PnP - beware soft cork. Opened up and smoothed out within the 90 minutes of it being consumed. Last glass the best. Rich and ripe blackberries dominate, but some nice layers of blue and red fruits. Vanilla Oak in small proportion. Some dusty tannins through the finish with some dried herbs as well. It'll likely remain at peak for at least a few more years.
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Big Napa reds are not my favorite style of wine, but this was substantially better than I expected (or better, at least, than previous reviewers suggested). Concentrated dark fruit flavors that unfolded in waves. Tannins were mostly resolved, but still present, and there was plenty of acidity left. Started out with heavy blackcurrant and blueberry on the nose, after 45 min the capsicum and black pepper started to emerge. Fantastic in every way.
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Still youthful , fruit driven and quite fresh. Good density, depth and balance. The fairly high alcohol remains well integrated even with an hour of air and higher temperatures. Delicious!
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My last tasting was in 2017 and if anything the wine has improved since then. Concentrated ripe fruit with velvety mouthfeel, excellent balance and long finish. Paired perfectly with grilled Wagyu ribeye steaks with port wine reduction sauce.
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Big, bold - and boring. Primarily red cherry juice. Fortunately it got a little more interesting as it breathed. Fully mature. Decent tannins and acidity. Anonymous “good” Napa cab, enjoyed by others more than me.
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3 hour decant, but needed fewer than 2. Soft and velvety ripe black and blue fruits in succeeding waves that lasted for 20 seconds. A wonderful blend of all 5 noble grapes. Some sweet Oak. The alcohol was completely hidden. Love this producer.
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PNP./ short decant. Bottega Louie Dark fruit orange peel and earthy flavors. A little oak on the finish. The wine improved in hour 2. The berries now have more definition, red and blue. Overall good. Not great.
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New Year's Eve Dinner (Herald & Teni's Place, Hong Kong): Massive heavy bottle. Decanted for 2 hours then rebottled for another 4 (which was about right). Lots of sediment. Very distinctly purple-red colour with a translucent core. Initial nose is sun-warmed black asphalt, tar, very deep but quite shy red Berry, currant and plum fruits, hints of fresh-bruised thyme. This really unfurled after the double-decant. Palate on opening is brightly fresh and light acidity, good tannic spine but well-integrated with young black bramble and blueberry fruit, soft oak, surprisingly un-alcoholic for its 15% alcohol. Still primary but entering early secondary stage with a warm and rounded, welcoming character. Wow...this really blossomed after the long double-decant and filled out significantly. Lovely expression of fruit and oak. On decanting, there is a big finish lurking in the background inside the head but at the the moment it is like a bear that has just woken up from hibernation but hasn’t roared yet, just growled sleepily. After the double-decant the length and resonance has emerged more from its winter cave. Young but already showing its full pedigree and potential. This has at least a decade to improve unless you like you Napa reds very fruit-dominant. Everyone enjoyed this. The double-decant added two points to our initial score of 92.
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Decanted and poured. Rich purple color. Primarily black fruit nose. Black cherry, licorice, oak. Relatively full-bodied, pleasant, nothing exceptional, but nice bottle.
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A little bit of funk right when opened, took 15-20 minutes to blow off, what was left was quite delicious. Silky texture, well integrated tannins, big ripe fruit, a little bit of an amarone raisin flavor, good structure. Very good.
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This is wonderful, even magnificent example of Pahlmeyer and California excellence in wine making. It is tasting wonderfully right now and will improve even more. Decant it and let it open otherwise the initial taste will strike as overly oaked. It isn't. It is loaded with red and dark red fruit and some spice in the background. It is a mouthful of power and delight. Longish aftertaste.
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2 hour decant. Loads of blackberries and some blueberry preserves in layers. Vanilla Oak and hints of Eucalyptus and dried herbs. Very smooth but tannins still have some firmness. Very good balance of food worthy acidity.
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Marky S brought this to Copake for NYE. A lovely CA cab that is drinking wonderfully. Lots of ripe red and black fruit, tar, minerality, soft tannins and wonderful concentration and very long, elegant finish. Age has done this wine well, and it's help up nicely. Might be the best CA cab I've had in some time
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Medium garnet. Pronounce aromas of tar, dried cranberry, leather, vanilla chocolate. Fully developed wine. Dry with medium acidity medium tannins, medium alcohol medium body medium plus flavors that correspond to the aromas. Finish is medium plus. Very good wine, drink now. Can be aged for a few more years.
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A wonderful wine now, but will be fantastic in the future. Give it least 5 more years to see it at its best. Dark purple with a berry, licorice and minerals on the nose. Lovely palate with numerous balanced elements, but slightly on the big side. No tannin with cassis, cherry, licorice and a nice earthiness on the palate.
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This was from a 375ml split. At first there was a slight raisiny aroma and taste that dissipated after some time in the glass. Once it opened up we were faced with a nice, well balanced blend. Do your self a favor and decant this carefully - mine had a considerable amount of sediment.
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Classic Napa Cabernet, super fruit forward, bold body, nicely integrated, and decent finish. I liked it but didn't loved it. This followed a 2002 Insignia which is hard to stand up to that...
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Medium dark red. Delicious warm cocoa on the nose with various berries. Delicious notes of sweet berry compote, bramble. It is actually still drinking a bit young.
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Decanted several hours. A fruit forward Napa wine for sure but enough complexity to provide a nice experience. Hints of secondary flavors emerging in the background. Gorgeous nose.
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Enjoyed at dinner with six friends at a restaurant in Wilmette. Second of three wines opened. Very smooth and extremely well balanced. An excellent example of an excellent Napa rendition of a red Bordeaux. Last bottle. ��
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This wine has integrated nicely from at times, years ago, being a bit too ‘hot’ with often a preponderance of stewed fruit notes. This is now rounded out with the fruit component supporting the structure nicely on the mid palate with deep, red fruit. The finish still has an extra kiss of sweetness which should dissipate making the wine even more pleasant.
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This is a powerhouse. This is a rich, hedonistic, wine but not in the typical new world style...there is some "old world" elegance to the construction of this wine. The fruit, while quite pronounced, is not overbearing. The power, while you feel it, is not so overwhelming that you miss all the other attributes of this offering. The integration is nothing short of spectacular and you certainly know this wine has been crafted by someone with skills. Drinking very well and I would suspect will drink well for several more years. I wish I had more...lucky for me I do.
Very big wine, with a lot of extraction and alcohol. The tannins are present, but pretty well integrated. Unfortunately, it is a bit one dimensional, with a big blast of ripe cherry, sort of oddly juxtaposed with a savory olive note and some lingering spicy cedar notes. Blind, calling this a ripe Chateauneuf-du-Pape, wouldn't seem that far off, except for maybe the color. The heat is pretty noticeable. Not horrible, but you are well aware that this is 15+%. This is a voluptuous celebration of "Big Napa" and is very successful in that sense, but "elegant" wouldn't be the first word I would use to describe it. I would decant this off the sediment and give it a minimum of an hour of air in a decanter... three might be better.
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Decanted and filtered to remove the extensive sediments in the wine. The bottle's glass was too dark to reliably see through. Let rest for about 2 hours before our meal. It proved to be a real beauty and head turner. Wow! Deep red fruits and spice that kept on evolving all evening. Long, delicious persistence in the mouth. It's been worth the wait.
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A very Californian cab. A lot of flavor up front -- and I mean a lot; it kind of obliterates any subtlety in the back. At first, a ton of stewed cherries, prunes and the like. Later on strong meat notes and pepper emerged. Very very smooth considering the alcohol level. Very well made if a little showy up front to the detriment of a little refinement in length, but oh so much fun to drink. Shut up and enjoy. Agree with others that this is fully mature. No reason to delay drinking.
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From a 375. Tasted of stewed fruit and strong oak. I had another years ago that was fine and thought I'd stored this well. Unrecognizable as Pahlmeyer.
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Terrific. Rich dark fruits, very smooth. Perhaps a bit simple but really nice with beef loin strip and cheeks. This was gifted to me and i was disposed to not care for it with the high alcohol level but it was really, really nice.
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Superb. Paired with Beth's home made, farm raised, grass fed, beef stew. The nose and palate of Pahlmeyer are exquisite. Rich and robust royalty of California's prime vineyards. But it is the texture of Pahlmeyer that sets it apart on the highest tier – sumptuous and all enveloping. Note: On day 2, a slight vegetal character emerged, telling me this wine at the peak of its life will not further improve. Drink up! Now is the time!!
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A rich, highly concentrated wine with notes of currant, black raspberry and cherry. The wine is well balanced with sweet tannins and a long finish. WS put the drinking window from 2008 to 2015 but I think this wine has a long way to go,
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Birthday wine. A bit past it's prime. Fruit played a secondary role to veggies and coffee. Still very enjoyable, especially if you're an old world fan. If scoring 92-94.
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My impression of Pahlmeyer as it ages has varied- we liked this bottle. It's classic Napa cab- well built from front to back, black fruit, blue fruit, and lots of it, and it satisfies by dint of quantity. Will it's future changes take us to the kind of complexity we find in old world or old world style? Not at all sure. I think it's drinking as well as it will now and that's fine.
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Delicious, full throttle cali cab. Great fruit concentration with notes of black and red fruits, Creme de cases, spice and earth. Lovely nose, silky tannins and Long finish.
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Darker well integrated fruit. Velvety mouthfeel. Moderate complexity with a good interplay of tannins and fruit. Decanted 2 hours and needed every bit of this, perhaps longer. Certainly not near the end of its window but unsure how long it will last.
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From Magnum. Big wine that was still brooding with lots of big fruit and oak. This did not taste over 10 years old at all. Very hedonistic wine with lots of great features, maybe one thing I would wonder is if there is enough acid to keep up with this wine when it fully matures.
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Two hours in the decanter was barely enough. This still massive and slightly tight wine simply needs more time. The layers were only just beginning to unfold. The alcohol of 15.3% was not noticeable to any significant degree, but I still prefer the 1995 over the 2005.
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Solid effort, toward the darker end of the spectrum in terms of fruit, tannins are very approachable, drank with dinner over the course of about 2 hours, during which the wine continued to soften and become more approachable.
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Drank from a magnum and decanted 6 hours. Came off as tight and disjointed in the midsection and hot on the finish. Nice stony earth flavors with sweet blackberry, tart cherry, and vanilla did emerge but remained buried. Needs more time to integrate.
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Tuesday Dinner (Jules Bistro, G/F, King-Inn Mansion, 13-15 Yik Yam Street, Happy Valley, Hong Kong): Decanted for 4 hours then drank over the next three. Vivid purple-red dusky colour, totally opaque. Nose is a huge blast of concentrated blackcurrant fruit, cassis, charred oak, some cream soda, marshmallow. Palate is lovely fresh attack then quickly hits you with a heavyweight punch similar to the nose, bellyfilling but refined, gorgeous concentrated deep black cherry and black currant. Needs more air. Nose has opened to even more linear and pure cassis and cedar shingle. Palate is even purer.... absolutely gorgeous. Very reverberant in the head. Stunning with patience. Many years ahead of it but absolutely worth opening now if you give it a long decant. This wine really deserves a bigger audience.
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A wonderful effort. It is very dense and actually a bit restrained at present. The latter is taken care of by some proper aeration. Dark fruit, elegant led pencil, tones of cacao and butterscotch adjoined by lovely orange zest and clove permeate the nose. There is a very subtle green tone, but this disappears after just a few minutes in the glass. The palate is incredibly balanced and integrated with pleasant acidity and velvety tannins. There are still some hard edges though, but I am sure some more time in the cellar will take good care of those.
Tasted in a flight with 2005 Spottswoode, 2005 Cuilceeda Creek, 2005 Pahlmeyer and 2005 Bond Vecina.
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Slow ox a couple hours then decanted with vinturi. Very good wine. Big and luscious. Tannins present, but not overwhelming. Dark berries, a little oak. Just a great bottle, it all works well together. Meade now or will hold fine for 5+ yrs.
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I bought a couple of splits of this wine about 3 years ago from wine.com. I tried the first a year or two ago and thought it was fantastic. Maybe one of the best wines I have had. I have been holding this bottle for just the right time and broke it open last night since its 10 years anniversary is winding down. Boy what a disappointment. 10 years may be too long to hold on to a split, I don't know. What I do know is that is was very average. I tried it alongside a 2011 Lewis Reserve which was only slightly better than average and the Lewis beat it out.
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in a very good spot with rich dark fruit and enough earth for a strong but integrated backbone not sure waiting any longer will be of benefit [but that is about what I said a year ago]
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This is a huge wine. We tasted this after being poured into a glass and my first thought is to wait at least 2 years before trying again. The nose is hot but also contains many aromas of berry, toasted oak, and earth. The primary flavor is blackberry jam along with plum, earth, oak, and a hint of dill. Needs food!
