Brownish rim. Dark berries, smoke. Intense. Smooth tannins. Full bodied but neither thick nor juicy. 14 vol are nicely balanced. A lot better than 5 years ago. No edges which might add character. Will please many people at this stage.
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If you didn’t know already, this is the second wine of Dominus.
The nose reveals; sour dark cherries, blackberries, baked strawberries, sugar style plum, black raspberries, sweetened, lean pomegranate, candied raspberries, blue fruits, vanilla, light clove, anise, steeped, black fruit tea, graphite, dark, rich, turned earth,sweet tarriness, limestone, alluvial soils, dry top soil, leathery notes, cedar, moist crushed rocks, dash of dry herbs with withering, dark, red flowers and old violets.
The body is medium full. The tannins nicely resolved but, still show a fair amount of firmness. The structure, tension, length and balance have hit a high point. Sour dark cherries, blackberries, baked strawberries, sugar style plum, black raspberries, sweetened, lean pomegranate, candied raspberries, a fair amount of blue fruits that hide on the nose, vanilla, light clove, dark spice anise, steeped, black fruit tea, graphite, dark, rich, turned earth, dark tar, limestone, alluvial soils, dry top soil, underbrush, tough shoe leather, cedar, moist crushed rocks, gritty volcanic minerals, dry clay, dash of dry herbs with fresh & withering, dark, red flowers and bright violets. The acidity is vibrant and fresh. The long finish starts ripe, bright candied fruits and slides into slightly dominate, dry earthiness and persists several minutes.
I would say this is still a hold for another 3-5 years. The 05 could show another point or two then. Just missing 92 now.
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Needs drinking sooner than later. Nicely à point today. Unfortunately the alcohol is showing a bit too much. Other than that I would say this is a great "Bordeaux"
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Couleur violet avec légère teinte brune. Nez sur les cerises confites, avec un côté floral et végétal. En bouche, attaque vive sur les cerises confites, mures, avec un côté terreux et boisé. On perçoit un goût végétal en fin de bouche qui est très agréable. La finale est longue, la saveur perdure pendant plusieurs minutes. Très très agréable.
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Ive drank a case of this wine since release, and if you're not giving this wine 90 plus points you're crazy. Don't mean to insult other tasters but this is a $30 12 yr old napa cab that can hang w wines 4x the price. Still plenty of fruit (coffee, chocolate), balanced w good acidity - everything you'd want from an aged napa cab with new world fruit and old world charm. Last bottle unfortunately.
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Decanted for an hour. Rather accessible for it's relatively young age. Nose of cassis, coffee, cocoa, espresso, cedar, vanilla and oak. One could almost think that this wine was a bordeaux. A very good effort by Dominus as the wine came out very balanced, nuanced and tempered. An old world wine drinker will certainly like this style of wine. Not at all in the typical American Napa style. Still have some ways to go before reaching the peak but still enjoyable to drink now.
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Seriously good wine, I would have not picked this as Californian except that it has an attractive accessibility I expect this has always been attractive and always will be - like 1985 bordeaux. Excellent balance and attractive fresh aromas. The next 20 years will be generous to this wine I expect, bringing aged complexity.
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At 76% Cabernet Sauvignon this is softer than a Napa Cab but with 14% Cabernet Franc & 10% Petit Verdot it is more muscular than an 05 Bordeaux. Tar, cassis, and just a bit of dark fruits with a splendid but not too dry mouthfeel and medium finish. No discernible browning at the edges this wine still has some life in it. Can't wait to open the 07 version
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The nose is darker red fruits as opposed to pure dark fruits. Well balanced wine with ample fruit and some mocha and smooth tannins. Should be drunk at this point as its probably slightly past peak.
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Drank my last bottle of a case. One year after the second last bottle. The wine is dark ruby (but not opaque), clear and has slow running legs. The nose is still fruit driven, but quite complex with lots of different dark and red berries, and with some prunes. There is milk chocolate, and a hint of vanilla. Black currant is clear and there is a hint of cedar. The palate is similar as the nose but with a hint of charcoal, and a bit of cocoa. It is full bodied (just) and it has lots of flavours left. The tannins are soft and well integrated. It is probably at its peak right now. While I think it will keep for 2-3 years, I would drink up now. I do not see any meaning in further ageing as it will likely loose its fruit faster than it develops tertiary flavours. Great second wine to Dominus. I like it a lot. 3 = very good.
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POP and did not like. Little fruit and unbalanced. Perhaps I was too quick and should have decanted for a while but I did not taste any reason to do so.
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Notes similar to last time, but all better integrated and well rounded. Excellent bordeaux-blend. Full bodied and round. Lots of dark fruit and hints of cedar. While it will last for some years, I think this is at its peak now. The fruit is still present, and the tannins are silky. I doubt it gets any better. 3 = very good
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Bell pepper and black fruits are pleasing and this is starting to offer some mature notes. I've liked the '04 better and never found the '05 great, but this is drinking nicely right now.
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Dark, does not show much maturity. Tears on the glass. Quite intense nose with ribena and cedar notes. Still lots of fruit. Tannins have further to go. Hints of bitter chocolate at the end. Medium to full bodied. Mid palate is a tiny bit on the weak side for a Napa cab. Not super complex but very nice to drink. Medium long after taste. Drinks well now, but I actually think it has five years to go if you let it. 2/3 = good to very good.
