I love it. David Ramey is the kind of Owner & Winemaker that I like. He spent years in working in the Old World and brought his knowledge here to mix with the CA knowledge. This bottle is prime for opening....don't wait too much longer for this vintage. Dark burgundy / brownish edges. 14.5% alcohol that give you long legs that even Old Man & Ralphie Parker would enjoy (A Christmas Story). This is a must buy at a decent price that you can't get often in Oakville.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Double decanted for 2.5 hrs, deep ruby, dark fruit, the PV (15%) is slightly noticeable, med/firm tannins, long finish; outstanding & not surprisingly more open than the 07, ready to drink, no rush
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
- Ruby color - Popped and poured. Good to go right out of the bottle, and enjoyed over three hours with prime rib. Flavors of black currant, cherries and a hint of spice. The finish lasts for days. I have a few more bottles and plan on drinking these within the next five years. Beautifully made wine.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Dark garnet color, slight separation at the edges. Ripe and expressive nose showing red fruits, raspberry, tobacco, minerals. Palate is ripe and deep...showing black cherry, rhubarb, cedar(?). Still a firm and energetic wine at 15 years. Full body, long and layered finish.
Great showing on this evening. Classic Oakville profile. Was great pairing with our Italian dishes...although a steak might have been better for this wine...:) This still has a long arc ahead of it. Great stuff
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Dark ruby in color with a short brick rim. Not showing age much.
Great nose of blackberries, black currants, cedar, vanilla, licorice, earth, green olives, spices, peppercorn, chocolates, tobacco and graphite.
Medium plus in body with medium acidity and long legs.
Dry on the palate with and fruity with black currants, blackberries, dried figs, smoke, spices, dark coffee, pencil lead, earth, peppercorn, leather and tobacco.
Long finish with fine grained tannins and tangy raspberries.
This is a delicious 15 year old Napa Cabernet from Oakville. Showing great complexity with a great mouthfeel. Elegant and gracious. Soft, yet powerful.
This Single Vineyard has a great nose, especially right out of the bottle.
Peaked a few years ago, and will continue to age very nicely in the next 10 years.
96 points Robert Parker.
Good by itself or with food. Will pair wonderfully with a nice piece of steak. Loved sipping on it all by itself. Delicious.
A blend of 85% Cabernet Sauvignon and 15% Petit Verdot.
14.5% alcohol by volume.
94 points.
$150.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Decanted & paired with NY Strip. Dark cherry in color, earth/oak on the nose; red fruit, very smooth tannin. Highly recommend if you like Napa/Oakville Cab.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Pnp; drank over 5 hours. A bit closed yet still smooth in 1st 30 min. Then opened to subtle fruit, easy tannins & smooth finish over the next 3.5 hours. Last hour was flatter & prune taste.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Delicious. In a perfect drinking window. Huge fruit, silly tannins, nice balance. Really hits all of the notes I want from a Napa cab. I bet continues to drink well for a few more years but I don’t think it’s going to get any better than this.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Based on my tasting note from last April, we decanted and let this bottle breathe for 2 hours before beginning to drink. Definitely the right call, this wine was wow! from the start. Deep and rich flavors, good fruit but savory notes also, smooth texture, maybe a touch heavy. An exciting wine. One of my best experiences with a Ramey cab. Most of the others were younger wines or were consumed without being aired out.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Pizza and wine dinner with Kevin M in NYC, drank after an 05 Pride Claret Reserve, decanted this about 30 minutes and drank over an hour. First bottle from a batch bought at auction in the last year
Bright garnet/purple color. Ripe and fresh nose of red and black fruits, tobacco, baked cherry. Nose continued to volve over an hour of drinking...Palate was "ripe" red fruits, black cherry, rhubarb, pipe tobacco, spices. Rich mouthfeel and long finish.
Interesting earthy and expressive wine, not what I was expecting but quite good. Tannins still firm, suggesting a long drinking arc ahead. Good upside with this wine, score goes higher in time... 93+
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
This is further support of my claim to not enjoy Cabs unless they are at least 10yrs old. Ramey's designated bottlings were always some of my favorites (an empty '01 Jericho Cyn. holds a place on my countertop 'Hall of Fame'). This wine was broodingly deep, dark crimson to the edge, which is puzzling because there wasn't any sediment and so would indicate that it was fined & filtered?..I'd guess a testament to the amazing fruit quality. It had a textural richness in the mouth that I can't recall experiencing, aside from a Abadia Retuerta Rivola some 15+yrs ago. Wafting with pencil lead, roasting spices and wild mushroom, the earthy and herbal profile carried into the flavors, that were spiked with sweet fruit - crushed black cherries. A notable level of acidity remains, as well as some chalky tannins masked by the sweet fruit to make a very well balanced wine. It likely has a good 5+ years left but there's no reason to delay the gratification!
