Final bottle of 6. Plush. It's a rich, smooth, easy drinking cab that will appeal to anyone. Great QPR. No reason to believe it will improve with age, as this doesn't have the stuffing for it. Drink and enjoy!
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Nice wine, full body, dark fruit, cocoa, hard to argue w/ the qpr on this one. Will wait a year to see how this one develops but drinks great now. Conflicting reviews below, one suggested PnP, another a decant. Definitely needs a decant, the wine was a little hot and disjointed at PnP. Suggest 2 hrs in decanter.
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I'm giving this almost the same rating that I recently gave a 2003 Screaming Eagle. Am I nuts? Yes, according to the people I trust. There are many variables at work, of course. This Sparkman is an exceptionally strong effort for $30, and that Screaming Eagle did not seem to benefit from its age. How many other American cabs are this good for $30? Only a handful that I've tried. I'm halfway through this case after almost finishing a 2013 case of the Holler. Would say that consistency across bottles is good. The fresh fruit profile of this wine doesn't require time in decanter to open up, IMO. Tastes great PnP.
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Wow and I mean wow!!! This wine was deep ruby in color with a dark personality and a bit of a surprise powerhouse with notes of black cherry, licorice, graphite, boysenberry, vanilla, cola, currant, thyme, wine stems and white pepper. I decanted it for four hours bc at first it wasn’t yet ready and a bit hot. Tons of heated dark fruit on the nose especially cherry And boysenberry with a mouthfeel that is rounded and full along with a finish that shows bunches of heat. This wine will age folks and isn’t yet in its prime. Drink 2022-2030.
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A serious cab! Pnp. Very dark purple in color. Quite closed in on the nose at this point. Notes of cigar, black fruit, menthol, licorice, dark chocolate, and herbs. It is medium bodied and has a dark, brooding, medium long finish. I wonder if that is a result of a little too much oak? A Washington State cab that shows the effect of the cooler weather in comparison to the exuberance of cabs from the sunny climes of California. It reminds me of Bordeauxs from St. Estephe. Reserved in nature, but in a good way. Integrated tannins. I would have liked it to be a little more giving. Perhaps it is still too young. Perhaps needs to be decanted for a few hours. Perhaps more enjoyable when the mercury drops into the mouth of the thermometer. It is still a good cab, but not as good to deserve 93 pts from WS.
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this is a pretty straightforward big fruity oakey cab. Perfectly fine wine but nothing complex or that interesting that would make this a 90+ point wine in my mind.
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From memory. Lip smacking good. Even impressed a friend who drinks mainly whites, such as Sauvignon Blanc. So good, I immediately located more and had it shipped. On the road now but eager to taste again.
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80% Cab with all other Bordeaux varietals. Medium nose of black plum, baking spice, mocha, espresso, violets. Palate shows juicy but proper style, black fruits, nice spice, very tasty and good QPR.
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My wife and I tasted this in the Woodinville tasting room on 12/27/18. It had a reserved, reticent nose of smoke, cassis, black cherry, mocha, cocoa, anise, herb and spice aromas. The palate was ripe and dry with flavors black currant, black cherry, toast, cocoa, herb and spice. 91+
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3/23/2023 - ibglowin Likes this wine: 92 Points
Crazy good still and 5 Star QPR!
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11/10/2022 - NavyVet6874 Likes this wine: 91 Points
PnP right from the cellar, lovely ripe fruit without being cloying. Juicy lingering mouth.
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12/31/2021 - domestic_primate Likes this wine: 92 Points
Part of a NYE vertical of the 2013, 16 and 17. This was my favourite of the 3
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8/20/2021 - Montesquieu Likes this wine: 92 Points
Final bottle of 6. Plush. It's a rich, smooth, easy drinking cab that will appeal to anyone. Great QPR. No reason to believe it will improve with age, as this doesn't have the stuffing for it. Drink and enjoy!
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5/15/2021 - Bryan49 Likes this wine: 90 Points
My wife loves this. Nice, plush dark fruit. Medium finish. Not that notable but good QPR.
