Pnp but needed an hour to open up. Beautiful nose that leads into a balanced wine with good fruit , some orange peel mixed with blueberry The finish still has some tannin with a little alcohol heat that faded as the wine opened up. Secondary flavors of cigar box on the finish
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Blind 2001/2002 Cab Tasting (Chez Hughes): Double blind paired with the 01, and the Forman 01/02. An extreme wine with uber-ripe black fruit, oak char and boozy aromas. The palate is dense and ripe with lots of charred oak. Chewy tannin. Nothing about this wine is appealing.
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I’ll admit I love Schrader wines. I think you can’t find better Napa Cabs than what Thomas Brown is putting out there. With that said, this certainly did not disappoint. Like the 2002 Abreu Thorevolis, this is very youthful for all three of color, nose, and taste. Both of these wines can last another 25 years easily. On a tangent subject, it would be interesting to try some of the aged, modern Napa Cabs like this against a first growth Bordeaux in years where both had excellent vintages... like 2009 and 2010. The only problem is we need to wait another 10 years to do it. Getting back on track, the Schrader is a beautiful wine, also 100 pts. It’s one of those wines that gives you goosebumps when you drink it. Again, velvet is the best way to describe the texture and the fruit, acidity, and integrated tannin just explode in the mouth. I’m lucky to have a few more of these to try over the next few years.
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Very good cab, if slightly less tannic and flamboyant than one might expect from this maker and vineyard. Will make everyone happy, but their socks will still be on their feet.
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Deserves every bit of its rating. No flaws. Dark ruby garnet color. Minimal sediment. Soft dark flower and berry nose. Soft dark fruit flavors. No tannin. No acid. Low alcohol. Medium finish. Certainly ready to drink. Beyond peak. But, still a classic, beautiful wine. Paired perfectly with filet mignon.
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Just an amazing wine. Still oozing with ripe fruit and perfect balance. This wine was decanted and poured. Needed about 15 minutes to open fully and was just delicious from first sip to last drop.
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I last tasted this wine in 2008 and indicated in that note that the wine needed 3-5 more years. Well, 4 years later and tasting it again this past weekend and I have the word "ageworthy" undelined in my notes. So, as some would say, this is consistent with my previous note. This wine has terrific balance, structure and fruit. I also sensed a funky note in the wine, something rustic or suggestive of age. It's in the aromatic and somewhat in the palate and it adds an extra oomph to the experience. Black cherry, more red fruit than black it seemed to me and still tannic in the finish. Very nice and would like to try again in another 3 years!
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Once I popped the cork, it became immediately apparent that this was a special wine. The bottom of the cork wad full with sediment to the point that you could use it to paint your ceiling. I trust this properly expresses the amazing levels of density and concentration with this wine. Subsequent vintages received 100 points, but this one lacks the distinctive complexity and intensity of flavors to merit a very high score. Pleasure to drink nevertheless!
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Out of a 3 liter. This was just rocking from the get go. Great nose with blackberry and violets. Super silky on the palate with beautiful fruit and a tremendous long finish.
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OC Wine Dinner (Nesai - Newport Beach, CA): Now we get to the big guns. This wine is a rock star -- flamboyant, rich, and oozing with sex appeal. Opulent notes of cassis, brown sugar, and bittersweet chocolate. Creamy and decadent of the palate but amazingly balanced and complex. Has years of life ahead of it, but an absolute joy to drink now! 93-94 points.
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9/6/08 OC Wine Dinner (Nesai In Newport Beach, CA): Between this wine and the 02 Karl Lawrence Herb Lamb, a tough call for best cab of the flight. The nose was loaded with pencil shavings and what I want to say graphite or metallic. Not offputting but interesting and attracting for me. Big currant and chocolate with chalky tannin on the finish. My notes say "3-5 more years"? We killed this too early but what lies in the bottle suggests a terrific cab later on.
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Absolutely amazing nose. The aroma of dark fruit filled the air as soon as the bottle was popped. Blackberry and plum dominated on the tongue, with hints of cedar and spice. Fine tannins grip the tongue. 35-40 second finish.
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Deep, dark, pretty gruit, with quite a bit of tannin in the back end that settled down with air. Certainly a good bottle of Cab, and one that would Wow many steak lovers. A bit simple for my taaste? People on erp loved the wine.
