Drinking well right now although possibly still a little young. 2.5 hour decant and removed a little sediment. 15.5% alcohol although not overpowering. Very tasty and smooth, velvety , oak on the nose and on the finish
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Not decanted and none needed and this worked, but would strongly recommend a double-decant as sediment is already piling up – but you might as well just keep it 1-2h the carafe if you’re at it I think. Bouquet dominated by fruit of red and black currant, bramble berry, blueberry and plum confiture. Then baking spice and vanilla. On the palate lots of tannin but well-integrated, adding to a full mouthfeel. Densely packed and tense. Abundantly plush and voluptuous with a high degree of concentration, but definitely not as concentrated and over-ripe as many 2015s in Napa. Simply delicious and it would definitely be prudent to have more than 1 bottle at hand if you’re opening this because the first will be gone within a blink.
Terrific, high octane, big, typical Napa Cab that needs at least an hour in the decanter to calm down. Got this one for $130 so I felt like I got great value here. Will def more.
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Three hour decant. Deep dark ruby magenta color. Fresh strawberry pie and creme brûlée on the terrifically sweet nose. Very smooth and somewhat dry palate , with fine lingering acidity. Soft, but present tannins on the longish finish.
A bit too simple and extracted for this price point. Very easy drinker, but would seem like a $50 bottle in a blind tasting. Almost a dessert wine.
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Dark ruby fruit - blackberry, currants, and a little plum. Really smooth with a beautiful purity and decent depth/concentration - medium/medium plus body. I wasn’t wowed by the depth/concentration but the purity and vibrant flavors were quite enticing. Full/vibrant flavors of dark berries, cocoa/mocha, baking spices, and a graphite component. Fairly long finish. Decanted for one hour and drank over a couple more. Not much improvement with time but at a nice drinking point. Drank next to the 2018 Lewis Napa cab and I would give an edge to the Reserve - a little purer and more flavorful. Nonetheless, both were great. In my opinion, 94 for the 2018 Napa cab and 95 for the 2015 Reserve. No surprise of the 95 rating from Dunnuck for the Reserve. 100% cab.
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Other than, "wow," there are not a lot of other descriptives. One of the best, well balanced, tasty wines I’ve had in quite some time. Blackberry, cassis, subtle smokiness and plum notes with medium tannins and very little acidity after about 1.5 hours of air time. Full bodied. Velvety texture.
Heavy in body and alcohol, lots of tannins but formed in sediments so the liquid is creamy smooth. Blueberry, cloves, pepper, nice fresh oak, later a hint of vanilla. A little overly bitter.
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2 hr decant. I really wanted to like this but alas no dice. Deep dark purple. Nose of cola, mocha and roasted coffee bean. Touch of cola, vanilla and that was the highlight, stewed fruits that soured more and more as we drank. This was ripe but not raisiny. Astringent finish. Seemed like it had the pieces but not the parts. Did not improve with more air.
I’m sorry for my loss as you should be.
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Friend brought this over. Massive wine. Purple almost black. Burst with purple/black fruit on the nose and evolves with strong strong vanilla bean and spice. The palate is so unique. Up front with the fruit, Butterscotch/Caramel/Molasses on the mid palate (we couldn't conclude which but something of that nature) as well as mint and the finish goes on for minutes. Finely integrated tannins. Definitely a massive wine and one you could pop now with a couple hours of air or hold a couple decades.
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This wine is really viscous. Honestly, feels like you could pour this over pancakes. Reminds me of an overdone zin. Alcohol content is high - 15.5%. Entire mouth coated in fruit, without much balance. Maybe this wine needs a LOT of time. But I'm not convinced.
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PnP- no notes but we all left with a favorable impression as this wine really over delivered based on the reviews. Loads of fruit, hints of vanilla and some chocolate wrapped around what felt like a long seam of fruit with a hint of earthy that kept things honest. Well done and drinking wonderfully right now.
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Deep, saturated, teeth-staining purple. With air a deep-seated nose offers aromas of ripe black and blue fruits, cassis, crème de mûre, fresh violets, a tiny touch of gravel and lots of lavish new oak spice. Full bodied with medium to medium+ acid on the palate where this is downright thick and almost gloppy, one of the most viscous dry wines I have ever tasted, saturating every corner of the palate with roasted fruit flavors, alcohol and quite fine tannins. Surely this needs some time but its hard to see how this is ever going to come together.
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Drank at Lewis Cellars in Napa, alongside their reguar Cab Sav, and a number of other wines they make. Comparing the two cabs side by side, the reserve is definitely built for the long haul, stronger tannins are present from start to finish. The reserve has warm fruit forward notes, and is a big and bold wine. This is classic Lewis Cellars style. I did enjoy this wine, and would very much enjoy looking back on it in 3-5 years once its mellowed out. For the price I would be drinking the regular cab sav all day long, as it’s definitely more enjoyable today, and likely for the next few years at minimum.
