Very delicious and great value for the price. Red currant, red cherry, graphite and bell pepper, nicely integrated and balanced. A little on the light side for cab - sort of carignan-ish - but really good.
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An elegant cabernet for Napa Valley, far from a monster fruit bomb. The fruit is there, but it doesn’t wallop you in the face. Warm plums and black currant, a little baking spice and licorice. On the palate, the earthiness comes through as do flavors that remind me of bell pepper. The velvety tannins are balanced by fresh acidity. A moderately long and pleasant finish.
Really happy with this at $32
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Now this is really something. I'd guess 4th or 5th growth Bordeaux blind, and to realize it's Napa? And affordable? Loads of cigar box and saddle leather set the tone, with hints of black currant and blackberry throughout. Nice acidity, and elegant. Loved it.
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Open for a full day. Tried a sip on first day, but wasn't that moved. On day two it all fell into place. Integrated oak and tannins, lighter than most, but still enough to go the distance. Enjoying it.
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Dried roses, dried orange peel, potpourri on the nose. On the palate, blackberry, plum, and dark cherry and complimented by stark acidity and firm tannin. Well balanced. Really interesting wine and good qpr.
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The wine is medium ruby and clear. It’s dry, with med+ acid, tannins and alcohol. The flavors include black cherry, blackberry, vanilla, cedar, geranium, green pepper, leather and earth. The body is med+ with a med finish. This is a well balanced wine with med+intensity and med complexity. The wine is very good.
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At first taste, it is a subdued wine and a little disappointing. With a little time to breathe, it really opens up into an elegant, balanced wine. Not quite a cabernet, not quite a bordeaux, but something special. This would make a great weekday go to if the price was a bit lower.
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Utterly lovely and loveable cabernet. A restrained style but not something you could confuse for Bordeaux. It opens with a wafting perfume of red currants as pure and fresh as standing in the stomping vat, and continues the theme on the palate, which is light-bodied - rendered more like watercolors than oils - but still vibrant and energetic with that red-currant snap. It's not so juicy as to lean more on acid than tannin for structure though, and those cabernet tannins give it a nice, firm feel. The complexion turns towards the black currant side with some cigar-wrapper scents in the leftovers the next day. It is more in the category of satisfying than profound, but within that category I can't think of a Napa cabernet that's dinged higher for me. Wish there were more like this.
Was really looking forward to trying this after it was recommended to me following a tremendous experience with an Arnot-Roberts Cabernet, a similarly fresh, elegantly-styled CA Cab. In general I seek out this character more often than extracted, bigger wines, so when I say this really felt overpriced to me, it's not because I don't appreciate the style. I know it's only 1/3 the price of that Arnot-Roberts, but (although it was enjoyable in some ways) I had hoped for more.
Very shy red fruits on the nose, some good cherry and maybe brambly raspberry - a pinch of bell pepper which I don't really like, but thankfully more about the fruit, even if the whole package is pretty inexpressive. Didn't detect oak on nose, but not enough fruit to feel lively either. Palate is indeed on the fresher side, medium acidity and higher than the average $30 CA Cab, but also not much fruit, making it feel tart and puckery rather than elegant. Tannins are also very chalky and harsh, and it absolutely demands food to be palatable. A kiss of oak shows on the palate on day 2 (cinnamon w/ the bright red berry), maybe a little black cherry on nose, but still pretty harsh despite the freshness. The tannins and acidity indicate that it's aging-capable, but I don't know if it has enough fruit to really last.
Right now, doesn't have enough character to feel like a $30 wine, regardless of where it comes from or the intended style. Enjoyable enough with food, but it had been half the price, I'd probably give it a 92-93 on my scale. I'd still be curious to try their normal Napa cuvée.
2/9/2024 - mrbaby Likes this wine: 91 Points
Very delicious and great value for the price. Red currant, red cherry, graphite and bell pepper, nicely integrated and balanced. A little on the light side for cab - sort of carignan-ish - but really good.
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6/6/2023 - Toasty Oak Likes this wine:
June, 2nd & 6th, 2023
An elegant cabernet for Napa Valley, far from a monster fruit bomb. The fruit is there, but it doesn’t wallop you in the face. Warm plums and black currant, a little baking spice and licorice. On the palate, the earthiness comes through as do flavors that remind me of bell pepper. The velvety tannins are balanced by fresh acidity. A moderately long and pleasant finish.
Really happy with this at $32
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4/3/2022 - ziavino wrote: 92 Points
Now this is really something. I'd guess 4th or 5th growth Bordeaux blind, and to realize it's Napa? And affordable? Loads of cigar box and saddle leather set the tone, with hints of black currant and blackberry throughout. Nice acidity, and elegant. Loved it.
