Found this bottle at the back of a friend’s pantry and I volunteered ;) to examine it. Cork was intact, saturated about half way but not too bad for 14 yrs of passive storage. The color is quite tawny at the rim with a brown core and very fine sediment. Mild bouquet of flowers, tobacco, spice, and a bit of acetate that blew off and disappeared after 15 minutes open. The palate is still mostly intact, the fruit fading of course, but this modest little song from the Cali Coast still has something to say. Still drinking well at the 4 hour open mark. A properly stored bottle should be a pleasure to drink. 4+10+17+7= 88
a good weekday drinking wine. Mellow fruit on the palate and I agree with previous comments about plum and smokiness. Doesn't last long on the palate. A bit of mild tannins, but they must have mellowed out from what previous reviewers describe. Nothing bad, but worth the price.
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Color: Deep Red Nose: Oak and Plum Taste: Oak, smoke, cassis and Plum THis was way over oaked for my taste, and now that the fruit has faded, it is the predominate taste. THe wine is not very complex, and is missing mid palate with no real finish.
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hollow indeed. Didn't stand out at all, contained nothing special. HB enjoyed more than I and enjoyed the smooth oak. This vintage is also ready to be drunk now.
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Reasonable value in a moderately priced California cab. Dark garnet purple color - medium-full bodied - not overly complex but plesant full flavored easy drinking - good complement to grilled steak, grill-charred veggies and crescent rolls - flavors of black cherry and blackberry fruits with a hint of smoke, cassis and leather on a moderate tannin finish. From Beckstoffer's Amber Knolls vineyard up over the Napa Howell Mountain ridgeline in Lake County. Also recently picked up some Schrader Double Diamond cabernet with fruit sourced from the same vineyard from same era. Should be interesting comparison - stay tuned.
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PnP. Clear, dark purple color, no hint of brown. Nose was a heavy Cab with lots of tannin & oak. Taste was that of a big, older Cab with fair fruit up front and a long oak/tannin finish. Full bodied, a little hot, maybe more time need to mellow. Good now for everyday juice. A bit on the heavy side for my taste. Drink now or hold for another couple of years.
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This wine needed some time to open up and let the tanins settle down. Ran it through a Vinturi and after about an hour, it was much more drinkable and quite enjoyable. Not much fruit left so I would not wait to drink any remaining bottles. I plan on putting my remaining bottles into the everyday catagory of my cellar until they are gone.
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The wine had a bit of heat at pop and pour, but with 2 hours of decant, more fruit showed up to the party. Still a little alcoholic, but tasty in a VERY new world way. You have to be in the mood for this, as the fruit bombiness may overwhelm those looking for more restraint or balance. The tannins are silky and fine grained with just a couple hours of decant, but the heat still comes through. I should have cooled it a bit in the fridge. All said, not a bad wine for under $20, but should mainly appeal to those who are looking for Aussie style wines. It does have more complexity than I would have expected for the price.
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Wow...this is a great value, probably exclusively because it was given time to develop in the bottle...hard to find a Cali cab for under $20 this good...did not decant but should have...each glass over two hours got better...bold fruit, smooth tannins and excellent structure...what a value gem. I think this is a legit 90 pointer. Love the story on the bottle to boot.
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The nose is full of black currant, anise, tobacco, leather. The fruit in the middle is smooth, but not big, and the tannins are easy drinking. This is not a fruit bomb Cali cab, so for what it is, I think it is good value and taste.
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I really agree with GV's review, however I'd rate the wine higher - perhaps it's improved over the last year? Definitely a California style cab. Could be confused for an Ausie Syrah... Gobs of dark fruit, but again, it feels mellowed now. Nice big mid-palate. There's a fantastic, long, sweet finish. Tastes to me like a wine that would cost twice what this cost... Drink now?
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Not much of a nose -- smell of sticks, strawberries, and vines lingering in the background. On the palate, this is not bad -- a little burnt; a little green; but tasted pretty good with food. A pretty average Cali Cab in this price range. Good for an everyday quaff with a week-day dinner. As for the Parker rating of 90, I smell something not quite right with that rating. . . .
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No! This is not what wine should be--at least not Cabernet Sauvignon. This tastes like some overextracted Aussie fruit bomb. This is a junior version of the Darioush I had last Christmas. Very disappointing indeed. I had some other Red Hills wines at a recent tasting, and they didn't do it for me either--but not this bad. I'm sure that, in time, Lake County will make an impact on the wine world. Zin or Syrah might be a better candidate for that area. This is crap to me.