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Typical Napa Cabernet nose. Powerfull scent of sweet dark berries, mostly dark cherries. Vanilla, leather and blueberries on the end.Taste follows the nose, great mouth feel. Quite dry on the mid-palate, but more acidic finish. Good length on the finish. Overall good balance and starting to open up. Accessible now, but would hold up for several more years. Good oak integration and long finish.
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Dark brooding fruits on the palate, dark berries, licorice, clove, tobacco. Softened, but heavy tannins, and a long and complex finish. This is a big 2nd wine. Paired well w short ribs and truffles, drink now or hold 5 yrs. If I were to nitpick, I would prefer a little more structure but there is a decent amount here.
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Decanted for 1/2 hour prior to drinking. Seems to have entered a dumb phase based on this experience and other reviews. No where near as good as my earlier bottles.
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Surprisingly underwhelming and uninteresting, even had another taster ask if this was under the class of the other Napa Cab consumed that evening which was Ric Forman's second label purchased at a noticeably lower price ...
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Sampled 9/5/11 Upon first opening, very tight and dense. After 5 hours the wine had completely softened, but in doing so it had faded a little. The decent blackberries, black cherries, dried herbs, cedar and pencil lead start to fade on the finish and the finish gets too thin. Still a perfectly fine wine between the 1 and 5 hour mark, but nothing special.
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Decanted for 1 hour prior to dinner. Dark cherry, earth, dark chocolate, vanilla. Full bodied, long finish. Not sure why I'm liking this more than other recent reviewers. Napanook seems to hit its peak around 6 years in and this is not different.
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Blackberry notes and lots of pepper without seeming underripe. Subtle coffee notes add complexity to the finish. This wine goes up and down for me but this bottle was smooth, integrated and very enjoyable.
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We finally finished the 04's and this was the first of the 05's. I was hesitant based on the notes and was looking to decant for at least an hour. Alas, life intervened and we had to make due with an initial 15 minute decant. It improved over the night so I suggest at least the hour. Nose of damp earth, herbs, muted fruit. Taste of dark chocolate, espresso, sage, dark cherry. Dark purple, full bodied, silky, some gripping tannins that relaxed over the night but gave good structure. Impressive wine. This has a long life ahead of it but this certainly is drinking well now. Dominus tends to the old world style of muted fruit and terrior. Fruit forward fans stay away.
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Again, don't know why I don't listen to my own notes. YOUNG, YOUNG, YOUNG. White pepper, some dark fruit and chocolate. Seems to be in a shut down phase since last year we had one that was excellent. It may also be that it had just been shipped and it is experiencing 'bottle shock'. I intended to open the 06 and let this rest but opened it by mistake. Maybe re-bottling and letting it sit another day or two will help.
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After show party - showed very well from bottle and after several hours decant. A really good blend but was surprisingly 2nd against Malescot St Exupery 2001, the later being much preferred by enthusiasts and non-wine drinkers alike. Still thought this was a good wine though
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Did not like it at when just opened the bottle, BUT after 4 hours WOW it opened up and showed a well balanced blend red wine. If I had one more bottle I will open it in 2-3 years
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Consistently solid quality though not my favorite bottle of this. There is a greener edge to this particular bottle. Still, there is quality structure and reasonable complexity.
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Very dark wine. Plums and dark berries in the palate. Very tannic, however, they soften with time in a decanter or glass. After a while, very pleasant velvety tannins. Got a hint of spice and sweet tobacco. Good wine.
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decanted 90+ minutes ... not much going on aromatically ... good dark fruit and good mouthfeel ... good finish with a little lingering spice ... still very tannic ... a very good to excellent wine.
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Sampled 6/5/10. This dark wine took about 4 hours in a decanter to fully open. Black currant, some dried herbs and spices with a little earthiness underneath. Some dried green peppers appeared in the background. Smooth, but the wine will get softer and more elegant with time, and perhaps improve a point or two. Better than I thought, and clearly a wine that will not hit its peak for a few more years and should easily last another 10+ years.
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Monthly Tasting Group HWS #047; California. (By AW): Anise and bird cage sand in the bouquet. Some spiciness and fruits as well. Very elegant start. Ripe red and black fruits. Some spiciness again. Very good balance between acidity and sweetness. Ok tannin. A little bit short in the finish, but nevertheless an excellent wine. Ready now, but certainly a future of 2 - 4+ years.
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I tend to like Napanook. While this one doesn't reach its highest heights, it's still very enjoyable. Spicy blackberry and jam. Smooth tannins and a coffee and mocha finish. A little heat comes and goes with more tastes.
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Split rating ( Andreas 88, Nicol 91) hence 89+ Smooth well rounded and easy to enjoy at the moment. Restaurant purchase so not much in terms of decanting. Very dark red colour. Nice mild (maybe too mild) body, not overoaked. Not much length not much magic.
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This may not be as great as some of the other vintages, but I LOVE THIS WINE. 2005 is a bit on the light side, but it is still smooth as silk - I have honestly never seen a bottle of red consumed so quickly!
