Fully mature with an air of elegance to its core of fresh cherries, strawberries, tobacco, cedar, dried flowers, and herbs profile. Medium-bodied, with lift and red fruits on the back end, this is a pop, pour, and still quite enjoyable wine. Drink from 2023-2030.
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tasted blind nose - surripe mouth - rich, saturated ripe berry, bold, with some coffee. reminded me a little of some Bryant family that I've had. Delicious but phat. A sip standing alone wine, lacks acidity and after a while slightly fatiguing. I suspect they picked too late in a hot year. The '95 and '96 are clearly better.
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Nearly 25 years old and drinking amazingly well. Flavor profile leans strongly in the direction of earth and related flavors, but pleasingly so. Enjoy now.
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Fantastic wine. From a magnum. Last bottle from a case of 750's and a case of magnums. Purchased at the Bassin MacArthur Beverage annual California barrel tasting for $275/ case. This baby was singing. As I recall, this wine was approachable upon release and was a joy to drink at every stage. Memories from here on out......
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Some secondary with faded fruit. Not quite at the same level as the '95 but still a solid wine. This particular bottle still had some structure remaining, but I wouldn't wait more than 5-6 years to drink these.
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Cabernet Sauvignon Dinner in DC (Eric and Janet's House in DC): Cedar and red fruit on the nose. Big fruity body, strong black current, light bitter with strong drying tannins and good acid. Pretty much still mostly primary. Overall it was a bit unbalanced towards the fruit for my palate and simple/linear. If I loved more extracted wines I would have rated this a bit higher.
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Best of the evening - all focused on "94 CA wines from my daughter's birth year. Well balanced with elegant nose. Beat out our Opus 1, BV Private Reserve and Silver Oak.
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Very dark ruby red. Right on opening, had an earthy, almost root vegetable nose, but lighter (pops, a vet wine buff, smelled licorice and said my nose signaled a wine past its prime, but I didn’t mean it as such). Definitely had a Bordeaux quality (though fruits became more pronounced as it remained open). Very, very unique wine—not for everyone, but those who can appreciate an earthy, almost musty California red will love it.
EDIT: Becomes a bit tamer after decanting for ~45 minutes and really comes into its own.
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Very dark red. Decanted 2+ hours. The nose had some VA and sort of angular asian spice (almost menthol). Further opened with time to more classic blackberry and cassis. Maybe a bit of cooked/stewed fruit, earth and garrigue on the palate, but not overwhelmingly negative. Fairly lush, complex finish. Second bottle with almost identical results and minor flaws. Went really well with grilled lamb chops. I would drink soon, but decant thoroughly!
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Served blind to Walter and Michael alongside the 1995 Pahlmeyer Red at the Wolf in Oakland. Both wines decanted for 2 hours. Very fragrant nose(enjoyable without lifting glass). Dark ruby in color. In the mouth cassis, blueberries and blackberries, with a touch of sweetness. Additional complexity in the back of the tongue with Asian spices and black pepper(?). After 20+ years and even with all the fruit, it still seemed Bordeaux like (go figure). Nice complete finish. Magnificent wine (but as good as it was, the '95 was just as good.)
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Decanted 15 minutes before pouring. Somewhat tight upon first taste, was afraid it was way past its prime. After 30 minutes it opened beautifully While it should be on the downside I am happy to have waited until now. This is bottle two out of a case of twelve but the time is now. Had with a grilled hanger steak, a perfect Accompaniment.
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Color is deep red with hints of faint rust just forming at the edge. This win is remarkably young and vibrant considering its age. Upon opening, the nose is tight with a heavy hit of alcohol. However, as soon as ten minutes into the wine, the bouquet starts to open. Bold notes of old leather come rolling through like a freight train up front. That follows by a crescendo of other olfactory pleasures like tart cherry and underripe plum. As it continues to open, notes of old world Bordeaux start to creep it. A slight forest floor aroma; in a pleasant way. On the pallet the wine is medium plus with full body tannins and lovely (and a much welcomed) tinge of acidity. The finish is medium/long with sweet berries and stone fruit on the edge. This wine is gorgeous for its age and price point. A harmonious bridge between Bordeaux and Cali cab. My only r egret is not having a second bottle, thank god for the Coravin though!
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Deep tar note, aged leather, and a deep prune with a tannic backbone structure. Definitely something needing a meat to help suppress the tannic spine and let flavors shine. Exceptional nose, fully developed, I can't see it getting any better but not an emergency. One of those wines that sits on the transition between a California Cab and a Bordeaux. Really a fun wine that I'd be happy to drink now till 2019.
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Ruby core leaning toward garnet with an orange rim. Medium minus staining. Medium plus tears. On the nose: licorice, leather, whiffs of wet tobacco co-mingled with cedar. The palate began with an herbal note of sage, followed by waining blackberry and blueberry notes. The finish: medium minus. This wine although sound and nice to drink did not have the layers of complexity that one often enjoys in wine with some age on it. It seems this particular bottle did not become a stunner with age.
