Garnet colored, medium full bodied, complex but nicely balanced and integrated blackberry and blueberry fruits with notes of spicebox and tobacco with firm ripe but approachable tannins on a lingering finish. At twenty-one years, the fill level, foil and cork were in ideal condition, while the labels were somewhat soiled from aging in our cellar. https://unwindwine.blogspot.com/2021/02/white-rock-napa-claret-2002.html
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old, while there's still a bit of fruit here, the palate is flat and lacks any remaining structure. Label wasn't in the best condition so possible this bottle suffered some abuse along the way.
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Popped n poured and took a whiff. Huge alclohol on the nose, took a sip and it was so bitter, astringent, and burning. I poured the rest in the decanter and let it breathe. It took 2-3 hours to blow off and really open up. But by the third hour it was singing. A bordeaux blend that really developed some concentrated fruit flavor, a little sweet vanilla, balance and structure. Some chalky gritty tannins which leads to a gripping lingering finish. Give it more time in the cellar or 2-3 hours in the decanter.
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quite open from the moment the cork was popped - no decant required - rich and full with nice complexity of flavors over the whole mouth. soft tannins and a bit light for the filet we ate but still very nice.
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Dark ink color, medium bodied, smoky leather and floral aromas - forward black berry, violets, hints of cedar, smoke, cedar and touch of tar on moderate tannin finish.
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Initially very closed, but opened up after only an hour decanting to reveal some tobacco and cedar alongside the big black fruit. The alcohol can become a bit overwhelming once it reaches room temp
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Huge Black currants and blue berries on the nose. A little smell of smoke. Ripe Black berry and dark cherries on the entry, with a long finish of bitter chocolate. The wine later evolved when the phenolic fumes blew off when we chilled the wine slighted and decanted for 3 hrs. Tobacco smoke on the nose started to be more obvious, the wine was no longer tannin and hot on the finish. Medium acid, with a spice tobacco mid-plate. Heavy bodied wine. All in all, this wine needed to be drank at a cool temp, as my country's climate is about 30c, we had to chill it significantly to get removal the hot alcohol taste and bring out the best in the wine.
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I was surprised by the richness of this blend. It definitely offers up the typical qualities of a Cali Cab (70% of it is Cab grape) but has nice firmness and structure. I bought it on sale for $28/bottle and would buy more at that price for sure.
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I was able to track the vineyard down after my post a few weeks ago (707-257-7922 or www.whiterockvineyards.com) and ordered a case of this. (They age their wines four years before release, I learned, and so still had a bit of the 2002 in stock.) The bottles I ordered were just as impressive as the one I stumbled on--I'm really happy to have found the wine. I'll agree that, at $40.00 a bottle, it's not a cheap wine, but for a 2002 it's not bad, and I think it holds its own against bigger-name, higher-priced Napa wines.
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After work with roast chicken, beans and rice. Deep rich claret red. Soft mellow nose of raspberries mint and a touch of bay. A big bowl of red fruit with drying tanens on first opening. Impressively druy, mostly one note, but a bit more than that. Very refined, if not complex. As it opened it developed a stronger transition. Strong merlot flavors. Quite nice -- but not great QPD at $40.
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I had a bottle with steak at an L.A. restaurant. I had never heard of White Rock before, but the waitress recommended the bottle, and I was pleasantly surprised at how good it was. I drank it several days ago and so won't try to re-create my impressions, but I think either Wine Spectator's 87 rating was off or the couple years since that rating have treated the wine very well. I'll definitely hunt for some bottles.
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I never heard of this winery before, but what a nice and pleasant surprise! I was told to let it decant at least 12 hours, but preferrably 24 hours. I let it go 24 since that was more recommended. Really nice color being deep purple and thick heavy body. Aromas of blackberries, pencil shavings, tar and mineral. Tasted of blackberries, dark chocolate, minerals and violets. A thick, palate coating, chewy wine that seems to stick to the teeth, with a very long lingering and wonderful aftertaste. Has plenty of backbone and tannin to age nicely for years to come. This one is not at its peak yet, I will be curious how it is in 2010. One of the better made Napa wines to say the least. One of the few Napa wineries I am interested in visiting if they allow visitors. 94+ points
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Very nice wine. On par or better than the 01. The 2001 had a little more earthiness in it but the 2002 showed better overall balance of fruit and depth.
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Nose: bit spicy with light berry feel, pretty light, Flavors: very nice bottle of wine has that jammy cherry feel, bit tannic on the finish, well balanced, flavorful all through the finish, dark choco, licorice vanilla feel, very nice wine would buy again, great for price point
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2/21/2021 - rmcnees Likes this wine: 91 Points
Garnet colored, medium full bodied, complex but nicely balanced and integrated blackberry and blueberry fruits with notes of spicebox and tobacco with firm ripe but approachable tannins on a lingering finish.
At twenty-one years, the fill level, foil and cork were in ideal condition, while the labels were somewhat soiled from aging in our cellar.
https://unwindwine.blogspot.com/2021/02/white-rock-napa-claret-2002.html
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9/28/2020 - Cruzin Does not like this wine:
old, while there's still a bit of fruit here, the palate is flat and lacks any remaining structure. Label wasn't in the best condition so possible this bottle suffered some abuse along the way.
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4/18/2014 - rsalati wrote: 91 Points
Needed to open for an hour. Very opus "like", tannic not over powering, but a wonderful long finish. Very conservative rating.
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4/12/2013 - TastesGoodToMe Likes this wine: 90 Points
Very nice Claret for the price. Soft tannins, with some mineral undertones.