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This hard bastard is still holding out, decanted it and smacked the hell out of it with a paddle and it was still fairly tannic. It softened later in the evening, but I think it still has a certain foxiness that spoils it a bit as a CB.
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Restaurant purchase at Ruth's Chris. Excellent wine with NY Strip. Pop and pour. Nice garnet color with solid legs and medium to full body. Nice oak, vanilla, some cocoa, tobacco on the nose with smooth tannins and minimal acidity. Best I can remember.
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Full-bodied and fruity, but missing something. Side-by-side with a Rutherford-area cab that sparkled with fruit and spice, which left the Napanook lacking a bit.
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Nez boisé, torréfié, (brûlé et café)... on ne peut percevoir que très peu de fruit... , avec un peu de poivron vert qui me fait deviner la présence de cabernet franc (14% en vérifiant). En bouche, l’attaque est crémeuse, plate, mollassonne, sans saveurs. Déconcertant...
Le milieu de bouche nous dévoile le fruit peu persistant pour mener à une finale de longueur correcte apportant une sensation d’amertume, sur des arômes torréfiés, l’olive, et le thé noir.
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Fabulous Napa Cab, all the right stuff and really tasty - Black, well concentrated with a nose of extreme plum, cherry, mocha, cedar and vanilla, very well balanced, structured, sweet on the palate with terrific length, well done (92 Points).
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Dominus Masterclass with Edouard Moueix (St. Regis Hotel, Singapore): Not bad, but a shade poorer than the 2003 that I tasted alongside. Like its older sibling, this had clear alcohol notes on the nose, with spice, earth, plums, sweet cassis, and cherries. More noticeably Californian than the Dominus bottlings or even the more elegant 2003 Napanook. Palate had a layer of fine, but teeth-coating tannins and nice fresh balance that provided relief to its rich cassis fruit. Some elegance here - this was no brute. Finish was a little drying, with bramble, tobacco, a touch of green stems and a burst of alcohol. A little short. Not bad for what it is, but far from the experience on the "grand vin".
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Cassis, black cherry and french oak flavors. Nicely balanced medium body with moderate, fine-grain tannins. Not too complex, but I enjoyed the overall style.
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NOT YET. So, this was very purple and tannic. Too young, in my opinion, to say much about what it is or is not or is likely to be. There is a measure of inconsistency in the notes on this wine that I find hard to explain; the only possible reason I can see is that my bottles have been stored for most of their life in a cooler-than-north-america climate, so the bottles have not developed much. The drink window is meant to be 2008 onwards but I would push that up to 2010 onwards, at least. There is fruit, a good deal of alcohol and then those tannins (moderately severe). It could just turn out to be one of those hard, cheap-bastard wines though, if it does not resolve these discommodious parts. It softened and opened up a bit 3 hours on, but the heat of the 14% started to come through in a less attractive way. Though I have a case of this stuff, I am thinking that I don't really like it.
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Popped and poured. Dark translucent garnet. Nose of black cherry, vanilla, and cream soda. Medium weight, fruit forward palate with plum and black cherry. Mid-palate dies a little fast. Pleasant acidity. Minimal tannins. Overall, pretty bland stuff.
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Ruby-red. Nose shows lots of fruit, cassis and blackberry. In the mouth, a surprising overtone of cranberry (!?) over loamy earth. The finish bring fine-grained tannins, but firm dryness. Tastes a bit hot, odd since it's listed at 14.1% ABV. Balance is good, and the finish is rather long.
Drink through 2013.
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restrained tight nose. Very young. Red candied fruit, cranberries, giving way to forest floor and truffle notes. Sawdust. Nice mouth feel, but acid and tannin need time to simmer
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Perhaps this bottle wasn't stored well, perhaps this wine is in an awkward stage, but this tasting offered a more Claret-like wine, firmly structured with briar and damp soil notes underscoring its currant, plum and grilled herb flavors. Noticeably dry on the palate with some gripping tannin on the backend and mid+ acidity.
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Philadelphia Wine Festival (Marriott, Philadelphia PA): really nice -- they either did a poor job of selection or I'm not appreciating the potential, because I liked this (same vintage) quite a bit more than the Dominus Estate. Red fruit, soft tannins, and a medium(+) finish.
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Very noticeable rasberry aromas, beautiful deep ruby color, rasberry carries over onto the palate with some tart cherry, sturdy tannins, surprising depth and weight here. Finish is a bit hot.
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nose: fairly forward compared to its bigger brother with a real tart red fruit base of red cherries, red currants, and cranberry tones. Good depth with nice expression
taste: excellent medium/full feel with good tones of red licorice, tart red cherries, red currants and some bits of red berry tones. Good tannins give the wine a bit of a backbone
overall: a real nice wine. Balanced with good fruit, this will definitely appeal to people who like more forward wines. It isn't over the top at all, but certainly has a ripeness to it
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taste: nice plush feel with good fruited tones of red currants, red cherries and bits of cedar
overall: almost there, but lacks depth to really send it forward. Nice feel and fruit, but there is a lack of tannins and with the forward nature of this, it probably won't improve too much as there isn't the depth there to let it improve
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This wine will age nicely. It is drinkable now, but will do better in a few years. Very nice nose, good bold color, hints of coffee and fresh fruit. Great finish.
