More like a Zin than CabSav, which makes sense since Paso Robles terroir favors Zin more. Tasted several Daou wines at the winery, but not this wine, so took a gamble. 0k. Not impressed. Somewhat sweet berry Zinish, but not very nuanced, is easy to drink. Some sediment at bottom of bottle. Nothing notable, so not worth the time for more details. Can’t imagine will get any better with age. Would not buy again.
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The wine looks garnet colored. The legs are medium. There is no sediment in the bottle. It smells like red currant and black currant (cassis). It tastes like black currant (cassis) and red currant. The body is medium/full. The wine has satin-like texture. The wine finishes medium. The wine has medium acidity.
Very well balanced, medium tannins and acidity. Excellent with smoked prime rib.
This is the low line Cab from Daou. Had this a before now and decided to let it age. Didn’t really change much. Not overly nuanced and a bit on the sweet side. Very drinkable, but don’t expect anthing stellar.
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I'm usually not a fan of these confected, Paso Robles Cabs, but I think the trick is to avoid drinking them young and give them some bottle age to soften their oaky, fruit bomb personality. This was big, full bodied, and displayed a somewhat tannic structure. But it showed lots of nice, candied black currant and oak aromas, followed by tart plum skin and chocolate-covered cherry flavors. Very tasty and enjoyable.
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Initial bouquet was funky and weird, initial taste was strange, but wine opened up and bouquet smoothed out, good fruit and smooth tannins and acid for a kick, age of wine is showing as it is somewhat delicate, similar to my last bottle, drank with strip steak,last bottle, as I have previously said, not drinking much Daou these days as their style has gone away from my taste.
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Typical Daou, fruity, some tannin on finish, this year is lower alcohol than most years, wine has aged nicely, been down on Daou lately as their wines are big and fruity and they still can’t ship to NJ ( with their money they should be able to get NJ approval), loved their older wines and time past when they could ship to NJ, have one more bottle, might drink their other wine again but maybe I am a pessimist.
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I had one bottle in the cellar and thought to try it after reading the previous comments. I don't think my bottle was flawed but it wasn't very good either. Dusty medium-high tannins combined with an odd fruit flavor. After reading such positive professional ratings I expected more from this wine. Perhaps it is already well past it's prime.
Fruit flavor is difficult to describe. More red fruit than dark which didn't mesh well with the tannins. After being open for an hour or two, the fruit fell off and was mostly left with tannins. I ended up pouring the bottle down the drain. So many good opportunities for good wine I don't have the patience for this.
I'm generally a big fan of Daou wines. Their Pessimist blend has a great QPR. This wine was good too...but I found it just lacking presence. Classic nose, palate, and finish; med-high tannins. I'd hold another couple years if you've got it.
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This wine continues to be one of the best values in my inventory. Opened for a hour plus. I have wines that cost twice what this one did and provide a drinking experience no different than this one. I still have no idea why I rate this wine higher than others on cellartracker.com, as I am usually not an outlier on either end of the spectrum.
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Not bad for a weeknight Cabernet. It needs about two hours to open up, and actually it was better on night 2. Some dark fruit and leather on the palate, medium tannins
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A most interesting wine, unlike anything I have had before. I opened 1/2 before meal and it sucked to the point that I didn’t finish my first glass and dumped it, opening something else. The next night, I decided to give it another chance and it was excellent after even more air. Reidel cab glass. Update: opened another bottle May 22 and was good for a while and the next night it sucked, I’d give it an 88 on that bottle.
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Aroma is kind of odd with leather and blackberry. Tastes of blackberry and cherry, kind of fruity. Berry finish, medium. Not real fruity... Not a fan but for the price fairly good.
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Vibrant fruit and some oak. Dark cherry and raspberry on the back. some, peppery tart aftertaste. Very enjoyable at this price point. One of the top from Paso Robles right now.
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A very nice wine! It starts with a very slight berry jam smell. The 1st taste is light with an almost sweet jam taste. It finishes very smooth with just a little tannin. I didn’t expect much and it was a very nice surprise.
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A very nice wine. Notes of cedar, tobacco, leather, dark berries. Medium to full body. Pleasant on the palate with some structure and focus that is not available at the sub $25 price range. Definitely punches above its price range. Enjoyable wine.
