14.1% abv. I think Nutty08 described this perfectly about this being in an awkward spot. It's definitely not bad and a pretty good drink, but this needs more time to express itself. It is bright, red-fruited, and energetic, but the tannin is prominent and the fruit is in the background with acidity sticking out a bit. This seems to me to be a classically structured "old school" kind of Napa Cab that will need at least 5 more years to be in a good drinking window. I liked this quite a bit, but was not completely satisfied as it was wound up and wouldn't really unfurl. This will never be a powerful, attention-grabbing Napa Cab, but it could turn into a really compelling and detailed Cabernet. Tasted over 2 evenings with very little change on the second night (vacuum sealed overnight in the wine fridge).
Darker than other Black Cats I’ve had, this was excellent and exactly what I was looking for to pair with prime New York strips. PNP, it opened up after a few minutes. Really nice.
I think we caught this is an awkward spot. Quite structured and tannins, with the black currants really hiding in the background. Quite fresh and focused on the palate but also quite narrow, with a finish lacking in intensity. This was my last ‘14 but I would probably hold 3-5yrs if I had more. On night 3 this was deeper, showing more black fruit and less narrow and shrill on the palate. Definitely hope for upside.
We opened it for Passover and it was a good one from the get go (though best after 2-3 hours decanting, which ended up being 6-7 with the the typical schedule). Consistent with the one we had in Mid February. Does not seem to fade and the classic EMH line remains consistent. A treat for the holiday (Our third bottle of the EMH '14 classic We gave it 94 last time, and it remains consistent)
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I drank this with my wife, sister, and her husband at Crabtree's in Chappaqua. This was one of the best EMH's I'm had in a long time. Really dark. Really tasty and delicious. 130 cases. I'm saving my last 2 bottles for a re-taste in 2025. Drank this with skirt steak.
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What a classic treat- Great from PnP (especially on the nose) and made a well aged development since the last time I had it in 2016, when it was a 'baby' bottle. It transformed and now presents a notable floral aroma from opening, with the secondary tastes noted as well within about 30 minutes. It kept evolving over the evening, in particular after about 2 hours, and even more with the eggplant parmesan.
The 2014 classic clearly maintained the classic black cat line with the dark fruits as other tasted have noted, and well balance on the cherry notes. Excellent companion for the dinner, and nice medium plus finish.
In our experience with EMH, this one falls well in the aging process and will continue to give for several years. One of the best representations of a classic EMH, and we all took more glass refills than usual. Glad we were able to enjoy it, glad we had a small glass for the following day's tasting (as good as it was last night).
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Really tough for me to tick the flaw box because the TCA was so light that it was very tough to separate it in the bouquet. But that telltale cardboard/Band-aid note was there on almost every sip. Still drank it all ;) This also needs a long, well-sifted decant. There is a ton of sediment and aside from the corked aspect, the wine was still best after a good 24 hours open.
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This is nice. I didn’t get to it until it was opened for two days, but it is ready to go. I can only imagine how good it was on day 1. Everything I’ve always liked about Black Cat with its core of dark cherry fruit and balanced acidity and tannins. Especially nice after I struggled with the 2012.
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Pure, expressive cassis fruit framed by hints of tasty oaky vanilla and spice that stay in their supporting role. No overripeness, good acidity silky tannins, good length. Absolutely delicious and in a very good spot right now.
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This is the loveliest cab I've had all Fall. I basically agree entirely with the prior tasting notes on this wine from 2020, and won't repeat them here, but will say that this feels Ready To Go, right now. I wish I had more than just the three bottles.
Still needs time. 2 hour decant and it needed more. Dark cherry, licorice, mint and spice aromas. Dark cherries, plum, cocoa, cedar, spice and some herbal flavors. The tannins are slightly drying, but improved with time. everything is there, but needs a few more years.
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Very nice nose of cherry and cassis, but palate a bit heavy and spices on entry over balancing a soft middle and short finish. Good potential but not the best showing tonight.