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Slow ox for an hour and a half. Drank over a couple of hours.
Very expressive, perfumed nose right out of the gate. Purple fruits, lavender and licorice. Palate brings in some secondary flavors, but not the greatest texture for me. Had a very slight grain to it. May have been better if run through a Vinturi with filter/strainer. Finish was medium-plus.
This had the best nose when we initially tried. Just very deep and expressive on the nose. But while the M. Etain and Lail really evolved and improved over the evening, this really stayed the course. Re-visited on Day 2 and nose had changed pretty drastically to garrigue and a touch of must. Palate was still OK, but finish was falling off too. Suggest this is one to drink pretty soon.
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Dark purple in color. Great nose of cherry, plum and lilac. Fabulous palate of cherry, cassis, licorice, spice and earth. Drinking perfectry, balanced, long finish and no tannin. I love CA cabs, and this is no exception. Wonderful fruit and everything else too.
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Dinner with Friends (Crown Wine Cellars, 18 Deep Water Bay Drive, Shouson Hill, Hong Kong): Decanted 4 hours in advance. Incredibly black-red inpenetrable colour. Nose is a gorgeous wave of pencil lead, black liquorice and high tones of black new leather boots....very Bordeaux First Growth. Palate is absolutely WOW! Totally seductive and takes you completely down Alice's rabbit hole. More precise descriptors seem superfluous. Unctuous, so rich, so total.....absolutely brilliant. Enormous length and thunderous resonance that just powers over you in rolling waves. Firm tannins....still decades ahead of it......but so so so good now. Gosh.
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Drank from a 375 alongside an '03. Much more dark fruit and menthol on the nose than the '03. Needed about an hour to really smooth the mid to finish. Definitely some long life ahead of it - very well made.
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A complete wine, deep, floral nose, earthy, spicey. Dark fruits on the palate, blackberry, gentle, delicate, persistent. Good acid balance keeps this wine interesting and lively. No sign of getting too old.
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Cherry, baked cherries, in the bouquet...all a little subdued. Palate shows tons of red fruits but stays in check. So does the oak. A sweet entry, building to a rich full body that is quite deep. Picking up chocolate, coffee, mocha at various stages. Hidden tannins. Powerful, dry finish...a wave of red fruit and the darker coffee/mocha profile found in the mid-palate makes for a great ending.
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Slow ox 7 hours, drank over 3 hours. Deep dark red, almost black in the glass. The layers of flavors are incredible. Dark fruits, baking spices, chocolates. This is going to be an exceptional bottle of wine for years to come.
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This seems beautifully ready. Coravin'd tonight. Thick dark red color with a light cassis nose. Tannins 7.5/10 and seems ready to drink if you still want body but not toooo in your face.
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No formal notes, but this was consumed as a birthday wine at Angus Barn, and it did everything a big Cali Cab is supposed to do in that context. Good fruit, but not without balance, plenty of power and a great complement to perfectly prepared prime rib.
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See notes from pahlmeyer petit Verdot for rest of wines tasted last night at Mosaic, one of Long Islands best fine restaurants. The proprietary red had a day to breathe, and could have had another day to be fully open for business. Finesse, integrated tannins, complex, but years away from fully developed. My favorite of the night.
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Gave a four hour decant and drinking very well and yet clearly a decade or more ahead of it. Full, rich, complex, chocolate, spice, dark cherry, leather, on the sweeter side
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I think that this wine is going into a "dumb" phase ... this is the first one, so maybe I got one that was slightly off, but given the age, its possible that we may have to wait a few years until it wakes up.
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Got it together with the Caymus SS 2005. The Pahlmeyer were the mineral type and were a bit more elegant , as the Caymus were more fruity and with big power. Pahlmeyer makes very good Cabernet - thats for sure.
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Beautiful wine and starting to enter it's drinking window. Blueberries and blackberries, baking spices, lots of vanilla on the finish. Tannins are very well integrated. A couple more years and it will be even better.
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Deep ruby color leads to a nose of currant, vanilla, and a hint of expensive cigar. Medium full body has dark cherry, currant, dark chocolate and a hint of red pepper. Finish lasts 50 seconds. This is in a beautiful place now. Enjoy!
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in a really good drinking window deep brooding dark fruit and coffee aromas and flavor changing and evolving with each sip ok to hold but I'm not sure why
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This might be the heaviest 750ml bottle I've ever held. The wine is fantastic, smooth on the palate with a lush massive mouthfeel. Mix of dark cherry and blue berry finishing with cassis and licorice. Structure and balance are in tune. Give at least one hour decant and enjoy.
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Drinking even better now than in my last note. Very rich, enough structure to hold up and complement a pretty nice piece of beef I cooked. Similar essentials so no need to repeat them. Drinking very well, likely at its peak but has enough stuffing to keep it here for several years.
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Deep red color. Cassis, Blueberries, a little smoke on the medium to long finish. Tannins well integrated into the deep fruit. Nicely balanced, easy drinking wine now. Will age (keep) more in cellar but may not get much better; lacks cut or complexity. Good, quite enjoyable in fact, but not great.
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WOW! This has improved since last tasting over 2 years ago. Floral notes on the nose with cassis and a hint of anise. Palate is super smooth, weighty but not too heavy. A velvety mouthfeel with a very long, pleasing finish. Glad I have a couple of more for the future
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Very concentrated fruit-packed nose, showing no signs of ageing. On the palette, super sweet flavors with hints of maple syrup, blueberries and a dusting of mocha powder. Flavors are layered and prolonged with an excellent texture and finish. Without doubt, a first growth in Napa.
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Black in color turning violet at the rim with a high-octane (15.2% alcohol) nose of cherries and cola. The palate is ultra-velvety and full-bodied with flavors of wild blueberries, dark cherry, licorice, espresso and smoke. This has a long, heightened finish with a hint of spice. This is just massive, powerful, structured and utterly engaging. 95-96 Pts. Drink now with 30 minutes decanting until 2020.
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The wine looks Crimson colored. The legs are Fast. It smells like Prune, and Butterscotch. It tastes like Black currant (cassis), Fig, and Toast. The body is Medium/Full. The wine has Smooth texture. The wine finishes Long.
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Big rich ripe and classic Pahlmeyer. This is really progressing nicely. Mix of dark and red fruits. Sometimes your in the mood for a wonderful deep rich wine and this vintage does not fail to deliver.
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A very good wine, with excellent high points, but a bit a bit disjoint. Decanting for 4 hours helped immensely, but I wonder if another 4 would have been even better. In anycase still excellent. The only really off note was the it was a bit astringent. Long, powerful and good finish. Nice tannins balance big fruit. Not a bomb though and definitely not overripe. Overall a great wine in a very distinct napa style.
PDQ93+
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Decanted for 2 hours and drank over the next four. Thick, unctuous, heavy legged purple-red colour that is still totally opaque. Nose is thick, unctuous, warm asphalt, charred oak, red liquorice bootlaces candy, fresh black liquorice root, dried star anise and deep black and red fruits that are almost candied on the nose. Palate is a super acidity leading the charge followed by fresh ripe and very rich blackberry and redcurrant fruit in the mid-palate and with a drier, powdered tannins finish of cherry stones and dried autumnal leaves. An unusual aftertaste of vanilla ice cream. Quite powerful and heavy with a muscular and reverberant finish that resounds for over a minute. This is an early movies Steve McQueen of a wine and has decades ahead of it to add more character (just like he did). I will hold off the rest of the case for a minimum 3-5 more years but it is already a pleasure today if you like your wines big and fruit-forward.
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Vindredi (Bellevue, WA): Tasted blind. Barrel spice, blackberry and plum on the nose, along with a bit of heat. Big, juicy, and ripe, this has a classic Napa profile. Fine tannins and big acids round out the package.
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My first bottle of this beautiful Pahlmeyer. Regal purple in the glass from edge to edge, with a full body and massive legs. After an hour decanting in an Eisch glass, glorious aromas of plums, blueberries, cedar and autumn harvest waft upwards in waves. On the palate, ripe cassis, elderberry, plums and spice box tantalize the tongue. The texture is velvety and the tannins fully integrated. The finish lasts for quite a while -- but I can't resist another sip before the first is finished. Verdict: Big, bold, bounteous, beautiful.
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My first tasting of the 2005. It lacked complexity compared to other vintages I've tried. The fruit was subdued, tannins were a bit too prominent and it had a slightly sour note although not overwhelming. The alcohol level is pretty obvious. Not bad but we were all a bit disappointed. Hoping it either needs more of a decant (we only gave it 15 minutes) or just more time to mature. I'd score it an 89 if I had to but I'm not giving it a CT rating because the lack of a decant may have hurt its showing. I'll probably wait a couple of more year before trying another.
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Massive wine in a massive bottle. I think I hurt myself trying to pour this across the table. Still vey young and primary flavors. Needs 5-7 years before trying again.
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Nice Cabernet fruit and excellent structure, but a little too hot. Good thing the acidity balances the 15.2% a bit. My repetitive complaint about pahlmeyer is that the etoh is too high, and this is typical.
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At the Blue Bottle with friends, grabbed this at the last minute as we were leaving - our guests stated preference for big Calif Cab - this certainly qualifies.
Consistent with prior notes "Color was a deep purple/garnet. Nose is extraordinary - fruit and floral notes. Tannins are softening, wine is starting to come into its own. Black cherry, tart raspberry, earth, tobacco, some herbs, smoke. Beautifully long finish, 30+ seconds. Bordeaux like but still a classic California Cab."
Drinking well now, great with richer dishes, perfect with steak. picked up some anise, spice on the finish this time. Will continue to improve, will be drinking over the years to watch its progression....
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This still has plenty of cellar time left in it but the 350 ml bottles are drinking very well now. Deepest ruby color, the nose is authoritative but subtle, as complex as the palate. I add cola to the well integrated flavor palate now, and the finish has lengthened. A marvelous wine with food.
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This bottle confirms that the wine is drinking great right now. It has softened substantially from it's more sour and alcoholic (atleast hot) youth. It now has a nice perfume scent along with delicious plum notes.
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Nose: deep dark purple fruits, blackberries, ripe plum, mushroom, chalk, currants. Palate: initial attack is more elegant than the nose would lead you to believe. There is a boat load of acid. Palate seems more red fruit driven, but the acid and tannins are still holding tight. Still think this can mellow out for a while, probably hitting peak in 5-7 years from a split. From .375
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From .375. This is really coming into its own. I seem to have underestimated this wine's potential, this is even better than what I thought. Blackberry, cassis, plums, vanilla. Silky tannins and long finish.
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Best bottle yet... Showing much better. The first few bottles over the past 2 years were jam bombs. Okay, now I am beginning to see it. Settled down, heat less present.
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Wow! This wine is huge. It has a beautiful bouquet and impressive purity while offering complexity with every sip. It needed a good 4 hour decant to even start being approachable. Even my mother-in-law liked this baby. There was some much going on in each sip its hard to recollect it correctly. Raspberry, spice, some earthy tones and more come to mind. It's still a bit young.
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Great cab. Decant an hour or more although I never seem to have Pahlmeyer lasting in our glasses for more than an hour. This is one of my favorite wines. I love the consistency of this wine across all vintages that I have tried.
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Great red color. Decanted for 2 hours. This is a classic Napa Cabernet, well balanced and good body. I recommend more cellar time, but the wine is quite good already.
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First night popped and poured thru Vinturi. Lots of fruit on the nose but initially a little green vegetable on the palate, which disappeared quickly. Capped and refrig. Second night poured directly to glass. Fruit still on the nose and after about 10 minutes the smooth tannins were evident. With a little more time in the bottle and and/or a decant, the score would move up a notch or two.
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Which moron among us says that California Cabernet can't age? Just beautiful, with tertiary flavors taking hold, gorgeous texture and a long sweet finish.
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Popped and poured 1 hour before drinking, but not decanted. Huge alcohol that kind of blew off over the course of the evening, but was still somewhat evident at the end of the bottle, 3 hours later. @15.2% declared, it just is hard to ignore. The fruit and a little acid tried their best to cover it up and did a hell of a job too. Decant this for 4 or 5 hours and drink over the next 3 or 4 and your won't be disappointed. It's miles and miles ahead of the Jayson !
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Classic CA cabernet blend. Quite fruit forward with bing cherry and blackberries leading the way. The bouquet is over-oaked, but the duration of the finish is impressive. This wine is probably more suited to opening in 2014.
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Nose is violets, red fruit and a touch of Italian herbs. Good body, lots of fruit, leather, lead, and minerals. Long finish. Not super confident in the longevity- I'd probably drink the rest over the next 10 years.
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Needed a much longer decant than i gave it - should have known it would take a while to show...drank over a couple hours, it improved dramatically.
