Opened after the 2004 Shea vineyard Raptor Ridge bottle, this was very musky and the clonal differences were striking. Much more vegetal, musky and herbaceaous, thinner and leaner and more mature. On it's own, decent enough, though lacking punch and nuance to generate a top mark. Vegetal and somewhat spry.
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Opened with a light-ish coloring and heavy dose of oak on the nose. Medium body, braised strawberry and lots and lots of toasted oak here. Some vegetal notes, a little sweet and sour. A little musk and skunky, perhaps the clonals. So-so.
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Opened and poured, this light bodied medium red pinot showing a more delicate framework, highlighted by round lush cherries, vanilla bean, oak, pomegranate and cola flavors. Not too heavy and well balanced. Tart-ish, light, cranberry, rhubarb, a little green, airy, earth tones on day two.
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First impression was wow that is a lot of bricking and oranging on the edges - wonder what that means. Turns out nothing negative. Earthy and red fruit on the nose (very strawberry and red cherry). On the palate it was more subtle than the fruits on the nose but had nice lively strawberry, tart red cherry(!), desert spices, hints of oak and a nice bright acidity on the medium finish. Solid drinking pinot in a very focused fruit forward style but not completely in your face about it.
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Nearly three years after last bottle. Slightly hazy brick red with orange edges. Noticable moss and wet ground nose, with strawberry and tart cherry. Light spice and some old wood. Finish somewhat hot. Less impressed than I was.
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88+. I really like the balance of this wine. Definitely has some burgundian attributes, with a nice balance of fruit and earthy attributes and not as candied as some new world styled Sonoma Coasts, but it also is missing the acidic lift I would have expected and tastes a bit flat as a result without any succulent acidity or complex texture. Very good, but not excellent.
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No doubt this is CA pinot right from the nose. Strawberry and cherry fruit invades yor palate. Nice medium finish with good acidity. This is the first bottle I have had so I can't comment on whether it has improved or not, but I think you have a good two year drinking window and has the potential for improvement.
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Starting to lose it; was a great wine in its prime, but it is softening quickly; does not have much of a finish left; light cherry and strawberry flavors with some earthy, woody characteristics to match them; finish is getting pretty tight; drink up
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Despite my prior prediction of improvement over time, this wine is deteriorating with age. On the nose, a dirty, wet earth note mars a whiff of plum and chocoloate covered cherry. Palate is sour cherry, dirt and wood. No nuance. Unremarkable.
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Very balanced and mid weight Coast pinot, red fruit dominating, great with pork loin but enough guts to stand alone, pretty impresssed with W.H. Smith so far.
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In the glass a lovely garnet and a nose that says PINOT - there is no mistaking it - strawberry,cherry - very RRV even though this is Sonoma Coast. In the mouth an initial sweetness that quickly yields to strawberry,wild berries and an acidic backbone that carries those flavors to a long finish. I wish I had bought more - a LOT more!!!
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Bright garnet color and a classic pinot nose. This was opened (but not decanted) for an hour before serving and followed a big white Burgundy ('89 Chassagne-Montrachet Morgeot premier cru) to accompany seared pork medallions in a sweet mustard cream sauce. Initially it tasted sweet, but this subsided within a few minutes and the light raspberry and light cherries fruit began to dominate. Very mild tannins and a long finish.
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Pulled it to compare to Kosta Sonoma Coast. Let's check it out.
TIM SAYS - Pale and cloudy. Presumably cloudy from no filtration. Classic Pinot nose. Barnyard fruit, raspberries, touch of dustiness. Bright and lively nose. Cherry cough syrup on the palate. Loads of jammy fruit. light tannins, light body. Dances and goes down easy - like a great striper. Well balanced. Pleasantly tart finish with sweet cherries. Never turns bitter. And like a great stripper, you get what you pay for. Godammit, Peppermint, I thought we connected... Much lighter style than Kosta, but more fruit coming forward now. Cherry licorice. It comes down to taste. I prefer this over the Kosta, insofar as it tastes and drinks like Pinot.