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87-88. Agree with the others. This wine is young and a bit tight, but doesn't have anything very exciting about it. Became a bit better and more balanced with air but i don't think this will ever be a 90 pointer.
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Very dissapointed with this bottle last night. It wasn't "bad" by any means, but we didn't enjoy it very much. Tasted a lot like a cheap red and never really developed. At over $30 I would never buy this again.
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Opened this to enjoy with filet mignon. Great match to the meat. Scents of blackberries and oak which shows itself in the form of some spice or perhaps a bit of the cedar note. Initially this was fairly tightly wound up but really didn't take too long to open up and by the time the temperature of the wine came up a bit from cellar temp it was fairly open. Medium-bodied with good fruit mixed with fine tannins that finish dry. In my opinion, very good but just a tad below the 04.
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Rich blackberry with hints of chocolate and allspice. Starts off with a bang but runs out of steam in the end. Still very young and needs time to settle the somewhat harsh tannins. Has potential to be exquisite in a few years, but for now the monster needs to rest and unwind a bit.
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An advanced tasting at the MMD Grand Tasting in Boston: Still young and needing a bit more time to settle its coarse tannins, and integrate its creamy cassis, green pepper and mint flavors.
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3/3/2024 - no leashes wrote: 91 Points
This wine is singing, with smooth dark fruit and hints of earth, coffee and chocolate. delicious!
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10/16/2022 - sempervinum Likes this wine: 94 Points
Brownish rim. Dark berries, smoke. Intense. Smooth tannins. Full bodied but neither thick nor juicy. 14 vol are nicely balanced. A lot better than 5 years ago. No edges which might add character. Will please many people at this stage.
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4/11/2020 - Ringo8592 Likes this wine: 85 Points
Light
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7/3/2019 - Somm David T Likes this wine: 91 Points
If you didn’t know already, this is the second wine of Dominus.
The nose reveals; sour dark cherries, blackberries, baked strawberries, sugar style plum, black raspberries, sweetened, lean pomegranate, candied raspberries, blue fruits, vanilla, light clove, anise, steeped, black fruit tea, graphite, dark, rich, turned earth,sweet tarriness, limestone, alluvial soils, dry top soil, leathery notes, cedar, moist crushed rocks, dash of dry herbs with withering, dark, red flowers and old violets.
The body is medium full. The tannins nicely resolved but, still show a fair amount of firmness. The structure, tension, length and balance have hit a high point. Sour dark cherries, blackberries, baked strawberries, sugar style plum, black raspberries, sweetened, lean pomegranate, candied raspberries, a fair amount of blue fruits that hide on the nose, vanilla, light clove, dark spice anise, steeped, black fruit tea, graphite, dark, rich, turned earth, dark tar, limestone, alluvial soils, dry top soil, underbrush, tough shoe leather, cedar, moist crushed rocks, gritty volcanic minerals, dry clay, dash of dry herbs with fresh & withering, dark, red flowers and bright violets. The acidity is vibrant and fresh. The long finish starts ripe, bright candied fruits and slides into slightly dominate, dry earthiness and persists several minutes.
I would say this is still a hold for another 3-5 years. The 05 could show another point or two then. Just missing 92 now.
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4/25/2019 - Peter Z. wrote: 92 Points
Needs drinking sooner than later. Nicely à point today. Unfortunately the alcohol is showing a bit too much. Other than that I would say this is a great "Bordeaux"
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3/31/2018 - Laurentcg Likes this wine: 93 Points
Couleur violet avec légère teinte brune.
Nez sur les cerises confites, avec un côté floral et végétal.
En bouche, attaque vive sur les cerises confites, mures, avec un côté terreux et boisé. On perçoit un goût végétal en fin de bouche qui est très agréable.
La finale est longue, la saveur perdure pendant plusieurs minutes.
Très très agréable.
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9/18/2017 - bonedoc wrote: 93 Points
Ive drank a case of this wine since release, and if you're not giving this wine 90 plus points you're crazy. Don't mean to insult other tasters but this is a $30 12 yr old napa cab that can hang w wines 4x the price. Still plenty of fruit (coffee, chocolate), balanced w good acidity - everything you'd want from an aged napa cab with new world fruit and old world charm. Last bottle unfortunately.
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2/13/2017 - stayhappy21 wrote: 88 Points
Drank this at Chef Chan's Restaurant tonight with some wine mates. Theme of the night: Wines from the Year of the Rooster.
Very characteristic of a Napa Cab: dark crimson with a nose full of blackberries and dark fruits, coupled with cigar, dark chocolate, and nuts.
On the palate is rounded and well structured with red fruits and cheddar.
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12/27/2015 - Nicholas81 Likes this wine: 92 Points
Decanted for an hour. Rather accessible for it's relatively young age. Nose of cassis, coffee, cocoa, espresso, cedar, vanilla and oak. One could almost think that this wine was a bordeaux. A very good effort by Dominus as the wine came out very balanced, nuanced and tempered. An old world wine drinker will certainly like this style of wine. Not at all in the typical American Napa style. Still have some ways to go before reaching the peak but still enjoyable to drink now.
