Nice deep ruby color. On the nose deep fruit with mulberry, plums, blackberries, vanilla. Medium+ acidity, nice and deep black currants and dark cherries with notes of brambles - mostly fruit forward but very balanced with medium tannins. Barrel spice and oaky notes in the medium long ending, that leaves a warming sensation for a while. Very good Cabernet-Sauvignon - classic Napa. Nothing super fancy, but definitely very good and quite elegant. Drink now if you like (I PnP), but this should evolve for a few more years.
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PnP at my sis’s, accompanying my brother in law’s boeuf bourgogne. On the nose and palate, the usual powerful and insistent TRB notes of sweet cassis, black cherries, mulberries, huckleberries, blueberries, anise, dark chocolate and, surprise, oak, vanilla and liquer. Deep magenta, full bodied, thick legs. Medium+ tannins which are very smooth, medium- acidity, slight touch of heat. VG complexity, VG++ intensity and persistence. The pendulum swings. After 10 days of Cabs and BDX blends skewing toward the strict (the Ovid aside), here comes TRB, surprisingly supplied my sis, Queen of the Old World—she blames her fondness for this on the gateway drug of RM pinots, also my first TRB wines—generous to the point of promiscuity. Singing off the pour, like so many TRB wines, this, for my palate, stays just on the right side of the luscious-cloying divide, the tannic structure in particular preventing too much leakage. The yum factor is dialed up to 11 on a 1-10 scale, the delivery accentuated by that classic TRB creaminess. If this didn’t hit the interest level of Materiums of Outpost Trues, my gold standard for his wines, albeit at more dizzying price points, it was plenty tasty and a far more appealing option for me in this genre than Silecieux or the NV Scarlett. Held pretty steady over the hour or so I had my glass and a half, so I think it will last a while but not decades, and I’m not sure aeration will add much to the drinking experience at this point. Worked well enough with the wine-laden beef, but if the evening’s entry is a less seasoned fatty piece of lamb or beef, then I’d recommend this more as a cocktail wine. At around to a bit more than this price point, I’d more often prefer wines like Forman or Mt. Brave (or finding something like the Hartwells or Riverains at auction when there are no other bidders), but I sure enjoy the TRB wines, this included, when I drink them. 93+
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PnP, no decant needed. aromas of blackfruit, cassis, anise and cedar, Loaded with flavor with red and black fruits, cedar. anise and plum. Soft tannis show up in the finish, but still smooth. Great balance.
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Opened, poured and had a quick sip: Reddish fruit on the nose; sweetish, reddish fruit taste; soft mouthfeel. Then let it sit about 1/2 hr: Next sip picked up where the initial sip left off: sweetish, reddish fruit; soft mouthfeel; tannins not noticeable; acidity OK; finish distinctively sweet. Continued this way for about 1/2 hr. Then: Changed to a darker fruit profile; not sweet; not much fruit to speak of; tannins getting a grip, although not too bad; much more structured; soft mouthfeel gone. The first 1/2 hour was pleasant, although not particularly cab-like. The 2nd 1/2 hr had more of the cab structure, but minimal fruit, and still not a cabernet profile. Not sure what to make of this. Liked it as a pop-n-pour. Extended air time hurt, rather than helped.
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Full throttle entry after a one hour decant. Smooth but powerful structure, with sweet, chewy and velvety tannins. Creamy blueberry, ripe plum/prune, concentrated licorice. Purity and depth, this is a turbocharged effort by TRB.
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These were awesome! Dark fruit, smoothed out tannin, wit lh an underlying core of acidity. I polished off both my remaining bottles this summer. I now regret that I stopped buying Rivers-Marie
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Took about 2 hours of air to open up. Beautiful wine. Medium bodied, but full of flavor. Mostly cassis, some mulled red fruits and menthol, fleeting glimpses of sandalwood, pencil lead, eucalyptus. Reminded me of a Heitz Trailside I had some years ago.
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Opened but not decanted about two hours before dinner. Inky dark in color. Nose of dark fruit , violet and graphite. Lengthy finish with nice balance. I don’t think there’s any hurry here. 92+
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14.5% alcohol. Youthful, with a deep purple color. Classic TRB nose, full of bold fruit, a judicious use of oak, and tobacco undertones. A tribute to texture in the mouth, with supple mouth feel and impressively refined tannins. This really is just textbook modern Napa Cabernet and delightful. A-
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PnP. From the first sip, this was wonderful. Red and black fruit with a hint of mint on the mid-palate. Nice combination of acid and tannins in a very balanced and smooth package. Seems to be in a great place to drink now. While it is relative, nice QPR for a Napa cab.
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the '15 RM Napa (currently) is not as elegant as other years, likely a product of the vintage but it's good now and I hold out hope that this rounds out a bit in the future.
Enjoyed with a filet. Opened up nicely and fairly quickly. Smooth but not overly complex, yet never got tired of reaching for glass to polish off the bottle. For the price, I say it is very good.
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For me never have a young TRB wine. The more years in the bottle the better. Gave this one a try. Enjoyed it after a 4 hr decant. Still going strong day#2. Lots of years in it will let next bottle rest until at least 2022.
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Supposedly I sunk one of these about two and a half years ago. Didn't write a note about it, which means it really must not have impressed. I'm coming to terms with the fact that this one enjoyed tonight was maybe opened up a year or so too early? But after letting it sit for an hour or so, I'm really not that sure about that. I think this one is in the drinking window for sure, but it is just a little bit awkward. Has a really nice red fruit backbone, some herbal quality about the middle, pretty acidic in the front and on the finish. Still quite a bit of youthful tannin here, but this one has just not matured and integrated in my opinion. Just not a whole lot going on apart from the red fruit. Could be a part of its youth, or it could just be that this one is more of a unilateral red fruited wine and that is really all it's supposed to be perhaps. Can't say I really have a ton of experience with the cab as much as I do the pinots. Devil on the right shoulder says to drink now. Devil on the left shoulder tells me to hold it and hope for the best. Considering this is my last bottle of this, neither wins.
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Not decanted, served in Glass Vin stems. This showed surprisingly up-front vanilla (oak) character which was a distraction from the appealing plum and red cherry fruit. The tannin level was enjoyable for drinking now, but the oakiness suggested time was needed. I'll probably drink up and move onto the other wines with age.
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Big floral and dark fruit nose. Opaque red plum color, Dark fruit on the tip of the tongue--blackberry, blueberry, currant, A hint of cola, but only a hint. Some slate around the edges of the tongue, Something of a cocoa thing under the rear palate. Great tannin and acid provide sturdy structure. A big, but smooth, mouthfeel. Enjoyable now but can improve for quite a few more years.
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The wine looks inky colored. The legs are slow. There is light sediment in the bottle. It smells like blackberry, prune, cherry, plum and coffee. It tastes like blackberry, blueberry and molasses. The body is medium/full. The wine has juicy texture. The wine finishes medium. The wine has medium acidity.