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Decanted several hours. Black cherry. Nice balance of fruit, tannin (slightly dry), and acidity. Classic and restrained in style. Still young, this will continue to improve. Great with Flannery hanger steak.
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Amazing aromatics explode from this wine after 1-2 hours. Dark cherry, campfire, pencil shavings, Ponderosa Pine bark (a combination of sap and vanilla). The palate is well balanced, fresh and acidic up front, followed by cherry cordial, dry tannins in the middle and a crisp, light acidic finish. As others have said, this a classic Napa Cab, restrained and well balanced. The middle is still a bit tight at this point so if this opens up in a few years should make this even better.
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Followed over 2 nights. Pretty closed. Definitely needs air. Shows a dark fruit profile, but simultaneously bright and cranky on the palate. Has a cinnamon and spice character in the back of the mouth. Really nice can character that has soul and avoids overripeness and plushness—but best to hold a few years and let this develope some depth and aromatics. I don’t regret opening it, however.
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PnP, consumed over two nights. My palate has long since shifted away from heavy Napa oak and fruit Cab. This was a really nice reminder of what some restraint can accomplish. Elegant with a bit of acidic liveliness. More open on the second night, this has plenty of years ahead of it. Alas, my only bottle.
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This just arrived so of course I HAD to have one now. Pretty disjointed and somewhat shrill on night 1. Acidity up front, giving this a much desired crispness to the fruit compared to other Napa producers, but fruit seemed sullen and thin. On night 2 things had mellowed considerably and more consistent with the known house style. Very youthful, fruit still a bit grapey, but added a nice flint element and added depth. Best to hold these for a few years. Light oak treatment is appreciated.
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A little tight on opening but clearly expressing a rich dark fruit/cherry nose with a hint of alcohol. Taste is rich and very fruity, sweet, more red and cherry fruit. Compared to aged Black Cats there is a roughness and sharpness which reflects the youth of the wine. Still tons of flavor and richness that speaks well to the wine in 5+ years. Delighted to have this in my cellar. Excellent potential.
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As others have said; still extremely young, but currently quite delicious. Delicate nose, and slightly tart right after opening. After a ~2 hour decant it was about perfect (for being so young). Still a bit tight, but outstanding; great fruit, good mouthfeel, etc. etc.
Drinking really well right now, but such potential for the future!
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I think Riesling fan got the foundations well. I would add that the fruit floral is very enjoyable (not over the top as with other '14 or very young wines). Classic member in the line of EMH taste. It was an 'early view' as noted, but the future of this bottle is very promising. In fact, some of the tasters ranked this one almost at the same level of the '06. Enjoyable.
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Early look at this wine, but worth it, as the grace and elegance were on show. Pretty fruit and lovely floral and herb accents made for a complete package. Yes, this was much too soon, and the remaining 3 bottles will get 5-7 years of sleep, but it was fun to have a sneak peek.
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5/20/2024 - PIntag wrote: 90 Points
14.1% abv.
I think Nutty08 described this perfectly about this being in an awkward spot. It's definitely not bad and a pretty good drink, but this needs more time to express itself. It is bright, red-fruited, and energetic, but the tannin is prominent and the fruit is in the background with acidity sticking out a bit. This seems to me to be a classically structured "old school" kind of Napa Cab that will need at least 5 more years to be in a good drinking window. I liked this quite a bit, but was not completely satisfied as it was wound up and wouldn't really unfurl. This will never be a powerful, attention-grabbing Napa Cab, but it could turn into a really compelling and detailed Cabernet. Tasted over 2 evenings with very little change on the second night (vacuum sealed overnight in the wine fridge).
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4/28/2024 - gratefulbbq Likes this wine: 93 Points
Darker than other Black Cats I’ve had, this was excellent and exactly what I was looking for to pair with prime New York strips. PNP, it opened up after a few minutes. Really nice.