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3/13/2021 - jonboy74 Likes this wine: 91 Points
Nice wine, full body, dark fruit, cocoa, hard to argue w/ the qpr on this one. Will wait a year to see how this one develops but drinks great now. Conflicting reviews below, one suggested PnP, another a decant. Definitely needs a decant, the wine was a little hot and disjointed at PnP. Suggest 2 hrs in decanter.
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11/7/2020 - Montesquieu Likes this wine: 91 Points
I'm giving this almost the same rating that I recently gave a 2003 Screaming Eagle. Am I nuts? Yes, according to the people I trust. There are many variables at work, of course. This Sparkman is an exceptionally strong effort for $30, and that Screaming Eagle did not seem to benefit from its age. How many other American cabs are this good for $30? Only a handful that I've tried. I'm halfway through this case after almost finishing a 2013 case of the Holler. Would say that consistency across bottles is good. The fresh fruit profile of this wine doesn't require time in decanter to open up, IMO. Tastes great PnP.
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5/10/2020 - stevemar Likes this wine: 90 Points
Dark purple, black fruits, licorice, cocoa, earth with medium tannins. Pop n pour w aerator.
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12/3/2019 - Chris Keller wrote: 92 Points
Wow and I mean wow!!! This wine was deep ruby in color with a dark personality and a bit of a surprise powerhouse with notes of black cherry, licorice, graphite, boysenberry, vanilla, cola, currant, thyme, wine stems and white pepper. I decanted it for four hours bc at first it wasn’t yet ready and a bit hot. Tons of heated dark fruit on the nose especially cherry And boysenberry with a mouthfeel that is rounded and full along with a finish that shows bunches of heat. This wine will age folks and isn’t yet in its prime. Drink 2022-2030.
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10/18/2019 - rahul_d_chatter@yahoo.com Likes this wine: 87 Points
A serious cab! Pnp. Very dark purple in color. Quite closed in on the nose at this point. Notes of cigar, black fruit, menthol, licorice, dark chocolate, and herbs. It is medium bodied and has a dark, brooding, medium long finish. I wonder if that is a result of a little too much oak? A Washington State cab that shows the effect of the cooler weather in comparison to the exuberance of cabs from the sunny climes of California. It reminds me of Bordeauxs from St. Estephe. Reserved in nature, but in a good way. Integrated tannins. I would have liked it to be a little more giving. Perhaps it is still too young. Perhaps needs to be decanted for a few hours. Perhaps more enjoyable when the mercury drops into the mouth of the thermometer. It is still a good cab, but not as good to deserve 93 pts from WS.
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10/13/2019 - Wine4CommonTable Likes this wine: 91 Points
Awesomely balanced Cabernet. Soft tannins. Great with lamb. Would like to taste on a trip.
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7/18/2019 - GlenviewGSW wrote: 88 Points
this is a pretty straightforward big fruity oakey cab. Perfectly fine wine but nothing complex or that interesting that would make this a 90+ point wine in my mind.
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6/12/2019 - rojoloco Likes this wine: 93 Points
From memory. Lip smacking good. Even impressed a friend who drinks mainly whites, such as Sauvignon Blanc.
So good, I immediately located more and had it shipped. On the road now but eager to taste again.
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5/16/2019 - GTFreek wrote:
80% Cab with all other Bordeaux varietals. Medium nose of black plum, baking spice, mocha, espresso, violets. Palate shows juicy but proper style, black fruits, nice spice, very tasty and good QPR.
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5/12/2019 - CV Griz Fan Likes this wine: 94 Points
A very nice fruit forward Cabernet. For the money, the density and richness is unmatched. Great black fruit profile.....
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12/27/2018 - garambler Likes this wine: 92 Points
My wife and I tasted this in the Woodinville tasting room on 12/27/18. It had a reserved, reticent nose of smoke, cassis, black cherry, mocha, cocoa, anise, herb and spice aromas. The palate was ripe and dry with flavors black currant, black cherry, toast, cocoa, herb and spice. 91+
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10/6/2018 - Macki wrote:
Dark fruit, cedar, pencil lead, black pepper, dark plum, spice on finish (clove). Super long finish. Medium acidity. Well made.
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