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Nose is a salty prune. First sip, burnt fruit, black pepper, aged balsamic all ending in a watery grave. If tasted blind I'd guess Merlot. Easy and mellow sip, little flat for the price point.
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This performed just about right for its price point. Well made, very tasty red fruit, decent balance, good mouthfeel and nice lively finish. No obvious flaws but nothing amazing either. Very enjoyable but not memorable.
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A dark brooding nose of blackberry fruit, charcoal, walnut husk, espresso. Palate was rich with good concentration but some alcohol heat and a shorter finish. Fresh and vibrant structure, though soft and well integrated tannin. This has a lot of heft but needs to find more balance as it ages.
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Double decanted and then left in bottle for 3 hours. Very dark fruited, heavy on the palate. Still kind of brooding. Alcohol hit at first that integrated after a bit.
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Enjoyed one glass Tuesday night with about an hour of air, and the rest the following evening with my Passover brisket. Classic deep blue and black fruit, and still showing a fair amount of oak influence at this stage. Incredibly lush, silky texture to this. Lots of runway, too, as oak integration will only improve this with time.
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Pop and poured some into a decanter. Then served about 1 hour later. Revisted the remainder the following two days. Shimmering, vibrant purple color. Nose of plum, black cherry and cherry liqueur. Slight cough syrup note with the alcohol. Cedar and chocolate notes as the wine opens up. Nice, rich dark fruits. Sufficient acidity to give this lift. A bit one dimensional - not showing much complexity. Enjoyable. Day two showed a sweet and candied version, but on day three, this was back to a fresh, rich fruited wine.
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Deep purplish red. Rich and voluptuous nose coated with blueberries, cassis, cedar and spices. Medium plus tannins (6.5/10) and full bodied. Complex and layered palate with a graphite mouthfeel, black currants, sweet spices, bitter cocoa and a touch of earthiness. Long and lingering finish. Drink from 2028.
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Coravin pour. Tasted alongside 2015 Becklyn and Myriad. At first, this was completely closed, tight, not giving anything on the nose. The palate was red fruited and fairly acidic at first. However, after an hour or two of air in the glass, this blossomed into something really fantastic. The nose gained depth and complexity, and just got bigger. The flavors filled out, becoming a mixed of generous red and black fruits. The finish was mouth-coating with excellent length. This wine started out questionable, but became my favorite by the end of the evening.
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dark ruby violet; cassis, licorice, mocha, vanilla, cedar; intense, concentrated flavors with plum, black cherry, bit of spice; full bodies, good acidity, supple tannins, 14.5% ABV; sourced from Panek, Pellet, Larkmead, and Kennedy vineyards, project of Thomas Rivers Brown and Genevieve Marie Welsh, great appellation level wine at $65
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Time has been good to this wine. while I was worried whether the oak would integrate, it has nicely. Beautiful aromas of blackfruit cassis, anise and cedar, Layers of flavor with red and black fruits, lots of oak. anise and plum. The tannis start to show up in the finnish, but still smooth. Starting to show better, but really needs another 2-3 years at least.
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Really took 2-3 hours in the decanter for it to really start singing... that being said, tannin levels are low, so this is very approachable now. Drink over next 2-5 years if you have any.
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Pop-n-pour for a midweek steak dinner. A step up from the last time I had this. Dark fruit, good density. Nice contrast to all the bordeaux's this past weekend that came across a bit thin and lacking fruit (can't take the Napa out of me). Not quite a 93 but I'll round up.
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First Rivers Marie Cab and I am underwhelmed . Not sure where those 95's are coming from. Lots of years ahead in the drinking range but right now it is soft fruit, low tannins and not much else.
Really on the fence with this one. Just not sure where its going. Very aromatic with red and black fruits, lots of oak. Red and black fruits, distinct blackberry and anise. Good fruit, but overshadowed by a huge amount of oak. Seems much more than any other vintage that I have had. Just not sure it will ever integrate with time. I have 3 more bottles to see if it comes around.
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More or less pop and pour. Fruit is definitely on the purple/plum end of the spectrum and did not hit me in a great place on this night. Good body, but not as much energy as prior experiences with this vintage. Need to leave other bottles alone for a bit.
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Finished off the bottle from a previous Coravin pour. Liked it a touch better this time. Dark plum and currant, touch of black olive, nice finish. Just needs a touch of acidity to pull it all together but can't complain for appellation wine at a reasonable price. Wife liked as well.
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Hmmm... Coravin pour to decide if want to take any of my 2016 allocation ... Not feeling this one as much as everyone else seems to be. Good for sure but nothing I'm getting that excited about. QPR is good but that's not necessarily a reason to buy more when I like many other things better. Mix of red and black fruits with a blackberry note I would have liked more of. Bit of licorice. Oak could integrate a bit more so finish to me is a bit rough still. I'd give it a bit more time. Going to pass this year.
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Superb as always and one of my favorite NV Cabs; dark red, blue and black fruits, cocoa, cedar, little bit of earthiness; sweet tannins; 50/50 Panek/Pellet Vineyards; definitely some of the deeper, darker fruitiness from the Pellet here; more than what I recall from previous vintages.
Opened ahead of the release tomorrow. Very good with nice structure and good acidity. Should peak in 4-5 years but very good today with a good decant. Very hard to beat for the price!
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Hadn't actually opened one of these, so I decided to crack one young and see if I'll keep buying. Great fresh acidity, nice textured and enveloping tannin. Complex array of fruits from strawberries to blackberries with some green walnut and smoke rounding it out. The nose shut down a bit after opening and regained only a little ground with decant. so I'm guessing this will be a 6-8 year wine for my taste.
Wanted to open this to prepare for next week’s release. Wow! Cherry pie and slate/mineral driven nose. Almost “crunchy”. Sweet blackberries and cotton candy. Great structure on the palate. Red, blue and black fruit spectrum. So incredibly easy to drink.
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double decanted a few hours in advance. dark violet color with legs. Nose intense cassis, still somewhat closed. Palate surprisingly light bodied, +acidity, dusky dark fruits, light vanilla. Still so young but already shows its quality and balance. 92 pts for now, would recommend a vigorous decant at this stage.
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Young and fruity, but very good tannin. If I had to complain I'd like a bit more acid - although it isn't acid deficient - but such is the vintage. Fabulous fruit Really balanced. Long finish. An amazing wine for just a basic Napa.
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Much more subdued this time around but still strong. Less cedar and oak, less alcohol, but more red fruit. Still a delicious, smooth new Napa Cab but starting to come into a relaxed phase.
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Double decanted, then this got maybe an hour of air. Drank over 2 hours.
Very smooth from start to finish. Fruit was very purple, and somewhat on the plum end of the spectrum. Another very solid performance, although maybe just a tick less energy than I found in prior/early tastings.
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From Coravin, alongside a 2015 Teeter totter and 2014 Meli Melo. Kind of a fun way to try some flying winemakers’ Napa level blends around $50-65 with TMUD
The RM was the clear winner for my palate. Yes there are tannins that remain to integrate but it certainly doesn’t come off as grippy or stemmy.