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the first two were pikers compared to this superior example of napa cabernet. this has everything in spades, baby. what complexity! what fruit! yeah, it's a better vintage, and that may be worth something, but good grief i wish i had a case of this. highly recommended.
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This one really went the distance. Over the course of 3 hours it opened up revealing all the dark fruits. Blackberry, plum, black cherry. Very intense, delicious. Very special. I'll try to hold off on the rest for a few years.
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This is a special wine. Not a big bouquet, not very complex, but very intense. I was amazed at how well such a young wine was drinking now. The tannins are very soft right now. Lots of plum and dark fruit flavors. Very rich, long finish. Looking foward to trying this again in a few years.
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Pitch black opaque with purple at the edges. Forwar aroma of clean acidic blackcurrant and spice. Huge mouthful of tight black fruit, mocha, chocolate covered cherry and spice. Lovely! 6/05
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6/10/2020 - Kevnzworld wrote: 95 Points
Pnp but needed an hour to open up.
Beautiful nose that leads into a balanced wine with good fruit , some orange peel mixed with blueberry The finish still has some tannin with a little alcohol heat that faded as the wine opened up.
Secondary flavors of cigar box on the finish
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6/15/2018 - Nanda wrote:
Blind 2001/2002 Cab Tasting (Chez Hughes): Double blind paired with the 01, and the Forman 01/02. An extreme wine with uber-ripe black fruit, oak char and boozy aromas. The palate is dense and ripe with lots of charred oak. Chewy tannin. Nothing about this wine is appealing.
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6/15/2018 - Burgundy Al wrote:
California Cabernet 2001/2002 Blind Tasting (Hughes House - Chicago IL): Double blind in 01/02 Cali Cab tasting. Top heavy and off kilter. Not particularly enjoyable. Not nearly as good as I recall from last time tasted a few years back. Correctly ID'ed this as from '02 vintage.
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12/8/2017 - parkerbj wrote: 100 Points
I’ll admit I love Schrader wines. I think you can’t find better Napa Cabs than what Thomas Brown is putting out there. With that said, this certainly did not disappoint. Like the 2002 Abreu Thorevolis, this is very youthful for all three of color, nose, and taste. Both of these wines can last another 25 years easily. On a tangent subject, it would be interesting to try some of the aged, modern Napa Cabs like this against a first growth Bordeaux in years where both had excellent vintages... like 2009 and 2010. The only problem is we need to wait another 10 years to do it. Getting back on track, the Schrader is a beautiful wine, also 100 pts. It’s one of those wines that gives you goosebumps when you drink it. Again, velvet is the best way to describe the texture and the fruit, acidity, and integrated tannin just explode in the mouth. I’m lucky to have a few more of these to try over the next few years.
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7/25/2016 - Topper wrote: 93 Points
Very good cab, if slightly less tannic and flamboyant than one might expect from this maker and vineyard. Will make everyone happy, but their socks will still be on their feet.
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3/4/2016 - PopularCar Likes this wine: 96 Points
Great big Napa cab so it was everything I expected. Im a big fan of 2002 Napa cabs and this is right up there with the best of that vintage.
Drank at The Arthur J in Manhattan Beach, CA
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11/19/2015 - Burgundy Al wrote: 90 Points
California Cult Cabernet dinner (Oak Mill Cafe - Chicago IL): Very tasty and enjoyable black fruit, but slightly simple in the context of this great flight. Nicely balanced. Most likely at its peak.
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10/18/2015 - Mark H. LeQuire wrote: 95 Points
Deserves every bit of its rating. No flaws. Dark ruby garnet color. Minimal sediment. Soft dark flower and berry nose. Soft dark fruit flavors. No tannin. No acid. Low alcohol. Medium finish. Certainly ready to drink. Beyond peak. But, still a classic, beautiful wine. Paired perfectly with filet mignon.
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5/11/2014 - Wayne Richmon wrote: 97 Points
Just an amazing wine. Still oozing with ripe fruit and perfect balance. This wine was decanted and poured. Needed about 15 minutes to open fully and was just delicious from first sip to last drop.