Color was a deep purple/garnet. Nose is extraordinary - fruit and floral notes. Tannins are softening, wine is starting to come into its own. Black cherry, tart raspberry, earth, tobacco, some herbs, smoke. Beautifully long finish, 30+ seconds. Bordeaux like but still a classic California Cab.
Pahlmeyer is, in my opinion, a consistently good to great Calif Cab. The older vintages I have (94, 95 and 97) are spectacular and drinking well now and into the future. The 05 is great wine, but I m going to let my remaining bottles sit for a while., I think this will go from very good to great in about 5 years.
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This wine must be decanted to be appreciated because it is so massive. There are great spicy Cabernet notes that are subtly helped along by the merlot and Cabernet franc. This wine will cellar well for at least 10 more years.
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A great combination of Napa heft and Bordeaux sensibilities, this wine pairs well with linens or paper plates. We enjoyed this with a lamb rack smoked over mesquite and oak and the flavors of vine fruit, cassis, anise and rosemary, along with a round texture and medium long finish paired very well.
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Black and blue fruit, licorice, earth and coffee scents, plush, round, textures and layers of balanced, perfectly ripe berries make for a delicious, Cabernet Sauvignon dominated wine.
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NC Cindy Tasting. "Baller Night" (NC Wino's Stately Wayne Manor): Again, dark, but not completely opaque in the glass. The nose is powerfully fruity, even after a two-hour decant. It is all blackberry jam reduction and big cassis extract. There is a little bit of almost Syrah-like pepper on the nose as well, but absolutely nothing secondary at all. On the palate, the wine is huge fruit with an immense wall of somewhat chunky tannin. There is a little bit of green, but like the nose, there's no secondary development at all. The 15.2% ABV is unfortunately a bit out of balance, with a good deal of raw heat on the finish. Despite that significant problem, though, this wine is actually quite good. All that fruit would go fantastically well with barbeque. I have to say, though, that although this wine is very good, it isn't quite worth the $67 price point. The saving grace is that the wine is still very young and primary, and it still has the chance to integrate and improve. I'll make every effort to wait for a good long while (~5 years) before opening my last bottle.
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Popped and poured. This wine would benefit from an hour decant. Very good tonight - drank from a Mag. Rich, powerful yet balanced and well integrated. Dark fruits, chocolate, a little tar and some maple. Very nice bottle. 93+
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Great red fruit and nice tannins. Very good balance with a smooth mouthfeel and long finish. Not much nose. I liked it. If it was less expensive I would have rated it higher.
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Just a touch below the Les Pavots we had last year for my birthday. This doesn't give up much on the nose at the outset, but slowly opened to reveal smoky red fruits in a somewhat restrained but certainly refined mouthfeel. I enjoyed this a lot, and it was a far better option to bring a 375ml bottle to Mas la Grillade rather than overpay for theirs. This is an excellent food wine as it complements rather than overpowers what is being consumed. Should improve a bit over the next few years but this bottle was almost into its prime
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First experience with this wine that I bought solely on reputation and recommendations only. Fabulous QPR at $80. Has the structure, fruit composition, acidity, and tannins of a fine classified Bordeaux. The only thing missing is the earthiness. Glad I have more and will try to space them out over the next 3 to 5 years.
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Popped and poured. Still a youthful, dark purple/garnet. Upon opening, the nose is pronounced and shows blackberry, black cherry, roasted herbs, and a definite note of smoke/smoked meats. After 30 minutes the aromas expand and show less of the smokey note and more a profile of the cherry fruit with additional nuances of pipe tobacco and an evocative aroma that hard to place...almost floral in nature. Medium-plus body. Keeping in line with the 2005 vintage in Napa, flavors on the palate show black/red fruits which come off as fresh and vibrant...think black cherry, tart raspberry, black currant. These flavors are complimented by earthy herb tones (certainly anise), and a just a touch of spice from toasted oak. The tannins polished yet slightly astringent on the lengthy close...really, it just goes on. A good word to sum up the experience of this wine would be "classy." Truly, while not necessarily tasting of Bordeaux, this conveys a similar sensation of regal structure that might otherwise be found in a classed growth originating from somewhere off the Gironde. Still an adolescent, this should be singing sometime within 2-4+ years and last for many more.
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Nose: Medium expressiveness, blueberries, black licorice, tobacco, and spice. Palate: Full bodied, great balance, beautiful black fruit flavors up front which seem to amplify through the mid-palate where it is joined by a wonderful gritty spice kick, all of which continues on through the back-end and into a lengthy finish which lingers for a minute or more.
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90 minute decant. Opaque. Extremely dry, opulent, red berries and dark fruits, tannin and leather. A hint of smokiness, perhaps a touch of tobacco. Of 18 people tasting nine bordeaux blends from CA and France that night, sixteen of eighteen ranked the '05 Pahlmeyer red first overall. Half of them believed it was Left Bank.
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This bottle was not disjointed and was certainly not alcoholic. Very deep fruit, layered in earth and spice, but seems to be in an awkward phase that is somewhat reticent. I am going to let the remaining sit and try again 2014.
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From a .375. Notes of blackberry, blueberry and currant fruit and pepper. Silky mouthfeel. A balanced and smooth wine from start to finish. For more points, I'd like to see this get a little more complicated and lose a little heat on the back palate.
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A full bodied, purple dark red, fruity concentrated nose, blackberries, blueberries and plums. Smooth tannins, black licorice, and prominent alcohol with a slight bitterness on the back end. Very good wine.
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Not a good showing, perhaps in an awkward phase. Day 1 decanted for 3 hours. Nose of blueberry and raspberry preserves with a strong eucalyptus note, and heat. Big blue and raspberry fruit on the palate with strong spice and an herbaceous component that is fairly reserved, and more heat. It seems blocked and monolithic. Vacuvin'd and set aside. Day 2 there is no improvement. Still monolithic, the spice and berry fruit is strong but it is one note and fighting the alcohol. Really hope this will return to the balanced wine I remember, bummer.
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From 375. Decanted for about 30 minutes and followed over about four hours. On the nose this was monstrous with cassis, black berry, but it was raisined and pruny to me. There was also detectable alcohol heat on the nose. Also present were some vanillan oak and a little mocha. On the palate, I had the same reaction as on the nose, over ripe, over done, lots of heat from the alcohol. Huge fruit, drying tannin and no semblance of elegance to my palate. This was my first Pahlmeyer experience and will likely be the last, I was just not a fan and do not think this is well made or balanced.
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This wine may be going through a transition phase, as I didn't sense the same depth and complexity that I had with previous bottles. It's drinking very fruity and straightforward. I found it almost too sweet. While the acidity was well-balanced, tannins and oak were softer than I expected and this impacted the overall structure. A good wine but not what I had hoped for this bottle.
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From 375 Absolutely gorgeous Blackberry, blueberry, plum, beautifully smooth tannins, vanilla. It has really good acidity while maintaining the awesome fruit. Absolutely perfect balance. Should drink well for a long time.
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Purple dark red; very very fruity intense nose, blueberry, blackcurrant, hint of vanilla, very expressive; soft, full-bodied, velvety, licorice, chocolate wine, quite some tannins, which are soft; almost too overwhelming, leaning towards alcohol bomb (15.2%) making it somewhat unbalanced; nevertheless a very good wine
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I expected more. Decanted for 90 minutes and then drank from glass for 90 minutes. It evolved some but not much and seems to still be young, likely needed additional decanter time. I did not get the multiple layers as suggested by the 96 and 94 point professional reviewers. It is clearly a well made wine, a little hot, but not sure how it could be a 96 pt wine without quite a bit of evolution. I was left with the impression that the wine was better when I thought back about it the next day than when I was drinking it but perhaps this is because I expected more to begin with. It could be a closed down phase.
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Slightly disappointed. Expected great things from this wine, but encountered a slightly hot wine lacking in the depth and elegance so often described. I will leave the others for another year or more.
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From a 375ml: Dense deep and chocolatey. Great poise and power, nothing out of place with floral and lead pencil overtones to the rich black cherry fruit. Tasted alongside an '06 Woodward Canyon Cab (a wine I generally like) made the pedigree here unmistakable. Depressing that this can't be my everyweek steak wine, but glad I have five more splits.
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Decanted for 1 hour plus. Ultra smooth, well made, just not sure what happened to the wow factor. Hot, 15.2%. Potential for sure. Tasted at Jean's party.
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Less generous than expected but well built. I can see this gaining more complexity, sosit these on their sides for few more years. Must decant 3 hours.
Color: dark core with vibrant red edges Nose: tight but showed currant, cherry, meat, and mineralogy Palate: tight but well made, shy flavors similar to the aromas unfolded, tight and firm tannins
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Did not take notes. But this was an incredible wine. Smooth, with multiple layers of dark fruit and hints of vanilla oak. Smooth tannins. Just fantastic
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Popped and poured through vinturi, consumed over 3 hours. Nose: Vivid scents of blackberry, blueberry, and florals with just a hint of barnyard funkiness. Palate: Full bodied, good acid, with black fruit flavors. Finish: Long, dominated by black fruits
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Awesome good. This my 2nd bottle in the last 6 months and while it was similar it definitely impressed more this time. Popped and poured the first bottle but did a vinturi pour into a decanter and gave it another 2 hours to get some air and to warm up from the 55 degree cellar temp. Too chilly from the cellar seems to hide the fruits for me so I like to get it up to 64 at least for the fruits to pop. And pop they did!! Juicy dark fruits, layered and complex yet round and balanced between fruit, tannins, and nuances of the oak. Soft, smooth tannins and a satiny mouthfeel with just enough of a hint of its 15.2 alcohol to remind you its big and on its way to being bombastic. Nice finish lingers and makes you want for the next sip. Likely to be a monster in another 2 or 3 years. Maybe being a bit tight and should bump this up from 94 to 95 but no need as no doubt it will go somewhere from 95 to 97 given more time. Got to keep my hands off my last two bottles for another year then see if I should , and if I'm able to, hold the last one for yet another year from there.
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May not have given this enough air - decanted for 1 hour, but wine still tight. Opened more over the next 1.5 hours. Very complex nose dominated at first by the Merlot's earthiness. Very concentrated. Fruit came out later, with a bold blackberry tempered by strawberry and floral hint. Great finish that has you asking for more. Has great aging potential. Won't pop another for 5 years.
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Napa lunch at French Laundry; pop & pour 375ml. Beautiful dark fruit, a wonderful wine that will certainly improve with age. This was our first Pahlmeyer, and certainly won't be our last!
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One of five different cabs or cab blends served at a "Filet and Cabernet" dinner party, including 2002 Insignia, 2004 Rudd Oakville Estate, 2004 Caymus Special Selection and 2006 Far Niente Oakville. This was the most "rustic" of the group, paired well with garlicky green beans and mushrooms. Not as friendly with sharp pungent flavors. Excellent with Chocolate Pot De Creme. This wine was rated number 4 of the five tasted, but still rated a 93 - 94 points.
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Whoah. Here is a bordeaux blend that straddles a fine line between old world subtlety and the wound up power of Napa. Tasting notes here are good except to say that we did not detect any vegetal hint, it was pure fruit, spice, and earth. Outstanding structure and already the tannins are smooth and silky, but there are constant flutters of flavor telling you that this is still slightly wound up. Technically there is nothing to complain about, balance overall is just perfect. It is layered, multi-dimensional, and delightful with food. The finish is long and the pedigree is obvious with waves of fruit and spice. While still slightly wound up and austere, it is extremely satisfying and still begs for 5-10yrs of bottle age. Impeccable wine. Drank with bacon/onion confit'd scalloped potatoes and coffee/thyme/cumin/curry crusted filet. Insanely good!
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From half bottle. Very Napa Cab-esque, but not over the top. Could definitely use a long decant or more time in the bottle, but was very nice as a pop & pour. Tons of darker fruits including plums, blueberries, blackberries and currants. Has a creaminess that suggest a touch of oak, but again, NOTT. Smooth finish.
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Red color, on the edge looks like a 10 year old wine rather than a 5. Heat, dark fruit and stewed fruit, anise and creme de cassis. Brooding on the palette, with some acidity and plenty of layers of ripe fruit. Silky texture. There are just enough interesting elements of flint and soy to even out the heat and firm tannin on the finish.
Reminds me of the 2005 Spotswoode, but just a touch better in terms of finish and structure. It is also worth mentioning that this bottle had thrown quite a bit of sediment.
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Super dark in color with brooding viscosity, this had such a medley of mixed fruits. Currant, black and red cherry, kirsch, fresh ground coffee, camphor, leather, and more. All nicely balanced within a super structure of tannins, true to the vintage. Long and elegant with food, pure and precise.