There is something classic Napa about this wine - the nose puts me back in the valley, with its inviting profile of plummy fruit, bing cherry, sandalwood, eucalyptus, and warm brown sugar. The palate sings along, with a wide spectrum of fruit and no one dominant note — it’s not as blue fruited as the Melka or Toquette wines I’ve recently enjoyed, and neither is it toward the red side. Right down the middle. Good supportive acid as well with a persistent finish. Clocks in at 14.5% abv. This is exactly what I’m seeking out in an appellation wine. And despite not coming from a singular site, I do get a sense of place from the wine. I suspect the bottling may become my go-to at this price point, among which there are many good options. Classic, and likely better in a year or two.
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Clearly needs time in the bottle. I can see this gaining at least 2 points but right this moment, its a 91. Which is still nice but time will reward you on this. Let it sit. Fruit forward. Aroma was the best part about it though. The nose won out.
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My first go with this vintage. Pnp was alright, but this became significantly better after 2-3 hours in the decanter and thereafter - especially if drinking without food. Lush dark quality fruits with highlights of plum, fig, vanilla, and dark cherry chocolate. I like that this isn't overly extracted and so nicely orchestrated by the balance of acidity, tannins & alcohol. Mouthfeel is velvety with a finish that lingers on. Best between 2-4 hrs..simply an awesome QPR if you can find it at release pricing! 95pts for me @ $65
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Rich and full of flavor. What was remarkable to me were strong woods/tannins (which wasn’t a surprise by itself given its youth) but which were remarkably smooth and easy to drink. Looking forward to see how it evolves and also see how it’s single vineyard cousins are.
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Noticeable dark fruit, ripe but not overly rich. Low acid and lacking some energy. The warmed walnut note is the counter to the fruit as is the pine note in the RM Pinots, adding nice complexity. Decanted for an hour and the structure finally showed after 2 hours. Hold or drink with a 2 hour decant.
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Decided to revisit because I'm considering buying more. Similar thoughts as the last bottle but a little better. Once again, nice depth/concentration, really smooth, full/vibrant flavors of dark berries coupled with some spice and vanilla, fairly long finish, etc.. Decanted for one hour and drank over another three. Improved a little with time but drinking well after the decant. As usual, sourced from quality vineyards: Panek, Pellet, Lore, Larkmead, and the Kennedy Vineyard. The best vintage of this wine that I've had so far.
I popped this for my birthday, yesterday, based upon the positive comments here. my first 2015 cab. would agree with what everyone is saying, this is drinking very well - full, generous, darker fruit, with a lingering sweet vanilla oakiness on the finish, that reminds me of the Silver Oaks and Caymus cab from the 80s. A bit of alcohol heat on the approach, but no where near that of other similar napa valley cabs of recent memory.
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This is already drinking amazingly well. It tastes a bit like a barrel sample at the moment, but in the best possible way. If you have several, I would pop one and check it out.
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Similar to my previous note, really dark massive fruit, sweet vanilla oak, amazing texture, finish goes on and on, this is an amazing wine! I personally don't think any wine at 65 is a "value" but if you compare what you normally get at 65... it doesn't taste like this!
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Final wine on a long Christmas night of many wines, including multiple champaigns, and the 99+ point 2013 Outpost True Vineyard Cabernet (which was served immediately before). This bottle was consumed towards the END of dinner, so palates were TIRED. It had been decanting for several hours.
Basically, it was FABULOUS. Everybody loved it around the table. Open for business. Gorgeous, decadent, layered, nuanced, rich. It was damn impressive given its position in the lineup and the fact that it's a 2015 from the recently received current release.
No more detailed tasting notes besides that I'm incredibly impressed and very pleased to have five more of these bottles.
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Our first Rivers-Marie! We popped and poured this young one while trimming the tree. WOW! Green pepper laid over cedar and oak. Rocket fuel to get you to the cassis and vanilla planet. Way too intense to drink more than half a bottle. Next day, big graphite nose and just a little more subdued. This bottle did not disappoint, but I sure hope it settles down over the next couple of years or it may blow up in the bottle.
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Incredibly good base wine. 14.5%abv. Deep dark purple, long, long legs. Dark berry, dark chocolate, baking spice, pencil lead nose. Very full mouth, grippy tannins on top/sides of mouth. Impressive structure. Palate of black berries, cocoa, espresso, creamy vanilla and black licorice. Wow, for a basic Napa cab, this wine rocks.
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Busted out the Coravin last night and poured a couple glasses of the 2015 RM Panek and Napa bottling into the decanters, and let sit for about an hour. While both were satisfying, there was a clear winner on the evening.
The Napa was ready to rock, with pure dark fruits, a savory nose, with a plush mid, and nicely refined tannins. Based off pure approachability, the Napa shined tonight. 95 points with upside.
The Panek was tightly coiled, with wonderful dark fruits on the nose, plush mid, and biting tannins on the finish. I agree with previous notes that this needs to rest for several more years. It has the stuffing to markedly improve, and I see this earning another several points. Drink in 2021. 94 points for now, and I could see an easy 96+ down the road.
These 2015 RM's are delicious- I really wish that I had bought more of my allocation!
Dark purple fruit - blackberry, dark currants, and a little dark plum. Smooth mid-palate coupled with solid depth. Nice flavors of dark berries and little spice. Fairly long finish. Decanted for one hour and drank over another two. Improved a little with time but drinking quite well after the decant. However, I believe another year or two will serve this vintage well to let the fruit soften and open-up a little more.
Used the Coravin at a friend's house. Luscious dark fruits with hints of baking spice and chocolate. Full body and almost creamy texture, tannins not too overpowering. The wine obviously needs some time in the bottle for the tannins to integrate, but still quite enjoyable and accessible now.
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3 hour decant. Dark ruby purple robe, black and blue fruit w/ oak and vanilla on the nose. Smooth and delicious in the mouth. Tannins improved w/ decanting, will be really nice with a few more years in the cellar. Really enjoyed this one and felt that it drank really well with the decant, unlike some of the other reviewers.
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Decanted for 45 min and then drank slowly with dinner. Dark fruits, cassis, dark chocolate and some dusty flavor notes, slight tannic bite on finish. Deeply coiled, young; opened up more with time, would decant as much as possible at this point. Still very smooth and rich, but I think its depth is still more youthful potential at this point. 92 pts
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Dark massive extracted sweet black and blue fruits. Blackberry and plum, anise, vanilla, velvety texture, chewy mouth coating tannins. I don’t usually believe you can say a 65 dollar wine is ever a good QPR but this is. It should get better with 3-4 years of age.
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Deep purplish red. Powerful nose with layers of cedar, blueberries, black currants and spices. Medium plus tannins (6.5/10) and full bodied. Complex palate with sweet spices, dark berries, dark cocoa and a touch earthiness. Long and lingering finish with a touch of dryness. Drink from 2018 to 2028. (92+)
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Love Rivers Marie. New release more elegant and more powerful than excellent 2014. Dark fruit and supple smooth tannnins. Decanted for an hour but was just developing.