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Well preserved bottle.....very drinkable from the opening but got better and better with more time in the glass. The final glass 4 hours after opening was the most polished and delectable. Lots of structure, complexity and richness. Still very good fruit, smooth velour like tannins. Very tasty.
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Napa Valley Tour; 4/11/2014-4/15/2014 (French Laundry,Meadowood,Colgin,Araujo,Harlan....): Dark dense and product of a hot year which shows across the wine. The nose had some VA to start and then although relaxed had notes of cooked fruit, stewed fruit at times. Shame really because in the palate it was true to form, full on juicy, ripe wine , big and lush and carried the 14.5% alc well . Pity the nose was as such. 89 at best
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The first bottle tasted showed an earthy, straw and barnyard aroma that overwhelmed the experience. That bottle deserved its 89 Pt score. The second bottle showed much better with its dark red cherry, plum, fennel earth and smoke filled nose. Soft, round and fully mature, this is drinking at what is probably its peak today.
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ANV 13' from 9L. Lots of wine. This was really showing well. Definitiely at its peak. Lots of cassis, cedar, and licorice. Color is bricking at the edge. The palate is wonderfully intergrated and delicious with dark fruit and a mix of herbs and spice. Fun to drink from large format like this.
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Again this nose of tar which always reminds me of the 94 Pahlmeyer when I smell this in other wines. On the palate the typical mix of chocolate, spice, tar and dark berries. Very nice.
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Tasted at the Vintner's Club in SF. From magnum. There was some disagreement whether this wine was slightly corked. To my nose it was, however not so much that it substantially detracted from the wine's nose and palate. Red fruit, chocolate, and cigar on the nose. The palate is not nearly as rich and loaded as the 95' Pahlmeyer also tasted. I think this was an underperforming example but even so the softness of the palate points to a downward evolution for this wine.
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From a typical Left Bank Bordeaux blend, this wine is fully mature. Tobacco, earth, smoke, blackberry, cassis, stone and truffle aromas, soft textures and a full bodied, round personality, this is not quite as rich as it was a few years ago. I'd opt for drinking this over the next few years.
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Opaque dark red color. Full bodied. Herbaceous nose of eucalyptus, mint and methanol. In the mouth, surprising loads of red and black fruit emerge with noticeable amounts of malbec and smoothing cabernet franc. Drinks much differently than the 95; much more fruit driven. Medium finish. Good for continued aging.
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Trying really to figure out this wine since it isn't really all the way there... or maybe past it. Stored in my cold cellar since release so I know this bottle has been treated well. Absolutely gorgeous nose of pure, minty Cabernet fruit with overtones of charcoal and wonderful green olives. Nose seems to suggest a super round and sweet wine but on the palate there is a bitterness which detracts greatly from the overall enjoyment of the wine. I would have rated this much higher without this detracting element since otherwise we've got a very nice bottle of aged CA red wine here. Don't have any more and wouldn't pay the current prices for this wine anyway so possible evolution will remain a mystery.
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Opened this wine over Valentines dinner with my wife. Upon opening, the nose exhibited a wonderful scent of fruit and berrys. I sampled a bit before decanting and was surprised to find it mild and extremely smooth. After an hour and half of decanting we poured and drink it along side filet mignon and lobster tail. There is a good sense of fruit in the wine but I was disappointed that the taste did not last long. Overall, i felt that this vintage is on its downward slope and probably peaked 3 to 4 years ago.
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A very good high end aged and mature Napa cab enjoyed last night at the first Hickory Wine Club meeting of the year as part of a '94 - '98 Pahlmeyer vertical with a '98 Leoville Barton thrown in as a ringer. Too expensive to be any kind of a reasonable QPR but still highly recommend this wine. Softer then expected, very well structured and well balanced / mature at this stage of development, in a great drinking window, plenty of fruit left, great pleasant long lingering aftertaste. Nose of burnt oak, caramel and dark fruit, primary flavors included well balanced oak, cassis, dark fruit, tar and some black pepper and smoke developing on the aftertaste. A great wine, my second favorite of the Pahlmeyers after the '97.
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'94 vs '97 California Cabernet Sauvignon: A massive, structured wine that demands hours of decanting - which the format of the tasting regrettably did not support. Reminds me of the '96 Pauillac wines - loads of structure demanding time in bottle, yet already hinting at greatness. This is not as good as the Diamond Creek Volcanic today, but the Pahlmeyer will be the better wine in 5 years.
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Paris Tasting in Zwolle (De Librije - Zwolle): 1994 Pahlmeyer Proprietary Red (USA, California, Napa Valley) Kleur: Diep donkerrood, veel concentratie. Aroma / bouquet: Kruidig en krachtige aanzet, opvallend expressief donker fruit, iets kruidig. Smaak / Afdronk: Zwoel en zoetig, krachtige zuren en krachtige tannines, hout is prachtig geïntegreerd, komt op mij wat 'gekunsteld-krachtig' en een beetje opgepompt over. Jammer van die drogende finale. Algemeen / potentieel: Jonge wijn die duidelijk nog lucht en veel tijd nodig heeft. 50 + Kleur: 5 + Aroma / bouquet: 11 + Smaak / Afdronk: 14 + Algemeen / potentieel: 7 = 87/100
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This is a better bottle than the one I had in 2008. Chocolate, black berry fruits, rose hips and well integrated oak. Quite much sweetness, but nicely balanced with enough acidity. Quite much alcohol as well. Full bodied and a long finish. Ready now and will keep this level for a few more years, but will probably not improve anymore. Not really a bargain.