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Jen's Fund Raiser Dinner (Max's Bistro, Fresno Ca.): This was spectacular! Came towards the end of a long night...wish I could have spent more time with it. Wonderful dark berry fruit, rich, and held together firmly with amazing dusty charcoal tannin spice. Bold and deep flavors....Kirsch, smoked vanilla bean....all well balanced. Want to try this again!
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Boutique California Wine with Bacchus Wine Society (Hertford College, Oxford): WOTN for me despite great showings from the Pinots (though the Walter Hansel gets WOTN if we're talking about QPR). Good slug of blackcurrant on the nose but surprisingly measured with an amazing flinty minerality and smoke. On the palate this is a big boy, pretty thick tannins but I am surprised by the balance on this wine. That said...this has enormous reserves of fruit and structure, but the alcohol is high at the moment. The bottle says 15.2% but I seem to remember that it's actually 15.6%...could be wrong though. Anyway, it's high, and it's too high at the moment, this neeeeeds time. I wouldn't touch it for another 5 years at least given how it's showing at the moment, but should hopefully age beautifully. For the price, I'd never buy it, but it's a great wine. 15.2% alc, 18 months in 80% new French oak, approx. 600 cases made, $100-150. 93+ points.
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Pop and pour at Hotel Luca in Napa. No food, just wine. Deep garnet in the glass. A full tilt nose of dark berry, currant. This is a whopper of a wine. We decanted it and drank it over 90 minutes. It needed an hour to relax. This blend is heavy on dark berries. Very nicely balanced with a hint of tobacco, cassis. The tannins suggest that it has significant cellaring potential. I wish I had had a nice juicy steak to accompany it.
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Opulent and rich wine with a long finish. Decanted and it is throwing large chunks of tannin. Sweet cherry, kirsch, and a hint of tobacco lead to a lengthy finish. Great deal for $80 delivered. For my taste, Ill let the remainder sleep another 5+ years to hopefully see more secondary development & less fruit.
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Took a bottle to dinner and shared a bit with the waiter who was impressed with our selection. Delicious wine. Needs a little time to open up. A bit peppery initially with a long pleasant finish. Just ordered another case.
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Lovely wine. Deep plum color, good viscosity. Red fruit, some blackberry on the nose. Full of fruit but with good structure. Velvety tannins...a little on the lush side and I'm not sure if this is a 20 year ager or if it should be consumed in the next 10. It benefitted from a brief decant and continued to open through a two hour dinner. More subtle than a lot of over-the-top fruit bombs. I liked this wine a great deal.
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Second bottle with consistent notes. This wine is drinking very well as a young wine, and I don't see 20 years in its future. Needs about an hour decant.
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Drank at Matyson restaurant in Philadephia. Decanted 1 hour. Classic cassis and leather and cherry overwhelms the nose at first. on the palate it has velvety tannins, soft for only 4 years of age. You can tell i has 10=15 years of drinking left in it and will develop additional nuances. Good flavors but not a good QPR IMHO - paid $80 at a PA state liquor store.
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What a great wine. The nose alone was worth half the money (and expensive this one is) -- sniffed this for a long time before even taking the first sip. Very well made wine, with very long finish, and good acidity while providing the perfect amount of fruit. If you give this wine a few (5+) years and the tannins integrate and the fruit stays as vibrant as currently, this wine will be an absolute stunner. Yes, it's expensive, but for what you are getting many other wineries are charging even higher prices. (Not that I'm a big fan of that, either.)
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Taken from a 375 ml bottle. Nice garnet color. Decanted for 45 minutes.
Nose: Great nose, with dusty, earthydark fruit, some chocolate with shades of sweet oak. A little hot a first but it tamed down a bit.
Taste: Big, intense wine. medium to full bodied, rich, deliciously sweet dark fruit with shades of chocolate and licorice. Nice acidity, concentration and complexity, with great balance. This great wine gains complexity with decant time. The finish is spectacular with nice stweetnes in the backend palate. very good though I remmember it being a bit less tannic thefirst time. This wine needs some time to mellow a little bit, maybe 5-8 years. This should be spectacular in 10 years. For now 50-5-8-12-9-9
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Not horrible, but profoundly disappointing given this wine's reviews, and practically criminal at this price point. There is decent concentration, and hints of fruit. But the flavor profile is dominated by crushing, bitter oak. I have two more bottles of this, which I will lay down for 10+ years in the hope that the oak will mellow. But I'm not sure this one is getting a lot better.
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Clearly a very well made wine in a the California fruit-forward style, yet it soars above most of its ilk due to a firmer structure and less obvious oak than so many California fruit bombs than are tiring beyond the first sip. Almost black in color. Expressive now with notes of blackberry, licorice and smoke. The tannins are firm and the finish is lingering so the future seems bright. It's a real Bordeaux blend of all five varieties, with 84% CS, 10% merlot and the remaing 6% divided among cab franc, malbec and petit verdot. The bottle is even more massive than the wine, the punt almost deep enough to hide a second bottle.
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Without sounding too rude... this wine blows away the 2004. I first noticed a fresher fruit nose and the cabernet franc and petit verdot were very detectable. Beautiful floral and red fruit profile, followed by ripe blackberries and dark cassis. The wine just fills the mouth; sure it is fruit driven but it is backed by a stern mineral and floral backbone. Definitely more fresh and lively than the 2004. The price is still pretty high but I would consider a couple of these to lay down. Again, only tasted a three sip tasting glass while standing on my feet.
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50+5+12+17+9 Generous cedar, toasted vanilla, and black cherry on the nose. Initially hot but alcohol blows off after a few hours in the decanter. On the palate lots of cedar, oak, dark stone fruit, and toast with a very long finish that adds some cinnamon and cloves. This is a monster of a wine that needs years in the cellar to settle down and unwind a bit more. I won't open another of my bottle until 2015.
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Delightful. Shows some stuffing and clearly young, but extremely enjoyable at this point. Great blackberry/cherry flavors and medium finish. This should be outstanding in 4-5 years.
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Nice structure and complexity. Tasted at pour and was not impressed... after just 15 minutes, wine opens up with nice bouquet and bordeaux mouthfeel. very nice... very happy with this wine.
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1/20/2024 - cliffkol wrote: 96 Points
Coravin only. Sweet fruit, cherries, deep, layered flavors.
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1/13/2024 - mxpbuy Likes this wine: 94 Points
PnP - beware soft cork. Opened up and smoothed out within the 90 minutes of it being consumed. Last glass the best. Rich and ripe blackberries dominate, but some nice layers of blue and red fruits. Vanilla Oak in small proportion. Some dusty tannins through the finish with some dried herbs as well. It'll likely remain at peak for at least a few more years.
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12/25/2023 - Shak Likes this wine: 93 Points
Really interesting. Can taste the earth in this one. Fruit forward but super interesting on the finish.
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12/12/2023 - europat55 wrote: 90 Points
It surprisingly felt a little bit tannic on the palate, but it kept improving with time in the glass. Maybe not at prime yet? (From 375)
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7/24/2023 - russ.cook Likes this wine: 95 Points
Big Napa reds are not my favorite style of wine, but this was substantially better than I expected (or better, at least, than previous reviewers suggested). Concentrated dark fruit flavors that unfolded in waves. Tannins were mostly resolved, but still present, and there was plenty of acidity left. Started out with heavy blackcurrant and blueberry on the nose, after 45 min the capsicum and black pepper started to emerge. Fantastic in every way.
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3/24/2023 - jsiegler10 Likes this wine: 91 Points
Needs to be consumed now - won't last much longer
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3/16/2023 - G_H wrote: 95 Points
Still youthful , fruit driven and quite fresh. Good density, depth and balance. The fairly high alcohol remains well integrated even with an hour of air and higher temperatures. Delicious!
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12/1/2022 - spendergast Likes this wine: 96 Points
My last tasting was in 2017 and if anything the wine has improved since then. Concentrated ripe fruit with velvety mouthfeel, excellent balance and long finish. Paired perfectly with grilled Wagyu ribeye steaks with port wine reduction sauce.
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11/4/2022 - Garfield Likes this wine: 95 Points
Really singing right now!
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6/15/2022 - 320Cellar wrote:
BRNSY night 6/15/22 post questionable Sassicaia 2012
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3/6/2022 - fdub Likes this wine: 96 Points
Drank after the 2016. Aging so gracefully. To be sure this is super rich but it has mellowed so nicely with age.
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12/18/2021 - Trevandy wrote: flawed
Vinegar and not drinkable. Very disappointed as cellared in perfect conditions all these years. And I love my pahlmeyer
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10/9/2021 - sdr wrote: 90 Points
Big, bold - and boring. Primarily red cherry juice. Fortunately it got a little more interesting as it breathed. Fully mature. Decent tannins and acidity. Anonymous “good” Napa cab, enjoyed by others more than me.
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8/21/2021 - Racer117 wrote: 91 Points
A bit disappointing. This is a massive wine with incredible concentrated dark fruit flavors but its a bit monolithic and simple. Perhaps not ready?
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7/4/2021 - mxpbuy Likes this wine: 94 Points
3 hour decant, but needed fewer than 2. Soft and velvety ripe black and blue fruits in succeeding waves that lasted for 20 seconds. A wonderful blend of all 5 noble grapes. Some sweet Oak. The alcohol was completely hidden. Love this producer.
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1/31/2021 - Kevnzworld wrote: 93 Points
PNP./ short decant. Bottega Louie
Dark fruit orange peel and earthy flavors. A little oak on the finish.
The wine improved in hour 2. The berries now have more definition, red and blue.
Overall good. Not great.
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12/31/2020 - Goldstone Likes this wine: 94 Points
New Year's Eve Dinner (Herald & Teni's Place, Hong Kong): Massive heavy bottle. Decanted for 2 hours then rebottled for another 4 (which was about right). Lots of sediment. Very distinctly purple-red colour with a translucent core. Initial nose is sun-warmed black asphalt, tar, very deep but quite shy red Berry, currant and plum fruits, hints of fresh-bruised thyme. This really unfurled after the double-decant. Palate on opening is brightly fresh and light acidity, good tannic spine but well-integrated with young black bramble and blueberry fruit, soft oak, surprisingly un-alcoholic for its 15% alcohol. Still primary but entering early secondary stage with a warm and rounded, welcoming character. Wow...this really blossomed after the long double-decant and filled out significantly. Lovely expression of fruit and oak. On decanting, there is a big finish lurking in the background inside the head but at the the moment it is like a bear that has just woken up from hibernation but hasn’t roared yet, just growled sleepily. After the double-decant the length and resonance has emerged more from its winter cave. Young but already showing its full pedigree and potential. This has at least a decade to improve unless you like you Napa reds very fruit-dominant. Everyone enjoyed this. The double-decant added two points to our initial score of 92.
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12/2/2020 - FoinZap Likes this wine: 93 Points
Decanted and poured. Rich purple color. Primarily black fruit nose. Black cherry, licorice, oak. Relatively full-bodied, pleasant, nothing exceptional, but nice bottle.
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11/25/2020 - Bowmanifesto wrote: 95 Points
My Pahl is my pal. Great to the last drop. Cheers!
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9/13/2020 - joshabramson Likes this wine: 95 Points
A little bit of funk right when opened, took 15-20 minutes to blow off, what was left was quite delicious. Silky texture, well integrated tannins, big ripe fruit, a little bit of an amarone raisin flavor, good structure. Very good.
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8/3/2020 - lvjohn wrote: 96 Points
We were blown away by this wine once again. Wonderful cabernet character and fruit with a fruit filled bouquet. Great length and a full mouthfeel.
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7/19/2020 - pjbeans wrote:
Not ready yet. Closed down phase
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5/1/2020 - lvjohn Likes this wine: 96 Points
This is wonderful, even magnificent example of Pahlmeyer and California excellence in wine making. It is tasting wonderfully right now and will improve even more. Decant it and let it open otherwise the initial taste will strike as overly oaked. It isn't. It is loaded with red and dark red fruit and some spice in the background. It is a mouthful of power and delight. Longish aftertaste.
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4/11/2020 - mxpbuy Likes this wine: 94 Points
2 hour decant. Loads of blackberries and some blueberry preserves in layers. Vanilla Oak and hints of Eucalyptus and dried herbs. Very smooth but tannins still have some firmness. Very good balance of food worthy acidity.
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1/1/2020 - cephomer Likes this wine: 93 Points
Marky S brought this to Copake for NYE. A lovely CA cab that is drinking wonderfully. Lots of ripe red and black fruit, tar, minerality, soft tannins and wonderful concentration and very long, elegant finish. Age has done this wine well, and it's help up nicely. Might be the best CA cab I've had in some time
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9/28/2019 - vpoms wrote: 93 Points
Medium garnet. Pronounce aromas of tar, dried cranberry, leather, vanilla chocolate. Fully developed wine. Dry with medium acidity medium tannins, medium alcohol medium body medium plus flavors that correspond to the aromas. Finish is medium plus. Very good wine, drink now. Can be aged for a few more years.