JAMES SAYS --- More Burgundian in style. Ripe on the nose but with underbrush associated with Burgundy.
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Very high toned fruit with red cherry, strawberry, clove, lean midpalate and long high acid finish. The initial candied note deepened over time so this may improve in the next 2 years.
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Much better this time, now I am convinced the last bottle was spoiled. This one was full of red fruits with loads of strawberry, cola and meaty undertones. Nice
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Brought to friends as a gift, and we opened it and drank it without decanting. It was devine immediately. The nose was subtle and complex with clear dark fruits. The wine was elegant in its balance -- very nice fruit -- mostly raspberries and blueberries -- with great overall balance. It needed no pairing with food to emphasize its character. Wonderful.
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Great nose of rhubarb, cherry, spice and raspberry. The flavors are fresh and vibrant with cola, cherry, spice and cranberry that flows through a lasting finish. Well done. A great QPR.
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Good sonoma fruit profile with initial nose and palate of strawberry and rhubarb turning to black cherry and cola as the wine opens. Well integrated and smooth. Faint hints of spice. Drank this the night after an 05 PP Mukaida, and the two had similar flavor profiles but I give the nod to the Mukaida for its mineral spine.
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More expressive nose than my last bottle, with strawberry, baking spices, and pie crust. Palate was slightly too tart for my taste, with cherry undertones and, surprisingly, a creamy finish. This will be very good in 18 months.
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Pale hazy light red color. Allspice and cherry nose followed by well intergrated flavors of spice, cola, and cherry. The finish is long and pure. This was the last of three bottles. The wine seems to be improving in the bottle.
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kind of cloudy strawberry jam color. pretty burgundian nose. lots of cherry that has a juicy, not jammy quality. some coffee. gains more earth and spice on the palate with time. note: this wine held up to an asparagus roll with wasabi and soy sauce. i thought it would be disaster, but couldn't resist trying. whodathunk.
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Pop and pour. Really good. Classic Sonoma Coast. Muted nose. Sweet cherries on the palate, with a bracing dose of acidity. Some strawberries in the background. A definite bargain.
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Light red color almost translucent. Better than the bottle opened 5 months ago. Very plesant cherry flavor with hints of coffee. This is one of the better 2005's
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Uncorked and let sit for at least an hour before tasting. Nice clear transparent ruby red color with a lot of black cherry scents on the nose. A surprisingly large amount of fruit hits you right at the first taste. It's not over the top and quite complex and enjoyable. The finish is long and soft. I actually preferred this 05 Sonoma Coast bottling over the more expensive Martime Vineyard bottling at this stage. I think that the latter needs much more time to integrate and settle down while this one is ready to drink and enjoy now.
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Not sure what WS was talking about. Maybe my bottle was "off", but this was very cloudy, looking very unfiltered. Turns out it is unfiltered, I called the wine maker. Wine was earthy, musty, with some cherry and diluted black fruit, maybe cola. I am starting to think my bottle was flawed, but I will wait another 6-8 months and try again.
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most of the 05's tried to date open a bit on the tart side and this is no exception. Light in color, and tight on the nose it is nonetheless a pleasant wine. Probably needed time in a decanter. I think I will wait 6 months to try it again.
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Medium red color, red fruit on the nose, medium weight with nice red fruit, very easy drinking, not very complex but enjoyable. Would be good with the right food.
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8/11/2016 - Senso-beak wrote: 85 Points
Opened after the 2004 Shea vineyard Raptor Ridge bottle, this was very musky and the clonal differences were striking. Much more vegetal, musky and herbaceaous, thinner and leaner and more mature. On it's own, decent enough, though lacking punch and nuance to generate a top mark. Vegetal and somewhat spry.