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Tasted at one of the local wine shops I frequent, I am a regular buyer of the standard Lewis Cabernet, and have had a few bottles of the Mason's (2012 vintage), and I have to say it's similar to the standard Lewis Cabernet except everything is bigger, yet in more focus. Is it worth more than the standard Cab? I am not sure, since there is a considerable price increase, but still lower priced than some of the other reserve cabs coming out of Napa. I was pleased, and felt lucky to drink the wine at an impromptu tasting of the wine with some of the regulars to the store, so my notes are not formal whatsoever. Color was dark garnet/purple, with slow legs, and no sediment. The aroma had dark fruits, cassis, blueberry, blackberry, ripe dark cherries, some toasty oak, and vanilla (which I like in moderation), the flavor was similar to the nose, which is always nice, with some slight spice/dust/earthiness in the finish. The finish was full, lingering to 30-40 seconds, with some acid to keep things going. This would be a great wine to open with close friends that love wine and know how to appreciate something special. I think I will be sticking with the standard Lewis Cabernet, but what a pleasure to taste! I think it's good to open now, but will no doubt improve in time.
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12/23/2022 - hotrawd wrote: 95 Points
Drinking well right now although possibly still a little young. 2.5 hour decant and removed a little sediment. 15.5% alcohol although not overpowering. Very tasty and smooth, velvety , oak on the nose and on the finish
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12/10/2022 - Bobcat 31 Likes this wine: 92 Points
was balanced and enjoyable
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9/16/2022 - Bobcat 31 Likes this wine: 92 Points
very good smooth and even finish
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6/2/2022 - sirpat00 wrote: 95 Points
Not decanted and none needed and this worked, but would strongly recommend a double-decant as sediment is already piling up – but you might as well just keep it 1-2h the carafe if you’re at it I think. Bouquet dominated by fruit of red and black currant, bramble berry, blueberry and plum confiture. Then baking spice and vanilla. On the palate lots of tannin but well-integrated, adding to a full mouthfeel. Densely packed and tense. Abundantly plush and voluptuous with a high degree of concentration, but definitely not as concentrated and over-ripe as many 2015s in Napa. Simply delicious and it would definitely be prudent to have more than 1 bottle at hand if you’re opening this because the first will be gone within a blink.
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5/19/2022 - msf6msf6 Likes this wine: 95 Points
Terrific, high octane, big, typical Napa Cab that needs at least an hour in the decanter to calm down. Got this one for $130 so I felt like I got great value here. Will def more.
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12/17/2021 - greg@newsomehh.com Likes this wine: 97 Points
Decanted for 4 hours, spectacular
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12/3/2021 - AGELVIS Likes this wine: 94 Points
Three hour decant. Deep dark ruby magenta color. Fresh strawberry pie and creme brûlée on the terrifically sweet nose. Very smooth and somewhat dry palate , with fine lingering acidity. Soft, but present tannins on the longish finish.
A bit too simple and extracted for this price point. Very easy drinker, but would seem like a $50 bottle in a blind tasting. Almost a dessert wine.
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11/20/2021 - greg@newsomehh.com Likes this wine: 93 Points
Really nice
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9/27/2021 - Badmonkey wrote: 95 Points
Dark ruby fruit - blackberry, currants, and a little plum. Really smooth with a beautiful purity and decent depth/concentration - medium/medium plus body. I wasn’t wowed by the depth/concentration but the purity and vibrant flavors were quite enticing. Full/vibrant flavors of dark berries, cocoa/mocha, baking spices, and a graphite component. Fairly long finish. Decanted for one hour and drank over a couple more. Not much improvement with time but at a nice drinking point. Drank next to the 2018 Lewis Napa cab and I would give an edge to the Reserve - a little purer and more flavorful. Nonetheless, both were great. In my opinion, 94 for the 2018 Napa cab and 95 for the 2015 Reserve. No surprise of the 95 rating from Dunnuck for the Reserve. 100% cab.
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8/21/2021 - greg@newsomehh.com Likes this wine: 93 Points
Drank at Rol beach house, good but thought it needed a bit more time
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2/4/2021 - ChopperWine Likes this wine: 94 Points
Other than, "wow," there are not a lot of other descriptives. One of the best, well balanced, tasty wines I’ve had in quite some time. Blackberry, cassis, subtle smokiness and plum notes with medium tannins and very little acidity after about 1.5 hours of air time. Full bodied. Velvety texture.