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8/25/2019 - Winiac wrote: 93 Points
Balanced with good acidity and structure.
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7/14/2019 - cos82 Likes this wine: 94 Points
A wonderful wine now, but will be fantastic in the future. Give it least 5 more years to see it at its best. Dark purple with a berry, licorice and minerals on the nose. Lovely palate with numerous balanced elements, but slightly on the big side. No tannin with cassis, cherry, licorice and a nice earthiness on the palate.
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4/20/2019 - Bottledrainer Likes this wine: 92 Points
This was from a 375ml split. At first there was a slight raisiny aroma and taste that dissipated after some time in the glass. Once it opened up we were faced with a nice, well balanced blend. Do your self a favor and decant this carefully - mine had a considerable amount of sediment.
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2/22/2019 - gteran76 Likes this wine: 92 Points
Classic Napa Cabernet, super fruit forward, bold body, nicely integrated, and decent finish. I liked it but didn't loved it. This followed a 2002 Insignia which is hard to stand up to that...
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12/23/2018 - TexasBob Likes this wine: 92 Points
Medium dark red. Delicious warm cocoa on the nose with various berries. Delicious notes of sweet berry compote, bramble. It is actually still drinking a bit young.
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12/15/2018 - Deepdrop Likes this wine: 93 Points
Decanted several hours. A fruit forward Napa wine for sure but enough complexity to provide a nice experience. Hints of secondary flavors emerging in the background. Gorgeous nose.
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11/11/2018 - cliffkol wrote: 94 Points
Sediment, needs decanting. Dense fruit, light oak, earthy. Well balanced and structured. Delicious!
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10/13/2018 - JS199 wrote: 92 Points
This was enjoyable and certainly the most integrated bottle so far. Big at 15.2% alcohol and the direction a lot of wineries are taking.
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8/30/2018 - wine4lux Likes this wine: 92 Points
Enjoyed at dinner with six friends at a restaurant in Wilmette. Second of three wines opened. Very smooth and extremely well balanced. An excellent example of an excellent Napa rendition of a red Bordeaux. Last bottle. ��
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5/11/2018 - JuliannaDHS wrote:
I knew that everyone would enjoy this (and they did), but we found this to be large and unimpressive. You can get this style of wine for a lot less.
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3/31/2018 - ledwards wrote: 93 Points
This wine has integrated nicely from at times, years ago, being a bit too ‘hot’ with often a preponderance of stewed fruit notes. This is now rounded out with the fruit component supporting the structure nicely on the mid palate with deep, red fruit. The finish still has an extra kiss of sweetness which should dissipate making the wine even more pleasant.
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12/26/2017 - pdbender Likes this wine: 93 Points
Had this wine at Christmas dinner with the kids- exceptional wine, lots of character, lots of big Napa fruit.
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12/11/2017 - Topper wrote: 94 Points
Very pretty and now well-integrated wine with plenty of fruit, a little punch and mostly resolved tannins.Probably at its best right now.
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12/9/2017 - wine4me2 Likes this wine: 92 Points
This is a powerhouse. This is a rich, hedonistic, wine but not in the typical new world style...there is some "old world" elegance to the construction of this wine. The fruit, while quite pronounced, is not overbearing. The power, while you feel it, is not so overwhelming that you miss all the other attributes of this offering. The integration is nothing short of spectacular and you certainly know this wine has been crafted by someone with skills. Drinking very well and I would suspect will drink well for several more years. I wish I had more...lucky for me I do.
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10/21/2017 - Seafoam Manor wrote: 93 Points
Very big wine, with a lot of extraction and alcohol. The tannins are present, but pretty well integrated. Unfortunately, it is a bit one dimensional, with a big blast of ripe cherry, sort of oddly juxtaposed with a savory olive note and some lingering spicy cedar notes. Blind, calling this a ripe Chateauneuf-du-Pape, wouldn't seem that far off, except for maybe the color. The heat is pretty noticeable. Not horrible, but you are well aware that this is 15+%. This is a voluptuous celebration of "Big Napa" and is very successful in that sense, but "elegant" wouldn't be the first word I would use to describe it. I would decant this off the sediment and give it a minimum of an hour of air in a decanter... three might be better.
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9/23/2017 - rgawlowski Likes this wine: 94 Points
Beautiful, very balanced, subtle, yet deep, excellent nose.
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8/27/2017 - ID Likes this wine:
Full-bodied. Power wine. Drank from 1/2 bottle, and an hour of air was enough.
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6/19/2017 - lvjohn Likes this wine: 95 Points
Decanted and filtered to remove the extensive sediments in the wine. The bottle's glass was too dark to reliably see through. Let rest for about 2 hours before our meal. It proved to be a real beauty and head turner. Wow! Deep red fruits and spice that kept on evolving all evening. Long, delicious persistence in the mouth. It's been worth the wait.
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6/15/2017 - JS199 wrote: 92 Points
Similar to previous note. 15.2%
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6/4/2017 - JJYoyo Likes this wine: 91 Points
A very Californian cab. A lot of flavor up front -- and I mean a lot; it kind of obliterates any subtlety in the back. At first, a ton of stewed cherries, prunes and the like. Later on strong meat notes and pepper emerged. Very very smooth considering the alcohol level. Very well made if a little showy up front to the detriment of a little refinement in length, but oh so much fun to drink. Shut up and enjoy. Agree with others that this is fully mature. No reason to delay drinking.
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5/19/2017 - gmbdds wrote: flawed
From a 375. Tasted of stewed fruit and strong oak. I had another years ago that was fine and thought I'd stored this well. Unrecognizable as Pahlmeyer.
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4/26/2017 - BigBoy_Sonoma Likes this wine: 94 Points
Black fruit, plums, strawberries, pepper, cocoa, chocolate, herbal notes. Wonderful complexity. A
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4/9/2017 - Ricky99 Likes this wine: 91 Points
Much improved since last bottle in 2014
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3/26/2017 - chitowncdpguy wrote:
Terrific. Rich dark fruits, very smooth. Perhaps a bit simple but really nice with beef loin strip and cheeks. This was gifted to me and i was disposed to not care for it with the high alcohol level but it was really, really nice.
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1/15/2017 - Bowmanifesto wrote: 94 Points
Superb. Paired with Beth's home made, farm raised, grass fed, beef stew. The nose and palate of Pahlmeyer are exquisite. Rich and robust royalty of California's prime vineyards. But it is the texture of Pahlmeyer that sets it apart on the highest tier – sumptuous and all enveloping. Note: On day 2, a slight vegetal character emerged, telling me this wine at the peak of its life will not further improve. Drink up! Now is the time!!
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1/8/2017 - spendergast Likes this wine: 95 Points
A rich, highly concentrated wine with notes of currant, black raspberry and cherry. The wine is well balanced with sweet tannins and a long finish. WS put the drinking window from 2008 to 2015 but I think this wine has a long way to go,
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12/21/2016 - Brett wrote: 94 Points
Fantastic wine!
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11/11/2016 - petenich Likes this wine: 93 Points
Drinking very well at this point, still perhaps just a tad more tannin than ideal, but still plenty of fruit. Drink up.
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9/22/2016 - dontime wrote:
Birthday wine. A bit past it's prime. Fruit played a secondary role to veggies and coffee. Still very enjoyable, especially if you're an old world fan. If scoring 92-94.
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7/30/2016 - Jptillinghast Likes this wine: 95 Points
Beautiful nose with increasing depth with every 10 minutes of being open
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7/20/2016 - capacious Likes this wine: 91 Points
My impression of Pahlmeyer as it ages has varied- we liked this bottle. It's classic Napa cab- well built from front to back, black fruit, blue fruit, and lots of it, and it satisfies by dint of quantity. Will it's future changes take us to the kind of complexity we find in old world or old world style? Not at all sure. I think it's drinking as well as it will now and that's fine.
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6/23/2016 - mclanew Likes this wine: 94 Points
Delicious, full throttle cali cab. Great fruit concentration with notes of black and red fruits, Creme de cases, spice and earth. Lovely nose, silky tannins and Long finish.
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5/22/2016 - spineguy Likes this wine: 91 Points
Darker well integrated fruit. Velvety mouthfeel. Moderate complexity with a good interplay of tannins and fruit. Decanted 2 hours and needed every bit of this, perhaps longer. Certainly not near the end of its window but unsure how long it will last.
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5/2/2016 - Griffeyfan04 wrote: 95 Points
From Magnum. Big wine that was still brooding with lots of big fruit and oak. This did not taste over 10 years old at all. Very hedonistic wine with lots of great features, maybe one thing I would wonder is if there is enough acid to keep up with this wine when it fully matures.
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4/15/2016 - mxpbuy wrote: 93 Points
Two hours in the decanter was barely enough. This still massive and slightly tight wine simply needs more time. The layers were only just beginning to unfold. The alcohol of 15.3% was not noticeable to any significant degree, but I still prefer the 1995 over the 2005.
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4/1/2016 - wine4lux Likes this wine: 93 Points
Solid effort, toward the darker end of the spectrum in terms of fruit, tannins are very approachable, drank with dinner over the course of about 2 hours, during which the wine continued to soften and become more approachable.
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3/28/2016 - MAXIMUM SATISFACTION wrote: 92 Points
Drank from a magnum and decanted 6 hours. Came off as tight and disjointed in the midsection and hot on the finish. Nice stony earth flavors with sweet blackberry, tart cherry, and vanilla did emerge but remained buried. Needs more time to integrate.
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3/18/2016 - MC2 Wines Likes this wine:
Tampa Spring Break (the abridged version); 3/17/2016-3/18/2016 (Various Tampa locations (Mise en Place, Ocean Prime, etc.)): Wine #8: red fruits, good age characteristics, this is a very tasty wine, but almost feels like it's missing something. I want a bit more evolution or something else to be going on than I get in some of the other wines.
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2/16/2016 - Goldstone Likes this wine: 94 Points
Tuesday Dinner (Jules Bistro, G/F, King-Inn Mansion, 13-15 Yik Yam Street, Happy Valley, Hong Kong): Decanted for 4 hours then drank over the next three. Vivid purple-red dusky colour, totally opaque. Nose is a huge blast of concentrated blackcurrant fruit, cassis, charred oak, some cream soda, marshmallow. Palate is lovely fresh attack then quickly hits you with a heavyweight punch similar to the nose, bellyfilling but refined, gorgeous concentrated deep black cherry and black currant. Needs more air. Nose has opened to even more linear and pure cassis and cedar shingle. Palate is even purer.... absolutely gorgeous. Very reverberant in the head. Stunning with patience. Many years ahead of it but absolutely worth opening now if you give it a long decant. This wine really deserves a bigger audience.
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1/3/2016 - bonedoc wrote: 94 Points
Best showing, yet, for this wine. Stood up to grilled steak w chimichurri. Drink now or over next 5 yrs.
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12/3/2015 - Christoffer78 Likes this wine: 97 Points
A wonderful effort. It is very dense and actually a bit restrained at present. The latter is taken care of by some proper aeration. Dark fruit, elegant led pencil, tones of cacao and butterscotch adjoined by lovely orange zest and clove permeate the nose. There is a very subtle green tone, but this disappears after just a few minutes in the glass. The palate is incredibly balanced and integrated with pleasant acidity and velvety tannins. There are still some hard edges though, but I am sure some more time in the cellar will take good care of those.
Tasted in a flight with 2005 Spottswoode, 2005 Cuilceeda Creek, 2005 Pahlmeyer and 2005 Bond Vecina.
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11/21/2015 - pdemaio wrote: 94 Points
Solid, big bruising Napa cab. Good balance with solid tannins and good acid. Plenty of fruit. Just getting going.
PDQ94
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10/31/2015 - rwilk_2000 wrote: 94 Points
Slow ox a couple hours then decanted with vinturi. Very good wine. Big and luscious. Tannins present, but not overwhelming. Dark berries, a little oak. Just a great bottle, it all works well together. Meade now or will hold fine for 5+ yrs.
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9/25/2015 - The Wine Guy Likes this wine: 93 Points
Decanted for 30 min. This wine finished 2nd but the line up was strong. Big red cherry and currant, cedar, vanilla, notes long finish full moth feel.
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9/20/2015 - Wine_in_HD wrote: 90 Points
I bought a couple of splits of this wine about 3 years ago from wine.com. I tried the first a year or two ago and thought it was fantastic. Maybe one of the best wines I have had. I have been holding this bottle for just the right time and broke it open last night since its 10 years anniversary is winding down. Boy what a disappointment. 10 years may be too long to hold on to a split, I don't know. What I do know is that is was very average. I tried it alongside a 2011 Lewis Reserve which was only slightly better than average and the Lewis beat it out.