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12/19/2015 - annerk wrote:
Still,youthful, decant for at least an hour, better to hold for another 3-5.
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7/12/2015 - ProfByron Likes this wine: 92 Points
Seriously good wine, I would have not picked this as Californian except that it has an attractive accessibility I expect this has always been attractive and always will be - like 1985 bordeaux. Excellent balance and attractive fresh aromas. The next 20 years will be generous to this wine I expect, bringing aged complexity.
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5/31/2015 - bonedoc wrote: 92 Points
'04 blankiet paradise hills: milk chocolate, long finish, more elegant not a blockbuster, showed better than last bottles which were lackluster 93
'05 dominus napanook: espresso, dark chocolate, an underrated wine. 92
'05 etude: lacking compared to other wines. 90
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5/20/2015 - StraightnoChaser Likes this wine: 90 Points
At 76% Cabernet Sauvignon this is softer than a Napa Cab but with 14% Cabernet Franc & 10% Petit Verdot it is more muscular than an 05 Bordeaux. Tar, cassis, and just a bit of dark fruits with a splendid but not too dry mouthfeel and medium finish. No discernible browning at the edges this wine still has some life in it. Can't wait to open the 07 version
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3/29/2015 - ChickenNoodle Likes this wine: 89 Points
The nose is darker red fruits as opposed to pure dark fruits. Well balanced wine with ample fruit and some mocha and smooth tannins. Should be drunk at this point as its probably slightly past peak.
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1/11/2015 - Sjontoft wrote: 92 Points
Drank my last bottle of a case. One year after the second last bottle.
The wine is dark ruby (but not opaque), clear and has slow running legs.
The nose is still fruit driven, but quite complex with lots of different dark and red berries, and with some prunes. There is milk chocolate, and a hint of vanilla. Black currant is clear and there is a hint of cedar.
The palate is similar as the nose but with a hint of charcoal, and a bit of cocoa. It is full bodied (just) and it has lots of flavours left.
The tannins are soft and well integrated.
It is probably at its peak right now. While I think it will keep for 2-3 years, I would drink up now. I do not see any meaning in further ageing as it will likely loose its fruit faster than it develops tertiary flavours. Great second wine to Dominus. I like it a lot.
3 = very good.
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4/27/2014 - dmalcolm wrote:
Very youthful. Enjoyable, but not too expressive. Will benefit from extended cellaring.
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3/5/2014 - LCHammer Does not like this wine: 85 Points
POP and did not like. Little fruit and unbalanced. Perhaps I was too quick and should have decanted for a while but I did not taste any reason to do so.
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1/11/2014 - Sjontoft Likes this wine: 92 Points
Notes similar to last time, but all better integrated and well rounded. Excellent bordeaux-blend. Full bodied and round. Lots of dark fruit and hints of cedar.
While it will last for some years, I think this is at its peak now. The fruit is still present, and the tannins are silky. I doubt it gets any better.
3 = very good
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11/29/2013 - Trolson wrote: 88 Points
Great value wine. Drinking wonderfully now.
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10/2/2013 - gmbdds wrote: 89 Points
Bell pepper and black fruits are pleasing and this is starting to offer some mature notes. I've liked the '04 better and never found the '05 great, but this is drinking nicely right now.
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5/4/2013 - bonedoc wrote: 92 Points
Dark brooding fruits, espresso/coffee notes, medium finish.
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3/21/2013 - Sjontoft wrote: 90 Points
Dark, does not show much maturity. Tears on the glass.
Quite intense nose with ribena and cedar notes.
Still lots of fruit. Tannins have further to go. Hints of bitter chocolate at the end.
Medium to full bodied. Mid palate is a tiny bit on the weak side for a Napa cab.
Not super complex but very nice to drink. Medium long after taste.
Drinks well now, but I actually think it has five years to go if you let it.
2/3 = good to very good.
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2/1/2013 - BATWine wrote: 90 Points
Delicious. We first had with pasta Alfredo and the cream sauce did not go with the wine. After dinner we really appreciated it.
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1/30/2013 - askoje wrote: 91 Points
Typical Napa Cabernet nose. Powerfull scent of sweet dark berries, mostly dark cherries. Vanilla, leather and blueberries on the end.Taste follows the nose, great mouth feel. Quite dry on the mid-palate, but more acidic finish. Good length on the finish. Overall good balance and starting to open up. Accessible now, but would hold up for several more years. Good oak integration and long finish.
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1/28/2013 - bonedoc wrote: 93 Points
Dark brooding fruits on the palate, dark berries, licorice, clove, tobacco. Softened, but heavy tannins, and a long and complex finish. This is a big 2nd wine. Paired well w short ribs and truffles, drink now or hold 5 yrs. If I were to nitpick, I would prefer a little more structure but there is a decent amount here.
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4/12/2012 - gmbdds wrote: 89 Points
Black cherry, currant and spice notes. Showing just a hint of dulling/oxidation.
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12/18/2011 - wineotim wrote: 86 Points
Acidity out of whack, too high, fruit is muted, alcohol is hot. Next day it gets a little better. Not as impressive as my first bottle last year.