Gift from a friend. Costco in Atlanta has this for $18.00
Drank over 3 nights - a big wine but it held up. Black in the glass. Black & red fruit on nose/palate with some eculyptus. Full body, med- acidity and low tannins. I really enjoyed this. 91+/- A crowd pleaser for sure, but it has the stuffing to age for a few years. Would buy again.
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The ratings on this one are all over the board......and that includes mine. I had hoped this would be the type of wine that outperformed its ratings and price point......because of some past experiences with wines from this winery. To date that had not been the case, but this bottle finally produced an experience beyond the pro ratings. It will be interesting to see if others that post future tasting notes reflect the same views.
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Deep rich grape color w/big fruity nose. Soft legs that faded. Fruit forward flavor w/fair finish. No strength in the finish. Wine faded to mildly appealing over dinner. For a Cab it had no marked finish or oak presence.
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Silky smooth wine. I don’t feel there’s a lot going on with this wine, but it’s an easy drinker. If you’re looking for a wine that would satisfy a wine party with many different palates, this would be a safe choice.
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This is still an easy-drinking bottle, but the last few bottles have been more notable for the bright fruit components and less of the dark and licorice and chocolate elements. As a result, there's a tartness on the finish that is not much of an issue on the first glass, but lessens the attraction upon a second pour or beyond. That has been my consistent experience on the last half dozen or so bottles (fall 2018 - winter 2019), but was not true earlier (spring-summer 2018).
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I thought this wine would be a great value, but was disappointed in an early bottle or two. This bottle lived up to what I thought it would be. It is drinking well right now. Also, it might even have been a little better on the second night.
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We agree with the community, a straightforward mouthful of Cab flavor but not worth the $24 at Costco. The shelf card was deceptive, touting Wine Advocate's 94 rating when that was for the Estate Cab and the one being sold was the regular Paso Robles bottling that got 89. I'm glad I only bought one bottle to try.
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P: LM body; NICE, ALMOST swtish frt met by some astringent pucker which does QUITE resolve by the LONG finish with a tangy/swtness to the few dusty dusty tannins. Nicely done in a drink now style (assuming one can tolerate the BRIEF early P "structure"), & should hold through '22. 13.9% ABV; My VG+/EXC-. 92 pts ea Vinous (Raynolds) & WE (with an Editors' Choice) @ $28, 91 Jeb Dunnuck, 89 WA, and 88 WS. [This vendor's $18.95 puts them in the TOP 10% of wine-searcher's LARGE listing.]
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Open three hours before drinking (no decant). Deep dark magenta color. Cornflakes, dark fruit and prune on the semi-savory nose. Smooth palate with good acidity. Soft tannins on the medium finish. This is definitely a pop and pour wine that diminishes quickly thereafter. It might be 90 pts in the first hour.
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Decent little wine though unremarkable...what you'd expect at this price point. Generally speaking you get what you pay for. Light body with bright fruit that was better than I expected. Decanted for 30 minutes and put it through the Vinturi...believe that helped open it up.
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PnP and it was a little flabby dark fruit initially. That changed very quickly. Full bodied, blackberry and cherry framed by licorice, oak, and a hint of espresso. No real need to decant, just give it a few minutes in the glass. Really good value at $20.
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A good every day drinking wine, hints of cherry blossom on the nose. Taste of cherry, spice and some earth tones with good solid tannins. Well balanced for the price. Consistently good
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PNP; opened up after an hour. Somewhat light bodied compared to their other offerings; doesn’t have that big silky mouthfeel. All the other elements come into play though; great QPR. Drink now with a short decant.
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Fairly typical profile a pleasing value California cab. Licorice, olives, and blackberry, with hints of chocolate. The berry notes are what linger on my tongue. Unassuming and easy drinking.
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Blackberry, cherry and vanilla on the nose. Definitely smells Cabernet, but falls a bit flat on the taste. It’s easy drinking, but there are other $20-25 Cabernets that are better. I recently had Daou’s Soul of a Lion, so I know they can make a great wine.
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this stuff is good, everytime you think the fruit might overwhelm, the tannin kicks in, sweet tannins, great fruit, a true value, drank with my pizza, will drink again.
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In search of a daily drinker. Sweet berry nose, fairly ripe. On the palate, medium+ body with ripe sweet blackberry and cherry flavors with sucrosity. Transitions to a more bitter, tannic midpalate with a short, dry, slightly bitter finish.