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6/26/2016 - tonyg_94618 wrote: 89 Points
Good nose and mouthfeel. Starting to go skunky. Consume now
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11/11/2015 - Senso-beak wrote: 84 Points
Opened with a light-ish coloring and heavy dose of oak on the nose. Medium body, braised strawberry and lots and lots of toasted oak here. Some vegetal notes, a little sweet and sour. A little musk and skunky, perhaps the clonals. So-so.
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1/25/2014 - Senso-beak wrote: 87 Points
Opened and poured, this light bodied medium red pinot showing a more delicate framework, highlighted by round lush cherries, vanilla bean, oak, pomegranate and cola flavors. Not too heavy and well balanced. Tart-ish, light, cranberry, rhubarb, a little green, airy, earth tones on day two.
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6/24/2013 - jdoakpark wrote: 92 Points
Loved it....awesome mouthfeel ....great nose....flowers and light fruit.....beauty.
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8/10/2012 - jdoakpark wrote: 88 Points
Good
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5/8/2011 - Scruff wrote:
First impression was wow that is a lot of bricking and oranging on the edges - wonder what that means. Turns out nothing negative. Earthy and red fruit on the nose (very strawberry and red cherry). On the palate it was more subtle than the fruits on the nose but had nice lively strawberry, tart red cherry(!), desert spices, hints of oak and a nice bright acidity on the medium finish. Solid drinking pinot in a very focused fruit forward style but not completely in your face about it.
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8/17/2010 - smphelps wrote: 87 Points
Nearly three years after last bottle. Slightly hazy brick red with orange edges. Noticable moss and wet ground nose, with strawberry and tart cherry. Light spice and some old wood. Finish somewhat hot. Less impressed than I was.
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2/11/2010 - winegr wrote: 88 Points
88+. I really like the balance of this wine. Definitely has some burgundian attributes, with a nice balance of fruit and earthy attributes and not as candied as some new world styled Sonoma Coasts, but it also is missing the acidic lift I would have expected and tastes a bit flat as a result without any succulent acidity or complex texture. Very good, but not excellent.
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2/4/2010 - rben_mvp wrote: 91 Points
No doubt this is CA pinot right from the nose. Strawberry and cherry fruit invades yor palate. Nice medium finish with good acidity. This is the first bottle I have had so I can't comment on whether it has improved or not, but I think you have a good two year drinking window and has the potential for improvement.
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12/18/2009 - windypinot wrote: 89 Points
Starting to lose it; was a great wine in its prime, but it is softening quickly; does not have much of a finish left; light cherry and strawberry flavors with some earthy, woody characteristics to match them; finish is getting pretty tight; drink up
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12/11/2009 - JOJ wrote: 85 Points
Despite my prior prediction of improvement over time, this wine is deteriorating with age. On the nose, a dirty, wet earth note mars a whiff of plum and chocoloate covered cherry. Palate is sour cherry, dirt and wood. No nuance. Unremarkable.
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12/7/2009 - Double D wrote: 92 Points
Very balanced and mid weight Coast pinot, red fruit dominating, great with pork loin but enough guts to stand alone, pretty impresssed with W.H. Smith so far.
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11/26/2009 - winopops3 wrote: 90 Points
A little light on the color. Moderate sediment left in bottle post decanting. Strawberry and cherry with spice. Very nice.
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9/2/2009 - jdoakpark wrote: 90 Points
OK......bad QPR though....strwberry and fruit...nice but
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5/2/2009 - pjhr wrote: 92 Points
As delicious and with similar notes to last bottle.
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1/27/2009 - elliotgl wrote: 91 Points
In the glass a lovely garnet and a nose that says PINOT - there is no mistaking it - strawberry,cherry - very RRV even though this is Sonoma Coast. In the mouth an initial sweetness that quickly yields to strawberry,wild berries and an acidic backbone that carries those flavors to a long finish. I wish I had bought more - a LOT more!!!
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11/22/2008 - vine20 wrote: 91 Points
Bright garnet color and a classic pinot nose. This was opened (but not decanted) for an hour before serving and followed a big white Burgundy ('89 Chassagne-Montrachet Morgeot premier cru) to accompany seared pork medallions in a sweet mustard cream sauce. Initially it tasted sweet, but this subsided within a few minutes and the light raspberry and light cherries fruit began to dominate. Very mild tannins and a long finish.
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10/13/2008 - Li6 wrote: 91 Points
Gorgeous notes of crushed berry, cherry cola, and bramble. Supple tannins, great length. Will age beautifully.
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8/30/2008 - milwaukeewino wrote:
Pulled it to compare to Kosta Sonoma Coast. Let's check it out.
TIM SAYS - Pale and cloudy. Presumably cloudy from no filtration. Classic Pinot nose. Barnyard fruit, raspberries, touch of dustiness. Bright and lively nose. Cherry cough syrup on the palate. Loads of jammy fruit. light tannins, light body. Dances and goes down easy - like a great striper. Well balanced. Pleasantly tart finish with sweet cherries. Never turns bitter. And like a great stripper, you get what you pay for. Godammit, Peppermint, I thought we connected...
Much lighter style than Kosta, but more fruit coming forward now. Cherry licorice. It comes down to taste. I prefer this over the Kosta, insofar as it tastes and drinks like Pinot.
JAMES SAYS --- More Burgundian in style. Ripe on the nose but with underbrush associated with Burgundy.
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7/15/2008 - rmodak wrote: 88 Points
Very high toned fruit with red cherry, strawberry, clove, lean midpalate and long high acid finish. The initial candied note deepened over time so this may improve in the next 2 years.
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5/16/2008 - cgseldin wrote: 90 Points
Consistent with last bottle. Strawberry rhubarb notes on both nose and palate, well-proportioned and elegant. Improves with air time.
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5/9/2008 - gschneider wrote: 89 Points
Much better this time, now I am convinced the last bottle was spoiled. This one was full of red fruits with loads of strawberry, cola and meaty undertones. Nice
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4/10/2008 - vine20 wrote: 93 Points
Brought to friends as a gift, and we opened it and drank it without decanting. It was devine immediately. The nose was subtle and complex with clear dark fruits. The wine was elegant in its balance -- very nice fruit -- mostly raspberries and blueberries -- with great overall balance. It needed no pairing with food to emphasize its character. Wonderful.
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3/30/2008 - tdcd@comcast.net wrote: 89 Points
Nice wine. It didn't stand out in a crowd of top shelf wines. Enjoyable none the less.
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3/2/2008 - matthen wrote: 91 Points
Great nose of rhubarb, cherry, spice and raspberry. The flavors are fresh and vibrant with cola, cherry, spice and cranberry that flows through a lasting finish. Well done. A great QPR.
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2/29/2008 - cgseldin wrote: 90 Points
Good sonoma fruit profile with initial nose and palate of strawberry and rhubarb turning to black cherry and cola as the wine opens. Well integrated and smooth. Faint hints of spice. Drank this the night after an 05 PP Mukaida, and the two had similar flavor profiles but I give the nod to the Mukaida for its mineral spine.
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2/4/2008 - tdcd@comcast.net wrote: 93 Points
Fantastic Wine. Hints of herbs. Subtle wine that was fantastic from start to finish. A real champ.
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12/23/2007 - JOJ wrote: 89 Points
More expressive nose than my last bottle, with strawberry, baking spices, and pie crust. Palate was slightly too tart for my taste, with cherry undertones and, surprisingly, a creamy finish. This will be very good in 18 months.
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12/21/2007 - JoshuaG wrote: 89 Points
Much, much better than previous bottles. It appears as if one year of bottle age was the trick.
Very nice. Cherry dominates the fruit.