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Interesting evolution. When initially decanted, this wine was all herbs and tea with almost no fruit. After two hours, plum flavors began to predominate but the wine was very short, with no finish. After three hours it had become a fairly complete wine displaying a savory taste profile with plum, raspberry, herbs, and tobacco, a medium long finish and some drying tannins. Rating reflects the last glass.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Dark and still very tannic. I had high expectations for this and was a little let down in comparison. Maybe it was just too young, but I think lacked a little in complexity. Typical dark fruit profile for California cab and the most tannic of the wines tonight, which made it a good food wine with steak, vegetables & potatoes. I was just hoping for a little more excitement...
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
- Crimsom color with medium forming legs and aromas of strawberry, blackberry, black currant, cherry and fig. It's balanced and has flavours of black currant and cherry with a full body. Bright texture with a long finish - Popped and poured. Delicious wine with serious structure.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Dense garnet color and subtle brick tones at the edge and mostly opaque. The smells are currants, plum, smoke, blackberry, and espresso. The tastes are currants, blackberry, espresso, mocha, cedar, and earth. The tannins are fine and satin like coupled with some zing. The finish is lengthy with medium weight. Great wine that is complex with some old world characteristics.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
I really enjoyed this. Decanted 2-3 hours, lovely fragrant nose and a beautiful complexity. "Chewable," as Rand says. Vigorous, smooth tannins, and the beginnings of savor. Lingering finish - would do again.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
OOPS.....I didn't read the fine print...this was not the regular cab I thought I was looking for...took this to a dinner and shared this with way way too many people....I thought it was great and didn't expect much b/c didn't know what I brought...oh well. It was very smooth and elegant and delicious.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Dense but clear garnet color. Nose of coffee, currants, cherry, blackberry, and leathery, smokey notes. Tastes are cherry, currant, cedar, spicy notes, white pepper, bell pepper, dry leaves and tobacco. The acidity is surprisingly zingy and the tannins are satin like and firm. The finish is lengthy and this is a powerful and brooding wine. Was perfect with beef filet cooked rare.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Decanted 3 hours. Abundant bouquet of ripe dark fruit. Initially brooding then later a lift and overall a terrific and evolving march of ripe dark berry, touch of leather and cedar, finishing with dark chocolate on the palate. Stimulating in its overall presentation with seamless integration and balance. Reassuring structure that stays in the back ground. Medium long finish. Outstanding. Drink now with decant but can hold without worry.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Wow! This was spectacular! Mind-blowing richness and depth of flavors. Possibly the most massive and pure cassis flavor I have ever experienced in a wine. Plenty of complexity with some earth, espresso and vanilla backing up all the rich fruit. Excellent balance with just the right amount of structure. A powerful, rich, deep, but also elegant wine. One of the best Napa cabs I have ever had.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
92+. Oops. Needs a good 4 hour decant or several years in the cellar. Guess what I did? Neither. Good on day 1, great on night 2. Comparable: Dave Stewart.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
One of the most balanced California cabernets we've ever had. Bouquet of sweet red fruit along with vanilla and a touch of sweet maple. Finish was very dynamic; herbs. smoke, mocha and dark red fruit. This can age for quite a long time. This is a highly differentiated wine from much of the over-oaked crap being made in CA today (even at these price points).