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Easily the best Rivers-Marie NV I've ever had (2010-2015). Double decanted. Super delicious and open for business after a couple hours of air, but got better as the night went on (over 6 hours or so). Expressive nose of black currant, anise and cedar. Fairly fruit forward, with well integrated sweet tannins. Very nice depth and power to the fruit, without being cloying or disjointed. Notes of black licorice, cherries and chocolate. Long and enjoyable on the finish. This is epic for the price point. 94+
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Tasted at Mending Wall about a week after bottling.
This was very expressive and pretty much on par for me with the Panek and Calistoga. Such a great wine and fantastic QPR. Shows a little more structure and power than the 2014 version, so will try to use more patience once it gets delivered this fall.
5/15/2024 - Condrieu82 Likes this wine: 92 Points
Nice deep ruby color. On the nose deep fruit with mulberry, plums, blackberries, vanilla. Medium+ acidity, nice and deep black currants and dark cherries with notes of brambles - mostly fruit forward but very balanced with medium tannins. Barrel spice and oaky notes in the medium long ending, that leaves a warming sensation for a while. Very good Cabernet-Sauvignon - classic Napa. Nothing super fancy, but definitely very good and quite elegant. Drink now if you like (I PnP), but this should evolve for a few more years.
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3/3/2024 - TheoIV Likes this wine: 95 Points
Beautiful wine. Great nose with bright rich red fruit. Flavors of plum, dark fruit, leather, & earth. Enjoy!
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11/19/2023 - sfwinelover1 Likes this wine: 93 Points
PnP at my sis’s, accompanying my brother in law’s boeuf bourgogne. On the nose and palate, the usual powerful and insistent TRB notes of sweet cassis, black cherries, mulberries, huckleberries, blueberries, anise, dark chocolate and, surprise, oak, vanilla and liquer. Deep magenta, full bodied, thick legs. Medium+ tannins which are very smooth, medium- acidity, slight touch of heat. VG complexity, VG++ intensity and persistence. The pendulum swings. After 10 days of Cabs and BDX blends skewing toward the strict (the Ovid aside), here comes TRB, surprisingly supplied my sis, Queen of the Old World—she blames her fondness for this on the gateway drug of RM pinots, also my first TRB wines—generous to the point of promiscuity. Singing off the pour, like so many TRB wines, this, for my palate, stays just on the right side of the luscious-cloying divide, the tannic structure in particular preventing too much leakage. The yum factor is dialed up to 11 on a 1-10 scale, the delivery accentuated by that classic TRB creaminess. If this didn’t hit the interest level of Materiums of Outpost Trues, my gold standard for his wines, albeit at more dizzying price points, it was plenty tasty and a far more appealing option for me in this genre than Silecieux or the NV Scarlett. Held pretty steady over the hour or so I had my glass and a half, so I think it will last a while but not decades, and I’m not sure aeration will add much to the drinking experience at this point. Worked well enough with the wine-laden beef, but if the evening’s entry is a less seasoned fatty piece of lamb or beef, then I’d recommend this more as a cocktail wine. At around to a bit more than this price point, I’d more often prefer wines like Forman or Mt. Brave (or finding something like the Hartwells or Riverains at auction when there are no other bidders), but I sure enjoy the TRB wines, this included, when I drink them. 93+
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5/19/2023 - YankeeRobio wrote: 95 Points
Incredible concentration. Huckleberry, blackberry, licorice, sweet tar.Fig/prune on the finish. Amazing wine with 20 years left in the tank.
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5/14/2023 - Acohen Likes this wine: 91 Points
Sweet and easy with currant, berry and cocoa
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5/5/2023 - gharter Likes this wine: 91 Points
PnP, no decant needed. aromas of blackfruit, cassis, anise and cedar, Loaded with flavor with red and black fruits, cedar. anise and plum. Soft tannis show up in the finish, but still smooth. Great balance.
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2/25/2023 - Quiller wrote: 89 Points
Opened, poured and had a quick sip: Reddish fruit on the nose; sweetish, reddish fruit taste; soft mouthfeel. Then let it sit about 1/2 hr: Next sip picked up where the initial sip left off: sweetish, reddish fruit; soft mouthfeel; tannins not noticeable; acidity OK; finish distinctively sweet. Continued this way for about 1/2 hr. Then: Changed to a darker fruit profile; not sweet; not much fruit to speak of; tannins getting a grip, although not too bad; much more structured; soft mouthfeel gone. The first 1/2 hour was pleasant, although not particularly cab-like. The 2nd 1/2 hr had more of the cab structure, but minimal fruit, and still not a cabernet profile. Not sure what to make of this. Liked it as a pop-n-pour. Extended air time hurt, rather than helped.
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12/30/2022 - YankeeRobio Likes this wine: 96 Points
Full throttle entry after a one hour decant. Smooth but powerful structure, with sweet, chewy and velvety tannins. Creamy blueberry, ripe plum/prune, concentrated licorice. Purity and depth, this is a turbocharged effort by TRB.
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12/19/2022 - wendyinwlv wrote: 92 Points
Very nice pairing with rib eye roast
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12/19/2022 - bonedoc wrote: 93 Points
rich, ripe, TRB style... nice qpr
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12/11/2022 - wendyinwlv wrote: 92 Points
Went well with leg of lamb. A consistent cab.
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12/11/2022 - LCHammer wrote: flawed
Corked - bummer.
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12/9/2022 - TC16 wrote: 93 Points
Dark red and blue fruits. Very graceful tannins. Had a little funk at the beginning that blew off.
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11/5/2022 - gharter wrote: flawed
Badly corked. Undrinkable.
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8/16/2022 - swade wrote: 93 Points
Smoldering aroma draws you in for a sip. Deep color. Dark fruit core with polished, melting tannins. Primetime. 93
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6/28/2022 - fisk15 wrote: 94 Points
Drank in Asheville, NC - this was ready for prime time from a pop and pour, great showing. Darker fruited, graphite, still with some tannin.
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6/27/2022 - kaush Likes this wine: 92 Points
These were awesome! Dark fruit, smoothed out tannin, wit lh an underlying core of acidity. I polished off both my remaining bottles this summer. I now regret that I stopped buying Rivers-Marie
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5/2/2022 - wendyinwlv wrote: 95 Points
Can't add anything more, still a wonderful wine!
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4/12/2022 - Quarked wrote: 95 Points
Took about 2 hours of air to open up. Beautiful wine. Medium bodied, but full of flavor. Mostly cassis, some mulled red fruits and menthol, fleeting glimpses of sandalwood, pencil lead, eucalyptus. Reminded me of a Heitz Trailside I had some years ago.
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4/3/2022 - thelostverse wrote: 92 Points
Opened but not decanted about two hours before dinner. Inky dark in color. Nose of dark fruit , violet and graphite. Lengthy finish with nice balance. I don’t think there’s any hurry here. 92+
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4/1/2022 - pjhr Likes this wine: 93 Points
As delicious as the last bottle!