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Over the hill or flawed bottle (improper storage at some point?). Funky woody smell not showing much fruit. Revisited over the course of 6 hours. No change. Great mouthfeel but almost completely lacking fruit. Too bad. Should have been good.
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Had this bottle with some nice steaks. Decanted for 2 hours prior to drinking. Very nice, good fruit, strong black cherries, ripe currants, smoke. No signs of age or being over the hill.
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Drank with flank steak with shallot sauce. Full bodied deep and rich w delicious casis and leather flavors. Nice length and finish. One of the botles had a difficult to extract cork, but the wine was delicious.
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Decanted two hours. Medium body that once was full. This would have been much better a few years ago. Solid structure and balance, but all of the fruit feels like it's on mute. Soft.
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California Bordeaux Blends (Backstreet Wine Salon - PHX, AZ): Dark reddish purple in color. Full bodied but lacked fruit and depth. Rather clipped finish which suprised me due to the youthful color of the wine. No real character or distinction 50+5+13+15+5=88
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Strange bouquet; acidic and …..bleach? Not pleasant. The taste however shows cherries and plums. Chocolate as well. Very concentrated and compact. The acidity is again strange and not really good. The wine is quite mature. I do not score it.
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Dry, brittle cork. Muted nose of dry brush, dark chocolate. Very lean, totally lacking in opulence. Never really opened up. This is the third bottle of '94 I've had with consistent results. I've always enjoyed Pahlmeyer and it's hard to understand what they did to eviscerate this vaintage.
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A restaurant purchase, so opened and decanted and drunk. Quite a murky appearance. Mmmm ... nice nose. It feels very old, with rather subdued black fruits, polish and forest floors. At a cursory sniff, you could be forgiven for thinking this was early 1960s Burgundy. On the palate, it's very open, with evident age, but still very much alive. There's a nice balance here. Very smooth and silky initially, followed by great complexity of flavour and finishing with some gently sandy, fine-grained tannins. It starts off with some sweet black fruit flavours, then the sweetness tails off quite quickly and you get some leatheriness and bramble fruit, before it finishes with quite a marked woody licorice flavour (the woody licorice sticks that you chew). It opened up a bit with time, but not as much as I thought it might. Definitely an interesting wine.
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i was leary about this one from the start. When i opened the fruit blew away faster than i would imagine. I hope i just had a bad bottle becasue the post on CT rave about this. way past its prime
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really lived up to all expectations. a beautifully crafted wine with a rich, complex and fruitfilled nose. the mid palate is equaly mezmorizing with cassis, herbs and hints of leather. the full integration of the tannis on the finish really spells the reason for patience with this one. really outstanding--I wish I owed more!!
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Med-dark red. Nice full, sweet California nose. Good fruit that is easy on the palate and has a nice finish. This is a very good wine, but one to drink now as it is starting to fade and is not the stunner of concentrated fruit it once was. B+
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Nice bottle. Nose had hints of cedar and leather and a little tar. Fruit was holding up nicely and balance was good. nice lingering finnish. This bottle did not hit the heights of one cosumed just a few months ago.
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Wow. Still a realative baby. we had this following the 94 Beringer Private Reserve. and It was quite tight at first. Took a good half hour to open up. Color was dark purple almost opaque. Deep berry fruit and great structue. Excellent balance. This wine has at least another 10-15 years to go.
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Consumed with grilled ribeyes at the Mill Pond restaurant Served from magnum, the wine is clearly in it's drinking window and ready to go. Classic cabernet flavors of cedar, cassis and cigar box. Tasty, great with the ribeyes. Still a little tannin to give a frame to the fruit. Some acidity as well. All in all, well balanced. I guess I was looking for a little 'more'. more intensity, bigger fruit, something. This is very good and tasty, i really enjoyed drinking it, but it's missing some intensity to get it to the 'top' level of Calif cabs...
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STG does 1994 Cal Cab (Michael and Claire's house): I liked this wine more than some other folks did. The nose was really reticent, but the palate had promise. The structure was very evident. There was fruit, but it was really only lurking. I am giving this a lot of credit for what it will become. 91?
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Seattle Tasting Group does 1994 California Cabernet (Bellevue, WA): What happened here? I just had a 1995 the other day which I loved. This one showed soy and leather on the nose with vegetal elements showing up with more time in the glass. The palate shows powdered sugar and is just way too sweet, gag me with a spoon sweet. Something is very, very wrong here, but I don't think the wine is flawed.