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9/15/2015 - bugdoced Likes this wine: 94 Points
in a very good spot with rich dark fruit and enough earth for a strong but integrated backbone
not sure waiting any longer will be of benefit
[but that is about what I said a year ago]
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8/4/2015 - JuliannaDHS Likes this wine:
This is a huge wine. We tasted this after being poured into a glass and my first thought is to wait at least 2 years before trying again. The nose is hot but also contains many aromas of berry, toasted oak, and earth. The primary flavor is blackberry jam along with plum, earth, oak, and a hint of dill. Needs food!
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6/20/2015 - ageverett Likes this wine: 94 Points
Slow ox for an hour and a half. Drank over a couple of hours.
Very expressive, perfumed nose right out of the gate. Purple fruits, lavender and licorice. Palate brings in some secondary flavors, but not the greatest texture for me. Had a very slight grain to it. May have been better if run through a Vinturi with filter/strainer. Finish was medium-plus.
This had the best nose when we initially tried. Just very deep and expressive on the nose. But while the M. Etain and Lail really evolved and improved over the evening, this really stayed the course. Re-visited on Day 2 and nose had changed pretty drastically to garrigue and a touch of must. Palate was still OK, but finish was falling off too. Suggest this is one to drink pretty soon.
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6/6/2015 - cos82 Likes this wine: 96 Points
Dark purple in color. Great nose of cherry, plum and lilac. Fabulous palate of cherry, cassis, licorice, spice and earth. Drinking perfectry, balanced, long finish and no tannin. I love CA cabs, and this is no exception. Wonderful fruit and everything else too.
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5/1/2015 - fdub Likes this wine: 95 Points
Deep and powerful with many years ahead. Drank alongside the Smith Haut Lafite. Great side by side. Dark fruits and tobacco notes shine.
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4/25/2015 - Goldstone Likes this wine: 96 Points
Dinner with Friends (Crown Wine Cellars, 18 Deep Water Bay Drive, Shouson Hill, Hong Kong): Decanted 4 hours in advance. Incredibly black-red inpenetrable colour. Nose is a gorgeous wave of pencil lead, black liquorice and high tones of black new leather boots....very Bordeaux First Growth. Palate is absolutely WOW! Totally seductive and takes you completely down Alice's rabbit hole. More precise descriptors seem superfluous. Unctuous, so rich, so total.....absolutely brilliant. Enormous length and thunderous resonance that just powers over you in rolling waves. Firm tannins....still decades ahead of it......but so so so good now. Gosh.
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4/10/2015 - mrmedoes Likes this wine: 94 Points
Drank from a 375 alongside an '03. Much more dark fruit and menthol on the nose than the '03. Needed about an hour to really smooth the mid to finish. Definitely some long life ahead of it - very well made.
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4/10/2015 - ekirby Likes this wine: 94 Points
A complete wine, deep, floral nose, earthy, spicey. Dark fruits on the palate, blackberry, gentle, delicate, persistent. Good acid balance keeps this wine interesting and lively. No sign of getting too old.
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3/19/2015 - awineo Likes this wine: 94 Points
Paired with a 1997 Ridge Monte Bello. Much bigger as expected. Well balanced but still needs more time. Both need food.
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3/14/2015 - TastesGoodToMe Likes this wine: 93 Points
South Charlotte Wine Lovers - California Bordeaux Blends (Bob and Anita's Place on Lake Wylie): Rich, complex and full throttle with mineral, spice, currant and dark cherry with a long finish. Right in my wheel house. The type of wine you would hope would come out of the 5lb bottle it comes in!
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2/21/2015 - tdurst Likes this wine: 92 Points
Very big, flavorful wine; must breath.
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2/5/2015 - Kevin_C Likes this wine: 95 Points
Cherry, baked cherries, in the bouquet...all a little subdued. Palate shows tons of red fruits but stays in check. So does the oak. A sweet entry, building to a rich full body that is quite deep. Picking up chocolate, coffee, mocha at various stages. Hidden tannins. Powerful, dry finish...a wave of red fruit and the darker coffee/mocha profile found in the mid-palate makes for a great ending.
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1/25/2015 - Millennial Drinkers Likes this wine: 98 Points
Velvet smooth just delicious
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1/24/2015 - cawineaux Likes this wine: 94 Points
Slow ox 7 hours, drank over 3 hours. Deep dark red, almost black in the glass. The layers of flavors are incredible. Dark fruits, baking spices, chocolates. This is going to be an exceptional bottle of wine for years to come.
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1/21/2015 - cab blends Likes this wine: 95 Points
This seems beautifully ready. Coravin'd tonight. Thick dark red color with a light cassis nose. Tannins 7.5/10 and seems ready to drink if you still want body but not toooo in your face.
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12/26/2014 - Bowmanifesto wrote: 94 Points
From California to Fairfield, spreading Christmas joy to the BoBoBoBoJo's. Glorious, flavorful, rich, rewarding, peak Napa blend.
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12/25/2014 - Reblin Likes this wine: 94 Points
Deep, ripe fruit, with notes of leather and vanilla and tobacco. Balanced, well-structured. Long finish. Delicious.
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9/22/2014 - cns Likes this wine: 94 Points
Love this wine. Deep, red, fruity, but not too much, long finish, structure. Just amazing. A big wine, so have some food to stand up to it!
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9/11/2014 - bupika Likes this wine: 93 Points
Was very nice - but still needs time. Lots of fruit on the palate and took hours to start to open up. Will drink well over the next decade!
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7/15/2014 - Phredd Likes this wine: 93 Points
No formal notes, but this was consumed as a birthday wine at Angus Barn, and it did everything a big Cali Cab is supposed to do in that context. Good fruit, but not without balance, plenty of power and a great complement to perfectly prepared prime rib.
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7/15/2014 - capacious Likes this wine: 93 Points
See notes from pahlmeyer petit Verdot for rest of wines tasted last night at Mosaic, one of Long Islands best fine restaurants. The proprietary red had a day to breathe, and could have had another day to be fully open for business. Finesse, integrated tannins, complex, but years away from fully developed. My favorite of the night.
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6/1/2014 - capacious Likes this wine: 91 Points
Gave a four hour decant and drinking very well and yet clearly a decade or more ahead of it. Full, rich, complex, chocolate, spice, dark cherry, leather, on the sweeter side
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5/19/2014 - Ricky99 wrote: 91 Points
some green qualities that i hope will fade with age
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5/17/2014 - cns wrote:
I think that this wine is going into a "dumb" phase ... this is the first one, so maybe I got one that was slightly off, but given the age, its possible that we may have to wait a few years until it wakes up.
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4/13/2014 - carstenf wrote: 94 Points
Got it together with the Caymus SS 2005. The Pahlmeyer were the mineral type and were a
bit more elegant , as the Caymus were more fruity and with big power. Pahlmeyer makes
very good Cabernet - thats for sure.
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3/11/2014 - Jord26 wrote: 95 Points
Beautiful wine and starting to enter it's drinking window. Blueberries and blackberries, baking spices, lots of vanilla on the finish. Tannins are very well integrated. A couple more years and it will be even better.
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3/2/2014 - cns Likes this wine: 94 Points
Love this wine ...
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2/28/2014 - flashvictor Likes this wine: 96 Points
Deep ruby color leads to a nose of currant, vanilla, and a hint of expensive cigar. Medium full body has dark cherry, currant, dark chocolate and a hint of red pepper. Finish lasts 50 seconds. This is in a beautiful place now. Enjoy!
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2/20/2014 - sjdoc wrote: 95 Points
Very consistent. Red fruit on the nose. Candied red fruit on the palate, but not overbearing at all. Light, even tannins
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2/16/2014 - bugdoced Likes this wine: 96 Points
in a really good drinking window
deep brooding dark fruit and coffee aromas and flavor changing and evolving with each sip
ok to hold but I'm not sure why
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2/16/2014 - zazoo wrote: 96 Points
Best showing of this wine I ve had in a while. Bravo!
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2/13/2014 - petenich Likes this wine: 93 Points
John Birthday
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12/30/2013 - J2K wrote:
This might be the heaviest 750ml bottle I've ever held. The wine is fantastic, smooth on the palate with a lush massive mouthfeel. Mix of dark cherry and blue berry finishing with cassis and licorice. Structure and balance are in tune. Give at least one hour decant and enjoy.
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12/26/2013 - Brett wrote: 92 Points
Great wine.
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12/25/2013 - nvandyk wrote: 96 Points
Drinking even better now than in my last note. Very rich, enough structure to hold up and complement a pretty nice piece of beef I cooked. Similar essentials so no need to repeat them. Drinking very well, likely at its peak but has enough stuffing to keep it here for several years.
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12/7/2013 - Cal Bear Likes this wine: 91 Points
Deep red color. Cassis, Blueberries, a little smoke on the medium to long finish. Tannins well integrated into the deep fruit. Nicely balanced, easy drinking wine now. Will age (keep) more in cellar but may not get much better; lacks cut or complexity. Good, quite enjoyable in fact, but not great.
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11/12/2013 - markellen.foodies@gmail.com wrote: 91 Points
DOUBLE BLIND 95+ DINNER @ DEERING BAY YACHT & COUNTRY CLUB (WINE CELLAR @ DEERING BAY YACHt & COUNTRY CLUB, MIAMI, FL): The wine looks Purple colored. The legs are Slow. It smells like Blackberry, Black currant (cassis), Cedar, and Violet. The body is Full. The wine has Linear texture. The wine finishes Medium. David's wine.
We previously had this wine on October 10, 2012(my birthday @ Two Chefs when Jack Gavay brought it. It was premature then, and still is.
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11/10/2013 - meatbomb013 Likes this wine: 96 Points
WOW! This has improved since last tasting over 2 years ago. Floral notes on the nose with cassis and a hint of anise. Palate is super smooth, weighty but not too heavy. A velvety mouthfeel with a very long, pleasing finish. Glad I have a couple of more for the future
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10/21/2013 - Justinwine wrote: 95 Points
Breathtaking , opulent and really tasty
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10/6/2013 - TheDarkPrince Likes this wine: 95 Points
A stellar piece of work!
Very concentrated fruit-packed nose, showing no signs of ageing. On the palette, super sweet flavors with hints of maple syrup, blueberries and a dusting of mocha powder. Flavors are layered and prolonged with an excellent texture and finish. Without doubt, a first growth in Napa.
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9/22/2013 - kenhoeve Likes this wine: 93 Points
Very good blend but this could be from any good west coast area. Needs a good decant to show in my estimation.
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9/22/2013 - kleng wrote: 91 Points
Big, ultra ripe, dense, and structured. Certainly a good example of the Cali style.
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9/20/2013 - Life At Your Leisure 🍷 wrote: 95 Points
Black in color turning violet at the rim with a high-octane (15.2% alcohol) nose of cherries and cola. The palate is ultra-velvety and full-bodied with flavors of wild blueberries, dark cherry, licorice, espresso and smoke. This has a long, heightened finish with a hint of spice. This is just massive, powerful, structured and utterly engaging. 95-96 Pts. Drink now with 30 minutes decanting until 2020.
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9/15/2013 - jcbrand wrote: 95 Points
Awesome as always.....
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8/31/2013 - jwkagel Likes this wine:
The wine looks Crimson colored. The legs are Fast. It smells like Prune, and Butterscotch. It tastes like Black currant (cassis), Fig, and Toast. The body is Medium/Full. The wine has Smooth texture. The wine finishes Long.
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8/8/2013 - ONEFIVE wrote:
A bit thinner on the palate then expected. A great Napa red but nothing spectacular.
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7/19/2013 - fdub Likes this wine: 95 Points
Big rich ripe and classic Pahlmeyer. This is really progressing nicely. Mix of dark and red fruits. Sometimes your in the mood for a wonderful deep rich wine and this vintage does not fail to deliver.
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7/14/2013 - pdemaio wrote: 93 Points
A very good wine, with excellent high points, but a bit a bit disjoint. Decanting for 4 hours helped immensely, but I wonder if another 4 would have been even better. In anycase still excellent. The only really off note was the it was a bit astringent. Long, powerful and good finish. Nice tannins balance big fruit. Not a bomb though and definitely not overripe. Overall a great wine in a very distinct napa style.
PDQ93+
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7/13/2013 - Goldstone Likes this wine: 93 Points
Decanted for 2 hours and drank over the next four. Thick, unctuous, heavy legged purple-red colour that is still totally opaque. Nose is thick, unctuous, warm asphalt, charred oak, red liquorice bootlaces candy, fresh black liquorice root, dried star anise and deep black and red fruits that are almost candied on the nose. Palate is a super acidity leading the charge followed by fresh ripe and very rich blackberry and redcurrant fruit in the mid-palate and with a drier, powdered tannins finish of cherry stones and dried autumnal leaves. An unusual aftertaste of vanilla ice cream. Quite powerful and heavy with a muscular and reverberant finish that resounds for over a minute. This is an early movies Steve McQueen of a wine and has decades ahead of it to add more character (just like he did). I will hold off the rest of the case for a minimum 3-5 more years but it is already a pleasure today if you like your wines big and fruit-forward.
