I was lucky to purchase this for less than $30 way back when it was released. 2007 was a great vintage---so I thought this might age well. It has. Very smooth and balanced--this wine just glides along your tongue lighting up all the taste buds. The tannins are well behaved. There's a complexity here that I did not detect 5 years ago. We finished the bottle before the meal was served---that's how enjoyable this wine is.
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Not as good as the first bottle a couple years ago. Had a 2007 Honig alongside and it blew this away. Muted fruit and tannins. Maybe past it's prime. I suggest drinking now.
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Good fruit and chewy tannins upon POP. Drinking very nice right now but was just as good the next day so it has some life left. A little more cocoa, blackberry, and muted tannins the next day.
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Nicely matured wine. Absolutely ready to drink. Nose of dried bing cherry, pencil lead and toasted oak. Palate of dark red fruit, black tea, and hint of tobacco. Smooth tannins, low acidity and long black fruit finish.
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A bit thin, we decided. Not as chewy or refined as the other cabs we opened. Still, drank well and had lots of notes to discover as the evening went on.
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Black crystals on the underside of the cork and dispersed throughout the wine, which settled as the bottle was drunk. Drank over 3 hours from a 55F wine fridge, this cab took over an hour to open up and lose the tannic edge. Aromas and flavors of ripe red berry, green olive, and spice. A decent amount of flavor, but definitely lacking in complexity on the finish. Full bodied and tart, slightly acidic and tannic, nonetheless this wine paired very well with a NY strip steak, which seemed to amplify the red fruit and smooth the tannins. Overall I think this still needs some time, although it works well as a food wine now. Drink 2015-2020, decant 1+ hrs.
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It has been 18 months since I last had this wine. Very similar experience with this bottle. Shared with a large group so only had a small glass initially and then just a splash after it had been opened for about 30-45 minutes. The wine really filled out with time and developed a very nice texture and typical Napa Cabernet flavors. I think that this wine will improve with 3-5 years in the cellar or should be decanted for 1-2 hours minimum.
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Vanilla and mocha on the nose. Soft tannins leading to a smooth finish. Soft mouthfeel and restrictive fruit balance each other well. Better than the typical Napa Cab and can't beat it at the price point. On a side note, our bottle had ALOT of sediment.
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Sour cherry green pepper nose. Smells hotter than it's 14.2% alcohol. A bit too much wood. Somewhat muted fruit. Sawdust mouth feel did not dissipate after several hours in the decanter. The Napa Valley bottling shows it's position on the Pine Ridge food chain.
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Dinner with friends last night. One hour decant - this wine outshined the 1997 Andrus. Will only improve with some additional celllar time. For $40 it is difficult to argue with this bottling.
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Reds Blind; 1/15/2012-1/16/2012 (Haslams House): Opened, but not decanted, 45 minutes prior to tasting. Vanilla / cassis / blackberry on nose & palate - full body with good mouthfeel - fruit dominant but not over the toop. Long finish. Delicious and would buy given price on wine-searcher.com. 92+ Was able to guess Napa Cab.
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Very closed upon opening the bottle. First glass was just all out of sorts, bitter and really lacking fruit. The second glass was like opening a completely different bottle. Sweet dark fruits, a touch of mocha and vanilla, and fine tannins. A real velvety mouthful. Will decant the next bottle for a few hours before drinking. A bit disappointed with the $58 price tag though.
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Went to a restaurant with 'wine bar' in its name, figured we wouldn't need to bring along something tasty. Wine list was Sh!t (sorry if that offends...) but found this offering at $70 - hate to pay that for Napa cab unknown to me, but this was very nice...good fruit, crisp acidity, medium finish...a nice discovery, but would have rather discovered this at under $40 retail! Tannins a bit firm, but we (fortunately) have a great tolerance for tannins and can always see the bounty of fruit beneath the cover of that wall of tannins. Will undoubtably improve with bottle age.