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1/8/2022 - wendyinwlv wrote: 95 Points
Delicious! A little bit of menthol on the nose. Nice and jammy.
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1/5/2022 - fisk15 wrote: 92 Points
Top Napa appellation Cab year in and out. Dark fruited this year and a bit burley, I like it. Drank with Christmas dinner with prime rib.
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12/23/2021 - gutt22 Likes this wine:
14.5% alcohol. Youthful, with a deep purple color. Classic TRB nose, full of bold fruit, a judicious use of oak, and tobacco undertones. A tribute to texture in the mouth, with supple mouth feel and impressively refined tannins. This really is just textbook modern Napa Cabernet and delightful. A-
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11/19/2021 - pjhr Likes this wine: 93 Points
Delicious blackberry, cassis, oak, and spice on the nose and silky palate with soft tannins on the long finish.
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11/15/2021 - Acohen Likes this wine: 92 Points
Fruit forward and easy to sip with dark berry, cassis and plum
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8/8/2021 - PSUSteve Likes this wine: 94 Points
PnP. From the first sip, this was wonderful. Red and black fruit with a hint of mint on the mid-palate. Nice combination of acid and tannins in a very balanced and smooth package. Seems to be in a great place to drink now. While it is relative, nice QPR for a Napa cab.
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7/9/2021 - fisk15 wrote: 92 Points
the '15 RM Napa (currently) is not as elegant as other years, likely a product of the vintage but it's good now and I hold out hope that this rounds out a bit in the future.
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6/26/2021 - Papillon1112 wrote: 93 Points
Window open on this one…no time to decant so it was a pnp. “Alright. Alright. Alright.” Smooth, balanced and a great QPR.
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4/9/2021 - cobalt2 Likes this wine: 88 Points
Enjoyed with a filet. Opened up nicely and fairly quickly. Smooth but not overly complex, yet never got tired of reaching for glass to polish off the bottle. For the price, I say it is very good.
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1/5/2021 - BigTex22 Likes this wine: 92 Points
Really nice Napa cab for the price. Paired with beef tenderloin. Drinking well and should hold up for several more years.
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12/5/2020 - Papillon1112 wrote: 93 Points
For me never have a young TRB wine. The more years in the bottle the better. Gave this one a try. Enjoyed it after a 4 hr decant. Still going strong day#2. Lots of years in it will let next bottle rest until at least 2022.
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11/29/2020 - mflesh wrote: 90 Points
Supposedly I sunk one of these about two and a half years ago. Didn't write a note about it, which means it really must not have impressed. I'm coming to terms with the fact that this one enjoyed tonight was maybe opened up a year or so too early? But after letting it sit for an hour or so, I'm really not that sure about that. I think this one is in the drinking window for sure, but it is just a little bit awkward. Has a really nice red fruit backbone, some herbal quality about the middle, pretty acidic in the front and on the finish. Still quite a bit of youthful tannin here, but this one has just not matured and integrated in my opinion. Just not a whole lot going on apart from the red fruit. Could be a part of its youth, or it could just be that this one is more of a unilateral red fruited wine and that is really all it's supposed to be perhaps. Can't say I really have a ton of experience with the cab as much as I do the pinots. Devil on the right shoulder says to drink now. Devil on the left shoulder tells me to hold it and hope for the best. Considering this is my last bottle of this, neither wins.
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11/22/2020 - BigTex22 Likes this wine: 92 Points
Drinking really well, strong balanced fruit, good finish. Should drink well for several years. Paired with filet mignon.
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11/16/2020 - BRR Likes this wine: 90 Points
Not decanted, served in Glass Vin stems. This showed surprisingly up-front vanilla (oak) character which was a distraction from the appealing plum and red cherry fruit. The tannin level was enjoyable for drinking now, but the oakiness suggested time was needed. I'll probably drink up and move onto the other wines with age.
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11/8/2020 - iamandyc Likes this wine: 92 Points
Very nice again. Red and darker fruits with nice supporting structure and lively, juicy finish. Some mocha and cedar. Lots of life left.
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10/17/2020 - EMark Likes this wine:
Big floral and dark fruit nose. Opaque red plum color, Dark fruit on the tip of the tongue--blackberry, blueberry, currant, A hint of cola, but only a hint. Some slate around the edges of the tongue, Something of a cocoa thing under the rear palate. Great tannin and acid provide sturdy structure. A big, but smooth, mouthfeel. Enjoyable now but can improve for quite a few more years.
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10/13/2020 - Red@Sunset Likes this wine: 95 Points
The wine looks inky colored. The legs are slow. There is light sediment in the bottle. It smells like blackberry, prune, cherry, plum and coffee. It tastes like blackberry, blueberry and molasses. The body is medium/full. The wine has juicy texture. The wine finishes medium. The wine has medium acidity.
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9/29/2020 - BigTex22 Likes this wine: 93 Points
PnP. Dark blueberry, medium nose, cedar, silky palate, alcohol integrated. Still drinking young so lots of life left. Well done.
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9/28/2020 - kcp Likes this wine: 93 Points
Better than the bottle from last year.
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8/2/2020 - shadow wrote: 91 Points
Nose is a salty prune.
First sip, burnt fruit, black pepper, aged balsamic all ending in a watery grave.
If tasted blind I'd guess Merlot.
Easy and mellow sip, little flat for the price point.
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7/22/2020 - iamandyc Likes this wine: 91 Points
This performed just about right for its price point. Well made, very tasty red fruit, decent balance, good mouthfeel and nice lively finish. No obvious flaws but nothing amazing either. Very enjoyable but not memorable.
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7/17/2020 - ex-sommelier Likes this wine:
A dark brooding nose of blackberry fruit, charcoal, walnut husk, espresso. Palate was rich with good concentration but some alcohol heat and a shorter finish. Fresh and vibrant structure, though soft and well integrated tannin. This has a lot of heft but needs to find more balance as it ages.
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5/26/2020 - fisk15 wrote: 92 Points
Double decanted and then left in bottle for 3 hours. Very dark fruited, heavy on the palate. Still kind of brooding. Alcohol hit at first that integrated after a bit.
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5/25/2020 - Maphill01 Likes this wine:
Dark red and purple fruit. Cassis. Plum. Mocha Leather. Long finish.
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5/8/2020 - wineguy1968 Likes this wine:
This was very nice... a great representation of Napa Valley. I only wish I had more.
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4/8/2020 - jmull Likes this wine: 93 Points
Enjoyed one glass Tuesday night with about an hour of air, and the rest the following evening with my Passover brisket. Classic deep blue and black fruit, and still showing a fair amount of oak influence at this stage. Incredibly lush, silky texture to this. Lots of runway, too, as oak integration will only improve this with time.
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3/28/2020 - t_moderne wrote: 90 Points
Pop and poured some into a decanter. Then served about 1 hour later.