Day 2. Whoa. This has settled down a bit. I'm not going to say I'm attracted to it, but I'm not offended by it like I was yesterday. I'm back peddling a bit.....but just a bit. This is not my style.
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Popped & poured...enjoyed this very much. Bottle #4 consumed out of 14 purchased. It's fun to drink this wine as it develops, and still in its youth, the tannins are still quite present in the long, rustic finish. There's still a twinge of heat; the dark fruit forward dark berry flavors are terrific. As a side note, I realize everyone has their own tastes and style preferences, but to post twice that you're returning a third bottle of this wine, and then rate it as a 'good' wine, is beyond comprehension to me.
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Very hard to describe this wine, as it is not a typical Cali cab. Very young wine that did not improve after decanting & drinking over 3 days. Very thin fruit, barnyard on the nose , firm tannins. I do know I will not be buying more.
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Very lean wine, gave up more after 2 hours. No nose, a midweight at best. I hope this was an off bottle, it did not meet expectations. Parker was way off on this one.
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Nose is combination of fruit and to me tobacco, with a hint of green pepper. The palate is very different to me from most similar priced Cali Cabs I have had before. This hits me like I've just had a fruit and veg salad tossed in a mild smoky soy sauce, not a bad combination. Tannins are very evident on the finish
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Found this bottle a bit "in between". On the nose it had beautiful fruit and nice clarity, but the taste while full of early fruit disappeared early. ALl tannins had integrated leaving a somewhat unsatisfying desire for a bit more finish. Overall a nice wine that just didn't hit a home run.
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LET THIS ONE BREATHE!!! Seriously, decant this puppy for a while. It needs some serious air time, as even after decanting for an hour or so, it wasn't great on day one. After 2 days restoppered in the fridge, it was much nicer; the overpowering acidity disappeared.
This is a medium-bodied cab, not a great big one. The acidity is still a touch strong, especially compared to the too-soft tannins. Nice cherry, cassis, cranberry on the nose and palate, but not a whole lot of non-fruit flavors or smells going on.
There are better cabs in this price range.
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Liked the first bottle so well that we opened the second. Very smooth on the pallet. Lots of berry and plum flavors. A great buy. Will definitely restock.
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Color was a nice plum purple. Nose had vanilla, strawberries, oak, and cherries. Medium body with nice fruit. A smooth wine, with good firm tannins. Nice finish with a good second come back hit. A great wine for $15.
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tasted blind. purple color with pink rims and high concentration. medium viscosity. plum, blackberry, toast and barnyard on the nose. bone dry, full, with cherry, tobacco and funk. bitter tannin and this wine tastes like it's been highly acidified. not a bad bottle, because several were opened with similar results. don't see much going on here at all. my blind guess: cheap chinon. don't see parker's 90 points.
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Nice dark purple color. Very young both on the nose and the palate. Almost a grape juice or Maischewitz-like qualities (this is a far more robust wine, but, the grapey/acidic qualities were there for me nonetheless).
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Not impressed, and didn't get much resembling others' notes. Tastes like it was overly acidified, and had an unpleasant metallic finish. Would not re-buy.
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Consistent with prior tastings. This is a great value Lake County Cab. Deep, extracted fruit flavors of black cherry, blackberry, cassis, spice and smoke. Good structure with nice depth and complexity. Solid finish.
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Nose has black cherry and licorice with a hint of herb. Black cherry is gentle up front for California, followed quickly by a vanilla mid-palate, transitioning into a licorice and herb finish integrated with vanilla. Firm tannins. This is a well-balanced wine. Less fruity than most new world cabs.
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Deep ruby red color with slow moving, pronounced legs. Dried herbs w/ raisin aromas followed by a oaky, tobacco, black cherry flavor that finishes strong & bitter.
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Not a particular good QPR. Spice and vegetal on the palette. Little balance to be found here. On day three, the wine showed some stuff, but the tannin levels were still very high. This wine should be cellared for ten years
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great little bottle for the price. Nice amount of fruit w/ soft Tannins... I assume that the 1st bottling will give way to a more pronounce cab sav down the road.
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I had big expectations, but was disappointed. Muted nose. The palate had some earthiness and complexity but very little fruit, and unfortunately everything was overshadowed by very bitter. harsh tannins. Short finish. Maybe it's just too young at this point, but I wouldn't buy again (I would wait another couple of years to drink if I had anymore).