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4/4/2019 - costacasa Likes this wine: 91 Points
I was lucky to purchase this for less than $30 way back when it was released. 2007 was a great vintage---so I thought this might age well. It has. Very smooth and balanced--this wine just glides along your tongue lighting up all the taste buds. The tannins are well behaved. There's a complexity here that I did not detect 5 years ago. We finished the bottle before the meal was served---that's how enjoyable this wine is.
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10/7/2018 - winelover1808 Likes this wine: 90 Points
a very good solid california cabernet
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7/18/2017 - dmitchell4 wrote: 92 Points
Classic NAPA CAB. Enjoyed with perfect ribeye. May not be the best QPR in my cellar at $50+. But not the worst
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6/12/2017 - dmitchell4 Likes this wine: 92 Points
Drinking beautifully.
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2/2/2017 - iwadasn wrote: 90 Points
Lovely and well-balanced, still fruity but not overly so, with a hint of the age in the brownish color but again not overly so. Very nice.
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12/29/2016 - LCHammer wrote: 87 Points
Not as good as the first bottle a couple years ago. Had a 2007 Honig alongside and it blew this away. Muted fruit and tannins. Maybe past it's prime. I suggest drinking now.
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4/24/2016 - ejca wrote:
Drank over two nights, not impressed, just ok.
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11/22/2015 - LCHammer Likes this wine: 90 Points
Good fruit and chewy tannins upon POP. Drinking very nice right now but was just as good the next day so it has some life left. A little more cocoa, blackberry, and muted tannins the next day.
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10/6/2015 - FLI Likes this wine: 92 Points
No rough edges at all. Dark color, but bright berry fruit. Tannins evident but they provide the right amount of structure. A pleasure.
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8/23/2015 - JC Cab wrote: 89 Points
Nicely matured wine. Absolutely ready to drink. Nose of dried bing cherry, pencil lead and toasted oak. Palate of dark red fruit, black tea, and hint of tobacco. Smooth tannins, low acidity and long black fruit finish.
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2/6/2015 - Bluffan wrote: 92 Points
Lovely, aromatic wine, rich, good fruit, a bit of sediment, good after a vinturi or an hour decant. Even better on day-two, but ready now.
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12/31/2014 - jemccray64 wrote: 92 Points
Peaked! oak, currant, red berry scents. Flavors of oak, smoke, tobacco, cherry.
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12/31/2014 - jemccray64 wrote: 92 Points
Peaked! oak, currant, red berry scents. Flavors of oak, smoke, tobacco, cherry, refined tannins.
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12/31/2014 - jemccray64 wrote: 92 Points
Peaked! Nose: oak, currant, red berry. Palate: oak, smoke, tobacco, cherry, refined tannins.
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12/31/2014 - jemccray64 wrote: 92 Points
Peaked! Nose: oak, currant, red berry. Palate: dry oak, smoke, tobacco, cherry, refined tannins.
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12/31/2014 - jemccray64 wrote: 92 Points
Peaked! Nose: oak, pencil, currant, red berry. Palate: dry oak, smoke, tobacco, cherry, refined tannins.
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12/31/2014 - jemccray64 wrote: 92 Points
Peaked! Nose: oak, pencil, currant, red berry. Palate: dry oak, smoke, tobacco, cherry, chewy tannins.
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12/31/2014 - jemccray64 wrote: 92 Points
At peak. Nose: oak, pencil, currant, red berry. Palate: dry oak, smoke, tobacco, cherry, chewy tannins.
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12/31/2014 - jemccray64 wrote: 92 Points
Great wine at peak. Nose: oak, pencil, currant, red berry. Palate: dry oak, smoke, tobacco, cherry, chewy tannins.
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12/31/2014 - jemccray64 wrote: 92 Points
Great wine at peak. Nose: oak, pencil, light currant and red berry. Palate: dry oak, smoke, tobacco, cherry, chewy tannins.
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8/27/2014 - iwadasn wrote: 89 Points
A bit thin, we decided. Not as chewy or refined as the other cabs we opened. Still, drank well and had lots of notes to discover as the evening went on.