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outstanding depth, complexity, well-integrated oak, layers of chocolatey, mocha-y fruit and thick palate-coating full-bodied richness, plus a smooth long finish
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Blind (4's tasting). Deep purple color with a hint of blue. Full rich aroma of black fruit and briar, but clean. Rich mouthful of black fruit on a firm tannic frame. 8/04
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Still a healthy ruby red color and a vibrant aromatic nose. Beautiful mid-palate. Still fleshy and young. Strong cassis and plum flavors. Can still get better.
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Seattle Tasting Group does "American Bordeaux Varietals" (plus 1992-1997 Pahlmeyer Red) (Seattle, WA, USA): Brown sugar, very plummy and ripe with a hint of mint. Smooth, layered, cedary, and very powerful. This has a gorgeous finish, nicely balanced, very long with tannins spread out over the palate. This is still drinking very young, but it is certainly pleasurable. We had a lone taster rate this as an 88 with everyone else in the 90's. (Group average 91.25)
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Big nose of currents, iron and minerals. Lots of berries on the palate... almost grapey, with hints of black olives and iron. Very fine tannins with a killer long finish. Very young and in need of quite a bit of bottle age, but seems to be a fine young wine with a bright future.
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2/15/2023 - Jeff Leve wrote: 93 Points
Fully mature with an air of elegance to its core of fresh cherries, strawberries, tobacco, cedar, dried flowers, and herbs profile. Medium-bodied, with lift and red fruits on the back end, this is a pop, pour, and still quite enjoyable wine. Drink from 2023-2030.
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2/20/2022 - soyhead wrote:
tasted blind
nose - surripe
mouth - rich, saturated ripe berry, bold, with some coffee. reminded me a little of some Bryant family that I've had. Delicious but phat. A sip standing alone wine, lacks acidity and after a while slightly fatiguing. I suspect they picked too late in a hot year. The '95 and '96 are clearly better.
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8/28/2021 - fdub Likes this wine: 96 Points
From magnum at Harvest Stomp. Unreal quality and depth. Still super intense fruits and secondary notes. Perfect balance.
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4/10/2021 - TGOT Likes this wine: 94 Points
Nearly 25 years old and drinking amazingly well. Flavor profile leans strongly in the direction of earth and related flavors, but pleasingly so. Enjoy now.
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5/7/2020 - Dr.Scott Likes this wine: 95 Points
Fantastic wine. From a magnum. Last bottle from a case of 750's and a case of magnums. Purchased at the Bassin MacArthur Beverage annual California barrel tasting for $275/ case. This baby was singing. As I recall, this wine was approachable upon release and was a joy to drink at every stage. Memories from here on out......
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10/26/2019 - DarinC Likes this wine: 91 Points
Some secondary with faded fruit. Not quite at the same level as the '95 but still a solid wine. This particular bottle still had some structure remaining, but I wouldn't wait more than 5-6 years to drink these.
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5/6/2019 - Ara Kafafian wrote: flawed
What a shame, the wine had so much fruit to offer yet was undeniably corked. Sad moment.
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3/9/2019 - ericindc Likes this wine: 90 Points
Cabernet Sauvignon Dinner in DC (Eric and Janet's House in DC): Cedar and red fruit on the nose. Big fruity body, strong black current, light bitter with strong drying tannins and good acid. Pretty much still mostly primary. Overall it was a bit unbalanced towards the fruit for my palate and simple/linear. If I loved more extracted wines I would have rated this a bit higher.
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1/27/2019 - Mill Run Likes this wine: 92 Points
Best of the evening - all focused on "94 CA wines from my daughter's birth year. Well balanced with elegant nose. Beat out our Opus 1, BV Private Reserve and Silver Oak.
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11/15/2018 - Big Dog E wrote: 94 Points
Very dark ruby red. Right on opening, had an earthy, almost root vegetable nose, but lighter (pops, a vet wine buff, smelled licorice and said my nose signaled a wine past its prime, but I didn’t mean it as such). Definitely had a Bordeaux quality (though fruits became more pronounced as it remained open). Very, very unique wine—not for everyone, but those who can appreciate an earthy, almost musty California red will love it.
EDIT: Becomes a bit tamer after decanting for ~45 minutes and really comes into its own.
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10/29/2018 - BHRH Likes this wine: 91 Points
Very dark red. Decanted 2+ hours. The nose had some VA and sort of angular asian spice (almost menthol). Further opened with time to more classic blackberry and cassis. Maybe a bit of cooked/stewed fruit, earth and garrigue on the palate, but not overwhelmingly negative. Fairly lush, complex finish. Second bottle with almost identical results and minor flaws. Went really well with grilled lamb chops. I would drink soon, but decant thoroughly!
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9/8/2017 - wa2ofd wrote:
This wine was soft, fragrant...enjoyable now
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8/30/2017 - mhudes Likes this wine: 95 Points
Served blind to Walter and Michael alongside the 1995 Pahlmeyer Red at the Wolf in Oakland. Both wines decanted for 2 hours. Very fragrant nose(enjoyable without lifting glass). Dark ruby in color. In the mouth cassis, blueberries and blackberries, with a touch of sweetness. Additional complexity in the back of the tongue with Asian spices and black pepper(?). After 20+ years and even with all the fruit, it still seemed Bordeaux like (go figure). Nice complete finish. Magnificent wine (but as good as it was, the '95 was just as good.)