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4/2/2012 - Frank Murray III wrote:
I last tasted this wine in 2008 and indicated in that note that the wine needed 3-5 more years. Well, 4 years later and tasting it again this past weekend and I have the word "ageworthy" undelined in my notes. So, as some would say, this is consistent with my previous note. This wine has terrific balance, structure and fruit. I also sensed a funky note in the wine, something rustic or suggestive of age. It's in the aromatic and somewhat in the palate and it adds an extra oomph to the experience. Black cherry, more red fruit than black it seemed to me and still tannic in the finish. Very nice and would like to try again in another 3 years!
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11/14/2011 - sedation (yellowgas) wrote: 95 Points
decanted for 4 hours. impeccably balanced wine. great depth, spice, chocolate. and a finish that went on a good long time.
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9/10/2011 - SGS wrote: 95 Points
Decanted and enjoyed with grilled steaks.
Really several steps beyond the usual Cabs we drink. Black fruit, blueberries, glycerin, long finish.
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8/28/2011 - shaferguy91 wrote: 94 Points
Decanted 1 hour.
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4/1/2011 - aegerter Likes this wine: 93 Points
Once I popped the cork, it became immediately apparent that this was a special wine. The bottom of the cork wad full with sediment to the point that you could use it to paint your ceiling. I trust this properly expresses the amazing levels of density and concentration with this wine. Subsequent vintages received 100 points, but this one lacks the distinctive complexity and intensity of flavors to merit a very high score. Pleasure to drink nevertheless!
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10/11/2009 - snordhoff wrote: 98 Points
Out of a 3 liter. This was just rocking from the get go. Great nose with blackberry and violets. Super silky on the palate with beautiful fruit and a tremendous long finish.
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9/6/2008 - Paul Lin wrote: 93 Points
OC Wine Dinner (Nesai - Newport Beach, CA): Now we get to the big guns. This wine is a rock star -- flamboyant, rich, and oozing with sex appeal. Opulent notes of cassis, brown sugar, and bittersweet chocolate. Creamy and decadent of the palate but amazingly balanced and complex. Has years of life ahead of it, but an absolute joy to drink now! 93-94 points.
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9/6/2008 - Frank Murray III wrote:
9/6/08 OC Wine Dinner (Nesai In Newport Beach, CA): Between this wine and the 02 Karl Lawrence Herb Lamb, a tough call for best cab of the flight. The nose was loaded with pencil shavings and what I want to say graphite or metallic. Not offputting but interesting and attracting for me. Big currant and chocolate with chalky tannin on the finish. My notes say "3-5 more years"? We killed this too early but what lies in the bottle suggests a terrific cab later on.
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6/20/2008 - gotapex wrote: 97 Points
Absolutely amazing nose. The aroma of dark fruit filled the air as soon as the bottle was popped. Blackberry and plum dominated on the tongue, with hints of cedar and spice. Fine tannins grip the tongue. 35-40 second finish.
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8/1/2007 - caldwell wrote:
Deep, dark, pretty gruit, with quite a bit of tannin in the back end that settled down with air. Certainly a good bottle of Cab, and one that would Wow many steak lovers. A bit simple for my taaste? People on erp loved the wine.
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2/19/2007 - jeff nowak wrote: 98 Points
the first two were pikers compared to this superior example of napa cabernet. this has everything in spades, baby. what complexity! what fruit! yeah, it's a better vintage, and that may be worth something, but good grief i wish i had a case of this. highly recommended.
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6/4/2006 - DRL01 wrote: 96 Points
This one really went the distance. Over the course of 3 hours it opened up revealing all the dark fruits. Blackberry, plum, black cherry. Very intense, delicious. Very special. I'll try to hold off on the rest for a few years.
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5/5/2006 - DRL01 wrote: 93 Points
Lots of dark fruit. Heavy blackberry, plum flavors. Very rich and concentrated. Full bodied. Not quite as good as the last one.
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1/13/2006 - DRL01 wrote: 95 Points
This is a special wine. Not a big bouquet, not very complex, but very intense. I was amazed at how well such a young wine was drinking now. The tannins are very soft right now. Lots of plum and dark fruit flavors. Very rich, long finish. Looking foward to trying this again in a few years.
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6/1/2005 - winefool wrote: 94 Points
Pitch black opaque with purple at the edges. Forwar aroma of clean acidic blackcurrant and spice. Huge mouthful of tight black fruit, mocha, chocolate covered cherry and spice. Lovely! 6/05
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