Not a bad wine overall and the sweetness in the front makes it fun to drink. In a way, it feels like they used overripe fruit and used pressed juice (or extended time on skins) try to balance out the wine. Not bad for the price. Perhaps some time will integrate the tannins a little better, but I don't see the short finish getting any better with time.
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Fruity, berries, dark, smells great ... but seems way too sweet. Drinking with souffle made with some spicy cheese. Taste is better while consuming a "Cold Brew Coffee Chocolate Bar.". But everything taste better with chocolate.
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13.9% abv. Opaque purple/black through to rim. All black fruit and blueberry on nose, touch of oak. Cocoa, blackberry, coffee. A surprise to drink, read that Daou reserve wines scored in high 90's and can see why based on this basic bottle. Best if served cool/cold; tannins and palate more defined.
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This was touted as the "reliable under$20 bottle". I really think one can do a lot better. To me this was a symphony played on one instrument, and to one note. Meh.
This is good stuff. Full bodied, not refined, maybe could be more focused, lots of fruit but lots of tannin to keep it real, never is grapey, a huge value, if it had Napa on the label triple the price, some complexity and great structure , drank with loin lamb chops, will drink again, interesting to see how it ages.
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Good for the price point, but seemed a little disorganized. I suspect I drank this first bottle too soon after transportation. Will let it sit for a bit before trying another bottle.
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Agree with La Cave - this would not be out of place as Napa cab with a higher price range in a blind tasting. Will look to pick up a few bottles of this.
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If tasted blind as a ringer in a high-quality Napa Cabernet tasting, this wine would hold its own. This is particularly impressive because it sells at a fraction of the price of comparable Cabs from Napa. It is a pure, rich, vivid expression of Cabernet Sauvignon, which comprises 100% of the final product. Aged for 10 months in French oak (60% new), it delivers tiers of black currants, dark bramble fruits, allspice and cedary oak. Full-bodied, fresh and without any heat from its 13.9% alcohol (when served at 60-65°F), it is dense on the mid-palate and finishes with good length. This is a Cabernet that avoids the raisiny/pruney characteristics of many other Cabs from the Paso Robles appellation. Drink now-2030.
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2/1/2024 - bwillia wrote: 81 Points
Well these are a little better with age but they still very over ripe and stewed on the back end. Just not my style.
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11/5/2023 - Bill B. Likes this wine: 90 Points
Pleasant wine. Full bodied. Good fruit
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10/22/2023 - Laz4wine Likes this wine: 90 Points
Good juice, well balanced and RTD, will save 2nd a couple more yrs (~2026) to see if it evolves further.
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10/16/2023 - PinotPaul Likes this wine: 91 Points
Nicely aged. Smooth. Good fruit.
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5/21/2023 - Wine Gent wrote: 85 Points
More like a Zin than CabSav, which makes sense since Paso Robles terroir favors Zin more. Tasted several Daou wines at the winery, but not this wine, so took a gamble. 0k. Not impressed. Somewhat sweet berry Zinish, but not very nuanced, is easy to drink. Some sediment at bottom of bottle. Nothing notable, so not worth the time for more details. Can’t imagine will get any better with age. Would not buy again.
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4/17/2023 - PinotPaul Likes this wine: 91 Points
Lovely cab.
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3/25/2023 - garvens Likes this wine: 91 Points
Fantastic
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12/26/2022 - Sbourn Likes this wine: 95 Points
The wine looks garnet colored. The legs are medium. There is no sediment in the bottle. It smells like red currant and black currant (cassis). It tastes like black currant (cassis) and red currant. The body is medium/full. The wine has satin-like texture. The wine finishes medium. The wine has medium acidity.
Very well balanced, medium tannins and acidity. Excellent with smoked prime rib.
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7/26/2022 - Stampeder Likes this wine: 88 Points
This is the low line Cab from Daou. Had this a before now and decided to let it age. Didn’t really change much. Not overly nuanced and a bit on the sweet side. Very drinkable, but don’t expect anthing stellar.
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3/31/2022 - Baron Slick wrote: 89 Points
I'm usually not a fan of these confected, Paso Robles Cabs, but I think the trick is to avoid drinking them young and give them some bottle age to soften their oaky, fruit bomb personality. This was big, full bodied, and displayed a somewhat tannic structure. But it showed lots of nice, candied black currant and oak aromas, followed by tart plum skin and chocolate-covered cherry flavors. Very tasty and enjoyable.