Revisted the remainder the following two days.
Shimmering, vibrant purple color.
Nose of plum, black cherry and cherry liqueur. Slight cough syrup note with the alcohol. Cedar and chocolate notes as the wine opens up.
Nice, rich dark fruits. Sufficient acidity to give this lift. A bit one dimensional - not showing much complexity.
Enjoyable.
Day two showed a sweet and candied version, but on day three, this was back to a fresh, rich fruited wine.
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3/22/2020 - Millennial Drinkers wrote: 93 Points
Deep purplish red. Rich and voluptuous nose coated with blueberries, cassis, cedar and spices. Medium plus tannins (6.5/10) and full bodied. Complex and layered palate with a graphite mouthfeel, black currants, sweet spices, bitter cocoa and a touch of earthiness. Long and lingering finish. Drink from 2028.
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2/28/2020 - cubswinws Likes this wine: 93 Points
Lovely cab with good structure and touch of oak on the finish.
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1/31/2020 - Rktekt3 wrote: 92 Points
Yummy.
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12/31/2019 - td1836 Likes this wine: 94 Points
Coravin pour. Tasted alongside 2015 Becklyn and Myriad. At first, this was completely closed, tight, not giving anything on the nose. The palate was red fruited and fairly acidic at first. However, after an hour or two of air in the glass, this blossomed into something really fantastic. The nose gained depth and complexity, and just got bigger. The flavors filled out, becoming a mixed of generous red and black fruits. The finish was mouth-coating with excellent length. This wine started out questionable, but became my favorite by the end of the evening.
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12/23/2019 - ashikoh Likes this wine: 94 Points
dark ruby violet; cassis, licorice, mocha, vanilla, cedar; intense, concentrated flavors with plum, black cherry, bit of spice; full bodies, good acidity, supple tannins, 14.5% ABV; sourced from Panek, Pellet, Larkmead, and Kennedy vineyards, project of Thomas Rivers Brown and Genevieve Marie Welsh, great appellation level wine at $65
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12/10/2019 - gharter Likes this wine:
Time has been good to this wine. while I was worried whether the oak would integrate, it has nicely. Beautiful aromas of blackfruit cassis, anise and cedar, Layers of flavor with red and black fruits, lots of oak. anise and plum. The tannis start to show up in the finnish, but still smooth. Starting to show better, but really needs another 2-3 years at least.
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10/1/2019 - kcp Likes this wine: 92 Points
Needs a couple more years. Very promising.
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10/1/2019 - pakabear Likes this wine: 94 Points
Consistent to my previous note, however I don’t think it will get much better, I’d drink up over the next 5 years.
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8/24/2019 - vancouvermatt wrote: 93 Points
Really took 2-3 hours in the decanter for it to really start singing... that being said, tannin levels are low, so this is very approachable now. Drink over next 2-5 years if you have any.
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7/19/2019 - DrBad Likes this wine: 93 Points
PnP. Delicious right out of the bottle. Plum, oaky but not over the top. Great value for an entry level Napa Cab from a top winemaker. Gotta buy more.
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6/3/2019 - yeti575rider wrote: 93 Points
Pop-n-pour for a midweek steak dinner. A step up from the last time I had this. Dark fruit, good density. Nice contrast to all the bordeaux's this past weekend that came across a bit thin and lacking fruit (can't take the Napa out of me). Not quite a 93 but I'll round up.
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4/12/2019 - cubswinws Likes this wine: 93 Points
Beautiful cabernet with good structure. Obviously on the young side but delightful.
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3/22/2019 - vancouvermatt wrote: 92 Points
Took a good four hours to really come into its own and start shining.... lots of black fruit, full bodied, and plenty of tannic grip and structure.
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3/18/2019 - spicy1 wrote: 89 Points
First Rivers Marie Cab and I am underwhelmed . Not sure where those 95's are coming from. Lots of years ahead in the drinking range but right now it is soft fruit, low tannins and not much else.
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1/21/2019 - blaine wrote:
Echoing previous tasters, this is too young. Uncharacteristicly (for RM) in an awkward stage, I’d give it three more years at least.
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1/18/2019 - densonbs wrote:
Wonderful but still young I will wait another few years to open the next one. Great dark fruit some leather. Wonderful long finish not too hot
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1/15/2019 - gharter wrote: 90 Points
Really on the fence with this one. Just not sure where its going. Very aromatic with red and black fruits, lots of oak. Red and black fruits, distinct blackberry and anise. Good fruit, but overshadowed by a huge amount of oak. Seems much more than any other vintage that I have had. Just not sure it will ever integrate with time. I have 3 more bottles to see if it comes around.
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10/17/2018 - Rktekt3 wrote: 91 Points
still needs more time to balance out.
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10/3/2018 - Dagman Likes this wine: 91 Points
Good fruit with the tannins still mellowing out. I think will be much better in 2-3 years. Improved over the course of a second day.
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9/28/2018 - ageverett Likes this wine: 92 Points
More or less pop and pour. Fruit is definitely on the purple/plum end of the spectrum and did not hit me in a great place on this night. Good body, but not as much energy as prior experiences with this vintage. Need to leave other bottles alone for a bit.
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9/26/2018 - Bob23 Likes this wine: 92 Points
Ample fruit, but not overloaded or over-oaked.
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9/1/2018 - yeti575rider wrote: 92 Points
Finished off the bottle from a previous Coravin pour. Liked it a touch better this time. Dark plum and currant, touch of black olive, nice finish. Just needs a touch of acidity to pull it all together but can't complain for appellation wine at a reasonable price. Wife liked as well.
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7/20/2018 - BrunelloBob wrote: 91 Points
An hour or two in the decanter helped. Solid Napa cab, not over the top.
Watch the shmutz
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7/19/2018 - yeti575rider wrote: 91 Points
Hmmm... Coravin pour to decide if want to take any of my 2016 allocation ... Not feeling this one as much as everyone else seems to be. Good for sure but nothing I'm getting that excited about. QPR is good but that's not necessarily a reason to buy more when I like many other things better. Mix of red and black fruits with a blackberry note I would have liked more of. Bit of licorice. Oak could integrate a bit more so finish to me is a bit rough still. I'd give it a bit more time. Going to pass this year.
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7/17/2018 - tcufletch Likes this wine: 93 Points
Superb as always and one of my favorite NV Cabs; dark red, blue and black fruits, cocoa, cedar, little bit of earthiness; sweet tannins; 50/50 Panek/Pellet Vineyards; definitely some of the deeper, darker fruitiness from the Pellet here; more than what I recall from previous vintages.
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7/16/2018 - cubswinws Likes this wine: 92 Points
Opened ahead of the release tomorrow. Very good with nice structure and good acidity. Should peak in 4-5 years but very good today with a good decant. Very hard to beat for the price!