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
This one never really worked for me...initially a bit more tannic than expected and probably just dumb not to give it more time or air before drinking...finished the other 1/2 on nights 2 and 3 with salmon and then chicken and neither a great pairing and by then the wine was actually a little too porty or flabby for me...very deep and rich but perhaps just a little too ripe for my taste
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Fruit present yet still mostly buried behind tannins and acidity. Give this one more time. Drinks fine now with a multihour decant, but time will be it's best friend.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Deep ruby, almost opaque color. Violets, cassis and dark cherries followed by aromas of coffee and bitter chocolate. Succulent flavors of currants and ripe cherries are quite pronounced with just a touch of sweetness. Undertones of cocoa, coffee, and earthy truffles add amazing complexity with a full-bodied richness that is intense but not overwhelming to the palate. Even at this young age the tannins are silky and very approachable with plenty of aging potential.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
MUCH better than the 2004. This is the real deal. A lot of fruit but enough structure and complexity so that it's not flabby. Maybe the '04 was an off bottle but this did not have the over-oaked character than the 04 had.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Went to the cellar and thought I was grabbing the regular 05' Cab ... right before I cut the foil I realized it was the Pedregal ... and I said "Oh, what the fcuk" ... so I decanted for an hour and I'm in to the first glass. Nose is driveway sealer and vanilla oak. Palate is toasty oak and blueberry. Dark wine, very extracted. Fine grained tannins and beginning to integrate. This is a baby. I have an etched 3 Liter in the cellar that I just pegged for 2020 ... this was my canary in the coal mine ... popped earlier than I would have liked ... oh well. This is excellent wine.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Enormous aromatics at pop and pour. Black top and lean rustic blackberry fruit. Yeah, hint rustic on the nose. A bit of tree bark torn open by an over zealous set of claws. Seems to suggest a sweet blue fruit under belly. The potential of grilling. Fantastic wine with plenty of competition at its price.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Very lifted blue fruit to the nose. Very pronouced. Blackberry, bold. Soft and silky on the palate. Very "smooth" in that Napa Cabernet way. Served a touch to warm. Given the integration at this moment I can't see why we wouldn't want to drink it up. Although it is a bit tight on the finish. More coffee and coco coming out after the initial glass. We will see where it goes.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Not as good as last time but still exceptional. Huge wine with biting tannins. Needed lots of air and the vinturi aerator. Great nose of licorice and black cherry. With air gained some weight in the mouth with a long and strong juicy finish.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
While I can appreciate the size and boldness of this wine, ultimately, it is a simple concoction of blueberry and heavy oak (vanilla and toast). If it develops secondary characteristics with age, it will be worthy; otherwise its just about the size and in-your-face fruit like many California wines.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Wine of the night with out a doubt. Better than 04 Araujo. Licorice black cherry and some coffee on the nose. Very lush in the mouth with a hedonistic feel to it. More black cherry and some cola with perfectly integrated acidity and tannins. Just a pleasure to drink.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Champagne and Cabernet (Farpointe Cellar): The nose toffee, chocolate, black currant, and cherry, with some floral notes at the end. THw palate was soft, and had black currant, raspberry, spice, and a coffee finish.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Lush black purple color. Nose of vanilla, mineral and black fruits. Still young. Flavors of mineral, cedar, blackberries and vanilla (butter/cream?). An awesome wine with light tanin, decent acidity. I love this wine.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Still grapey and primary lush purple fruits with a graphite-like mineral component. Forward, with fruit masking the medium-grain tannins which come through in more of a tactile way. Enjoyable, and somewhere between modern and classic. Needs time.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Blackberry, cherry, hints of mineral and soy. Very intriguing on the nose. Toast. Wow, this is a complex, Napa Cabernet. O.k. -- Napa Cab blend (12% Petite Verdot and all). Coffee, mocha. This man is onto something.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
With the memory of a fascinating tasting of old Moutons fresh in mind, I could see the dramtic difference between top flight very young Cal Cab and old Bordeaux. It's not so much a matter of quality as a demonstration of polar oppposites insyle. Where the old bordeaux were complex and suble, this outstanding Ramey was super intense, fruity and powerful. No doubt with more boldly flavored food, the Ramey makes the better match. Terrific flavors of ripe black cherry and blackberry framed by just the right amount o f oak. I'm not sure there's any reason to postpone drinking this behemoth.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Took a while to open up. Then demonstrates a gorgeous nose of cassis. High acidity and moderate tannin but without the fruit stuffing experienced with say the 2004 Ramey Larkmead. So spend your money there. (75 vs 125)
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