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6/26/2017 - dvansteenderen Likes this wine: 92 Points
A private dinner @ Scharzhof. Brought by one of us and did very well...Almost always very fond of Pahlmeyer's reds!
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6/26/2017 - Xavier Auerbach wrote: 92 Points
A private dinner (Scharzhof, Wiltingen, Germany): Rich and mature style, slightly balsamic, tannic and fresh, deep and powerful, completely alive, very good length.
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5/28/2017 - mbesche Likes this wine: 92 Points
Decanted 15 minutes before pouring. Somewhat tight upon first taste,
was afraid it was way past its prime. After 30 minutes it opened beautifully
While it should be on the downside
I am happy to have waited until now. This is bottle two out of a case of
twelve but the time is now. Had with a grilled hanger steak, a perfect
Accompaniment.
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2/18/2017 - jmtierney3rd wrote: 90 Points
Color is deep red with hints of faint rust just forming at the edge. This win is remarkably young and vibrant considering its age. Upon opening, the nose is tight with a heavy hit of alcohol. However, as soon as ten minutes into the wine, the bouquet starts to open. Bold notes of old leather come rolling through like a freight train up front. That follows by a crescendo of other olfactory pleasures like tart cherry and underripe plum. As it continues to open, notes of old world Bordeaux start to creep it. A slight forest floor aroma; in a pleasant way. On the pallet the wine is medium plus with full body tannins and lovely (and a much welcomed) tinge of acidity. The finish is medium/long with sweet berries and stone fruit on the edge. This wine is gorgeous for its age and price point. A harmonious bridge between Bordeaux and Cali cab. My only r egret is not having a second bottle, thank god for the Coravin though!
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4/19/2016 - Trent Walker wrote: 94 Points
Deep tar note, aged leather, and a deep prune with a tannic backbone structure. Definitely something needing a meat to help suppress the tannic spine and let flavors shine. Exceptional nose, fully developed, I can't see it getting any better but not an emergency. One of those wines that sits on the transition between a California Cab and a Bordeaux. Really a fun wine that I'd be happy to drink now till 2019.
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12/27/2015 - Rosé wrote: 87 Points
Ruby core leaning toward garnet with an orange rim. Medium minus staining. Medium plus tears.
On the nose: licorice, leather, whiffs of wet tobacco co-mingled with cedar. The palate began with an herbal note of sage, followed by waining blackberry and blueberry notes.
The finish: medium minus. This wine although sound and nice to drink did not have the layers of complexity that one often enjoys in wine with some age on it. It seems this particular bottle did not become a stunner with age.
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6/4/2015 - kenv Likes this wine: 92 Points
WCC 1990s California Cabernet Blind Tasting (Dorato's Resturant, Guilderland, NY): [Double decanted for one hour.] Tarry red fruit nose. Tart, ripe sour.
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4/21/2015 - Mark1npt Likes this wine: 93 Points
Well preserved bottle.....very drinkable from the opening but got better and better with more time in the glass. The final glass 4 hours after opening was the most polished and delectable. Lots of structure, complexity and richness. Still very good fruit, smooth velour like tannins. Very tasty.
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5/17/2014 - Fid wrote: 90 Points
Nice nose. Cassis, Asian spice, some cigar box. Very Bordeaux in character. Not much fruit on the palate. Not bad but seemed well past its prime.
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5/3/2014 - tcarter Likes this wine: 94 Points
Drink up! This is really singing right now, but probably doesn't have much longer. Popped and poured, after a quick sediment decant.
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4/12/2014 - Papies wrote: 89 Points
Napa Valley Tour; 4/11/2014-4/15/2014 (French Laundry,Meadowood,Colgin,Araujo,Harlan....): Dark dense and product of a hot year which shows across the wine.
The nose had some VA to start and then although relaxed had notes of cooked fruit, stewed fruit at times. Shame really because in the palate it was true to form, full on juicy, ripe wine , big and lush and carried the 14.5% alc well . Pity the nose was as such. 89 at best
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3/4/2014 - Jeff Leve wrote: 93 Points
The first bottle tasted showed an earthy, straw and barnyard aroma that overwhelmed the experience. That bottle deserved its 89 Pt score. The second bottle showed much better with its dark red cherry, plum, fennel earth and smoke filled nose. Soft, round and fully mature, this is drinking at what is probably its peak today.
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5/31/2013 - fdub Likes this wine: 94 Points
ANV 13' from 9L. Lots of wine. This was really showing well. Definitiely at its peak. Lots of cassis, cedar, and licorice. Color is bricking at the edge. The palate is wonderfully intergrated and delicious with dark fruit and a mix of herbs and spice. Fun to drink from large format like this.
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5/19/2013 - Dvogt wrote: 97 Points
Elegantly blended fruit, tannins and acid. Have been drinking this for a decade and it is showing better than than any time previously.