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1/19/2022 - S-F wrote: 91 Points
Open for a full day. Tried a sip on first day, but wasn't that moved. On day two it all fell into place. Integrated oak and tannins, lighter than most, but still enough to go the distance. Enjoying it.
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10/3/2021 - Old Wine Maven Likes this wine:
Young for sure, but integrated oak, smooth tannins, much better the 2nd day. This is a well made Calif Cab. 13.5% alcohol so not hot. Very good QPR.
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9/18/2021 - johnnylaw1222 Likes this wine: 91 Points
Dried roses, dried orange peel, potpourri on the nose. On the palate, blackberry, plum, and dark cherry and complimented by stark acidity and firm tannin. Well balanced. Really interesting wine and good qpr.
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8/17/2021 - the godfather wrote: 100 Points
love it
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7/9/2021 - Al Brookline Does not like this wine: 77 Points
Diesel, thin, fruit aftertaste, unbalanced, terrible effort.
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6/23/2021 - kristin.sinclair Likes this wine: 90 Points
complex and well-balanced esp for a california cab. eager to try other matthiasson wines!
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5/5/2021 - WojoWine Likes this wine: 93 Points
The wine is medium ruby and clear. It’s dry, with med+ acid, tannins and alcohol. The flavors include black cherry, blackberry, vanilla, cedar, geranium, green pepper, leather and earth. The body is med+ with a med finish. This is a well balanced wine with med+intensity and med complexity. The wine is very good.
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2/20/2021 - wirelesswine Likes this wine: 91 Points
Brilliant old school cab with cassis, blackberry. Structure says drink now, and it's really enjoyable.
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12/18/2020 - Knxdr Likes this wine: 91 Points
At first taste, it is a subdued wine and a little disappointing. With a little time to breathe, it really opens up into an elegant, balanced wine. Not quite a cabernet, not quite a bordeaux, but something special. This would make a great weekday go to if the price was a bit lower.
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12/17/2020 - Keith Levenberg Likes this wine: 93 Points
Utterly lovely and loveable cabernet. A restrained style but not something you could confuse for Bordeaux. It opens with a wafting perfume of red currants as pure and fresh as standing in the stomping vat, and continues the theme on the palate, which is light-bodied - rendered more like watercolors than oils - but still vibrant and energetic with that red-currant snap. It's not so juicy as to lean more on acid than tannin for structure though, and those cabernet tannins give it a nice, firm feel. The complexion turns towards the black currant side with some cigar-wrapper scents in the leftovers the next day. It is more in the category of satisfying than profound, but within that category I can't think of a Napa cabernet that's dinged higher for me. Wish there were more like this.
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11/27/2020 - BadOyster wrote: 90 Points
Solid well-balanced (truly Matthiasson in style) cabernet. Not for fruit bomb lovers.
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9/4/2020 - sid_loves_wine Likes this wine: 90 Points
Was really looking forward to trying this after it was recommended to me following a tremendous experience with an Arnot-Roberts Cabernet, a similarly fresh, elegantly-styled CA Cab. In general I seek out this character more often than extracted, bigger wines, so when I say this really felt overpriced to me, it's not because I don't appreciate the style. I know it's only 1/3 the price of that Arnot-Roberts, but (although it was enjoyable in some ways) I had hoped for more.
Very shy red fruits on the nose, some good cherry and maybe brambly raspberry - a pinch of bell pepper which I don't really like, but thankfully more about the fruit, even if the whole package is pretty inexpressive. Didn't detect oak on nose, but not enough fruit to feel lively either. Palate is indeed on the fresher side, medium acidity and higher than the average $30 CA Cab, but also not much fruit, making it feel tart and puckery rather than elegant. Tannins are also very chalky and harsh, and it absolutely demands food to be palatable. A kiss of oak shows on the palate on day 2 (cinnamon w/ the bright red berry), maybe a little black cherry on nose, but still pretty harsh despite the freshness. The tannins and acidity indicate that it's aging-capable, but I don't know if it has enough fruit to really last.
Right now, doesn't have enough character to feel like a $30 wine, regardless of where it comes from or the intended style. Enjoyable enough with food, but it had been half the price, I'd probably give it a 92-93 on my scale. I'd still be curious to try their normal Napa cuvée.
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9/2/2020 - Ben Christiansen wrote:
With some green notes and cranberry, Very lively fresh fruit. Fresh Cabernet. The freshest.
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