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11/4/2011 - HOS wrote: 89 Points
Decanted for 1/2 hour prior to drinking. Seems to have entered a dumb phase based on this experience and other reviews. No where near as good as my earlier bottles.
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10/25/2011 - sirswami wrote: 87 Points
Surprisingly underwhelming and uninteresting, even had another taster ask if this was under the class of the other Napa Cab consumed that evening which was Ric Forman's second label purchased at a noticeably lower price ...
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10/9/2011 - apes wrote:
Did nothing for me.
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9/26/2011 - Rupert wrote: 89 Points
Dominus with Edouard Moueix (The Ledbury, London): Higher toned than the 06 and deeper - smooth, earthy and with a liquorice tone
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9/6/2011 - mxpbuy wrote: 89 Points
Sampled 9/5/11 Upon first opening, very tight and dense. After 5 hours the wine had completely softened, but in doing so it had faded a little. The decent blackberries, black cherries, dried herbs, cedar and pencil lead start to fade on the finish and the finish gets too thin. Still a perfectly fine wine between the 1 and 5 hour mark, but nothing special.
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8/14/2011 - HOS wrote: 94 Points
Decanted for 1 hour prior to dinner. Dark cherry, earth, dark chocolate, vanilla. Full bodied, long finish. Not sure why I'm liking this more than other recent reviewers. Napanook seems to hit its peak around 6 years in and this is not different.
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5/28/2011 - gmbdds wrote: 90 Points
Blackberry notes and lots of pepper without seeming underripe. Subtle coffee notes add complexity to the finish. This wine goes up and down for me but this bottle was smooth, integrated and very enjoyable.
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4/22/2011 - HOS wrote: 93 Points
We finally finished the 04's and this was the first of the 05's. I was hesitant based on the notes and was looking to decant for at least an hour. Alas, life intervened and we had to make due with an initial 15 minute decant. It improved over the night so I suggest at least the hour. Nose of damp earth, herbs, muted fruit. Taste of dark chocolate, espresso, sage, dark cherry. Dark purple, full bodied, silky, some gripping tannins that relaxed over the night but gave good structure. Impressive wine. This has a long life ahead of it but this certainly is drinking well now. Dominus tends to the old world style of muted fruit and terrior. Fruit forward fans stay away.
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4/2/2011 - BillyT wrote:
Again, don't know why I don't listen to my own notes. YOUNG, YOUNG, YOUNG. White pepper, some dark fruit and chocolate. Seems to be in a shut down phase since last year we had one that was excellent. It may also be that it had just been shipped and it is experiencing 'bottle shock'. I intended to open the 06 and let this rest but opened it by mistake. Maybe re-bottling and letting it sit another day or two will help.
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2/28/2011 - darrenhe wrote: 87 Points
After show party - showed very well from bottle and after several hours decant. A really good blend but was surprisingly 2nd against Malescot St Exupery 2001, the later being much preferred by enthusiasts and non-wine drinkers alike. Still thought this was a good wine though
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2/20/2011 - tshahar wrote: 92 Points
Did not like it at when just opened the bottle, BUT after 4 hours WOW it opened up and showed a well balanced blend red wine. If I had one more bottle I will open it in 2-3 years
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1/30/2011 - cmclean wrote: 87 Points
Started out really nice and Napa-Cabby but quickly turned woody and reduced. But it's not too young?! I was left hoping for more.
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1/22/2011 - gmbdds wrote: 89 Points
Consistently solid quality though not my favorite bottle of this. There is a greener edge to this particular bottle. Still, there is quality structure and reasonable complexity.
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7/12/2010 - Aovalle wrote: 88 Points
Very dark wine. Plums and dark berries in the palate. Very tannic, however, they soften with time in a decanter or glass. After a while, very pleasant velvety tannins. Got a hint of spice and sweet tobacco. Good wine.
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7/3/2010 - ny pete wrote:
decanted 90+ minutes ... not much going on aromatically ... good dark fruit and good mouthfeel ... good finish with a little lingering spice ... still very tannic ... a very good to excellent wine.
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6/8/2010 - mxpbuy wrote: 91 Points
Sampled 6/5/10. This dark wine took about 4 hours in a decanter to fully open. Black currant, some dried herbs and spices with a little earthiness underneath. Some dried green peppers appeared in the background. Smooth, but the wine will get softer and more elegant with time, and perhaps improve a point or two. Better than I thought, and clearly a wine that will not hit its peak for a few more years and should easily last another 10+ years.
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5/12/2010 - Zweder wrote: 89 Points
Monthly Tasting Group HWS #047; California. (By AW): Anise and bird cage sand in the bouquet. Some spiciness and fruits as well. Very elegant start. Ripe red and black fruits. Some spiciness again. Very good balance between acidity and sweetness. Ok tannin. A little bit short in the finish, but nevertheless an excellent wine. Ready now, but certainly a future of 2 - 4+ years.
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5/5/2010 - BillyT wrote: 90 Points
Needs decanting and developed nicely over three days with day three being the best. This wine is too young to drink now in my estimation.
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4/30/2010 - gmbdds wrote: 90 Points
I tend to like Napanook. While this one doesn't reach its highest heights, it's still very enjoyable. Spicy blackberry and jam. Smooth tannins and a coffee and mocha finish. A little heat comes and goes with more tastes.