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3/4/2013 - EMichels wrote: 93 Points
Great fruit; Very nice balance; None of the 'smack you in the face' character I've come to expect; Nice definition
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12/23/2012 - mwanasheria wrote: 93 Points
Again this nose of tar which always reminds me of the 94 Pahlmeyer when I smell this in other wines. On the palate the typical mix of chocolate, spice, tar and dark berries. Very nice.
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9/11/2012 - mwanasheria wrote: 94 Points
The best bottle so far. Cassis, blackberry, tar, chocolate, tobacco.
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9/8/2012 - jsebiri wrote:
nice wine , took a good half hour to come around , but decent fruit , nose was a little secondary , cork crumbled , tasty wine
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8/26/2012 - fdub wrote: 91 Points
Tasted at the Vintner's Club in SF. From magnum. There was some disagreement whether this wine was slightly corked. To my nose it was, however not so much that it substantially detracted from the wine's nose and palate. Red fruit, chocolate, and cigar on the nose. The palate is not nearly as rich and loaded as the 95' Pahlmeyer also tasted. I think this was an underperforming example but even so the softness of the palate points to a downward evolution for this wine.
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5/8/2012 - jmottern wrote: 92 Points
Good nose and very smooth fruit. This wine is at its peak or slightly over it. Drink it now.
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4/16/2012 - jmottern wrote: 88 Points
Very nice nose. Decanted bottle and after 40 minutes it opened nicely. Deep dark red color with medium strong fruit.
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3/15/2012 - Jeff Leve wrote: 92 Points
From a typical Left Bank Bordeaux blend, this wine is fully mature. Tobacco, earth, smoke, blackberry, cassis, stone and truffle aromas, soft textures and a full bodied, round personality, this is not quite as rich as it was a few years ago. I'd opt for drinking this over the next few years.
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12/25/2011 - Brett wrote: 93 Points
Fantastic bottle....last one.
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12/3/2011 - Dvogt wrote: 94 Points
Opaque dark red color. Full bodied. Herbaceous nose of eucalyptus, mint and methanol. In the mouth, surprising loads of red and black fruit emerge with noticeable amounts of malbec and smoothing cabernet franc. Drinks much differently than the 95; much more fruit driven. Medium finish. Good for continued aging.
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7/5/2011 - mwanasheria wrote: flawed
Oxidized.
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1/2/2011 - locovino wrote: 91 Points
Trying really to figure out this wine since it isn't really all the way there... or maybe past it. Stored in my cold cellar since release so I know this bottle has been treated well. Absolutely gorgeous nose of pure, minty Cabernet fruit with overtones of charcoal and wonderful green olives. Nose seems to suggest a super round and sweet wine but on the palate there is a bitterness which detracts greatly from the overall enjoyment of the wine. I would have rated this much higher without this detracting element since otherwise we've got a very nice bottle of aged CA red wine here. Don't have any more and wouldn't pay the current prices for this wine anyway so possible evolution will remain a mystery.
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11/29/2010 - matherjo wrote: 94 Points
Black Currant, red and black fruit, licorice, coconut. Surprisingly young in presentation. Could age further.
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11/17/2010 - JPF16 wrote: 96 Points
Drinking great right now, cork cam apart when opening but the wine was special.
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9/24/2010 - Brett wrote: 90 Points
Need to drink, a bit past prime.
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9/2/2010 - mwanasheria wrote: 93 Points
Dark crimson. Blackberry, chocolate, vanilla, smoke. Outstanding.
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5/9/2010 - mwanasheria wrote: 93 Points
Black current, fruit, chocolate. Outstanding.
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2/16/2010 - srkool wrote: 90 Points
Opened this wine over Valentines dinner with my wife. Upon opening, the nose exhibited a wonderful scent of fruit and berrys. I sampled a bit before decanting and was surprised to find it mild and extremely smooth. After an hour and half of decanting we poured and drink it along side filet mignon and lobster tail. There is a good sense of fruit in the wine but I was disappointed that the taste did not last long. Overall, i felt that this vintage is on its downward slope and probably peaked 3 to 4 years ago.
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1/26/2010 - ed-d wrote: 92 Points
A bit herbal on the nose. Mocha flavors with cool, herbal infused red fruit flavors with a nice balance of acid & tannin.
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1/12/2010 - ikkaariainen wrote: 92 Points
A very good high end aged and mature Napa cab enjoyed last night at the first Hickory Wine Club meeting of the year as part of a '94 - '98 Pahlmeyer vertical with a '98 Leoville Barton thrown in as a ringer. Too expensive to be any kind of a reasonable QPR but still highly recommend this wine. Softer then expected, very well structured and well balanced / mature at this stage of development, in a great drinking window, plenty of fruit left, great pleasant long lingering aftertaste. Nose of burnt oak, caramel and dark fruit, primary flavors included well balanced oak, cassis, dark fruit, tar and some black pepper and smoke developing on the aftertaste. A great wine, my second favorite of the Pahlmeyers after the '97.