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Not too bad! I expected it to be bigger though. Anything with the word "Beckstoffer" in it usually reminds me of big Napa reds. Anyway--I liked it and I would buy it again.
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Medium bodied cab that is dark and extracted. Light fruit forward tastes with a "dusty" mid palate (not sure how else to describe). Silky tannins and mild oak finish. An interesting and highly enjoyable wine.
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I read the Parker 90 rating and a few wine blogs to get some info on this wine before buying a case untasted from Wine Anthology. Andy Beckstoffer's grapes are given somewhat elevated status in my opinion, being a Merryvale and Guenoc / Beckstoffer fan; I'm also a big Champoux vineyard and Argentine Malbec fan (think Cobos Marchiori), so take these personal preferences into account. For a Lake County cab, this is a truly outstanding first effort. At 1 hour of decant time, this wine is just starting to open up. As a young "bigger" wine, it's going to take some patience for the first few years, similar to a Zucardi Zeta 2002 or a Merryvale Reserve; you'll definitely be missing what's underneath here if you expect to quaff this right after opening. The first taste leaves me with one immediate impression, and that's aging potential. This is very fruit forward, with a jammy blackberry, licorice and leather opening, and the mid palate disspiates quickly into a rather tannic finish (again, youth). If you're into the bigger cabs, I don't think this can be beat for the money. This wine is definitely a new world style with a little heat and oakiness as minor visible flaws out of the gate, and is by no means a finesse wine; in time, the oak and tannins will soften and reveal the structure and depth that are here for those who can taste the potential. This isn't a first growth Bordeaux, nor is it a polished Quintessa, but if you like your bigger Napa cabs, it is an excellent value.
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Oak Vanilla and Tobacco present on the nose, drak fruit.Oak Is out of control. Let me down I was very excited to get into this as I enjoyed in once before with much greater fruit expression. It does have a nice soft texture.
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Excellent value Cab and a truly first class Lake County effort by the Beckstoffer family. Dark purple color with concentrated fruit flavors/aromas of black cherry, cassis, black raspberry and a hint of smoke. Very good depth and complexity for the $20 price. Hope this is the shape of things to come from this winery.
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Good for the price, but not great. Last year's Moon Mountain was better for the same price. Not as much fruit as I'd like to see. Decanted for an hour.
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Hmm. Not bad (I didn't get any of the off notes or overwhelming tannins that other tasters have noted), but the overwhelming oak treatment seems to give the wine all the character it's got. Lots of vanilla. buttered toast, and some licorice. I don't think I'd recommend aging this wine: enjoy it while there's some fruit underneath that oak.
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Gibby's Uncorked, Flight III (Geneva, IL): Poured at a retailer tasting. Aromas of black cherry and blackberry. Chewy tannins, with red fruit dominating the palate. Vanilla and spice on the finish.
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More cab franc in nature than cab sauv., tar, earth, tannins, not much fruit, not sure how this will evolve with time. Some complexity, not your every traditional Californian flavor profile. Can't say I can really recommend it. Will age my second bottle.
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had after some tuscans - not impressive at first - sharp alcohol - mellowed a bit after airing for an hour- nothing special here at this point- try again in a few years
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as far as quality to price ratios go, this one is top notch. i don't think I've had another Napa Cab at this price point that delivers so much. Compared to Edge or Waterstone, this one beats both of those out.
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This was my second bottle. It went well with a grilled ribeye steak. Tannic, with a nice dry finish , jammy, with a very strawberry-like nose. The second glass after dinner was even better... Good at about $22.00
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VERY GOOD Decanted for an hour and then dug in: The nose gives off a lot of achohol smell. (14.2%) Also a little (tiny) bit of black licorice in this one. Palate is giving me black berries again and after 2.5 hours of decanting the heat seems to have died down. Still a nice QPR Spicy to medium finish, a little dry.
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GOOD I let the 75 decant for 24 hours to see if it would open up. Nose is light and not easy to pick up what's in the wine. What is picked up is a little chemical (Chlorine)...wierd! A little bit black fruit (berries) with some heat still on the finish. I think this wine is right in line with it's price and wouldn'thave a problem serving to friends but it's not complex and not overly exciting. 4 more bottles in the cellar allows me to continue to evaluate.