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11/13/2021 - mwneil Likes this wine: 92 Points
Initial bouquet was funky and weird, initial taste was strange, but wine opened up and bouquet smoothed out, good fruit and smooth tannins and acid for a kick, age of wine is showing as it is somewhat delicate, similar to my last bottle, drank with strip steak,last bottle, as I have previously said, not drinking much Daou these days as their style has gone away from my taste.
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7/31/2021 - mwneil Likes this wine: 90 Points
Typical Daou, fruity, some tannin on finish, this year is lower alcohol than most years, wine has aged nicely, been down on Daou lately as their wines are big and fruity and they still can’t ship to NJ ( with their money they should be able to get NJ approval), loved their older wines and time past when they could ship to NJ, have one more bottle, might drink their other wine again but maybe I am a pessimist.
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7/1/2021 - kitkat4 Does not like this wine: 75 Points
I had one bottle in the cellar and thought to try it after reading the previous comments. I don't think my bottle was flawed but it wasn't very good either. Dusty medium-high tannins combined with an odd fruit flavor. After reading such positive professional ratings I expected more from this wine. Perhaps it is already well past it's prime.
Fruit flavor is difficult to describe. More red fruit than dark which didn't mesh well with the tannins. After being open for an hour or two, the fruit fell off and was mostly left with tannins. I ended up pouring the bottle down the drain. So many good opportunities for good wine I don't have the patience for this.
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6/30/2021 - redz wrote: flawed
second bad bottle, total wines. corked?
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6/8/2021 - redz wrote: 82 Points
I have to agree with Grateful4red on this one. Maybe a bad bottle, but just tastes cheap, artificial.
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4/12/2021 - Grateful4Red Likes this wine: 82 Points
Better than other vintages of this that we’ve had.
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2/19/2021 - 716_cellar Likes this wine: 89 Points
I'm generally a big fan of Daou wines. Their Pessimist blend has a great QPR. This wine was good too...but I found it just lacking presence. Classic nose, palate, and finish; med-high tannins. I'd hold another couple years if you've got it.
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1/27/2021 - hmannoe wrote: 91 Points
Very pleasant. Nice mouthfeel and sumptuous dark fruit. Prunes and compote. Could still last a couple more years
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1/17/2021 - rshah123 Likes this wine: 90 Points
Definitely better after 2-3 hours of opening. Full bodied, somewhat on the drier side. Dark fruit. Nice wine for the price, but lacks complexity.
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1/2/2021 - ThistleB Likes this wine: 88 Points
Needs a couple hours to open up. Better on night 2
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6/6/2020 - WineGuyFL Likes this wine: 92 Points
This wine continues to be one of the best values in my inventory. Opened for a hour plus. I have wines that cost twice what this one did and provide a drinking experience no different than this one. I still have no idea why I rate this wine higher than others on cellartracker.com, as I am usually not an outlier on either end of the spectrum.
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5/28/2020 - ThistleB wrote: 88 Points
Not bad for a weeknight Cabernet. It needs about two hours to open up, and actually it was better on night 2. Some dark fruit and leather on the palate, medium tannins
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4/6/2020 - Workbench Likes this wine: 91 Points
The wine looks violet colored. The legs are medium. There is light sediment in the bottle.
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3/7/2020 - Paulinator Likes this wine: 85 Points
I’m kind of sick so my taste but they’re not all there. But it’s tasty. And red. That’s the main thing.
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1/3/2020 - Les Kangas wrote: 91 Points
A most interesting wine, unlike anything I have had before. I opened 1/2 before meal and it sucked to the point that I didn’t finish my first glass and dumped it, opening something else. The next night, I decided to give it another chance and it was excellent after even more air. Reidel cab glass.
Update: opened another bottle May 22 and was good for a while and the next night it sucked, I’d give it an 88 on that bottle.
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10/30/2019 - Paulzzz Likes this wine: 87 Points
Aroma is kind of odd with leather and blackberry. Tastes of blackberry and cherry, kind of fruity. Berry finish, medium. Not real fruity... Not a fan but for the price fairly good.
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10/25/2019 - WineGuyFL Likes this wine: 92 Points
This wine has settle into a great drink window......at least for me. I seem to rate it a little higher than others.....have no explanation for that.
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7/28/2019 - GOUGHMI wrote:
Rich Cab
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7/18/2019 - Djwpar3 Likes this wine: 90 Points
Vibrant fruit and some oak. Dark cherry and raspberry on the back. some, peppery tart aftertaste.