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12/23/2009 - Alex G. wrote:
'94 vs '97 California Cabernet Sauvignon: A massive, structured wine that demands hours of decanting - which the format of the tasting regrettably did not support. Reminds me of the '96 Pauillac wines - loads of structure demanding time in bottle, yet already hinting at greatness. This is not as good as the Diamond Creek Volcanic today, but the Pahlmeyer will be the better wine in 5 years.
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11/14/2009 - WildeMeeuw wrote: 87 Points
Paris Tasting in Zwolle (De Librije - Zwolle): 1994 Pahlmeyer Proprietary Red (USA, California, Napa Valley) Kleur: Diep donkerrood, veel concentratie. Aroma / bouquet: Kruidig en krachtige aanzet, opvallend expressief donker fruit, iets kruidig. Smaak / Afdronk: Zwoel en zoetig, krachtige zuren en krachtige tannines, hout is prachtig geïntegreerd, komt op mij wat 'gekunsteld-krachtig' en een beetje opgepompt over. Jammer van die drogende finale. Algemeen / potentieel: Jonge wijn die duidelijk nog lucht en veel tijd nodig heeft. 50 + Kleur: 5 + Aroma / bouquet: 11 + Smaak / Afdronk: 14 + Algemeen / potentieel: 7 = 87/100
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10/30/2009 - Zweder wrote: 91 Points
This is a better bottle than the one I had in 2008. Chocolate, black berry fruits, rose hips and well integrated oak. Quite much sweetness, but nicely balanced with enough acidity. Quite much alcohol as well. Full bodied and a long finish. Ready now and will keep this level for a few more years, but will probably not improve anymore. Not really a bargain.
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12/24/2008 - rsepulve wrote:
Over the hill or flawed bottle (improper storage at some point?). Funky woody smell not showing much fruit. Revisited over the course of 6 hours. No change. Great mouthfeel but almost completely lacking fruit. Too bad. Should have been good.
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8/25/2008 - huntly wrote: 95 Points
consistent with previous notes
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7/21/2008 - dbg wrote:
outstanding, rich, layered, mature, not complex, full bodied, long
finish
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7/7/2008 - jgpetrovich wrote: 92 Points
Had this bottle with some nice steaks. Decanted for 2 hours prior to drinking. Very nice, good fruit, strong black cherries, ripe currants, smoke. No signs of age or being over the hill.
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7/6/2008 - HBB wrote: 91 Points
nice balance , Fruit medium did well with a fillet.
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6/22/2008 - tacman wrote: 89 Points
nice, but lacked the intensity and finish of the '95 tried a couple of weeks ago
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6/1/2008 - Old Gray Hare wrote: 91 Points
Drank with flank steak with shallot sauce. Full bodied deep and rich w delicious casis and leather flavors. Nice length and finish. One of the botles had a difficult to extract cork, but the wine was delicious.
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5/20/2008 - Phin wrote: 91 Points
Decanted two hours. Medium body that once was full. This would have been much better a few years ago. Solid structure and balance, but all of the fruit feels like it's on mute. Soft.
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5/8/2008 - jeff nowak wrote: 91 Points
i thought this would display more structure. solid, but the mouthfeel was only moderate, and the finish a bit clipped.
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5/7/2008 - ScottS wrote: 88 Points
California Bordeaux Blends (Backstreet Wine Salon - PHX, AZ): Dark reddish purple in color. Full bodied but lacked fruit and depth. Rather clipped finish which suprised me due to the youthful color of the wine. No real character or distinction
50+5+13+15+5=88
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5/7/2008 - goofy Yno wrote: flawed
Off bottle, I thought it was corked
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5/1/2008 - Zweder wrote:
Strange bouquet; acidic and …..bleach? Not pleasant. The taste however shows cherries and plums. Chocolate as well. Very concentrated and compact. The acidity is again strange and not really good. The wine is quite mature. I do not score it.
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4/18/2008 - cdunn wrote: 87 Points
Dry, brittle cork. Muted nose of dry brush, dark chocolate. Very lean, totally lacking in opulence. Never really opened up. This is the third bottle of '94 I've had with consistent results. I've always enjoyed Pahlmeyer and it's hard to understand what they did to eviscerate this vaintage.
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3/29/2008 - Peter Z. wrote: flawed
flawed
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3/29/2008 - jkoenen wrote: flawed
California tasting @ Restaurant Savelberg (Netherlands): Very volatile, liquid bleach?, geranium. Some say 'corked'. Atypical, for sure. Very ester-like, chemical. Overripe or even rotting fruit. Unpleasant. No score.
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2/9/2008 - andrewstevenson.com wrote: 91 Points
A restaurant purchase, so opened and decanted and drunk. Quite a murky appearance. Mmmm ... nice nose. It feels very old, with rather subdued black fruits, polish and forest floors. At a cursory sniff, you could be forgiven for thinking this was early 1960s Burgundy. On the palate, it's very open, with evident age, but still very much alive. There's a nice balance here. Very smooth and silky initially, followed by great complexity of flavour and finishing with some gently sandy, fine-grained tannins. It starts off with some sweet black fruit flavours, then the sweetness tails off quite quickly and you get some leatheriness and bramble fruit, before it finishes with quite a marked woody licorice flavour (the woody licorice sticks that you chew).