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9/29/2020 - spn Likes this wine: 94 Points
Fabulous! Drink and pour.
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7/5/2020 - fotomill Likes this wine: 94 Points
Heavy in body and alcohol, lots of tannins but formed in sediments so the liquid is creamy smooth. Blueberry, cloves, pepper, nice fresh oak, later a hint of vanilla. A little overly bitter.
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7/5/2020 - Geaux Tigers Does not like this wine: 86 Points
2 hr decant. I really wanted to like this but alas no dice. Deep dark purple. Nose of cola, mocha and roasted coffee bean. Touch of cola, vanilla and that was the highlight, stewed fruits that soured more and more as we drank. This was ripe but not raisiny. Astringent finish. Seemed like it had the pieces but not the parts. Did not improve with more air.
I’m sorry for my loss as you should be.
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8/10/2019 - TMOVino2 Likes this wine: 94 Points
Friend brought this over. Massive wine. Purple almost black. Burst with purple/black fruit on the nose and evolves with strong strong vanilla bean and spice. The palate is so unique. Up front with the fruit, Butterscotch/Caramel/Molasses on the mid palate (we couldn't conclude which but something of that nature) as well as mint and the finish goes on for minutes. Finely integrated tannins. Definitely a massive wine and one you could pop now with a couple hours of air or hold a couple decades.
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5/25/2019 - Steve Bird Does not like this wine: 87 Points
This wine is really viscous. Honestly, feels like you could pour this over pancakes. Reminds me of an overdone zin. Alcohol content is high - 15.5%. Entire mouth coated in fruit, without much balance. Maybe this wine needs a LOT of time. But I'm not convinced.
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3/2/2019 - LiteItOnFire Likes this wine: 94 Points
PnP- no notes but we all left with a favorable impression as this wine really over delivered based on the reviews. Loads of fruit, hints of vanilla and some chocolate wrapped around what felt like a long seam of fruit with a hint of earthy that kept things honest. Well done and drinking wonderfully right now.
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11/12/2018 - Cabernetking wrote: 93 Points
Not much of a step up from the Lewis Cabernet, which is a decent buy. The Reserve Lewis is not. Good wine none the less.
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10/23/2018 - wino_tim wrote: 89 Points
Deep, saturated, teeth-staining purple. With air a deep-seated nose offers aromas of ripe black and blue fruits, cassis, crème de mûre, fresh violets, a tiny touch of gravel and lots of lavish new oak spice. Full bodied with medium to medium+ acid on the palate where this is downright thick and almost gloppy, one of the most viscous dry wines I have ever tasted, saturating every corner of the palate with roasted fruit flavors, alcohol and quite fine tannins. Surely this needs some time but its hard to see how this is ever going to come together.
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4/6/2018 - Stevenwsims Likes this wine: 94 Points
A delicious wine. But needs a 5 year nap
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3/17/2018 - vcc wrote: 98 Points
Great vintage. Very complex. Randy is producing high quality wines year after year.
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2/13/2018 - J.S Likes this wine: 93 Points
Drank at Lewis Cellars in Napa, alongside their reguar Cab Sav, and a number of other wines they make.
Comparing the two cabs side by side, the reserve is definitely built for the long haul, stronger tannins are present from start to finish. The reserve has warm fruit forward notes, and is a big and bold wine. This is classic Lewis Cellars style. I did enjoy this wine, and would very much enjoy looking back on it in 3-5 years once its mellowed out.
For the price I would be drinking the regular cab sav all day long, as it’s definitely more enjoyable today, and likely for the next few years at minimum.
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1/14/2018 - Jazz Nut wrote: 95 Points
Tasted at one of the local wine shops I frequent, I am a regular buyer of the standard Lewis Cabernet, and have had a few bottles of the Mason's (2012 vintage), and I have to say it's similar to the standard Lewis Cabernet except everything is bigger, yet in more focus. Is it worth more than the standard Cab? I am not sure, since there is a considerable price increase, but still lower priced than some of the other reserve cabs coming out of Napa. I was pleased, and felt lucky to drink the wine at an impromptu tasting of the wine with some of the regulars to the store, so my notes are not formal whatsoever. Color was dark garnet/purple, with slow legs, and no sediment. The aroma had dark fruits, cassis, blueberry, blackberry, ripe dark cherries, some toasty oak, and vanilla (which I like in moderation), the flavor was similar to the nose, which is always nice, with some slight spice/dust/earthiness in the finish. The finish was full, lingering to 30-40 seconds, with some acid to keep things going. This would be a great wine to open with close friends that love wine and know how to appreciate something special. I think I will be sticking with the standard Lewis Cabernet, but what a pleasure to taste! I think it's good to open now, but will no doubt improve in time.
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