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4/9/2023 - Nutty08 Likes this wine: 89 Points
I think we caught this is an awkward spot. Quite structured and tannins, with the black currants really hiding in the background. Quite fresh and focused on the palate but also quite narrow, with a finish lacking in intensity. This was my last ‘14 but I would probably hold 3-5yrs if I had more.
On night 3 this was deeper, showing more black fruit and less narrow and shrill on the palate. Definitely hope for upside.
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4/5/2023 - odds Likes this wine:
We opened it for Passover and it was a good one from the get go (though best after 2-3 hours decanting, which ended up being 6-7 with the the typical schedule). Consistent with the one we had in Mid February. Does not seem to fade and the classic EMH line remains consistent. A treat for the holiday (Our third bottle of the EMH '14 classic We gave it 94 last time, and it remains consistent)
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3/11/2023 - dhammer53 wrote: 93 Points
I drank this with my wife, sister, and her husband at Crabtree's in Chappaqua. This was one of the best EMH's I'm had in a long time. Really dark. Really tasty and delicious. 130 cases. I'm saving my last 2 bottles for a re-taste in 2025. Drank this with skirt steak.
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2/17/2023 - odds Likes this wine: 94 Points
What a classic treat- Great from PnP (especially on the nose) and made a well aged development since the last time I had it in 2016, when it was a 'baby' bottle. It transformed and now presents a notable floral aroma from opening, with the secondary tastes noted as well within about 30 minutes. It kept evolving over the evening, in particular after about 2 hours, and even more with the eggplant parmesan.
The 2014 classic clearly maintained the classic black cat line with the dark fruits as other tasted have noted, and well balance on the cherry notes. Excellent companion for the dinner, and nice medium plus finish.
In our experience with EMH, this one falls well in the aging process and will continue to give for several years. One of the best representations of a classic EMH, and we all took more glass refills than usual. Glad we were able to enjoy it, glad we had a small glass for the following day's tasting (as good as it was last night).
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2/6/2023 - dave kammerer wrote: flawed
flawed bottle, not drinkable. Nose was OK but there was a harsh aftertaste. Maybe TCA?
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3/28/2022 - fingers wrote: flawed
Really tough for me to tick the flaw box because the TCA was so light that it was very tough to separate it in the bouquet. But that telltale cardboard/Band-aid note was there on almost every sip. Still drank it all ;)
This also needs a long, well-sifted decant. There is a ton of sediment and aside from the corked aspect, the wine was still best after a good 24 hours open.
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3/5/2022 - Diane (LI) wrote:
This is nice. I didn’t get to it until it was opened for two days, but it is ready to go. I can only imagine how good it was on day 1. Everything I’ve always liked about Black Cat with its core of dark cherry fruit and balanced acidity and tannins. Especially nice after I struggled with the 2012.
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3/2/2022 - RMundell Likes this wine: 90 Points
Drinking decent. Very fresh.
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2/19/2022 - coremill wrote: 92 Points
Pure, expressive cassis fruit framed by hints of tasty oaky vanilla and spice that stay in their supporting role. No overripeness, good acidity silky tannins, good length. Absolutely delicious and in a very good spot right now.
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2/13/2022 - Richard P Howden Likes this wine: 92 Points
Very good. Lots of interest on the nose & palate. In a great place now.
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11/27/2021 - bendb Likes this wine: 93 Points
This is the loveliest cab I've had all Fall. I basically agree entirely with the prior tasting notes on this wine from 2020, and won't repeat them here, but will say that this feels Ready To Go, right now. I wish I had more than just the three bottles.
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10/1/2020 - gharter Likes this wine: 91 Points
Still needs time. 2 hour decant and it needed more. Dark cherry, licorice, mint and spice aromas. Dark cherries, plum, cocoa, cedar, spice and some herbal flavors. The tannins are slightly drying, but improved with time. everything is there, but needs a few more years.