I dacanted this for 10 hours even though there was no sediment because the tannins were really powerful and dominated the fruit, not surprising at age three. It might have helped to rebalance this inky black behemoth, but the intense cabernet fruit might have diminished just a bit. Still, clearly a fabulous example of Cal Cab. Loaded and stacked. I imagined a charcoal element because of the amazing concentration and power of this wine. I can hardly imagine a better baby Cab from anywhere but I will score it relatively conservative for now.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Smooth, smooth, smooth bottle of cab. In no doubt the most balanced and approachable young cab I've ever drank. Very light tannins, might give some concern as to it's long term viability. Lighter color than I would have expected with the 15% petite verdot. All in all a great bottle of wine, though I wouldn't be inclined to sit on something drinking so well right out of the gate.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
The Jug is done fooling around (Suite 100): Upon opening, this was stunning. Massively rich, with black fruits, chocolate, and pencil on a gorgeously full, rich silky palate. The fruit and body completely eat up the tannins. The finish goes on so long that only later do you realize you're not tasting the wine. 95-97
After tryingthis a few hours later after double decanting, I was a little disapointed. The oak really takes over, and there was a rich buttery flavor that was a little over the top for me. Eventually, this quality, to me at least, took over. It was too amazing upon opening for me to give up on this, but I might put it away and forgot about it for a few years. 91-94
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Ruby red to medium purple in the glass. Spice box on the nose. Opulent chocolate and coco up front. Cedar and kitchen spices through the mid palate lending to silky black fruits near the end. Beautiful effort.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
I had forgotten I recently tasted this wine. Strangely, I am much more enthusiastic after ths bottle and I do not think the first one was defective. The color is a deep ruby with a hint of purple. The nose is at first a pure cabernet cassis, but after an hour in the glass the toasty vanillion oak becomes more obvious yet not overwhelming. The high tannins also smooth out with air and it's clear the balance is exceptional. It's big; it's bold and it's beautiful.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Very interesting; this is Ramey's high-end cabernet sauvignon (with a bit of petit verdot) from the Rutherford bench area. I decided not to decant it and that was probably the right decision since there was no development in the glass for over two hours. Of course it's dark in color, but more puple than black. The nose was dominated by blueberry, which I find quite unusual in a cabernet wine, with some vanillin oak. The tannins very practically invisible at this time, either buried underneath the copious fruit or just silky in texture. The flavor profile is very simple but delicious. I am curious to see what happens over the next 10 years, but I am not tempted to buy any more than the few I have.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
5/30/2022 - au96alum Likes this wine: 94 Points
I love it. David Ramey is the kind of Owner & Winemaker that I like. He spent years in working in the Old World and brought his knowledge here to mix with the CA knowledge. This bottle is prime for opening....don't wait too much longer for this vintage. Dark burgundy / brownish edges. 14.5% alcohol that give you long legs that even Old Man & Ralphie Parker would enjoy (A Christmas Story). This is a must buy at a decent price that you can't get often in Oakville.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
5/5/2022 - jsmorris707 Likes this wine: 94 Points
Similar to prior note after a 2 hour double decant; delicious, but the high PV is noticeable & not my preference, drink or hold
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
1/21/2022 - jsmorris707 wrote: 95 Points
Double decanted for 2.5 hrs, deep ruby, dark fruit, the PV (15%) is slightly noticeable, med/firm tannins, long finish; outstanding & not surprisingly more open than the 07, ready to drink, no rush
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
1/18/2021 - rwstorer wrote: 94 Points
- Ruby color - Popped and poured. Good to go right out of the bottle, and enjoyed over three hours with prime rib. Flavors of black currant, cherries and a hint of spice. The finish lasts for days. I have a few more bottles and plan on drinking these within the next five years. Beautifully made wine.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
8/20/2020 - walkerjfw wrote: 94 Points
Patio dinner with Neeta and Manoj (Chez Walker - Princeton, NJ): Good excuse to check in on this one. With the main course...eggplant rollatini and chicken margherita from Gennaro's. Decanted 2 hours prior to drinking.
Dark garnet color, slight separation at the edges. Ripe and expressive nose showing red fruits, raspberry, tobacco, minerals. Palate is ripe and deep...showing black cherry, rhubarb, cedar(?). Still a firm and energetic wine at 15 years. Full body, long and layered finish.
Great showing on this evening. Classic Oakville profile. Was great pairing with our Italian dishes...although a steak might have been better for this wine...:) This still has a long arc ahead of it. Great stuff
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
6/23/2020 - Odedis.Wine.reviews Likes this wine: 94 Points
Dark ruby in color with a short brick rim. Not showing age much.
Great nose of blackberries, black currants, cedar, vanilla, licorice, earth, green olives, spices, peppercorn, chocolates, tobacco and graphite.
Medium plus in body with medium acidity and long legs.
Dry on the palate with and fruity with black currants, blackberries, dried figs, smoke, spices, dark coffee, pencil lead, earth, peppercorn, leather and tobacco.
Long finish with fine grained tannins and tangy raspberries.
This is a delicious 15 year old Napa Cabernet from Oakville. Showing great complexity with a great mouthfeel. Elegant and gracious. Soft, yet powerful.
This Single Vineyard has a great nose, especially right out of the bottle.
Peaked a few years ago, and will continue to age very nicely in the next 10 years.
96 points Robert Parker.
Good by itself or with food. Will pair wonderfully with a nice piece of steak. Loved sipping on it all by itself. Delicious.