Very enjoyable at this price point. One of the top from Paso Robles right now.
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5/17/2019 - lbrooks Likes this wine: 90 Points
A very nice wine! It starts with a very slight berry jam smell. The 1st taste is light with an almost sweet jam taste. It finishes very smooth with just a little tannin. I didn’t expect much and it was a very nice surprise.
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4/14/2019 - rahul_d_chatter@yahoo.com Likes this wine: 88 Points
A very nice wine. Notes of cedar, tobacco, leather, dark berries. Medium to full body. Pleasant on the palate with some structure and focus that is not available at the sub $25 price range. Definitely punches above its price range. Enjoyable wine.
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4/1/2019 - CWilliam wrote: 91 Points
Gift from a friend. Costco in Atlanta has this for $18.00
Drank over 3 nights - a big wine but it held up. Black in the glass. Black & red fruit on nose/palate with some eculyptus. Full body, med- acidity and low tannins. I really enjoyed this. 91+/- A crowd pleaser for sure, but it has the stuffing to age for a few years. Would buy again.
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3/31/2019 - WineGuyFL Likes this wine: 92 Points
The ratings on this one are all over the board......and that includes mine. I had hoped this would be the type of wine that outperformed its ratings and price point......because of some past experiences with wines from this winery. To date that had not been the case, but this bottle finally produced an experience beyond the pro ratings. It will be interesting to see if others that post future tasting notes reflect the same views.
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3/15/2019 - Kk37 Likes this wine:
Good
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3/5/2019 - tedcholl Likes this wine: 87 Points
Blackberries, cedar, chocolate, and sage. Young wine that needs a few more years in the bottle. Needed a 1 hour decant to open up.
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2/24/2019 - mike1234 Does not like this wine: 77 Points
Opaque purple color, hardly any nose at all, medium body, almost a bit sweet tasting, a herb note on the finish
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2/11/2019 - casaallora Likes this wine: 86 Points
Deep rich grape color w/big fruity nose. Soft legs that faded. Fruit forward flavor w/fair finish. No strength in the finish. Wine faded to mildly appealing over dinner. For a Cab it had no marked finish or oak presence.
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1/17/2019 - ThistleB wrote: 88 Points
Week- night, easy drinker. Typical Cab though seemed a little sweet. Opened up and was much better after about 2 Hours.
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1/10/2019 - Deatzin Likes this wine: 89 Points
Silky smooth wine. I don’t feel there’s a lot going on with this wine, but it’s an easy drinker. If you’re looking for a wine that would satisfy a wine party with many different palates, this would be a safe choice.
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1/8/2019 - tbrader wrote: 89 Points
This is still an easy-drinking bottle, but the last few bottles have been more notable for the bright fruit components and less of the dark and licorice and chocolate elements. As a result, there's a tartness on the finish that is not much of an issue on the first glass, but lessens the attraction upon a second pour or beyond. That has been my consistent experience on the last half dozen or so bottles (fall 2018 - winter 2019), but was not true earlier (spring-summer 2018).
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1/4/2019 - WineGuyFL Likes this wine: 91 Points
I thought this wine would be a great value, but was disappointed in an early bottle or two. This bottle lived up to what I thought it would be. It is drinking well right now. Also, it might even have been a little better on the second night.
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12/31/2018 - TigerFuzz wrote:
Gave to Tina
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12/26/2018 - Tbiasella3 Likes this wine:
Amazing. Library book smell
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12/19/2018 - seijaro Likes this wine: 90 Points
We agree with the community, a straightforward mouthful of Cab flavor but not worth the $24 at Costco. The shelf card was deceptive, touting Wine Advocate's 94 rating when that was for the Estate Cab and the one being sold was the regular Paso Robles bottling that got 89. I'm glad I only bought one bottle to try.
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12/15/2018 - BobMilton Likes this wine: 90 Points
A decent mid range Cab. Noticeably drier than a previous bottle, perhaps just my taste buds last night.
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11/20/2018 - Winegirl1959 Likes this wine: 90 Points
Tight at first, after breathing for 30 min earthy, deep flavors of prune, cardamom emerged.
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10/29/2018 - marcellevi Likes this wine: 90 Points
Nice plump nose of blackberry, cassis and plum. Straightforward Paso Cab with a plush mouthfeel.