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3/31/2011 - J2K Likes this wine: 92 Points
Popped n poured and took a whiff. Huge alclohol on the nose, took a sip and it was so bitter, astringent, and burning. I poured the rest in the decanter and let it breathe. It took 2-3 hours to blow off and really open up. But by the third hour it was singing. A bordeaux blend that really developed some concentrated fruit flavor, a little sweet vanilla, balance and structure. Some chalky gritty tannins which leads to a gripping lingering finish. Give it more time in the cellar or 2-3 hours in the decanter.
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1/1/2011 - grayfont wrote: 90 Points
quite open from the moment the cork was popped - no decant required - rich and full with nice complexity of flavors over the whole mouth. soft tannins and a bit light for the filet we ate but still very nice.
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11/21/2010 - rmcnees wrote: 90 Points
Dark ink color, medium bodied, smoky leather and floral aromas - forward black berry, violets, hints of cedar, smoke, cedar and touch of tar on moderate tannin finish.
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7/9/2010 - Fredpug wrote: 90 Points
took over 2 hours to open, still great, big wine
Bought from winery excellent service
Thanks Henri
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5/10/2009 - dy_dx wrote: 87 Points
Initially very closed, but opened up after only an hour decanting to reveal some tobacco and cedar alongside the big black fruit. The alcohol can become a bit overwhelming once it reaches room temp
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5/9/2009 - BarneyBuzz wrote: 90 Points
Huge Black currants and blue berries on the nose. A little smell of smoke. Ripe Black berry and dark cherries on the entry, with a long finish of bitter chocolate. The wine later evolved when the phenolic fumes blew off when we chilled the wine slighted and decanted for 3 hrs. Tobacco smoke on the nose started to be more obvious, the wine was no longer tannin and hot on the finish. Medium acid, with a spice tobacco mid-plate. Heavy bodied wine. All in all, this wine needed to be drank at a cool temp, as my country's climate is about 30c, we had to chill it significantly to get removal the hot alcohol taste and bring out the best in the wine.
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2/1/2009 - peteng wrote:
--
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8/31/2008 - Moby Vino wrote: 94 Points
Nice balance of mineral flavor, rich black cherry and blueberry, soft tannins, opened up elegantly over five or six hours.
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7/27/2008 - hammie1234 wrote: 91 Points
I was surprised by the richness of this blend. It definitely offers up the typical qualities of a Cali Cab (70% of it is Cab grape) but has nice firmness and structure. I bought it on sale for $28/bottle and would buy more at that price for sure.
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7/17/2008 - bundydavis wrote: 89 Points
Was a little disappointed. expected more from this wine. Good, not great. Better wines at this price.
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6/28/2008 - trayhumphrey wrote: 87 Points
This wine was very good, but I was expecting more. It had some nice layering of aroma and taste, but not enough to warrant the $41 I paid.
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5/9/2008 - Texas4421 wrote: 93 Points
I was able to track the vineyard down after my post a few weeks ago (707-257-7922 or www.whiterockvineyards.com) and ordered a case of this. (They age their wines four years before release, I learned, and so still had a bit of the 2002 in stock.) The bottles I ordered were just as impressive as the one I stumbled on--I'm really happy to have found the wine. I'll agree that, at $40.00 a bottle, it's not a cheap wine, but for a 2002 it's not bad, and I think it holds its own against bigger-name, higher-priced Napa wines.
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4/16/2008 - Clemonster wrote: 89 Points
After work with roast chicken, beans and rice. Deep rich claret red. Soft mellow nose of raspberries mint and a touch of bay. A big bowl of red fruit with drying tanens on first opening. Impressively druy, mostly one note, but a bit more than that. Very refined, if not complex. As it opened it developed a stronger transition. Strong merlot flavors. Quite nice -- but not great QPD at $40.
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4/11/2008 - Texas4421 wrote: 93 Points
I had a bottle with steak at an L.A. restaurant. I had never heard of White Rock before, but the waitress recommended the bottle, and I was pleasantly surprised at how good it was. I drank it several days ago and so won't try to re-create my impressions, but I think either Wine Spectator's 87 rating was off or the couple years since that rating have treated the wine very well. I'll definitely hunt for some bottles.
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3/26/2008 - MJTed wrote: 92 Points
Has really aged well. Sweet fruit and tobacco.
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3/12/2008 - Renegade wrote: 94 Points
I never heard of this winery before, but what a nice and pleasant surprise! I was told to let it decant at least 12 hours, but preferrably 24 hours. I let it go 24 since that was more recommended. Really nice color being deep purple and thick heavy body. Aromas of blackberries, pencil shavings, tar and mineral. Tasted of blackberries, dark chocolate, minerals and violets. A thick, palate coating, chewy wine that seems to stick to the teeth, with a very long lingering and wonderful aftertaste. Has plenty of backbone and tannin to age nicely for years to come. This one is not at its peak yet, I will be curious how it is in 2010. One of the better made Napa wines to say the least. One of the few Napa wineries I am interested in visiting if they allow visitors. 94+ points
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2/24/2008 - Rob MacKay wrote: 90 Points
Very nice wine. On par or better than the 01. The 2001 had a little more earthiness in it but the 2002 showed better overall balance of fruit and depth.
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12/15/2007 - MJTed wrote: 92 Points
Lush mouthfeel, great fruit and power. Perfectl balanced and elegant. This is an underrated producer and terrific qpr.
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11/1/2007 - sasvino wrote: 91 Points
Nose: bit spicy with light berry feel, pretty light, Flavors: very nice bottle of wine has that jammy cherry feel, bit tannic on the finish, well balanced, flavorful all through the finish, dark choco, licorice vanilla feel, very nice wine would buy again, great for price point
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2/11/2007 - EMichels wrote: 90 Points
Soft; Very good; Well balanced
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