A blend of 85% Cabernet Sauvignon and 15% Petit Verdot.
14.5% alcohol by volume.
94 points.
$150.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
12/31/2018 - Bryan49 Likes this wine: 94 Points
Decanted & paired with NY Strip. Dark cherry in color, earth/oak on the nose; red fruit, very smooth tannin. Highly recommend if you like Napa/Oakville Cab.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
10/6/2018 - patwjr wrote: 94 Points
Pnp; drank over 5 hours. A bit closed yet still smooth in 1st 30 min. Then opened to subtle fruit, easy tannins & smooth finish over the next 3.5 hours. Last hour was flatter & prune taste.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
8/16/2018 - rwstorer wrote: 94 Points
Similar note to previous.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
5/25/2018 - joshabramson Likes this wine: 95 Points
Delicious. In a perfect drinking window. Huge fruit, silly tannins, nice balance. Really hits all of the notes I want from a Napa cab. I bet continues to drink well for a few more years but I don’t think it’s going to get any better than this.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
3/26/2017 - Red Sox Fan Likes this wine: 95 Points
Based on my tasting note from last April, we decanted and let this bottle breathe for 2 hours before beginning to drink. Definitely the right call, this wine was wow! from the start. Deep and rich flavors, good fruit but savory notes also, smooth texture, maybe a touch heavy. An exciting wine. One of my best experiences with a Ramey cab. Most of the others were younger wines or were consumed without being aired out.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
1/28/2017 - stonich wrote: 95 Points
Excellent.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
11/15/2016 - walkerjfw wrote: 93 Points
Pizza and wine dinner with Kevin M in NYC, drank after an 05 Pride Claret Reserve, decanted this about 30 minutes and drank over an hour. First bottle from a batch bought at auction in the last year
Bright garnet/purple color. Ripe and fresh nose of red and black fruits, tobacco, baked cherry. Nose continued to volve over an hour of drinking...Palate was "ripe" red fruits, black cherry, rhubarb, pipe tobacco, spices. Rich mouthfeel and long finish.
Interesting earthy and expressive wine, not what I was expecting but quite good. Tannins still firm, suggesting a long drinking arc ahead. Good upside with this wine, score goes higher in time... 93+
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
10/23/2016 - rwstorer wrote: 94 Points
Pure and delicious. Drinking beautifully with 30 minutes of air.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
10/14/2016 - golfwine wrote: 93 Points
This is further support of my claim to not enjoy Cabs unless they are at least 10yrs old. Ramey's designated bottlings were always some of my favorites (an empty '01 Jericho Cyn. holds a place on my countertop 'Hall of Fame'). This wine was broodingly deep, dark crimson to the edge, which is puzzling because there wasn't any sediment and so would indicate that it was fined & filtered?..I'd guess a testament to the amazing fruit quality. It had a textural richness in the mouth that I can't recall experiencing, aside from a Abadia Retuerta Rivola some 15+yrs ago. Wafting with pencil lead, roasting spices and wild mushroom, the earthy and herbal profile carried into the flavors, that were spiked with sweet fruit - crushed black cherries. A notable level of acidity remains, as well as some chalky tannins masked by the sweet fruit to make a very well balanced wine. It likely has a good 5+ years left but there's no reason to delay the gratification!
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
4/9/2016 - Red Sox Fan wrote: 93 Points
Interesting evolution. When initially decanted, this wine was all herbs and tea with almost no fruit. After two hours, plum flavors began to predominate but the wine was very short, with no finish. After three hours it had become a fairly complete wine displaying a savory taste profile with plum, raspberry, herbs, and tobacco, a medium long finish and some drying tannins. Rating reflects the last glass.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
1/16/2016 - Ben Christiansen wrote:
Plummy, with great depth, savory, and with some richness. Herby now, going secondary, I'd say drink up but there it is.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
9/4/2015 - Col.Harding wrote: 94 Points
just terrific. big, brawny, but beautifully structured and dee-licious
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
5/21/2015 - Fid wrote: 92 Points
Drank at wine dinner at The Palm in Beverly Hills. First of 5. 92
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
4/11/2015 - sdezutti wrote: 95 Points
Dark and still very tannic. I had high expectations for this and was a little let down in comparison. Maybe it was just too young, but I think lacked a little in complexity. Typical dark fruit profile for California cab and the most tannic of the wines tonight, which made it a good food wine with steak, vegetables & potatoes. I was just hoping for a little more excitement...