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10/27/2018 - srh Likes this wine:
Winebar [4 Whites, 8 Reds, & 12 *shared*, VERY impressive bottles] from 10/26/18 (Vintage Wines Ltd., San Diego, CA): Aged 10 mos in FR oak (60% new); 20,000 cases made
N: Slightly closed; RIPE, poss jammy, berries & notes of pyrazines
P: LM body; NICE, ALMOST swtish frt met by some astringent pucker which does QUITE resolve by the LONG finish with a tangy/swtness to the few dusty dusty tannins. Nicely done in a drink now style (assuming one can tolerate the BRIEF early P "structure"), & should hold through '22. 13.9% ABV; My VG+/EXC-. 92 pts ea Vinous (Raynolds) & WE (with an Editors' Choice) @ $28, 91 Jeb Dunnuck, 89 WA, and 88 WS. [This vendor's $18.95 puts them in the TOP 10% of wine-searcher's LARGE listing.]
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10/4/2018 - AGELVIS wrote: 87 Points
Open three hours before drinking (no decant). Deep dark magenta color. Cornflakes, dark fruit and prune on the semi-savory nose. Smooth palate with good acidity. Soft tannins on the medium finish. This is definitely a pop and pour wine that diminishes quickly thereafter. It might be 90 pts in the first hour.
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9/27/2018 - marcellevi Likes this wine: 90 Points
True to the varietal, cassis, blackberry, vanilla, toasty oak notes. Inexpensive and solid QPR.
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9/5/2018 - Sbourn Likes this wine: 95 Points
This is a favorite Cabernet Sauvignon.
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9/2/2018 - ozziewine Likes this wine: 87 Points
Decent little wine though unremarkable...what you'd expect at this price point. Generally speaking you get what you pay for.
Light body with bright fruit that was better than I expected.
Decanted for 30 minutes and put it through the Vinturi...believe that helped open it up.
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9/2/2018 - Ticker tape guy Likes this wine: 89 Points
not as bold as i had hoped..mouthful with a little leather on the finish..paired well with veal chops
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8/19/2018 - Jobu wrote: 91 Points
PnP and it was a little flabby dark fruit initially. That changed very quickly. Full bodied, blackberry and cherry framed by licorice, oak, and a hint of espresso. No real need to decant, just give it a few minutes in the glass. Really good value at $20.
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8/18/2018 - WineKnut Likes this wine: 90 Points
A fine Paso CS. Good QPR. Would recommend to friends.
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8/3/2018 - Angies Husband Likes this wine: 92 Points
Great dense nose of ripe fruits, wildflower and minerals. Rich and full bodied, layered tannins give a firm foundation for the finish.
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8/1/2018 - oehlerd wrote: 79 Points
A more mature wine than zinfandel. Leathery. Stringent. Not as sweet. Probably would benefit from some softening with age. A good wine, more complex.
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7/11/2018 - pommieba@cox.net Likes this wine: 89 Points
A good every day drinking wine, hints of cherry blossom on the nose. Taste of cherry, spice and some earth tones with good solid tannins. Well balanced for the price. Consistently good
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7/11/2018 - europat55 wrote: 88 Points
Drinking quite well, despite the relatively young age and price.
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6/9/2018 - Tomanna wrote:
Gave to the Cain’s on Jun 2, 2018
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5/27/2018 - Babik Likes this wine: 90 Points
PNP; opened up after an hour. Somewhat light bodied compared to their other offerings; doesn’t have that big silky mouthfeel. All the other elements come into play though; great QPR. Drink now with a short decant.
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5/24/2018 - tbrader Likes this wine: 91 Points
Fairly typical profile a pleasing value California cab. Licorice, olives, and blackberry, with hints of chocolate. The berry notes are what linger on my tongue. Unassuming and easy drinking.
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5/10/2018 - wdcwineguys wrote: 88 Points
Blackberry, cherry and vanilla on the nose. Definitely smells Cabernet, but falls a bit flat on the taste. It’s easy drinking, but there are other $20-25 Cabernets that are better. I recently had Daou’s Soul of a Lion, so I know they can make a great wine.
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5/6/2018 - Arty0802 Likes this wine: 90 Points
Well worth the $20 !
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4/21/2018 - Handy andy Likes this wine: 89 Points
Chocolate undertones, round mouth feel.
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4/19/2018 - PasoWallaWill Likes this wine: 87 Points
2 hour decant. Subtle nose of dark fruit. Plush flavors of black raspberry and cherry and soft tannins. Fade at the finish and soft grip at the end..