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Has a cheap wine nose that I do not care for. The favor profile is also sweet with very little tannins and no complexity. Call me spoiled, but there are better $20 cabs out there...
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GOOD Color is light but the Tannins are there. Well balanced cherries and earth, hints of chocolate. Spicey medium finish. A great QPR, will definitely buy more.
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A tad green and herbaceous with chunky tannin. It seems as if the grapes may have been pushed to deliver more that they were capable (at an early age? is this a first crush?) by overextraction. BWTHDIK
BTW, this is a Lake County cab in the new AVA Red Hills, not Napa Oakville
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1/21/2020 - fingers Likes this wine: 88 Points
Found this bottle at the back of a friend’s pantry and I volunteered ;) to examine it. Cork was intact, saturated about half way but not too bad for 14 yrs of passive storage. The color is quite tawny at the rim with a brown core and very fine sediment. Mild bouquet of flowers, tobacco, spice, and a bit of acetate that blew off and disappeared after 15 minutes open. The palate is still mostly intact, the fruit fading of course, but this modest little song from the Cali Coast still has something to say. Still drinking well at the 4 hour open mark. A properly stored bottle should be a pleasure to drink. 4+10+17+7= 88
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2/24/2014 - fritza wrote: 87 Points
a good weekday drinking wine. Mellow fruit on the palate and I agree with previous comments about plum and smokiness. Doesn't last long on the palate. A bit of mild tannins, but they must have mellowed out from what previous reviewers describe. Nothing bad, but worth the price.
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8/4/2012 - Kentw wrote: 87 Points
Medium to full body. Chewy tannins. Dark fruits and decent Cali Cab but not very exciting.
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3/15/2012 - smahk wrote: 84 Points
Color: Deep Red
Nose: Oak and Plum
Taste: Oak, smoke, cassis and Plum
THis was way over oaked for my taste, and now that the fruit has faded, it is the predominate taste. THe wine is not very complex, and is missing mid palate with no real finish.
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2/18/2012 - broughstyle wrote: 83 Points
hollow indeed. Didn't stand out at all, contained nothing special. HB enjoyed more than I and enjoyed the smooth oak. This vintage is also ready to be drunk now.
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1/2/2012 - Earl T wrote: 88 Points
ok, nothing special. serve at parties to non wine drinkers
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8/21/2011 - Sir Lloyd wrote: 87 Points
Beaver Hollow
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6/1/2011 - rmcnees wrote: 88 Points
Reasonable value in a moderately priced California cab. Dark garnet purple color - medium-full bodied - not overly complex but plesant full flavored easy drinking - good complement to grilled steak, grill-charred veggies and crescent rolls - flavors of black cherry and blackberry fruits with a hint of smoke, cassis and leather on a moderate tannin finish. From Beckstoffer's Amber Knolls vineyard up over the Napa Howell Mountain ridgeline in Lake County. Also recently picked up some Schrader Double Diamond cabernet with fruit sourced from the same vineyard from same era. Should be interesting comparison - stay tuned.
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4/10/2011 - DHJ1968 wrote:
Solid Cali cab; pretty well integrated at this point with no obnoxious oak/heat. Enjoyed this much more than expected.
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1/2/2011 - jackaroo wrote: 89 Points
Excellent value. Need I say more!
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10/25/2010 - Barry Notes wrote: 86 Points
PnP. Clear, dark purple color, no hint of brown. Nose was a heavy Cab with lots of tannin & oak. Taste was that of a big, older Cab with fair fruit up front and a long oak/tannin finish. Full bodied, a little hot, maybe more time need to mellow. Good now for everyday juice. A bit on the heavy side for my taste. Drink now or hold for another couple of years.
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3/27/2010 - PaulT wrote: 88 Points
This wine needed some time to open up and let the tanins settle down. Ran it through a Vinturi and after about an hour, it was much more drinkable and quite enjoyable. Not much fruit left so I would not wait to drink any remaining bottles. I plan on putting my remaining bottles into the everyday catagory of my cellar until they are gone.
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3/14/2010 - roodawg wrote: 89 Points
The wine had a bit of heat at pop and pour, but with 2 hours of decant, more fruit showed up to the party. Still a little alcoholic, but tasty in a VERY new world way. You have to be in the mood for this, as the fruit bombiness may overwhelm those looking for more restraint or balance. The tannins are silky and fine grained with just a couple hours of decant, but the heat still comes through. I should have cooled it a bit in the fridge.