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
12/10/2014 - BklynNeophyte wrote: 94 Points
+. Just a wonderful rendition and not overdone. Big, but beautifully balanced. I've been on a short streak of deliciousness.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
4/17/2014 - Mike V wrote: 95 Points
Terrific. These wines consistently out perform
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
3/23/2014 - rwstorer wrote: 94 Points
- Crimsom color with medium forming legs and aromas of strawberry, blackberry, black currant, cherry and fig. It's balanced and has flavours of black currant and cherry with a full body. Bright texture with a long finish - Popped and poured. Delicious wine with serious structure.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
2/8/2014 - hackey37 Likes this wine: 94 Points
Dense garnet color and subtle brick tones at the edge and mostly opaque. The smells are currants, plum, smoke, blackberry, and espresso. The tastes are currants, blackberry, espresso, mocha, cedar, and earth. The tannins are fine and satin like coupled with some zing. The finish is lengthy with medium weight. Great wine that is complex with some old world characteristics.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
2/1/2014 - West Coast Wine Likes this wine: 92 Points
Wine has aged beautifully with Cocoa and spices on the nose, rich flavors of Cassis and slight oak tint. Great wine could have aged even longer.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
1/29/2014 - P&F Likes this wine: 92 Points
I really enjoyed this. Decanted 2-3 hours, lovely fragrant nose and a beautiful complexity. "Chewable," as Rand says. Vigorous, smooth tannins, and the beginnings of savor. Lingering finish - would do again.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
1/27/2014 - Mr T wrote:
OOPS.....I didn't read the fine print...this was not the regular cab I thought I was looking for...took this to a dinner and shared this with way way too many people....I thought it was great and didn't expect much b/c didn't know what I brought...oh well. It was very smooth and elegant and delicious.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
6/23/2013 - hackey37 Likes this wine: 93 Points
Dense but clear garnet color. Nose of coffee, currants, cherry, blackberry, and leathery, smokey notes. Tastes are cherry, currant, cedar, spicy notes, white pepper, bell pepper, dry leaves and tobacco. The acidity is surprisingly zingy and the tannins are satin like and firm. The finish is lengthy and this is a powerful and brooding wine. Was perfect with beef filet cooked rare.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
1/24/2013 - Empirate wrote: 95 Points
Decanted 3 hours. Abundant bouquet of ripe dark fruit. Initially brooding then later a lift and overall a terrific and evolving march of ripe dark berry, touch of leather and cedar, finishing with dark chocolate on the palate. Stimulating in its overall presentation with seamless integration and balance. Reassuring structure that stays in the back ground. Medium long finish. Outstanding. Drink now with decant but can hold without worry.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
12/25/2012 - Frank_A_M wrote: 92 Points
A bit earthy, light body, you can smell and taste some oak. Definitely needs to breathe.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
12/25/2012 - Frank_A_M wrote: 93 Points
Medium body, taste of oak, a slight bit earthy, smooth finish. Definitely needs to breathe.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
10/26/2012 - rickspicks wrote: 96 Points
Wow! This was spectacular! Mind-blowing richness and depth of flavors. Possibly the most massive and pure cassis flavor I have ever experienced in a wine. Plenty of complexity with some earth, espresso and vanilla backing up all the rich fruit. Excellent balance with just the right amount of structure. A powerful, rich, deep, but also elegant wine. One of the best Napa cabs I have ever had.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
10/8/2012 - BklynNeophyte wrote: 92 Points
92+. Oops. Needs a good 4 hour decant or several years in the cellar. Guess what I did? Neither. Good on day 1, great on night 2. Comparable: Dave Stewart.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
9/14/2012 - bwaverley wrote: 95 Points
One of the most balanced California cabernets we've ever had. Bouquet of sweet red fruit along with vanilla and a touch of sweet maple. Finish was very dynamic; herbs. smoke, mocha and dark red fruit. This can age for quite a long time. This is a highly differentiated wine from much of the over-oaked crap being made in CA today (even at these price points).
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
6/23/2012 - JJB007 wrote: 96 Points
the color is good, has a little tweak to it- it tastes ok- it smells perfect; it actually tastes good with prk chops
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
6/12/2012 - Mr T wrote:
This one never really worked for me...initially a bit more tannic than expected and probably just dumb not to give it more time or air before drinking...finished the other 1/2 on nights 2 and 3 with salmon and then chicken and neither a great pairing and by then the wine was actually a little too porty or flabby for me...very deep and rich but perhaps just a little too ripe for my taste
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
11/13/2011 - 911SCracer wrote: 90 Points
Well crafted wine, just not my style. Overly vanilla chocolate cherry fruit bomb.