It opened up a bit with time, but not as much as I thought it might. Definitely an interesting wine.
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1/27/2008 - huntly wrote: 95 Points
Every bit as wonderful as the last bottle......and unfortunately this was my last bottle.
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1/11/2008 - brewking wrote: 80 Points
i was leary about this one from the start. When i opened the fruit blew away faster than i would imagine. I hope i just had a bad bottle becasue the post on CT rave about this. way past its prime
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12/15/2007 - huntly wrote: 95 Points
really lived up to all expectations. a beautifully crafted wine with a rich, complex and fruitfilled nose. the mid palate is equaly mezmorizing with cassis, herbs and hints of leather. the full integration of the tannis on the finish really spells the reason for patience with this one. really outstanding--I wish I owed more!!
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10/28/2007 - MC wrote:
Med-dark red. Nice full, sweet California nose. Good fruit that is easy on the palate and has a nice finish. This is a very good wine, but one to drink now as it is starting to fade and is not the stunner of concentrated fruit it once was. B+
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10/27/2007 - SteveHoch wrote: 92 Points
Nice bottle. Nose had hints of cedar and leather and a little tar. Fruit was holding up nicely and balance was good. nice lingering finnish. This bottle did not hit the heights of one cosumed just a few months ago.
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7/7/2007 - SteveHoch wrote: 95 Points
Wow. Still a realative baby. we had this following the 94 Beringer Private Reserve. and It was quite tight at first. Took a good half hour to open up. Color was dark purple almost opaque. Deep berry fruit and great structue. Excellent balance. This wine has at least another 10-15 years to go.
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2/8/2007 - johnleeper wrote: 92 Points
Well balanced meritage with black fruits framed with substantial tannins. Lots of life left.
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2/6/2007 - PeterH wrote: 93 Points
Consumed with grilled ribeyes at the Mill Pond restaurant
Served from magnum, the wine is clearly in it's drinking window and ready to go. Classic cabernet flavors of cedar, cassis and cigar box. Tasty, great with the ribeyes. Still a little tannin to give a frame to the fruit. Some acidity as well. All in all, well balanced. I guess I was looking for a little 'more'. more intensity, bigger fruit, something. This is very good and tasty, i really enjoyed drinking it, but it's missing some intensity to get it to the 'top' level of Calif cabs...
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5/6/2005 - Jason wrote: 91 Points
STG does 1994 Cal Cab (Michael and Claire's house): I liked this wine more than some other folks did. The nose was really reticent, but the palate had promise. The structure was very evident. There was fruit, but it was really only lurking. I am giving this a lot of credit for what it will become. 91?
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5/6/2005 - Eric wrote: 82 Points
Seattle Tasting Group does 1994 California Cabernet (Bellevue, WA): What happened here? I just had a 1995 the other day which I loved. This one showed soy and leather on the nose with vegetal elements showing up with more time in the glass. The palate shows powdered sugar and is just way too sweet, gag me with a spoon sweet. Something is very, very wrong here, but I don't think the wine is flawed.
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10/23/2004 - buckeye76 wrote: 93 Points
STILL NEEDS TIME BUT AFTER SEVERAL MINUTES OPEDEN UP INTO DEEP BLACKBERRIES, BLACKCURRENT, AND BLACK CHERRIES. MEDIUM TO LONG FINISH.
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10/2/2004 - dbg wrote:
outstanding depth, complexity, well-integrated oak, layers of
chocolatey, mocha-y fruit and thick palate-coating full-bodied
richness, plus a smooth long finish
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8/1/2004 - winefool wrote: 92 Points
Blind (4's tasting). Deep purple color with a hint of blue. Full rich aroma of black fruit and briar, but clean. Rich mouthful of black fruit on a firm tannic frame. 8/04
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4/23/2004 - mdefreitas wrote: 93 Points
Still a healthy ruby red color and a vibrant aromatic nose. Beautiful mid-palate. Still fleshy and young. Strong cassis and plum flavors. Can still get better.
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10/10/2003 - Eric wrote: 93 Points
Seattle Tasting Group does "American Bordeaux Varietals" (plus 1992-1997 Pahlmeyer Red) (Seattle, WA, USA): Brown sugar, very plummy and ripe with a hint of mint. Smooth, layered, cedary, and very powerful. This has a gorgeous finish, nicely balanced, very long with tannins spread out over the palate. This is still drinking very young, but it is certainly pleasurable. We had a lone taster rate this as an 88 with everyone else in the 90's. (Group average 91.25)
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4/14/2000 - mdefreitas wrote: 94 Points
Dinner w/ Penny @ The Place (NYC): Complex cassis, anise, tobbacco, and some spice. Balanced and drinking well. Excellent.
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8/18/1998 - mdefreitas wrote: 94 Points
Big nose of currents, iron and minerals. Lots of berries on the palate... almost grapey, with hints of black olives and iron. Very fine tannins with a killer long finish. Very young and in need of quite a bit of bottle age, but seems to be a fine young wine with a bright future.
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