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7/14/2018 - ex-sommelier Likes this wine:
Hadn't actually opened one of these, so I decided to crack one young and see if I'll keep buying. Great fresh acidity, nice textured and enveloping tannin. Complex array of fruits from strawberries to blackberries with some green walnut and smoke rounding it out. The nose shut down a bit after opening and regained only a little ground with decant. so I'm guessing this will be a 6-8 year wine for my taste.
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7/10/2018 - Shay.Aldriedge Likes this wine: 94 Points
Wanted to open this to prepare for next week’s release. Wow! Cherry pie and slate/mineral driven nose. Almost “crunchy”. Sweet blackberries and cotton candy. Great structure on the palate. Red, blue and black fruit spectrum. So incredibly easy to drink.
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7/8/2018 - Mountster27 Likes this wine: 93 Points
Outside, 80° on a summer day. Drank at cellar temperature and allowed to open up over two hours in the bottle. Couldn’t have asked for more.
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6/30/2018 - fred o. Likes this wine:
double decanted a few hours in advance. dark violet color with legs. Nose intense cassis, still somewhat closed. Palate surprisingly light bodied, +acidity, dusky dark fruits, light vanilla. Still so young but already shows its quality and balance. 92 pts for now, would recommend a vigorous decant at this stage.
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6/20/2018 - etherscreen04 wrote:
Young, but delicious with amazing qpr.
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5/3/2018 - cubswinws Likes this wine: 93 Points
Delicious
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4/25/2018 - PortFanatic wrote: 93 Points
Young and fruity, but very good tannin. If I had to complain I'd like a bit more acid - although it isn't acid deficient - but such is the vintage. Fabulous fruit Really balanced. Long finish. An amazing wine for just a basic Napa.
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4/20/2018 - sinebubble wrote:
Much more subdued this time around but still strong. Less cedar and oak, less alcohol, but more red fruit. Still a delicious, smooth new Napa Cab but starting to come into a relaxed phase.
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4/8/2018 - cab blends Likes this wine: 95 Points
This is a powerhouse Napa cab. T8 N6 F7 B7 F8
Full bodied with strong and enjoyable tannins. a lingering finish.
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3/29/2018 - ageverett Likes this wine: 93 Points
Double decanted, then this got maybe an hour of air. Drank over 2 hours.
Very smooth from start to finish. Fruit was very purple, and somewhat on the plum end of the spectrum. Another very solid performance, although maybe just a tick less energy than I found in prior/early tastings.
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3/17/2018 - cab blends wrote: 92 Points
Not as rounded as the Myriad
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3/4/2018 - jviz wrote: 94 Points
From Coravin, alongside a 2015 Teeter totter and 2014 Meli Melo. Kind of a fun way to try some flying winemakers’ Napa level blends around $50-65 with TMUD
The RM was the clear winner for my palate. Yes there are tannins that remain to integrate but it certainly doesn’t come off as grippy or stemmy.
There is something classic Napa about this wine - the nose puts me back in the valley, with its inviting profile of plummy fruit, bing cherry, sandalwood, eucalyptus, and warm brown sugar. The palate sings along, with a wide spectrum of fruit and no one dominant note — it’s not as blue fruited as the Melka or Toquette wines I’ve recently enjoyed, and neither is it toward the red side. Right down the middle. Good supportive acid as well with a persistent finish. Clocks in at 14.5% abv. This is exactly what I’m seeking out in an appellation wine. And despite not coming from a singular site, I do get a sense of place from the wine. I suspect the bottling may become my go-to at this price point, among which there are many good options. Classic, and likely better in a year or two.
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2/20/2018 - Rktekt3 wrote: 91 Points
Clearly needs time in the bottle. I can see this gaining at least 2 points but right this moment, its a 91. Which is still nice but time will reward you on this. Let it sit. Fruit forward. Aroma was the best part about it though. The nose won out.
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2/9/2018 - Ryan3719 Likes this wine: 93 Points
Stole a glass with my Coravin. Still young, but going to be a beauty! Give it a few more years...will be well worth the wait.
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2/9/2018 - City Squirrel Likes this wine: 95 Points
My first go with this vintage. Pnp was alright, but this became significantly better after 2-3 hours in the decanter and thereafter - especially if drinking without food. Lush dark quality fruits with highlights of plum, fig, vanilla, and dark cherry chocolate. I like that this isn't overly extracted and so nicely orchestrated by the balance of acidity, tannins & alcohol. Mouthfeel is velvety with a finish that lingers on. Best between 2-4 hrs..simply an awesome QPR if you can find it at release pricing! 95pts for me @ $65
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2/1/2018 - pakabear Likes this wine: 94 Points
Same as previous notes.
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1/28/2018 - pakabear Likes this wine: 94 Points
Same as previous bottle, dark black and blue, velvety texture, amazing balance.
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1/20/2018 - B Paul wrote:
Nice wine and good QPR by Napa standards. Pretty open for business already, though a good decant probably wouldn't hurt a thing.
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1/20/2018 - cjmueller9288 wrote: 94 Points
Drinking great. Will be even better in years to come.
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1/19/2018 - shawnek wrote: 94 Points
First bottle I've enjoyed, was very pleased with this even though I'm positive with some bottle aging it's going to be even better.
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1/15/2018 - ageverett Likes this wine: 94 Points
This was more or less pop and pour. Drank about half the bottle over 90 minutes.
Dark purple in fruit, with a velvet mouthfeel. Medium weight. Plush and smooth on the finish. Love the balance here - not a hard edge to be found.
Revisited remaining 1/2 bottle on Day 2 and it had fallen off a bit. Plum flavor pushed through on the fruit, and finish was a little flat.
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1/13/2018 - Gnieboer Likes this wine: 92 Points
Rich and full of flavor. What was remarkable to me were strong woods/tannins (which wasn’t a surprise by itself given its youth) but which were remarkably smooth and easy to drink. Looking forward to see how it evolves and also see how it’s single vineyard cousins are.
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1/13/2018 - Mrp2008 wrote: 92 Points
Noticeable dark fruit, ripe but not overly rich. Low acid and lacking some energy. The warmed walnut note is the counter to the fruit as is the pine note in the RM Pinots, adding nice complexity. Decanted for an hour and the structure finally showed after 2 hours. Hold or drink with a 2 hour decant.
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1/10/2018 - Badmonkey wrote: 94 Points
Decided to revisit because I'm considering buying more. Similar thoughts as the last bottle but a little better. Once again, nice depth/concentration, really smooth, full/vibrant flavors of dark berries coupled with some spice and vanilla, fairly long finish, etc.. Decanted for one hour and drank over another three. Improved a little with time but drinking well after the decant. As usual, sourced from quality vineyards: Panek, Pellet, Lore, Larkmead, and the Kennedy Vineyard. The best vintage of this wine that I've had so far.
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1/9/2018 - Franken Berry Likes this wine: 94 Points
I popped this for my birthday, yesterday, based upon the positive comments here. my first 2015 cab. would agree with what everyone is saying, this is drinking very well - full, generous, darker fruit, with a lingering sweet vanilla oakiness on the finish, that reminds me of the Silver Oaks and Caymus cab from the 80s. A bit of alcohol heat on the approach, but no where near that of other similar napa valley cabs of recent memory.