All said, not a bad wine for under $20, but should mainly appeal to those who are looking for Aussie style wines. It does have more complexity than I would have expected for the price.
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3/14/2010 - Nedder_travels_the_world wrote: 90 Points
big chewy tannins, ripe nose, medium finish. great wine for the price. drink now or hold for a few more years
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3/3/2010 - jimmyrice14 wrote: 90 Points
Wow...this is a great value, probably exclusively because it was given time to develop in the bottle...hard to find a Cali cab for under $20 this good...did not decant but should have...each glass over two hours got better...bold fruit, smooth tannins and excellent structure...what a value gem. I think this is a legit 90 pointer. Love the story on the bottle to boot.
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1/14/2010 - kenthargis wrote: 86 Points
K liked. I found not bad, but not my style. Tinge of sweetness almost. Certain tastier than one would expect from a $20 cab. Had good fruit.
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4/20/2009 - mjsherwin68 wrote: 88 Points
The nose is full of black currant, anise, tobacco, leather. The fruit in the middle is smooth, but not big, and the tannins are easy drinking. This is not a fruit bomb Cali cab, so for what it is, I think it is good value and taste.
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3/21/2009 - LSKIII wrote:
I really agree with GV's review, however I'd rate the wine higher - perhaps it's improved over the last year? Definitely a California style cab. Could be confused for an Ausie Syrah... Gobs of dark fruit, but again, it feels mellowed now. Nice big mid-palate. There's a fantastic, long, sweet finish. Tastes to me like a wine that would cost twice what this cost... Drink now?
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2/11/2009 - A&C wrote: 84 Points
Not much of a nose -- smell of sticks, strawberries, and vines lingering in the background. On the palate, this is not bad -- a little burnt; a little green; but tasted pretty good with food. A pretty average Cali Cab in this price range. Good for an everyday quaff with a week-day dinner. As for the Parker rating of 90, I smell something not quite right with that rating. . . .
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11/7/2008 - Maverick wrote: 84 Points
pretty thin. not impressed. and not cab-like to me.
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9/16/2008 - DenisLee wrote:
No! This is not what wine should be--at least not Cabernet Sauvignon. This tastes like some overextracted Aussie fruit bomb. This is a junior version of the Darioush I had last Christmas. Very disappointing indeed. I had some other Red Hills wines at a recent tasting, and they didn't do it for me either--but not this bad. I'm sure that, in time, Lake County will make an impact on the wine world. Zin or Syrah might be a better candidate for that area. This is crap to me.
Day 2. Whoa. This has settled down a bit. I'm not going to say I'm attracted to it, but I'm not offended by it like I was yesterday. I'm back peddling a bit.....but just a bit. This is not my style.
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8/17/2008 - deltacop wrote: 84 Points
Just not a fan. Nothing that will make me want to get any more. Flat, thin, simple. There are better sub $20 wines out there.
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8/9/2008 - billyg wrote: 89 Points
Black cherry and tobacco on the nose. Cherry up front with a vanilla/red fruit mid-palate. Green pepper and tobacco on the finish.
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8/1/2008 - fredmartens wrote: 90 Points
Popped & poured...enjoyed this very much. Bottle #4 consumed out of 14 purchased. It's fun to drink this wine as it develops, and still in its youth, the tannins are still quite present in the long, rustic finish. There's still a twinge of heat; the dark fruit forward dark berry flavors are terrific. As a side note, I realize everyone has their own tastes and style preferences, but to post twice that you're returning a third bottle of this wine, and then rate it as a 'good' wine, is beyond comprehension to me.
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6/23/2008 - nwsidewino wrote: 82 Points
I am returning my third bottle, what a dissapointment!
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6/8/2008 - eldiabloazul wrote: 88 Points
Decanted for 2 hours. Excellent with tri tip roast. Well made. Great value.
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5/22/2008 - dirtyharry wrote: 84 Points
Very hard to describe this wine, as it is not a typical Cali cab. Very young wine that did not improve after decanting & drinking over 3 days. Very thin fruit, barnyard on the nose , firm tannins. I do know I will not be buying more.
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3/6/2008 - nwsidewino wrote: 84 Points
Very lean wine, gave up more after 2 hours. No nose, a midweight at best. I hope this was an off bottle, it did not meet expectations. Parker was way off on this one.