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4/24/2010 - Papies wrote: 89 Points
Split rating ( Andreas 88, Nicol 91) hence 89+
Smooth well rounded and easy to enjoy at the moment. Restaurant purchase so not much in terms of decanting. Very dark red colour. Nice mild (maybe too mild) body, not overoaked. Not much length not much magic.
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4/23/2010 - Sjontoft wrote: 88 Points
Good but too young. Fairly tannic.
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4/11/2010 - willthethrill wrote: 91 Points
This may not be as great as some of the other vintages, but I LOVE THIS WINE. 2005 is a bit on the light side, but it is still smooth as silk - I have honestly never seen a bottle of red consumed so quickly!
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3/26/2010 - mukden wrote: 88 Points
This hard bastard is still holding out, decanted it and smacked the hell out of it with a paddle and it was still fairly tannic. It softened later in the evening, but I think it still has a certain foxiness that spoils it a bit as a CB.
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3/5/2010 - BillyT wrote: 89 Points
Restaurant purchase at Ruth's Chris. Excellent wine with NY Strip. Pop and pour. Nice garnet color with solid legs and medium to full body. Nice oak, vanilla, some cocoa, tobacco on the nose with smooth tannins and minimal acidity. Best I can remember.
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2/28/2010 - mpop wrote: 87 Points
Too young, would wait a coupe of years.
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1/25/2010 - zeke26 wrote: 89 Points
Full-bodied and fruity, but missing something. Side-by-side with a Rutherford-area cab that sparkled with fruit and spice, which left the Napanook lacking a bit.
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1/20/2010 - sebastienjm wrote: 82 Points
Nez boisé, torréfié, (brûlé et café)... on ne peut percevoir que très peu de fruit... , avec un peu de poivron vert qui me fait deviner la présence de cabernet franc (14% en vérifiant). En bouche, l’attaque est crémeuse, plate, mollassonne, sans saveurs. Déconcertant...
Le milieu de bouche nous dévoile le fruit peu persistant pour mener à une finale de longueur correcte apportant une sensation d’amertume, sur des arômes torréfiés, l’olive, et le thé noir.
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12/5/2009 - Tarrant wrote: 92 Points
Fabulous Napa Cab, all the right stuff and really tasty - Black, well concentrated with a nose of extreme plum, cherry, mocha, cedar and vanilla, very well balanced, structured, sweet on the palate with terrific length, well done (92 Points).
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12/2/2009 - PangurBan wrote: 89 Points
Dark red fruit and good balance with a hint of green pepper on the finish. All in all a very nice wine.
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11/30/2009 - Paul S wrote: 89 Points
Dominus Masterclass with Edouard Moueix (St. Regis Hotel, Singapore): Not bad, but a shade poorer than the 2003 that I tasted alongside. Like its older sibling, this had clear alcohol notes on the nose, with spice, earth, plums, sweet cassis, and cherries. More noticeably Californian than the Dominus bottlings or even the more elegant 2003 Napanook. Palate had a layer of fine, but teeth-coating tannins and nice fresh balance that provided relief to its rich cassis fruit. Some elegance here - this was no brute. Finish was a little drying, with bramble, tobacco, a touch of green stems and a burst of alcohol. A little short. Not bad for what it is, but far from the experience on the "grand vin".
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10/11/2009 - Surfdoc wrote: 90 Points
Cassis, black cherry and french oak flavors. Nicely balanced medium body with moderate, fine-grain tannins. Not too complex, but I enjoyed the overall style.
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9/25/2009 - mukden wrote: 88 Points
NOT YET. So, this was very purple and tannic. Too young, in my opinion, to say much about what it is or is not or is likely to be. There is a measure of inconsistency in the notes on this wine that I find hard to explain; the only possible reason I can see is that my bottles have been stored for most of their life in a cooler-than-north-america climate, so the bottles have not developed much. The drink window is meant to be 2008 onwards but I would push that up to 2010 onwards, at least. There is fruit, a good deal of alcohol and then those tannins (moderately severe). It could just turn out to be one of those hard, cheap-bastard wines though, if it does not resolve these discommodious parts. It softened and opened up a bit 3 hours on, but the heat of the 14% started to come through in a less attractive way. Though I have a case of this stuff, I am thinking that I don't really like it.
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8/13/2009 - rbazinet wrote:
I agree with a couple of the other reviews. There was a bit of heat with this wine.
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8/11/2009 - Wink wrote: 87 Points
Popped and poured. Dark translucent garnet. Nose of black cherry, vanilla, and cream soda. Medium weight, fruit forward palate with plum and black cherry. Mid-palate dies a little fast. Pleasant acidity. Minimal tannins. Overall, pretty bland stuff.
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7/5/2009 - THaas wrote: 88 Points
Ruby-red. Nose shows lots of fruit, cassis and blackberry. In the mouth, a surprising overtone of cranberry (!?) over loamy earth. The finish bring fine-grained tannins, but firm dryness. Tastes a bit hot, odd since it's listed at 14.1% ABV. Balance is good, and the finish is rather long.
Drink through 2013.