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3/31/2018 - mwneil Likes this wine: 93 Points
this stuff is good, everytime you think the fruit might overwhelm, the tannin kicks in, sweet tannins, great fruit, a true value, drank with my pizza, will drink again.
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3/25/2018 - vang Likes this wine: 88 Points
A little sweet/fruity for a Cab. Tastes more like a cab blend with some zin. Better after dinner than with dinner.
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3/2/2018 - Seroth Likes this wine: 88 Points
If it was $25, I wouldn’t buy again . But it was good and could sit in the cellar and try again in 6 months
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2/9/2018 - budosyu wrote: 86 Points
In search of a daily drinker. Sweet berry nose, fairly ripe. On the palate, medium+ body with ripe sweet blackberry and cherry flavors with sucrosity. Transitions to a more bitter, tannic midpalate with a short, dry, slightly bitter finish.
Not a bad wine overall and the sweetness in the front makes it fun to drink. In a way, it feels like they used overripe fruit and used pressed juice (or extended time on skins) try to balance out the wine. Not bad for the price. Perhaps some time will integrate the tannins a little better, but I don't see the short finish getting any better with time.
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2/5/2018 - PIntag wrote: 84 Points
Ripe and primary with plenty of toasty oak. Pretty unfocused and lacks balance with some heat on the back end.
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1/30/2018 - wino from way back wrote:
Fruity, berries, dark, smells great ... but seems way too sweet. Drinking with souffle made with some spicy cheese.
Taste is better while consuming a "Cold Brew Coffee Chocolate Bar.". But everything taste better with chocolate.
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1/26/2018 - Gjpass wrote: 90 Points
- Brick color and aromas of black currant and has flavours of blackberry.
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1/10/2018 - Naso wrote: 93 Points
Perfectly balanced cS of medium body - Outstanding wine at this price $20
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1/6/2018 - dclaggett wrote: 89 Points
13.9% abv. Opaque purple/black through to rim. All black fruit and blueberry on nose, touch of oak. Cocoa, blackberry, coffee. A surprise to drink, read that Daou reserve wines scored in high 90's and can see why based on this basic bottle. Best if served cool/cold; tannins and palate more defined.
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12/31/2017 - TallMikeWine wrote: 87 Points
This was touted as the "reliable under$20 bottle". I really think one can do a lot better. To me this was a symphony played on one instrument, and to one note. Meh.
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12/17/2017 - mwneil Likes this wine: 92 Points
This is good stuff. Full bodied, not refined, maybe could be more focused, lots of fruit but lots of tannin to keep it real, never is grapey, a huge value, if it had Napa on the label triple the price, some complexity and great structure , drank with loin lamb chops, will drink again, interesting to see how it ages.
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11/29/2017 - Euell Gophar Does not like this wine: 85 Points
Surprisingly disappointing
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11/17/2017 - WineGuyFL wrote: 89 Points
Good for the price point, but seemed a little disorganized. I suspect I drank this first bottle too soon after transportation. Will let it sit for a bit before trying another bottle.
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10/24/2017 - sean7711 Likes this wine: 91 Points
Agree with La Cave - this would not be out of place as Napa cab with a higher price range in a blind tasting. Will look to pick up a few bottles of this.
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10/22/2017 - dwaynelm Likes this wine: 86 Points
Disappointing, marginal varietal character, not much depth or structure. Basically a glorified grocery store wine.
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9/8/2017 - La Cave d'Argent Likes this wine: 91 Points
If tasted blind as a ringer in a high-quality Napa Cabernet tasting, this wine would hold its own. This is particularly impressive because it sells at a fraction of the price of comparable Cabs from Napa. It is a pure, rich, vivid expression of Cabernet Sauvignon, which comprises 100% of the final product. Aged for 10 months in French oak (60% new), it delivers tiers of black currants, dark bramble fruits, allspice and cedary oak. Full-bodied, fresh and without any heat from its 13.9% alcohol (when served at 60-65°F), it is dense on the mid-palate and finishes with good length. This is a Cabernet that avoids the raisiny/pruney characteristics of many other Cabs from the Paso Robles appellation. Drink now-2030.
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9/6/2017 - blabbott wrote: 88 Points
Good value for a decent tasting wine. Fruit forward, spicy with earth. No layers, but not sure you would expect any at this price point.
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