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2/29/2008 - fredmartens wrote: 90 Points
Tanins have mellowed a bit since the last bottle consumed about 6 months ago. Coming into its own now, a pretty good Cali cab for the price point
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2/24/2008 - stercomm wrote: 87 Points
Nose is combination of fruit and to me tobacco, with a hint of green pepper. The palate is very different to me from most similar priced Cali Cabs I have had before. This hits me like I've just had a fruit and veg salad tossed in a mild smoky soy sauce, not a bad combination. Tannins are very evident on the finish
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2/24/2008 - ptelgenh wrote: 84 Points
I don't get the hype on this wine. Hot and mineral tasting.
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2/11/2008 - gschneider wrote: 86 Points
Found this bottle a bit "in between". On the nose it had beautiful fruit and nice clarity, but the taste while full of early fruit disappeared early. ALl tannins had integrated leaving a somewhat unsatisfying desire for a bit more finish. Overall a nice wine that just didn't hit a home run.
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12/1/2007 - schwartzman wrote: 85 Points
Pleasant and strightforward. Somewhat one-dimensional.
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12/1/2007 - Loweeel wrote: 86 Points
LET THIS ONE BREATHE!!! Seriously, decant this puppy for a while. It needs some serious air time, as even after decanting for an hour or so, it wasn't great on day one. After 2 days restoppered in the fridge, it was much nicer; the overpowering acidity disappeared.
This is a medium-bodied cab, not a great big one. The acidity is still a touch strong, especially compared to the too-soft tannins. Nice cherry, cassis, cranberry on the nose and palate, but not a whole lot of non-fruit flavors or smells going on.
There are better cabs in this price range.
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11/25/2007 - CMARSHALL wrote: 89 Points
Liked the first bottle so well that we opened the second. Very smooth on the pallet. Lots of berry and plum flavors. A great buy. Will definitely restock.
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11/19/2007 - jmd60611 wrote: 84 Points
Very monolithic...Pure grape with just a hint of backbone and acid...couldn't rate it any higher
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11/8/2007 - markfarrell22 wrote: 89 Points
Color was a nice plum purple. Nose had vanilla, strawberries, oak, and cherries. Medium body with nice fruit. A smooth wine, with good firm tannins. Nice finish with a good second come back hit. A great wine for $15.
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11/6/2007 - isaacjamesbaker wrote: 84 Points
tasted blind. purple color with pink rims and high concentration. medium viscosity. plum, blackberry, toast and barnyard on the nose. bone dry, full, with cherry, tobacco and funk. bitter tannin and this wine tastes like it's been highly acidified. not a bad bottle, because several were opened with similar results. don't see much going on here at all. my blind guess: cheap chinon. don't see parker's 90 points.
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11/2/2007 - randalleron wrote: 82 Points
Nice dark purple color. Very young both on the nose and the palate. Almost a grape juice or Maischewitz-like qualities (this is a far more robust wine, but, the grapey/acidic qualities were there for me nonetheless).
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10/30/2007 - Grape_ape wrote: 85 Points
Not impressed, and didn't get much resembling others' notes. Tastes like it was overly acidified, and had an unpleasant metallic finish. Would not re-buy.
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10/21/2007 - Dulcie and Aylwin wrote:
Popular with the CT community I note. Very dense berry fruit, fairly mild tannins, fruit forward makes for relatively accessible drinking. Good buy.
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10/20/2007 - GolferChris wrote: 90 Points
Consistent with prior tastings. This is a great value Lake County Cab. Deep, extracted fruit flavors of black cherry, blackberry, cassis, spice and smoke. Good structure with nice depth and complexity. Solid finish.
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10/12/2007 - rloomis wrote:
Cabernet Sauvignon Shootout (Winesellar): winesellar cab sauv shootout: dense blueberry tannin and dark fruits -- blk cherry, blk plum, coffee oak, quite nice. no score recorded, good qpr wine.
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10/3/2007 - KMoon wrote: 89 Points
Good berry and cherry flavors
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10/2/2007 - robnmo wrote: 86 Points
nice bottle for the price. not really exciting.
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9/25/2007 - billyg wrote: 89 Points
Nose has black cherry and licorice with a hint of herb. Black cherry is gentle up front for California, followed quickly by a vanilla mid-palate, transitioning into a licorice and herb finish integrated with vanilla. Firm tannins. This is a well-balanced wine. Less fruity than most new world cabs.
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9/21/2007 - yui wrote: 88 Points
nice fruits, simple, Great QPR.
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9/3/2007 - WineGod wrote: 86 Points
Deep ruby red color with slow moving, pronounced legs. Dried herbs w/ raisin aromas followed by a oaky, tobacco, black cherry flavor that finishes strong & bitter.
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8/21/2007 - Tparodi wrote: 90 Points
Nice little cab for the price.
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8/17/2007 - DanSm wrote: 83 Points
Not a particular good QPR. Spice and vegetal on the palette. Little balance to be found here. On day three, the wine showed some stuff, but the tannin levels were still very high. This wine should be cellared for ten years
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8/14/2007 - Tparodi wrote: 90 Points
great little bottle for the price. Nice amount of fruit w/ soft Tannins... I assume that the 1st bottling will give way to a more pronounce cab sav down the road.
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8/12/2007 - shiraz guy wrote: 88 Points
Good fruit forward, but highly acidic on opening. Will follow up after 24 hrs...
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8/7/2007 - docmckay wrote: 88 Points
Pretty good. Fruit forward. Not much depth. What what flavor it has is good. No tannins what so ever. This one will not age favorably.
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7/29/2007 - eldiabloazul wrote: 89 Points
Very enjoyable wine for the price point. Would buy again. I second the review of fredmartens.
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7/22/2007 - Coleman wrote: 86 Points
I had big expectations, but was disappointed. Muted nose. The palate had some earthiness and complexity but very little fruit, and unfortunately everything was overshadowed by very bitter. harsh tannins. Short finish. Maybe it's just too young at this point, but I wouldn't buy again (I would wait another couple of years to drink if I had anymore).
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7/11/2007 - Grace 77 wrote: 87 Points
Not too bad! I expected it to be bigger though. Anything with the word "Beckstoffer" in it usually reminds me of big Napa reds. Anyway--I liked it and I would buy it again.
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7/11/2007 - VCvino wrote: 85 Points
In my opinion, it does not deserve the scores it received by professional review - maybe too young but I found less than desireable
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6/24/2007 - Winefish wrote: 86 Points
Very nice, if not somewhat flimsy.
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6/20/2007 - jimkay21 wrote: 87 Points
California cab with a touch of licorice and tiny bit of vegetal.
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6/19/2007 - ginfizz wrote: 85 Points
Nice and just about equivalent to the Argentinian wine we had at half the price.
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6/2/2007 - buddy22 wrote: 82 Points
Nothing special.
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5/27/2007 - LSKIII wrote: 89 Points
Medium bodied cab that is dark and extracted. Light fruit forward tastes with a "dusty" mid palate (not sure how else to describe). Silky tannins and mild oak finish. An interesting and highly enjoyable wine.
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5/17/2007 - fredmartens wrote: 90 Points
I read the Parker 90 rating and a few wine blogs to get some info on this wine before buying a case untasted from Wine Anthology. Andy Beckstoffer's grapes are given somewhat elevated status in my opinion, being a Merryvale and Guenoc / Beckstoffer fan; I'm also a big Champoux vineyard and Argentine Malbec fan (think Cobos Marchiori), so take these personal preferences into account. For a Lake County cab, this is a truly outstanding first effort. At 1 hour of decant time, this wine is just starting to open up. As a young "bigger" wine, it's going to take some patience for the first few years, similar to a Zucardi Zeta 2002 or a Merryvale Reserve; you'll definitely be missing what's underneath here if you expect to quaff this right after opening. The first taste leaves me with one immediate impression, and that's aging potential. This is very fruit forward, with a jammy blackberry, licorice and leather opening, and the mid palate disspiates quickly into a rather tannic finish (again, youth). If you're into the bigger cabs, I don't think this can be beat for the money. This wine is definitely a new world style with a little heat and oakiness as minor visible flaws out of the gate, and is by no means a finesse wine; in time, the oak and tannins will soften and reveal the structure and depth that are here for those who can taste the potential. This isn't a first growth Bordeaux, nor is it a polished Quintessa, but if you like your bigger Napa cabs, it is an excellent value.
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5/13/2007 - LPskeleton wrote: 87 Points
Oak Vanilla and Tobacco present on the nose, drak fruit.Oak Is out of control. Let me down I was very excited to get into this as I enjoyed in once before with much greater fruit expression. It does have a nice soft texture.
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5/4/2007 - GolferChris wrote: 90 Points
Excellent value Cab and a truly first class Lake County effort by the Beckstoffer family. Dark purple color with concentrated fruit flavors/aromas of black cherry, cassis, black raspberry and a hint of smoke. Very good depth and complexity for the $20 price. Hope this is the shape of things to come from this winery.