I suspect it will be less overpowering with a little time.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
11/12/2010 - sdr wrote: 88 Points
Overpoweringly oaky. Sweet vanilla chocolate fudge sundae. Kathy
enjoyed more that I.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
8/28/2010 - patwjr wrote: 93 Points
Fruit present yet still mostly buried behind tannins and acidity. Give this one more time. Drinks fine now with a multihour decant, but time will be it's best friend.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
4/24/2010 - sdr Likes this wine: 90 Points
At this time, the tannins are more prominent as the fruit receeds into the background. Still massive and oaky so the evolution will be interesting.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
4/17/2010 - talesofthegrape Likes this wine:
Deep ruby, almost opaque color. Violets, cassis and dark cherries followed by aromas of coffee and bitter chocolate. Succulent flavors of currants and ripe cherries are quite pronounced with just a touch of sweetness. Undertones of cocoa, coffee, and earthy truffles add amazing complexity with a full-bodied richness that is intense but not overwhelming to the palate. Even at this young age the tannins are silky and very approachable with plenty of aging potential.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
3/29/2010 - nvandyk wrote: 96 Points
MUCH better than the 2004. This is the real deal. A lot of fruit but enough structure and complexity so that it's not flabby. Maybe the '04 was an off bottle but this did not have the over-oaked character than the 04 had.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
3/6/2010 - SF John wrote: 94 Points
Went to the cellar and thought I was grabbing the regular 05' Cab ... right before I cut the foil I realized it was the Pedregal ... and I said "Oh, what the fcuk" ... so I decanted for an hour and I'm in to the first glass. Nose is driveway sealer and vanilla oak. Palate is toasty oak and blueberry. Dark wine, very extracted. Fine grained tannins and beginning to integrate. This is a baby. I have an etched 3 Liter in the cellar that I just pegged for 2020 ... this was my canary in the coal mine ... popped earlier than I would have liked ... oh well. This is excellent wine.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
2/16/2010 - nzinkgraf wrote:
Enormous aromatics at pop and pour. Black top and lean rustic blackberry fruit. Yeah, hint rustic on the nose. A bit of tree bark torn open by an over zealous set of claws. Seems to suggest a sweet blue fruit under belly. The potential of grilling. Fantastic wine with plenty of competition at its price.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
2/16/2010 - Ben Christiansen wrote:
Very lifted blue fruit to the nose. Very pronouced. Blackberry, bold. Soft and silky on the palate. Very "smooth" in that Napa Cabernet way. Served a touch to warm. Given the integration at this moment I can't see why we wouldn't want to drink it up. Although it is a bit tight on the finish. More coffee and coco coming out after the initial glass. We will see where it goes.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
12/29/2009 - WineForRob wrote: 93 Points
Not as good as last time but still exceptional. Huge wine with biting tannins. Needed lots of air and the vinturi aerator. Great nose of licorice and black cherry. With air gained some weight in the mouth with a long and strong juicy finish.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
12/26/2009 - sdr wrote: 88 Points
While I can appreciate the size and boldness of this wine, ultimately, it is a simple concoction of blueberry and heavy oak (vanilla and toast). If it develops secondary characteristics with age, it will be worthy; otherwise its just about the size and in-your-face fruit like many California wines.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
11/30/2009 - WineForRob wrote: 96 Points
Wine of the night with out a doubt. Better than 04 Araujo. Licorice black cherry and some coffee on the nose. Very lush in the mouth with a hedonistic feel to it. More black cherry and some cola with perfectly integrated acidity and tannins. Just a pleasure to drink.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
5/9/2009 - mmurry wrote: 94 Points
Champagne and Cabernet (Farpointe Cellar): The nose toffee, chocolate, black currant, and cherry, with some floral notes at the end. THw palate was soft, and had black currant, raspberry, spice, and a coffee finish.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
4/17/2009 - rwstorer wrote: 95 Points
Lush black purple color. Nose of vanilla, mineral and black fruits. Still young. Flavors of mineral, cedar, blackberries and vanilla (butter/cream?). An awesome wine with light tanin, decent acidity. I love this wine.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
3/7/2009 - hkeric wrote:
did
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
2/21/2009 - psmith wrote:
Still grapey and primary lush purple fruits with a graphite-like mineral component. Forward, with fruit masking the medium-grain tannins which come through in more of a tactile way. Enjoyable, and somewhere between modern and classic. Needs time.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
1/29/2009 - Ben Christiansen wrote:
Blackberry, cherry, hints of mineral and soy. Very intriguing on the nose. Toast. Wow, this is a complex, Napa Cabernet. O.k. -- Napa Cab blend (12% Petite Verdot and all). Coffee, mocha. This man is onto something.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
1/3/2009 - sdr wrote: 91 Points
With the memory of a fascinating tasting of old Moutons fresh in mind, I could see the dramtic difference between top flight very young Cal Cab and old Bordeaux. It's not so much a matter of quality as a demonstration of polar oppposites insyle. Where the old bordeaux were complex and suble, this outstanding Ramey was super intense, fruity and powerful. No doubt with more boldly flavored food, the Ramey makes the better match. Terrific flavors of ripe black cherry and blackberry framed by just the right amount o f oak. I'm not sure there's any reason to postpone drinking this behemoth.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
12/26/2008 - clevin7 wrote: 94 Points
Too young, even with decanting for 24 hours. Hints of spice on the nose were too tight never released on the palate.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
12/17/2008 - nzinkgraf wrote:
Big California Reds (Waterford Wines Milwaukee): 85% Cabernet Sauvignon, 15% Petit Verdot
Blue fruit flying all over the place. Perfume from the Petit Verdot readily apparent.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
12/17/2008 - J @ y H @ c k wrote: 87 Points
Green pepper, more green pepper and vegetal. Not enough fruit to come through and tanins are very astringent.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
12/6/2008 - Dr. Pato wrote: 92 Points
Took a while to open up. Then demonstrates a gorgeous nose of cassis. High acidity and moderate tannin but without the fruit stuffing experienced with say the 2004 Ramey Larkmead. So spend your money there. (75 vs 125)
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
10/16/2008 - JoeLuka wrote: 98 Points
WOW!!!!
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
9/27/2008 - sdr wrote: 91 Points
I dacanted this for 10 hours even though there was no sediment because the tannins were really powerful and dominated the fruit, not surprising at age three. It might have helped to rebalance this inky black behemoth, but the intense cabernet fruit might have diminished just a bit. Still, clearly a fabulous example of Cal Cab. Loaded and stacked. I imagined a charcoal element because of the amazing concentration and power of this wine. I can hardly imagine a better baby Cab from anywhere but I will score it relatively conservative for now.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
8/2/2008 - Traxx wrote: 92 Points
Smooth, smooth, smooth bottle of cab. In no doubt the most balanced and approachable young cab I've ever drank. Very light tannins, might give some concern as to it's long term viability. Lighter color than I would have expected with the 15% petite verdot. All in all a great bottle of wine, though I wouldn't be inclined to sit on something drinking so well right out of the gate.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
7/25/2008 - hutch wrote: 94 Points
The Jug is done fooling around (Suite 100): Upon opening, this was stunning. Massively rich, with black fruits, chocolate, and pencil on a gorgeously full, rich silky palate. The fruit and body completely eat up the tannins. The finish goes on so long that only later do you realize you're not tasting the wine. 95-97
After tryingthis a few hours later after double decanting, I was a little disapointed. The oak really takes over, and there was a rich buttery flavor that was a little over the top for me. Eventually, this quality, to me at least, took over. It was too amazing upon opening for me to give up on this, but I might put it away and forgot about it for a few years. 91-94
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
4/9/2008 - 16% wrote: 98 Points
Ruby red to medium purple in the glass. Spice box on the nose. Opulent chocolate and coco up front. Cedar and kitchen spices through the mid palate lending to silky black fruits near the end. Beautiful effort.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
4/4/2008 - sdr wrote: 92 Points
I had forgotten I recently tasted this wine. Strangely, I am much more enthusiastic after ths bottle and I do not think the first one was defective. The color is a deep ruby with a hint of purple. The nose is at first a pure cabernet cassis, but after an hour in the glass the toasty vanillion oak becomes more obvious yet not overwhelming. The high tannins also smooth out with air and it's clear the balance is exceptional. It's big; it's bold and it's beautiful.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
3/21/2008 - sdr wrote: 89 Points
Very interesting; this is Ramey's high-end cabernet sauvignon (with a bit of petit verdot) from the Rutherford bench area. I decided not to decant it and that was probably the right decision since there was no development in the glass for over two hours. Of course it's dark in color, but more puple than black. The nose was dominated by blueberry, which I find quite unusual in a cabernet wine, with some vanillin oak. The tannins very practically invisible at this time, either buried underneath the copious fruit or just silky in texture. The flavor profile is very simple but delicious. I am curious to see what happens over the next 10 years, but I am not tempted to buy any more than the few I have.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment