Deep ruby color. Aromas of black and blue fruits, some farmy, vegetal funk, mushrooms, graphite, lemon, and sourdough. Light to medium body, medium acid and finish, with flavors of black and blue fruits, namely cassis jumping out, lemon, minerals, and a bit of barky bitterness. Not bad; a little light for the style, and not a ton of complexity, but a fine pairing for our steak fajitas or burgers. 87-88
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Further to my Note of March 13, '20: Decanted with normal sediment for its age. Drunk as BYO at a local village bistro. Consistent notes--excellent everyday blend of 86% CS, 14% merlot. No sign of decline.
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Red and black fruit, cherry, char and herbs. Tough to follow the Liquid Sky Napa cabernet but this tried hard. (Coravin pour). Delicious with the grilled hamburgers.
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WA turns out some great cabs and this is an excellent single vineyard example. Rich, dark fruit, good structure and medium to long finish. Would cost 2-3x or more if it had a Napa label but just as good.
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Last of the 2014 stash, this bottle was showing really well and will be remembered as one of the great bargains of recent times. Lots of structure with sweet fruit, ripe but not one degree beyond. Soft enough to go with pizza, but stout enough for a steak. Back up the truck.
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Very tasty wine, though I feel that the fruit is ever so slightly weak against the firm tannic structure. Still like this very much, but at this point I'm not recommending further cellaring.
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Further to my note of Aug 20 '19: This is the third of three more bottles that we've enjoyed--this one as a carry-in at a neighborhood casual restaurant. Notes consistent with last Aug with added comment that the fruit is a pleasure, though the wine lacks complexity--still notable+.
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Double blind Cab based wine tasting (Eddie V's - Tysons Corner, VA): Expressive nose displaying ripe lack fruit, blackberry, a hint of cassis, black cherry, milk chocolate, cappuccino, sweet spices and earth. Very good concentration, nicely layered sweet black fruit, rich, round and silky, good acidity and mineral, fine tannins and a long sweet black fruit driven finish. This could be a Napa cab. Excellent showing.
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Definitely some bottle variation, this was served double blind and was the WOTN against some pretty stiff competition. Great wine, drinking very well right now.
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Bought 12b for 13/b from WL about one year ago. This is my first bottle. No decant--none needed. Dark purple; fragrant blackcurrant nose with some oak; relatively fruity Left Bank flavors, very good mouthfeel, hides its 14.8% ABV well; some persistence. Delicious even after 24h. Stored horizontally in a cool, dark basement since purchase. My evaluation: I've stopped giving scores on a "100-point scale" as I've become less convinced that they can be meaningful to others. I use a 4-category scale (perhaps with +/-)--not including flawed--which runs outstanding/notable/drinkable/poor. I considered this notable+ when considering quality, age, and price.
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Similar to last bottle however this one was a tad less complex with a heavier oak treatment. Hopefully just bottle variation, but still really enjoyed it.
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Red fruit, currant, black fruit, smoke and some herbs. About 89 on its own but 91 with our charred Wagu beef burgers from d’Artagan, bringing out the char, grilled meat, red fruit and herbs in the wine.
Maybe better with some time? But really good now, too. We paid $20 for 1 bottle and then $13 / bottle for a case.
86% cabernet and 14% merlot. 40% new oak for 20 months. Gard means Farm in Scandinavian.
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This is surpringly good, dark red and black fruits, baking spices, dark chocolate, velvety mouthfeel that i usually don’t see in anything less than 70 bucks. Wow.
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A nose of dark fruits and spices, dark purple in color. A medium to full bodied red, with blackcurrants, black cherry, cocoa and smoke on spiced finish, easy drinking, a good QPR. www.winelx.com
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Now that is a tasty beverage! Pop & pour, ready to go, but has plenty of structure to go along with the abundant fruit and oak. Sweet, rich, chocolaty. Should be good for quite some time.
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3/30/2024 - whudock Likes this wine: 91 Points
strong dark fruit and plenty of structure. Still drinking well with a few years left easily.
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10/6/2022 - merlot78 Likes this wine: 89 Points
Will buy again. Well rounded cab.
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3/1/2022 - pakabear Likes this wine: 93 Points
This is still so good, it’s ready to go now as a PnP and should be consumed over the next 3-5 years.
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10/27/2021 - studleytrey wrote: 88 Points
Deep ruby color. Aromas of black and blue fruits, some farmy, vegetal funk, mushrooms, graphite, lemon, and sourdough. Light to medium body, medium acid and finish, with flavors of black and blue fruits, namely cassis jumping out, lemon, minerals, and a bit of barky bitterness. Not bad; a little light for the style, and not a ton of complexity, but a fine pairing for our steak fajitas or burgers. 87-88
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6/28/2021 - Oenecnist wrote:
Further to my Note of March 13, '20: Decanted with normal sediment for its age. Drunk as BYO at a local village bistro. Consistent notes--excellent everyday blend of 86% CS, 14% merlot. No sign of decline.
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5/10/2021 - TashNYC wrote: 91 Points
Red and black fruit, cherry, char and herbs. Tough to follow the Liquid Sky Napa cabernet but this tried hard. (Coravin pour). Delicious with the grilled hamburgers.
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11/13/2020 - elevwine Likes this wine: 92 Points
WA turns out some great cabs and this is an excellent single vineyard example. Rich, dark fruit, good structure and medium to long finish. Would cost 2-3x or more if it had a Napa label but just as good.
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11/6/2020 - robmatic wrote: 90 Points
Last of the 2014 stash, this bottle was showing really well and will be remembered as one of the great bargains of recent times. Lots of structure with sweet fruit, ripe but not one degree beyond. Soft enough to go with pizza, but stout enough for a steak. Back up the truck.
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7/26/2020 - robmatic wrote: 90 Points
Lots of wood showing in this bottle, and I thought the balance was off, but nevertheless, the wine was delicious and disappeared quickly.
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3/27/2020 - robmatic wrote: 89 Points
Very tasty wine, though I feel that the fruit is ever so slightly weak against the firm tannic structure. Still like this very much, but at this point I'm not recommending further cellaring.
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3/13/2020 - Oenecnist wrote:
Further to my note of Aug 20 '19: This is the third of three more bottles that we've enjoyed--this one as a carry-in at a neighborhood casual restaurant. Notes consistent with last Aug with added comment that the fruit is a pleasure, though the wine lacks complexity--still notable+.
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1/16/2020 - TashNYC wrote:
Similar notes from the rest of the Coravin bottle. With Beyond burgers.
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1/11/2020 - TashNYC wrote: 91 Points
Coravin half With Beyond Burgers, a great pairing. Notes of red and black fruits, currant, cherry, smoke and herbs.
Drink now or age. Great qpr
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11/14/2019 - dcwino wrote: 96 Points
Double blind Cab based wine tasting (Eddie V's - Tysons Corner, VA): Expressive nose displaying ripe lack fruit, blackberry, a hint of cassis, black cherry, milk chocolate, cappuccino, sweet spices and earth. Very good concentration, nicely layered sweet black fruit, rich, round and silky, good acidity and mineral, fine tannins and a long sweet black fruit driven finish. This could be a Napa cab. Excellent showing.
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11/14/2019 - pakabear Likes this wine: 94 Points
Definitely some bottle variation, this was served double blind and was the WOTN against some pretty stiff competition. Great wine, drinking very well right now.
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9/5/2019 - robmatic wrote: 90 Points
Not as voluptuous as I recall the last bottle; this one was drier and a less charming but somehow it still disappeared quickly. Great value wine.
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8/20/2019 - Oenecnist wrote:
Bought 12b for 13/b from WL about one year ago. This is my first bottle. No decant--none needed. Dark purple; fragrant blackcurrant nose with some oak; relatively fruity Left Bank flavors, very good mouthfeel, hides its 14.8% ABV well; some persistence. Delicious even after 24h. Stored horizontally in a cool, dark basement since purchase. My evaluation: I've stopped giving scores on a "100-point scale" as I've become less convinced that they can be meaningful to others. I use a 4-category scale (perhaps with +/-)--not including flawed--which runs outstanding/notable/drinkable/poor. I considered this notable+ when considering quality, age, and price.
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6/14/2019 - TashNYC wrote: 91 Points
sent to Pre-K end of year party
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5/15/2019 - pakabear Likes this wine: 91 Points
Similar to last bottle however this one was a tad less complex with a heavier oak treatment. Hopefully just bottle variation, but still really enjoyed it.
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3/18/2019 - TashNYC wrote: 89 Points
Red fruit, currant, black fruit, smoke and some herbs. About 89 on its own but 91 with our charred Wagu beef burgers from d’Artagan, bringing out the char, grilled meat, red fruit and herbs in the wine.
Maybe better with some time? But really good now, too. We paid $20 for 1 bottle and then $13 / bottle for a case.
86% cabernet and 14% merlot. 40% new oak for 20 months. Gard means Farm in Scandinavian.
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11/18/2018 - corkscrews Likes this wine: 89 Points
Similar to last note, a good value. www.winelx.com
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11/6/2018 - LEEJV123 Likes this wine: 90 Points
Full, intense, long
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9/2/2018 - km5 wrote:
Vanilla cream
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8/23/2018 - pakabear Likes this wine: 93 Points
This is surpringly good, dark red and black fruits, baking spices, dark chocolate, velvety mouthfeel that i usually don’t see in anything less than 70 bucks. Wow.
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7/12/2018 - corkscrews Likes this wine: 90 Points
A nose of dark fruits and spices, dark purple in color. A medium to full bodied red, with blackcurrants, black cherry, cocoa and smoke on spiced finish, easy drinking, a good QPR. www.winelx.com
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5/23/2018 - robmatic wrote: 91 Points
Now that is a tasty beverage! Pop & pour, ready to go, but has plenty of structure to go along with the abundant fruit and oak. Sweet, rich, chocolaty. Should be good for quite some time.
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