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4/30/2007 - danseng wrote:
Good for the price, but not great. Last year's Moon Mountain was better for the same price. Not as much fruit as I'd like to see. Decanted for an hour.
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4/29/2007 - pgm wrote: 85 Points
Hmm. Not bad (I didn't get any of the off notes or overwhelming tannins that other tasters have noted), but the overwhelming oak treatment seems to give the wine all the character it's got. Lots of vanilla. buttered toast, and some licorice. I don't think I'd recommend aging this wine: enjoy it while there's some fruit underneath that oak.
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4/27/2007 - AllRed wrote: 86 Points
Gibby's Uncorked, Flight III (Geneva, IL): Poured at a retailer tasting. Aromas of black cherry and blackberry. Chewy tannins, with red fruit dominating the palate. Vanilla and spice on the finish.
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4/20/2007 - Squeeze wrote: 87 Points
More cab franc in nature than cab sauv., tar, earth, tannins, not much fruit, not sure how this will evolve with time. Some complexity, not your every traditional Californian flavor profile. Can't say I can really recommend it. Will age my second bottle.
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4/20/2007 - schwartzman wrote: 86 Points
had after some tuscans - not impressive at first - sharp alcohol - mellowed a bit after airing for an hour- nothing special here at this point- try again in a few years
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3/25/2007 - AZ Wine Lover wrote: 94 Points
Excellent
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3/23/2007 - EaglesWin wrote: 85 Points
Needs more cellar time.
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3/12/2007 - Maverick wrote: 87 Points
Good balance, smoothed out 2nd day. Good Value
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3/11/2007 - helpagerman wrote: 89 Points
medium bodied wine, not too overpowering
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3/5/2007 - mercer22 wrote:
Tannic and unfriendly.
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3/4/2007 - olivethegreat wrote: 92 Points
as far as quality to price ratios go, this one is top notch. i don't think I've had another Napa Cab at this price point that delivers so much. Compared to Edge or Waterstone, this one beats both of those out.
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2/26/2007 - Corekevin wrote:
This was my second bottle. It went well with a grilled ribeye steak. Tannic, with a nice dry finish , jammy, with a very strawberry-like nose. The second glass after dinner was even better... Good at about $22.00
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2/12/2007 - chateaumiller wrote: 85 Points
VERY GOOD
Decanted for an hour and then dug in:
The nose gives off a lot of achohol smell. (14.2%) Also a little (tiny) bit of black licorice in this one.
Palate is giving me black berries again and after 2.5 hours of decanting the heat seems to have died down. Still a nice QPR
Spicy to medium finish, a little dry.
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2/8/2007 - joec58 wrote: 85 Points
Not great I'm going to stick with napa cabs
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2/3/2007 - chateaumiller wrote: 81 Points
GOOD
I let the 75 decant for 24 hours to see if it would open up. Nose is light and not easy to pick up what's in the wine. What is picked up is a little chemical (Chlorine)...wierd!
A little bit black fruit (berries) with some heat still on the finish. I think this wine is right in line with it's price and wouldn'thave a problem serving to friends but it's not complex and not overly exciting.
4 more bottles in the cellar allows me to continue to evaluate.
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2/2/2007 - RickMcQ wrote: 78 Points
This wine had no flavor profile at all.
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2/1/2007 - EJM5653 wrote: 83 Points
heavy alcohol nose with chunky tannins, sweet fruit and cedar/chocolate taste and a somewhat thin finish. I think this wine needs more cellar time.
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1/25/2007 - drinkwinedaily wrote: 83 Points
Has a cheap wine nose that I do not care for. The favor profile is also sweet with very little tannins and no complexity. Call me spoiled, but there are better $20 cabs out there...
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1/23/2007 - chateaumiller wrote: 84 Points
GOOD
Color is light but the Tannins are there. Well balanced cherries and earth, hints of chocolate. Spicey medium finish. A great QPR, will definitely buy more.
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10/15/2006 - N2Vin wrote: 85 Points
A tad green and herbaceous with chunky tannin. It seems as if the grapes may have been pushed to deliver more that they were capable (at an early age? is this a first crush?) by overextraction. BWTHDIK
BTW, this is a Lake County cab in the new AVA Red Hills, not Napa Oakville
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