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5/11/2009 - lumpyelbow wrote: 89 Points
restrained tight nose. Very young. Red candied fruit, cranberries, giving way to forest floor and truffle notes. Sawdust. Nice mouth feel, but acid and tannin need time to simmer
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5/11/2009 - wino_tim wrote: 88 Points
Perhaps this bottle wasn't stored well, perhaps this wine is in an awkward stage, but this tasting offered a more Claret-like wine, firmly structured with briar and damp soil notes underscoring its currant, plum and grilled herb flavors. Noticeably dry on the palate with some gripping tannin on the backend and mid+ acidity.
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5/2/2009 - ews3 wrote: 92 Points
Philadelphia Wine Festival (Marriott, Philadelphia PA): really nice -- they either did a poor job of selection or I'm not appreciating the potential, because I liked this (same vintage) quite a bit more than the Dominus Estate. Red fruit, soft tannins, and a medium(+) finish.
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5/2/2009 - jrobs7777 wrote:
The Eighth Annual Philadelphia Wine Festival (Philadelphia Marriott Downtown): Very impressed by the Napanook. Good value.
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4/16/2009 - wineotim wrote: 90 Points
Very noticeable rasberry aromas, beautiful deep ruby color, rasberry carries over onto the palate with some tart cherry, sturdy tannins, surprising depth and weight here. Finish is a bit hot.
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4/2/2009 - THA wrote: 89 Points
Excellent.
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3/28/2009 - KeithAkers wrote: 90 Points
nose: fairly forward compared to its bigger brother with a real tart red fruit base of red cherries, red currants, and cranberry tones. Good depth with nice expression
taste: excellent medium/full feel with good tones of red licorice, tart red cherries, red currants and some bits of red berry tones. Good tannins give the wine a bit of a backbone
overall: a real nice wine. Balanced with good fruit, this will definitely appeal to people who like more forward wines. It isn't over the top at all, but certainly has a ripeness to it
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3/27/2009 - beezer6 wrote: 87 Points
Dominus Vertical Tasting (Binny's South Loop - Chicago, IL): Deep ruby color. Medium ripe red fruit. Wood some floral. Lots of tightly wound red fruit on the palate.
Quite tight tannins now. Dark sour cherry.
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3/20/2009 - KeithAkers wrote: 89 Points
Binny's Spring California Night (Binny's Highland Park, highland park IL): nose: fairly forward nose with good tones of red licorice, red cherries, and some ripe berry tones. Good fruit, but not much depth behind it and not much expression
taste: nice plush feel with good fruited tones of red currants, red cherries and bits of cedar
overall: almost there, but lacks depth to really send it forward. Nice feel and fruit, but there is a lack of tannins and with the forward nature of this, it probably won't improve too much as there isn't the depth there to let it improve
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3/15/2009 - brich wrote: 90 Points
This wine will age nicely. It is drinkable now, but will do better in a few years. Very nice nose, good bold color, hints of coffee and fresh fruit. Great finish.
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3/11/2009 - wino_tim wrote: 90 Points
Settling nicely this shows well structured notes of plum, currant and cedar, with a plush feel, creamy texture and long finish full of currant fruit.
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2/22/2009 - winegr wrote: 87 Points
87-88. Agree with the others. This wine is young and a bit tight, but doesn't have anything very exciting about it. Became a bit better and more balanced with air but i don't think this will ever be a 90 pointer.
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2/6/2009 - Rob MacKay wrote: 87 Points
Pretty much the same experience as before but perhaps just slightly less exciting. Its a nice reminder as to how much better the 04 tasted.
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1/23/2009 - OTTnMIA wrote: 86 Points
Very dissapointed with this bottle last night. It wasn't "bad" by any means, but we didn't enjoy it very much. Tasted a lot like a cheap red and never really developed. At over $30 I would never buy this again.
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1/20/2009 - RCL wrote: 90 Points
Smooth with blackberry nose and mellow taste. Very nice. Benifits form decanting.
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12/21/2008 - zeke26 wrote: 88 Points
Excellent wine, still a bit young and slightly tannic.
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11/21/2008 - Rob MacKay wrote: 89 Points
Opened this to enjoy with filet mignon. Great match to the meat. Scents of blackberries and oak which shows itself in the form of some spice or perhaps a bit of the cedar note. Initially this was fairly tightly wound up but really didn't take too long to open up and by the time the temperature of the wine came up a bit from cellar temp it was fairly open. Medium-bodied with good fruit mixed with fine tannins that finish dry. In my opinion, very good but just a tad below the 04.
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11/7/2008 - beezer6 wrote: 92 Points
Binny's HP California Wine Night w/ Jill (Binny's Highland Park): Binny's HP California Wine Night w/ Jill.
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11/7/2008 - annerk wrote: 90 Points
Rich blackberry with hints of chocolate and allspice. Starts off with a bang but runs out of steam in the end. Still very young and needs time to settle the somewhat harsh tannins. Has potential to be exquisite in a few years, but for now the monster needs to rest and unwind a bit.
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4/23/2008 - wino_tim wrote: 90 Points
An advanced tasting at the MMD Grand Tasting in Boston: Still young and needing a bit more time to settle its coarse tannins, and integrate its creamy cassis, green pepper and mint flavors.
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