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1/8/2018 - mhewitt wrote: 95 Points
This is already drinking amazingly well. It tastes a bit like a barrel sample at the moment, but in the best possible way. If you have several, I would pop one and check it out.
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1/6/2018 - pakabear Likes this wine: 94 Points
Similar to my previous note, really dark massive fruit, sweet vanilla oak, amazing texture, finish goes on and on, this is an amazing wine! I personally don't think any wine at 65 is a "value" but if you compare what you normally get at 65... it doesn't taste like this!
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1/3/2018 - blarmston Likes this wine: 95 Points
Similar notes to my previous experience back a couple weeks ago.
Simply put- one of the best $65 wines I've ever had.
This would compete with offerings 3X this price...
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1/1/2018 - RobbieC Likes this wine:
Oh my! This is wonderful. The glowing CT reviews with scores of 93+ are accurate. Great wine.
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12/25/2017 - WineGold wrote: 95 Points
Final wine on a long Christmas night of many wines, including multiple champaigns, and the 99+ point 2013 Outpost True Vineyard Cabernet (which was served immediately before). This bottle was consumed towards the END of dinner, so palates were TIRED. It had been decanting for several hours.
Basically, it was FABULOUS. Everybody loved it around the table. Open for business. Gorgeous, decadent, layered, nuanced, rich. It was damn impressive given its position in the lineup and the fact that it's a 2015 from the recently received current release.
No more detailed tasting notes besides that I'm incredibly impressed and very pleased to have five more of these bottles.
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12/15/2017 - sinebubble wrote:
Our first Rivers-Marie! We popped and poured this young one while trimming the tree. WOW! Green pepper laid over cedar and oak. Rocket fuel to get you to the cassis and vanilla planet. Way too intense to drink more than half a bottle. Next day, big graphite nose and just a little more subdued. This bottle did not disappoint, but I sure hope it settles down over the next couple of years or it may blow up in the bottle.
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12/15/2017 - dclaggett Likes this wine: 94 Points
Incredibly good base wine. 14.5%abv. Deep dark purple, long, long legs. Dark berry, dark chocolate, baking spice, pencil lead nose. Very full mouth, grippy tannins on top/sides of mouth. Impressive structure. Palate of black berries, cocoa, espresso, creamy vanilla and black licorice. Wow, for a basic Napa cab, this wine rocks.
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12/15/2017 - blarmston Likes this wine: 95 Points
Busted out the Coravin last night and poured a couple glasses of the 2015 RM Panek and Napa bottling into the decanters, and let sit for about an hour. While both were satisfying, there was a clear winner on the evening.
The Napa was ready to rock, with pure dark fruits, a savory nose, with a plush mid, and nicely refined tannins. Based off pure approachability, the Napa shined tonight. 95 points with upside.
The Panek was tightly coiled, with wonderful dark fruits on the nose, plush mid, and biting tannins on the finish. I agree with previous notes that this needs to rest for several more years. It has the stuffing to markedly improve, and I see this earning another several points. Drink in 2021. 94 points for now, and I could see an easy 96+ down the road.
These 2015 RM's are delicious- I really wish that I had bought more of my allocation!
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12/13/2017 - Badmonkey wrote: 93 Points
Dark purple fruit - blackberry, dark currants, and a little dark plum. Smooth mid-palate coupled with solid depth. Nice flavors of dark berries and little spice. Fairly long finish. Decanted for one hour and drank over another two. Improved a little with time but drinking quite well after the decant. However, I believe another year or two will serve this vintage well to let the fruit soften and open-up a little more.
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12/12/2017 - raek Likes this wine:
TRB nose with loaded bouquet of fruit. Really nice and long finish. Smooth mouth feel. 14.5% ABV. Not too early to visit.
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12/7/2017 - rieslinghoarder Likes this wine: 94 Points
Used the Coravin at a friend's house. Luscious dark fruits with hints of baking spice and chocolate. Full body and almost creamy texture, tannins not too overpowering. The wine obviously needs some time in the bottle for the tannins to integrate, but still quite enjoyable and accessible now.
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11/26/2017 - Shaun Mondavi wrote: 95 Points
3 hour decant. Dark ruby purple robe, black and blue fruit w/ oak and vanilla on the nose. Smooth and delicious in the mouth. Tannins improved w/ decanting, will be really nice with a few more years in the cellar. Really enjoyed this one and felt that it drank really well with the decant, unlike some of the other reviewers.
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11/25/2017 - fred o. Likes this wine:
Decanted for 45 min and then drank slowly with dinner. Dark fruits, cassis, dark chocolate and some dusty flavor notes, slight tannic bite on finish. Deeply coiled, young; opened up more with time, would decant as much as possible at this point. Still very smooth and rich, but I think its depth is still more youthful potential at this point. 92 pts
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11/25/2017 - pakabear Likes this wine: 94 Points
Dark massive extracted sweet black and blue fruits. Blackberry and plum, anise, vanilla, velvety texture, chewy mouth coating tannins. I don’t usually believe you can say a 65 dollar wine is ever a good QPR but this is. It should get better with 3-4 years of age.
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11/25/2017 - pdemaio wrote: 93 Points
Solid wine. Too young. Very bold, with a strong future.
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11/22/2017 - Millennial Drinkers wrote: 92 Points
Deep purplish red. Powerful nose with layers of cedar, blueberries, black currants and spices. Medium plus tannins (6.5/10) and full bodied. Complex palate with sweet spices, dark berries, dark cocoa and a touch earthiness. Long and lingering finish with a touch of dryness. Drink from 2018 to 2028. (92+)
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11/22/2017 - Mountster27 Likes this wine: 93 Points
Love Rivers Marie.
New release more elegant and more powerful than excellent 2014.
Dark fruit and supple smooth tannnins.
Decanted for an hour but was just developing.
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11/19/2017 - Cristal2000 Likes this wine: 94 Points
Easily the best Rivers-Marie NV I've ever had (2010-2015). Double decanted. Super delicious and open for business after a couple hours of air, but got better as the night went on (over 6 hours or so). Expressive nose of black currant, anise and cedar. Fairly fruit forward, with well integrated sweet tannins. Very nice depth and power to the fruit, without being cloying or disjointed. Notes of black licorice, cherries and chocolate. Long and enjoyable on the finish. This is epic for the price point. 94+
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11/16/2017 - Mootsie wrote:
Do not open these for at least another 2-3 years. My bad. Primary, oaky, tannic.
Day 2. Not much improvement. You can drink it at least, but it really isn’t showing anything. Would be a waste to open now.
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6/16/2017 - ageverett Likes this wine: 94 Points
Tasted at Mending Wall about a week after bottling.
This was very expressive and pretty much on par for me with the Panek and Calistoga. Such a great wine and fantastic QPR. Shows a little more structure and power than the 2014 version, so will try to use more patience once it gets delivered this fall.
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