
NR as it was a late night bottle and no notes... but this was up to its reputation and my score of 94 on a previous bottle doesn't surprise me at all... these Lokoya's from the 90's walk the line so well between elegance (for cab, if that is a thing) and power... or said another way, they have the power of a cab but without being overpowering
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10/5/2019 - Kevnzworld wrote: 94 Points
1/2 hour decant.
Ripe good fruit , strawberries and anise , currants with some nice secondary flavors , which evolved into plum and stewed berries.
Hour two brings out the tobacco as the fruit fades.
Still enjoyable at hour two, but doesn’t need a long decant.
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2/26/2019 - Kevnzworld wrote: 95 Points
Short restaurant decant at Basalt Napa.
This 21 yo still has good fruit. Dark berries predominate with some currant and orange peel ,
Not monolithic, good balance and depth.
A good finish with some roasted coffee that balances out the dark berries.
This developed some great secondary flavors the longer it was open.
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12/25/2018 - Dalex Likes this wine: 91 Points
perhaps the bottle I bought recently hadn't been stored the best but this felt old and tired. however, the nose was divine and this was probably stunning 10 years ago. Fill was high and the cork was great.
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1/14/2017 - robertek wrote: 96 Points
This was even better than my last bottle. So young still but so delicious to drink now.
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12/18/2016 - MAXIMUM SATISFACTION wrote: 93 Points
I was not sure weather to decant or not so decided to do a quick 30 minutes. Still big with with tons of extraction and lip burning heat. Sweet oak, blueberry compote, vanilla, and cassis liqueur. Secondary notes of caramel, aged leather, wet wood, and eucalyptus emerge on the nose and palate. Still seems disjointed in terms of balance and not sure it will ever really come together. Improved with time open (would suggest 2 hour decant). Heavy handed syrupy 90's Napa style but still good.
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11/19/2016 - 82Latour Likes this wine: 97 Points
Delightful and youthful, red and black fruit jumping out of the glass, a wonderful mineralogy, acid is lovely and tannins are well integrated. Big long finish. Amazing wine.
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5/29/2016 - WoodieBayArea wrote: 94 Points
alive and going strong, youthful / full palate with dark red and darker fruit profile, also some minerals alongside great acid and some early secondary development... this looks like a long lifer, great now but I suspect will last another 15 years (or more?)
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4/17/2016 - wcchang wrote: 96 Points
Love it. Still very fruity yet very mature. Well rounded with tannis, oak influence, secondary flavors all very well integrated. Very enjoyable.
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2/1/2015 - 82Latour Likes this wine: 95 Points
Huge wine, velvety mouthfeel, vanilla, oak, eucalyptus on the plate. Wonderfully mature, long finish.
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12/20/2014 - robertek wrote: 94 Points
Love this fully mature wine in the zone.
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9/19/2014 - MC2 Wines Likes this wine:
Charleston III - the Weekend; 9/18/2014-9/20/2014 (Charleston SC - various locations incl. Red Drum, Halls, Circa 1886, and Kings Courtyard Inn): The '98's just continue to be impressive. We decanted for maybe an hour before drinking. This was consumed down in Charleston and had been on the plane the day before which I think kicked up some of the sediment into the wine. Still get some nice soft fruit although less pronounced than the last time we had it. Good earth flavors. Not quite as much spice as I like, but I loved it anyway. Delicious wine.
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9/7/2014 - KeithAkers wrote: 92 Points
Nose: The nose is well balanced with cassis, dark red cherries, licorice, vanilla oak, and some spice tones.
Taste: Full bodied and polished with silky tannins. The feel is polished and balanced with dark red cherries, cassis, vanilla oak, and licorice with a touch of florals on the back end.
Overall: This is a silky and gorgeous cab. It's well balanced and drinking great after 90 minutes of air.
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5/13/2014 - changovin wrote: 94 Points
Dry, menthol, tobacco, currant, spicy cayenne on the finish. After an hour of decanting, dark chocolate exploded in mouthfeel. This wine could go great with desserts, esp chocolate. A delicious wine with a great dark character though perhaps lacking sufficient complexity to get even more points.