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3/12/2014 - pugblanc wrote: 88 Points
Tart on the open. Air improved. Nice tannis and dark cherry.
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5/27/2013 - GoBlue2002 Likes this wine: 89 Points
Black crystals on the underside of the cork and dispersed throughout the wine, which settled as the bottle was drunk.
Drank over 3 hours from a 55F wine fridge, this cab took over an hour to open up and lose the tannic edge.
Aromas and flavors of ripe red berry, green olive, and spice. A decent amount of flavor, but definitely lacking in complexity on the finish. Full bodied and tart, slightly acidic and tannic, nonetheless this wine paired very well with a NY strip steak, which seemed to amplify the red fruit and smooth the tannins.
Overall I think this still needs some time, although it works well as a food wine now. Drink 2015-2020, decant 1+ hrs.
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12/26/2012 - meatbomb013 Likes this wine: 92 Points
It has been 18 months since I last had this wine. Very similar experience with this bottle. Shared with a large group so only had a small glass initially and then just a splash after it had been opened for about 30-45 minutes. The wine really filled out with time and developed a very nice texture and typical Napa Cabernet flavors. I think that this wine will improve with 3-5 years in the cellar or should be decanted for 1-2 hours minimum.
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7/31/2012 - rbradleypate wrote: 92 Points
Vanilla and mocha on the nose. Soft tannins leading to a smooth finish. Soft mouthfeel and restrictive fruit balance each other well. Better than the typical Napa Cab and can't beat it at the price point. On a side note, our bottle had ALOT of sediment.
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7/29/2012 - Danthejuiceman wrote:
Sour cherry green pepper nose. Smells hotter than it's 14.2% alcohol.
A bit too much wood. Somewhat muted fruit. Sawdust mouth feel did not dissipate after several hours in the decanter.
The Napa Valley bottling shows it's position on the Pine Ridge food chain.
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7/21/2012 - agileaudio wrote: 91 Points
Dinner with friends last night. One hour decant - this wine outshined the 1997 Andrus. Will only improve with some additional celllar time. For $40 it is difficult to argue with this bottling.
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1/15/2012 - CWilliam wrote: 92 Points
Reds Blind; 1/15/2012-1/16/2012 (Haslams House): Opened, but not decanted, 45 minutes prior to tasting. Vanilla / cassis / blackberry on nose & palate - full body with good mouthfeel - fruit dominant but not over the toop. Long finish. Delicious and would buy given price on wine-searcher.com. 92+ Was able to guess Napa Cab.
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12/12/2011 - bobv wrote: 89 Points
Very nice. Soft flavored, smooth, medium body. Good refined fruit flavors. We served this at a big party and it was very well liked.
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6/4/2011 - meatbomb013 wrote: 92 Points
Very closed upon opening the bottle. First glass was just all out of sorts, bitter and really lacking fruit. The second glass was like opening a completely different bottle. Sweet dark fruits, a touch of mocha and vanilla, and fine tannins. A real velvety mouthful.
Will decant the next bottle for a few hours before drinking. A bit disappointed with the $58 price tag though.
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5/30/2011 - robertdtwo wrote: 91 Points
Went to a restaurant with 'wine bar' in its name, figured we wouldn't need to bring along something tasty. Wine list was Sh!t (sorry if that offends...) but found this offering at $70 - hate to pay that for Napa cab unknown to me, but this was very nice...good fruit, crisp acidity, medium finish...a nice discovery, but would have rather discovered this at under $40 retail! Tannins a bit firm, but we (fortunately) have a great tolerance for tannins and can always see the bounty of fruit beneath the cover of that wall of tannins. Will undoubtably improve with bottle age.
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1/30/2011 - wehouck wrote:
Heavy tannin, minimal fruit, too early.
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5/31/2010 - wirelesswine wrote: 90 Points
A nice cab, approachable now. Drink this while sitting on your '06's or your higher end '07's.
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