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7/12/2013 - dpolivy wrote: 93 Points
Vindredi (Bellevue, WA): Tasted blind. Barrel spice, blackberry and plum on the nose, along with a bit of heat. Big, juicy, and ripe, this has a classic Napa profile. Fine tannins and big acids round out the package.
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7/6/2013 - Bowmanifesto wrote: 94 Points
My first bottle of this beautiful Pahlmeyer. Regal purple in the glass from edge to edge, with a full body and massive legs. After an hour decanting in an Eisch glass, glorious aromas of plums, blueberries, cedar and autumn harvest waft upwards in waves. On the palate, ripe cassis, elderberry, plums and spice box tantalize the tongue. The texture is velvety and the tannins fully integrated. The finish lasts for quite a while -- but I can't resist another sip before the first is finished. Verdict: Big, bold, bounteous, beautiful.
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6/26/2013 - schandle Likes this wine:
My first tasting of the 2005. It lacked complexity compared to other vintages I've tried. The fruit was subdued, tannins were a bit too prominent and it had a slightly sour note although not overwhelming. The alcohol level is pretty obvious. Not bad but we were all a bit disappointed. Hoping it either needs more of a decant (we only gave it 15 minutes) or just more time to mature. I'd score it an 89 if I had to but I'm not giving it a CT rating because the lack of a decant may have hurt its showing. I'll probably wait a couple of more year before trying another.
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6/21/2013 - cubswinws Likes this wine: 93 Points
Massive wine in a massive bottle. I think I hurt myself trying to pour this across the table. Still vey young and primary flavors. Needs 5-7 years before trying again.
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6/14/2013 - bonedoc wrote: 93 Points
Nice Cabernet fruit and excellent structure, but a little too hot. Good thing the acidity balances the 15.2% a bit. My repetitive complaint about pahlmeyer is that the etoh is too high, and this is typical.
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4/13/2013 - walkerjfw wrote: 94 Points
At the Blue Bottle with friends, grabbed this at the last minute as we were leaving - our guests stated preference for big Calif Cab - this certainly qualifies.
Consistent with prior notes
"Color was a deep purple/garnet. Nose is extraordinary - fruit and floral notes. Tannins are softening, wine is starting to come into its own. Black cherry, tart raspberry, earth, tobacco, some herbs, smoke. Beautifully long finish, 30+ seconds. Bordeaux like but still a classic California Cab."
Drinking well now, great with richer dishes, perfect with steak. picked up some anise, spice on the finish this time. Will continue to improve, will be drinking over the years to watch its progression....
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4/7/2013 - bbakove wrote: 94 Points
This still has plenty of cellar time left in it but the 350 ml bottles are drinking very well now. Deepest ruby color, the nose is authoritative but subtle, as complex as the palate. I add cola to the well integrated flavor palate now, and the finish has lengthened. A marvelous wine with food.
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3/19/2013 - jlc615 Likes this wine: 94 Points
Was a great complement (no surprise) to steak and roasted potatoes. Earthiness and mushroom on the nose, long silky finish.
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3/18/2013 - ledwards wrote: 93 Points
This bottle confirms that the wine is drinking great right now. It has softened substantially from it's more sour and alcoholic (atleast hot) youth. It now has a nice perfume scent along with delicious plum notes.
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3/4/2013 - EMichels wrote: 90 Points
Very consistent nose to '04 and '06; Big but not giant
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2/14/2013 - cadams Likes this wine: 95 Points
Nose: deep dark purple fruits, blackberries, ripe plum, mushroom, chalk, currants.
Palate: initial attack is more elegant than the nose would lead you to believe. There is a boat load of acid. Palate seems more red fruit driven, but the acid and tannins are still holding tight.
Still think this can mellow out for a while, probably hitting peak in 5-7 years from a split.
From .375
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1/6/2013 - mwanasheria wrote: 94 Points
From .375. This is really coming into its own. I seem to have underestimated this wine's potential, this is even better than what I thought. Blackberry, cassis, plums, vanilla. Silky tannins and long finish.
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12/29/2012 - ledwards wrote: 93 Points
Best bottle yet... Showing much better. The first few bottles over the past 2 years were jam bombs. Okay, now I am beginning to see it. Settled down, heat less present.
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12/25/2012 - lvjohn Likes this wine: 95 Points
Wow! This wine is huge. It has a beautiful bouquet and impressive purity while offering complexity with every sip. It needed a good 4 hour decant to even start being approachable. Even my mother-in-law liked this baby. There was some much going on in each sip its hard to recollect it correctly. Raspberry, spice, some earthy tones and more come to mind. It's still a bit young.
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12/8/2012 - richsd Likes this wine: 94 Points
Great cab. Decant an hour or more although I never seem to have Pahlmeyer lasting in our glasses for more than an hour. This is one of my favorite wines. I love the consistency of this wine across all vintages that I have tried.
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11/24/2012 - Dengs wrote:
Spicy, fruit forward.
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11/18/2012 - rpontual Likes this wine: 94 Points
Great red color. Decanted for 2 hours. This is a classic Napa Cabernet, well balanced and good body. I recommend more cellar time, but the wine is quite good already.
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11/16/2012 - TheWineDon wrote: 93 Points
First night popped and poured thru Vinturi. Lots of fruit on the nose but initially a little green vegetable on the palate, which disappeared quickly. Capped and refrig. Second night poured directly to glass. Fruit still on the nose and after about 10 minutes the smooth tannins were evident. With a little more time in the bottle and and/or a decant, the score would move up a notch or two.
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11/11/2012 - Colia wrote: 92 Points
Which moron among us says that California Cabernet can't age? Just beautiful, with tertiary flavors taking hold, gorgeous texture and a long sweet finish.
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11/10/2012 - Knicksfan wrote: 93 Points
Rocks yes - but still a baby needing more cellar time
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11/9/2012 - Didman wrote: 93 Points
A lovely wine, still young but coming into its own.
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10/10/2012 - drycab wrote:
Popped and poured 1 hour before drinking, but not decanted. Huge alcohol that kind of blew off over the course of the evening, but was still somewhat evident at the end of the bottle, 3 hours later. @15.2% declared, it just is hard to ignore. The fruit and a little acid tried their best to cover it up and did a hell of a job too. Decant this for 4 or 5 hours and drink over the next 3 or 4 and your won't be disappointed. It's miles and miles ahead of the Jayson !
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10/10/2012 - markellen.foodies@gmail.com wrote: 92 Points
Brown Bag Wine Dinner at Two Chefs - Double Blind; 10/9/2012-10/10/2012 (TWO CHEFS, MIAMI, FL): - Purple color with fast forming legs. It's balanced with a full body. Juicy texture with a long finish - Jack's wine. My Wife, Ellen, would have loved it. A liitle premature.
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9/14/2012 - bwaverley wrote: 90 Points
Classic CA cabernet blend. Quite fruit forward with bing cherry and blackberries leading the way. The bouquet is over-oaked, but the duration of the finish is impressive. This wine is probably more suited to opening in 2014.
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9/13/2012 - pinotblanc wrote: 94 Points
Very smooth and bold. Still needs 2-3 hour decant. Should be getting better given more rack time.
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9/2/2012 - AlexHop wrote: 95 Points
Nose is violets, red fruit and a touch of Italian herbs. Good body, lots of fruit, leather, lead, and minerals. Long finish. Not super confident in the longevity- I'd probably drink the rest over the next 10 years.
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8/31/2012 - Dkdierks wrote: 94 Points
D had at WW Ho.
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8/26/2012 - walkerjfw wrote: 93 Points
Needed a much longer decant than i gave it - should have known it would take a while to show...drank over a couple hours, it improved dramatically.
Color was a deep purple/garnet. Nose is extraordinary - fruit and floral notes. Tannins are softening, wine is starting to come into its own. Black cherry, tart raspberry, earth, tobacco, some herbs, smoke. Beautifully long finish, 30+ seconds. Bordeaux like but still a classic California Cab.
Pahlmeyer is, in my opinion, a consistently good to great Calif Cab. The older vintages I have (94, 95 and 97) are spectacular and drinking well now and into the future. The 05 is great wine, but I m going to let my remaining bottles sit for a while., I think this will go from very good to great in about 5 years.
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8/14/2012 - lvjohn wrote: 94 Points
This wine must be decanted to be appreciated because it is so massive. There are great spicy Cabernet notes that are subtly helped along by the merlot and Cabernet franc. This wine will cellar well for at least 10 more years.
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8/10/2012 - bbakove wrote: 92 Points
A great combination of Napa heft and Bordeaux sensibilities, this wine pairs well with linens or paper plates. We enjoyed this with a lamb rack smoked over mesquite and oak and the flavors of vine fruit, cassis, anise and rosemary, along with a round texture and medium long finish paired very well.
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6/15/2012 - andrewdodd86 wrote: 96 Points
Holy crap good, must buy more, the nose, just wow. Smitten
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5/7/2012 - Jeff Leve wrote: 95 Points
Black and blue fruit, licorice, earth and coffee scents, plush, round, textures and layers of balanced, perfectly ripe berries make for a delicious, Cabernet Sauvignon dominated wine.
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4/29/2012 - cubswinws wrote: 93 Points
Very rich and dark fruits. Nice balance but still young. Would give this a few more years.
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4/18/2012 - vintage1949 wrote: 90 Points
Better than the last bottle. Some of the funkiness is gone. Was the last bottled flawed? Clearly I am not amazed by this wine.
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4/16/2012 - phlegls wrote: 93 Points
Yea - soft....
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4/7/2012 - drgrape wrote: 92 Points
Medium body but very soft. Great color and nice nose. I was looking for a bigger wine.
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3/31/2012 - Phredd wrote: 90 Points
NC Cindy Tasting. "Baller Night" (NC Wino's Stately Wayne Manor): Again, dark, but not completely opaque in the glass. The nose is powerfully fruity, even after a two-hour decant. It is all blackberry jam reduction and big cassis extract. There is a little bit of almost Syrah-like pepper on the nose as well, but absolutely nothing secondary at all. On the palate, the wine is huge fruit with an immense wall of somewhat chunky tannin. There is a little bit of green, but like the nose, there's no secondary development at all. The 15.2% ABV is unfortunately a bit out of balance, with a good deal of raw heat on the finish. Despite that significant problem, though, this wine is actually quite good. All that fruit would go fantastically well with barbeque. I have to say, though, that although this wine is very good, it isn't quite worth the $67 price point. The saving grace is that the wine is still very young and primary, and it still has the chance to integrate and improve. I'll make every effort to wait for a good long while (~5 years) before opening my last bottle.
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3/31/2012 - Kemo Sabe wrote: 93 Points
Popped and poured. This wine would benefit from an hour decant. Very good tonight - drank from a Mag. Rich, powerful yet balanced and well integrated. Dark fruits, chocolate, a little tar and some maple. Very nice bottle. 93+
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2/25/2012 - tdurst wrote: 95 Points
Excellent bottle of wine; consumed next to a 1992 Opus One and this was better! Substantive, aromatic and tasty. All around excellent.
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12/15/2011 - awineo Likes this wine: 92 Points
Great red fruit and nice tannins. Very good balance with a smooth mouthfeel and long finish. Not much nose. I liked it. If it was less expensive I would have rated it higher.
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12/11/2011 - dstein12 wrote: 93 Points
Just a touch below the Les Pavots we had last year for my birthday. This doesn't give up much on the nose at the outset, but slowly opened to reveal smoky red fruits in a somewhat restrained but certainly refined mouthfeel. I enjoyed this a lot, and it was a far better option to bring a 375ml bottle to Mas la Grillade rather than overpay for theirs. This is an excellent food wine as it complements rather than overpowers what is being consumed. Should improve a bit over the next few years but this bottle was almost into its prime
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12/1/2011 - meatbomb013 wrote: 95 Points
First experience with this wine that I bought solely on reputation and recommendations only. Fabulous QPR at $80. Has the structure, fruit composition, acidity, and tannins of a fine classified Bordeaux. The only thing missing is the earthiness. Glad I have more and will try to space them out over the next 3 to 5 years.