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5/5/2014 - Wineguy76 Likes this wine: 95 Points
Amazingly well aged, classy Cabernet sitting at the height of its prime right now. Displaying a dense ruby, inky colour, this full bodied wine is packed with fragrant aromas of plum, raspberry and subtle hints of bubble gum. On the palate the texture is amazingly soft and unctuous, as layer upon layer of blueberries, creme de cassis, indian spice and menthol tobacco are unleashed. Fully integrated, perfectly rounded lush tannins and a delightfully long, silky finish...this has it all! Enjoy over the next 3 years.
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5/4/2014 - MC2 Wines Likes this wine:
I love the old Lokoyas. They are just so deep and rich and smooth and elegant all at the same time. My impression is the diamond mountains tend to have a but more fruit and that was true here. There's black cherry and some earthy tones and despite being 16 years old this still tastes pretty young. Next time we'll decant. Delicious wine though.
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11/30/2013 - michaelwiner wrote: 95 Points
So smooth from start to finish. Decanted for 3 hrs before drinking. First time we tried an older vintage after tasting so many '07' '08 and '09s which are wonderful but so young. I am now encouraged to let the newer ones sit in the cellar for at least another 5 yrs. Patience grasshopper :)
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4/11/2013 - Nuromri Likes this wine: 95 Points
Deep ruby. Rich, complex nose. Tarry, licorice, black fruit, intense sweet and long. cellared since release
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4/9/2012 - kenthargis wrote: 94 Points
Very nice, quite rich bottle of wine. Big fan. Even though this isn't from a stellar year, this is a stellar wine. Would recommend.
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2/13/2011 - arniec wrote: 94 Points
I had forgotten how good this is. Wonderful fruit. Smooth. Sad this is my last one.
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1/2/2011 - arniec Likes this wine: 94 Points
Very fruitful. No tannis. Liking it a lot right now.
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12/26/2010 - arniec wrote: 94 Points
Lush fruit. Well integrated. No tannins. As good as the 1997.
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10/3/2010 - shaferguy91 wrote: 91 Points
Decanted 1 hour. Still drinking very nicely particularly for a 1998.
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9/19/2010 - chinese.bookie wrote: 95 Points
Took this bottle with me to Manila in June 2010. Drank it on a humid September Sunday afternoon without food, Humphrey Bogart and Action in the North Atlantic on the telly. Wine has been refrigerated for the last 3 months, due to excessive heat and humidity in the Philippines. Still has tannins, but mellowing out 1/2 hour after popping the cork. Not terribly aromatic, black currant and blackberries are very apparent, lots of alcohol on the finish. -2nd glass update, poured from the bottle because my condo diesn;t have a frigging decanter: it is very obvious the wine became more volatile in the glass as it warmed, because the 2nd glass, poured cold, upon 1st taste, tasted very reserved. 2nd sip revealed huge blackberry on the back palate, incredible. Tannins dissipating, getting smoother, but with a little bite on the finish. 3rd glass update: incredible, very smooth and huge flavor, I taste fruits, maybe grapes :^) in there, complex but well integrated, a circus on my tongue.
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8/13/2010 - arniec wrote: 96 Points
ROCKING. Great fruit; no tannins; smooth. Eye Roller.
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6/21/2010 - mxpbuy wrote: 92 Points
Sampled 6/19/2010. Much darker with much more abundant ripe fruit than most Napa '98s. Black currant and blackberries are dominant, but around mid palate and through the finish there is a twinge of the herbaceousness that is so common with '98s, but it is not so bad as to hurt the score by more than point. There was also some good toasted Oak and dried herbs that mellowed the herbaceousness and made it blend better. What took the wine down a second point for me was the alcohol on the finish, which was too prevalent. This wine did not need any time decanting - pop and pour, but it does have a few more quality years in it.
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5/30/2010 - arniec wrote: 95 Points
Really nice fruit still present. Tannins gone. Smooth from attack to finish. Short finish.
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11/26/2009 - jeff nowak wrote:
i liked these wines back in the day. in fact, i thought the portfolio represented high marks for the vintage. drunk at a friend's house after TD dinner, and i'd bet a dollar to a donut that this bottle was a gift from me, circa release. however, this bottle was thin, fruitless, totally shot. nose of earl grey tea and bell pepper, watery finish. undrinkable.
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8/4/2007 - shaferguy91 wrote: 92 Points
Decanted 1 hour.
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12/27/2001 - bestdamncab Likes this wine: 90 Points
Nose of lovely rich dark cherry fruit, more of the same on the palate, well crafted, smooth taste, lots of medium tannins on a medium/long finish. The tannins overwhelmed the fruit on this day.
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