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11/20/2007 - smphelps wrote: 90 Points
Pale hazy light red color. Allspice and cherry nose followed by well intergrated flavors of spice, cola, and cherry. The finish is long and pure. This was the last of three bottles. The wine seems to be improving in the bottle.
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11/8/2007 - Rob MacKay wrote: 91 Points
Just as good, if not better, then the bottle we had about 5 months ago. This is an excellent value if you can find it and it's not marked up too much.
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11/3/2007 - lewisrise wrote: 89 Points
Pale red with brown edges. Nose of spicy cherry with a hint of cinnamon. Cherry dominates with spice and oak accents.
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10/11/2007 - pjhr wrote: 92 Points
Wonderful earthy aromas with rich cranberry and sour cherry flavors and tasty acidity on the fruity finish.
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9/8/2007 - poptart_nyc wrote:
kind of cloudy strawberry jam color. pretty burgundian nose. lots of cherry that has a juicy, not jammy quality. some coffee. gains more earth and spice on the palate with time. note: this wine held up to an asparagus roll with wasabi and soy sauce. i thought it would be disaster, but couldn't resist trying. whodathunk.
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8/12/2007 - JOJ wrote: 92 Points
Pop and pour. Really good. Classic Sonoma Coast. Muted nose. Sweet cherries on the palate, with a bracing dose of acidity. Some strawberries in the background. A definite bargain.
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8/11/2007 - jdoakpark wrote: 91 Points
this has gotten better in the last 12 months....its a fruit bomb and I loved it. A great over the top fruit and berry bomb that is delicious!
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8/8/2007 - smphelps wrote: 91 Points
Light red color almost translucent. Better than the bottle opened 5 months ago. Very plesant cherry flavor with hints of coffee. This is one of the better 2005's
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6/4/2007 - Rob MacKay wrote: 91 Points
Uncorked and let sit for at least an hour before tasting. Nice clear transparent ruby red color with a lot of black cherry scents on the nose. A surprisingly large amount of fruit hits you right at the first taste. It's not over the top and quite complex and enjoyable. The finish is long and soft. I actually preferred this 05 Sonoma Coast bottling over the more expensive Martime Vineyard bottling at this stage. I think that the latter needs much more time to integrate and settle down while this one is ready to drink and enjoy now.
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5/15/2007 - gschneider wrote: 83 Points
Not sure what WS was talking about. Maybe my bottle was "off", but this was very cloudy, looking very unfiltered. Turns out it is unfiltered, I called the wine maker. Wine was earthy, musty, with some cherry and diluted black fruit, maybe cola. I am starting to think my bottle was flawed, but I will wait another 6-8 months and try again.
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4/28/2007 - itsallgone wrote: 88 Points
very drinkable...good with appetizers
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4/6/2007 - yovinny wrote: 89 Points
nice pinot, lower alcohol..refreshing change.
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3/25/2007 - vyntyme wrote: 88 Points
Forwardly fruity on the nose. Good structure with nice fruit and somewhat tarty, yet well rounded off. Nice casual wine with no surprises.
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3/15/2007 - smphelps wrote: 88 Points
most of the 05's tried to date open a bit on the tart side and this is no exception. Light in color, and tight on the nose it is nonetheless a pleasant wine. Probably needed time in a decanter. I think I will wait 6 months to try it again.
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3/2/2007 - JoshuaG wrote: 87 Points
Very light. Not much here. Not terrible but certainly not great.
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1/19/2007 - bsherwin wrote:
Nice little SC. Nothing terribly exiting but well put together and enjoyable. It picked up a significant amount of weight between day 1 and 2.
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12/25/2006 - willison wrote: 88 Points
Medium red color, red fruit on the nose, medium weight with nice red fruit, very easy drinking, not very complex but enjoyable. Would be good with the right food.
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11/22/2006 - matthen wrote: 88 Points
Very nice flavors of mocha, oak and cherry. The mid palate is a bit hollow, but this wine is very approachable now.
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