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9/8/2020 - Richard P Howden Likes this wine: 90 Points
Very nice nose of cherry and cassis, but palate a bit heavy and spices on entry over balancing a soft middle and short finish. Good potential but not the best showing tonight.
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6/13/2020 - Maphill01 Likes this wine:
Decanted several hours. Black cherry. Nice balance of fruit, tannin (slightly dry), and acidity. Classic and restrained in style. Still young, this will continue to improve. Great with Flannery hanger steak.
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5/9/2020 - 5laton wrote: flawed
Corked
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2/13/2020 - DrBad Likes this wine: 94 Points
Amazing aromatics explode from this wine after 1-2 hours. Dark cherry, campfire, pencil shavings, Ponderosa Pine bark (a combination of sap and vanilla). The palate is well balanced, fresh and acidic up front, followed by cherry cordial, dry tannins in the middle and a crisp, light acidic finish. As others have said, this a classic Napa Cab, restrained and well balanced. The middle is still a bit tight at this point so if this opens up in a few years should make this even better.
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10/5/2019 - Nutty08 Likes this wine: 93 Points
Followed over 2 nights. Pretty closed. Definitely needs air. Shows a dark fruit profile, but simultaneously bright and cranky on the palate. Has a cinnamon and spice character in the back of the mouth. Really nice can character that has soul and avoids overripeness and plushness—but best to hold a few years and let this develope some depth and aromatics. I don’t regret opening it, however.
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5/27/2019 - Fugu Me Likes this wine:
PnP, consumed over two nights. My palate has long since shifted away from heavy Napa oak and fruit Cab. This was a really nice reminder of what some restraint can accomplish. Elegant with a bit of acidic liveliness. More open on the second night, this has plenty of years ahead of it. Alas, my only bottle.
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3/5/2018 - Nutty08 Likes this wine: 91 Points
This just arrived so of course I HAD to have one now. Pretty disjointed and somewhat shrill on night 1. Acidity up front, giving this a much desired crispness to the fruit compared to other Napa producers, but fruit seemed sullen and thin. On night 2 things had mellowed considerably and more consistent with the known house style. Very youthful, fruit still a bit grapey, but added a nice flint element and added depth. Best to hold these for a few years. Light oak treatment is appreciated.
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10/19/2017 - BobMilton Likes this wine: 92 Points
Nice fruit (mostly red cherries with a touch of black as well) and a bracing acidity.
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12/7/2016 - Richard P Howden Likes this wine: 92 Points
A little tight on opening but clearly expressing a rich dark fruit/cherry nose with a hint of alcohol. Taste is rich and very fruity, sweet, more red and cherry fruit. Compared to aged Black Cats there is a roughness and sharpness which reflects the youth of the wine. Still tons of flavor and richness that speaks well to the wine in 5+ years. Delighted to have this in my cellar. Excellent potential.
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12/4/2016 - TriNorm Likes this wine: 92 Points
As others have said; still extremely young, but currently quite delicious. Delicate nose, and slightly tart right after opening. After a ~2 hour decant it was about perfect (for being so young). Still a bit tight, but outstanding; great fruit, good mouthfeel, etc. etc.
Drinking really well right now, but such potential for the future!
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11/24/2016 - odds Likes this wine:
I think Riesling fan got the foundations well. I would add that the fruit floral is very enjoyable (not over the top as with other '14 or very young wines). Classic member in the line of EMH taste. It was an 'early view' as noted, but the future of this bottle is very promising. In fact, some of the tasters ranked this one almost at the same level of the '06. Enjoyable.
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11/15/2016 - Rieslingfan wrote:
Early look at this wine, but worth it, as the grace and elegance were on show. Pretty fruit and lovely floral and herb accents made for a complete package. Yes, this was much too soon, and the remaining 3 bottles will get 5-7 years of sleep, but it was fun to have a sneak peek.
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