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11/22/2011 - *Vine* wrote:
Popped and poured. Still a youthful, dark purple/garnet. Upon opening, the nose is pronounced and shows blackberry, black cherry, roasted herbs, and a definite note of smoke/smoked meats. After 30 minutes the aromas expand and show less of the smokey note and more a profile of the cherry fruit with additional nuances of pipe tobacco and an evocative aroma that hard to place...almost floral in nature. Medium-plus body. Keeping in line with the 2005 vintage in Napa, flavors on the palate show black/red fruits which come off as fresh and vibrant...think black cherry, tart raspberry, black currant. These flavors are complimented by earthy herb tones (certainly anise), and a just a touch of spice from toasted oak. The tannins polished yet slightly astringent on the lengthy close...really, it just goes on. A good word to sum up the experience of this wine would be "classy." Truly, while not necessarily tasting of Bordeaux, this conveys a similar sensation of regal structure that might otherwise be found in a classed growth originating from somewhere off the Gironde. Still an adolescent, this should be singing sometime within 2-4+ years and last for many more.
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11/4/2011 - prasm wrote: 93 Points
Nose: Medium expressiveness, blueberries, black licorice, tobacco, and spice. Palate: Full bodied, great balance, beautiful black fruit flavors up front which seem to amplify through the mid-palate where it is joined by a wonderful gritty spice kick, all of which continues on through the back-end and into a lengthy finish which lingers for a minute or more.
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10/29/2011 - BlackStar wrote: 96 Points
90 minute decant. Opaque. Extremely dry, opulent, red berries and dark fruits, tannin and leather. A hint of smokiness, perhaps a touch of tobacco. Of 18 people tasting nine bordeaux blends from CA and France that night, sixteen of eighteen ranked the '05 Pahlmeyer red first overall. Half of them believed it was Left Bank.
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10/27/2011 - kenhoeve wrote: 93 Points
This bottle was not disjointed and was certainly not alcoholic. Very deep fruit, layered in earth and spice, but seems to be in an awkward phase that is somewhat reticent. I am going to let the remaining sit and try again 2014.
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10/9/2011 - cliffkol wrote: 92 Points
Wonderful bouquet of berries and earth. Silky, deep flavors of dark berries, cassis and smoke. Balanced, smooth and elegant. Lingering finish
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10/3/2011 - gmbdds wrote: 92 Points
From a .375. Notes of blackberry, blueberry and currant fruit and pepper. Silky mouthfeel. A balanced and smooth wine from start to finish. For more points, I'd like to see this get a little more complicated and lose a little heat on the back palate.
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8/8/2011 - mwanasheria wrote: 92 Points
From .375. Dark berries, cassis, vanilla, smoke.
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8/6/2011 - Yack Man wrote: 91 Points
A full bodied, purple dark red, fruity concentrated nose, blackberries, blueberries and plums. Smooth tannins, black licorice, and prominent alcohol with a slight bitterness on the back end. Very good wine.
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7/23/2011 - kenhoeve wrote: 88 Points
Not a good showing, perhaps in an awkward phase. Day 1 decanted for 3 hours. Nose of blueberry and raspberry preserves with a strong eucalyptus note, and heat. Big blue and raspberry fruit on the palate with strong spice and an herbaceous component that is fairly reserved, and more heat. It seems blocked and monolithic. Vacuvin'd and set aside. Day 2 there is no improvement. Still monolithic, the spice and berry fruit is strong but it is one note and fighting the alcohol. Really hope this will return to the balanced wine I remember, bummer.
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7/9/2011 - Ronfeldman wrote: 94 Points
Drank next to an 01 insignia. Fruitler and balanced.
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7/6/2011 - VoteferPedro wrote:
Uninspired nose but there is sweet fruit still tightly coiled on the palate. Consumed from a 375ml. Likely will continue to improve...excellent
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6/11/2011 - isdblm@lsu.edu wrote: 95 Points
Last one of many. Surely hated to see it go. But enjoyed it greatly.
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6/4/2011 - gblacave wrote: 79 Points
From 375. Decanted for about 30 minutes and followed over about four hours. On the nose this was monstrous with cassis, black berry, but it was raisined and pruny to me. There was also detectable alcohol heat on the nose. Also present were some vanillan oak and a little mocha. On the palate, I had the same reaction as on the nose, over ripe, over done, lots of heat from the alcohol. Huge fruit, drying tannin and no semblance of elegance to my palate. This was my first Pahlmeyer experience and will likely be the last, I was just not a fan and do not think this is well made or balanced.
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5/31/2011 - bradleyx wrote: 88 Points
This wine may be going through a transition phase, as I didn't sense the same depth and complexity that I had with previous bottles. It's drinking very fruity and straightforward. I found it almost too sweet. While the acidity was well-balanced, tannins and oak were softer than I expected and this impacted the overall structure. A good wine but not what I had hoped for this bottle.
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5/29/2011 - mwanasheria wrote: 93 Points
From .375. Lots of fruit, cassis, blueberry, vanilla, some smoke. Long finish.
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5/27/2011 - thatrick wrote: 94 Points
From a 375ml - drinking great right now
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5/11/2011 - cadams wrote: 95 Points
From 375
Absolutely gorgeous
Blackberry, blueberry, plum, beautifully smooth tannins, vanilla.
It has really good acidity while maintaining the awesome fruit. Absolutely perfect balance. Should drink well for a long time.
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5/8/2011 - Topper wrote: 92 Points
I think is beginning to open up. Bright blackberry and current flavors with plenty of structure. Will only get better in the next 3-5 yrs.
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5/7/2011 - Miceri wrote: 92 Points
Purple dark red; very very fruity intense nose, blueberry, blackcurrant, hint of vanilla, very expressive; soft, full-bodied, velvety, licorice, chocolate wine, quite some tannins, which are soft; almost too overwhelming, leaning towards alcohol bomb (15.2%) making it somewhat unbalanced; nevertheless a very good wine
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4/26/2011 - aaronwine wrote: 92 Points
I expected more. Decanted for 90 minutes and then drank from glass for 90 minutes. It evolved some but not much and seems to still be young, likely needed additional decanter time. I did not get the multiple layers as suggested by the 96 and 94 point professional reviewers. It is clearly a well made wine, a little hot, but not sure how it could be a 96 pt wine without quite a bit of evolution. I was left with the impression that the wine was better when I thought back about it the next day than when I was drinking it but perhaps this is because I expected more to begin with. It could be a closed down phase.
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4/17/2011 - cliffkol wrote: 90 Points
Slightly disappointed. Expected great things from this wine, but encountered a slightly hot wine lacking in the depth and elegance so often described. I will leave the others for another year or more.
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3/12/2011 - bonedoc wrote: 91 Points
this was a little hot & heavy - wish it had more acidity.
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3/2/2011 - Knicksfan wrote: 93 Points
Great. Still a baby but giving up lots of ripe red fruits. My guess is come back in a year or two and this wine rocks.
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3/1/2011 - AdamWallstein wrote: 95 Points
From a 375ml: Dense deep and chocolatey. Great poise and power, nothing out of place with floral and lead pencil overtones to the rich black cherry fruit. Tasted alongside an '06 Woodward Canyon Cab (a wine I generally like) made the pedigree here unmistakable. Depressing that this can't be my everyweek steak wine, but glad I have five more splits.
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2/22/2011 - JS199 wrote: 92 Points
Decanted for 1 hour plus. Ultra smooth, well made, just not sure what happened to the wow factor. Hot, 15.2%. Potential for sure. Tasted at Jean's party.
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1/28/2011 - mwanasheria wrote: 93 Points
From .375. Blackberry, blueberry, cassis. Very tannic and tight.
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1/3/2011 - EMichels wrote: 93 Points
Initially subdued; Flat; Dusty; After 20 mins adds big spice; Depth; Great stuff
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12/29/2010 - wabi47 wrote: 94 Points
beautiful raspberry, red currant, spice and mineral; big fruit and structure but has a great balance and elegance as well; lots of upside.
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12/24/2010 - elbosco wrote: 94 Points
Stiil tight. Obviously well structured and drinking like a brawny young Right Bank 2d Cru. Hold off 3-5 years.
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12/24/2010 - tkoby11 wrote: 92 Points
Less generous than expected but well built. I can see this gaining more complexity, sosit these on their sides for few more years. Must decant 3 hours.
Color: dark core with vibrant red edges
Nose: tight but showed currant, cherry, meat, and mineralogy
Palate: tight but well made, shy flavors similar to the aromas unfolded, tight and firm tannins
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12/11/2010 - pkbackman wrote: 94 Points
Did not take notes. But this was an incredible wine. Smooth, with multiple layers of dark fruit and hints of vanilla oak. Smooth tannins. Just fantastic
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12/4/2010 - sossher Likes this wine: 94 Points
Had this with dinner at Delfina. Decanted for 20 minutes. Outstanding!
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11/25/2010 - sdr Likes this wine: 90 Points
Sweet, fruity, fairly simple, young, tannins subdued. No development.
Very California in style.
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11/25/2010 - prasm wrote: 93 Points
Popped and poured through vinturi, consumed over 3 hours. Nose: Vivid scents of blackberry, blueberry, and florals with just a hint of barnyard funkiness. Palate: Full bodied, good acid, with black fruit flavors. Finish: Long, dominated by black fruits
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11/1/2010 - calicabnut wrote: 94 Points
Awesome good. This my 2nd bottle in the last 6 months and while it was similar it definitely impressed more this time. Popped and poured the first bottle but did a vinturi pour into a decanter and gave it another 2 hours to get some air and to warm up from the 55 degree cellar temp. Too chilly from the cellar seems to hide the fruits for me so I like to get it up to 64 at least for the fruits to pop. And pop they did!! Juicy dark fruits, layered and complex yet round and balanced between fruit, tannins, and nuances of the oak. Soft, smooth tannins and a satiny mouthfeel with just enough of a hint of its 15.2 alcohol to remind you its big and on its way to being bombastic. Nice finish lingers and makes you want for the next sip. Likely to be a monster in another 2 or 3 years. Maybe being a bit tight and should bump this up from 94 to 95 but no need as no doubt it will go somewhere from 95 to 97 given more time. Got to keep my hands off my last two bottles for another year then see if I should , and if I'm able to, hold the last one for yet another year from there.
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10/22/2010 - Jhcwine wrote: 88 Points
Toronto Wine Cru - WineSpectator Off-Line Event (Crush Wine Bar, Toronto): October-22-2010 - Toronto Wine Cru - Wine Spectator Off-line tasting event. TWC - I think this was the correct wine. Please confirm that I have the correct one.
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10/21/2010 - phlegls wrote: 93 Points
Yummy - needs a decant - Chunky !
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10/17/2010 - pmilne wrote: 91 Points
May not have given this enough air - decanted for 1 hour, but wine still tight. Opened more over the next 1.5 hours. Very complex nose dominated at first by the Merlot's earthiness. Very concentrated. Fruit came out later, with a bold blackberry tempered by strawberry and floral hint. Great finish that has you asking for more. Has great aging potential. Won't pop another for 5 years.
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10/2/2010 - robertdtwo wrote: 94 Points
Napa lunch at French Laundry; pop & pour 375ml. Beautiful dark fruit, a wonderful wine that will certainly improve with age. This was our first Pahlmeyer, and certainly won't be our last!
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9/12/2010 - jholtman wrote: 93 Points
A lot of fruit. Will improve with age
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8/29/2010 - winebot wrote:
One of five different cabs or cab blends served at a "Filet and Cabernet" dinner party, including 2002 Insignia, 2004 Rudd Oakville Estate, 2004 Caymus Special Selection and 2006 Far Niente Oakville. This was the most "rustic" of the group, paired well with garlicky green beans and mushrooms. Not as friendly with sharp pungent flavors. Excellent with Chocolate Pot De Creme. This wine was rated number 4 of the five tasted, but still rated a 93 - 94 points.
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8/21/2010 - kenhoeve wrote: 94 Points
Whoah. Here is a bordeaux blend that straddles a fine line between old world subtlety and the wound up power of Napa. Tasting notes here are good except to say that we did not detect any vegetal hint, it was pure fruit, spice, and earth. Outstanding structure and already the tannins are smooth and silky, but there are constant flutters of flavor telling you that this is still slightly wound up. Technically there is nothing to complain about, balance overall is just perfect. It is layered, multi-dimensional, and delightful with food. The finish is long and the pedigree is obvious with waves of fruit and spice. While still slightly wound up and austere, it is extremely satisfying and still begs for 5-10yrs of bottle age. Impeccable wine. Drank with bacon/onion confit'd scalloped potatoes and coffee/thyme/cumin/curry crusted filet. Insanely good!
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8/12/2010 - mwanasheria wrote: 92 Points
Very dark. Cassis, earth, good acidity. Silky and smooth. Outstanding.
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7/25/2010 - dmalcolm wrote: 90 Points
From half bottle. Very Napa Cab-esque, but not over the top. Could definitely use a long decant or more time in the bottle, but was very nice as a pop & pour. Tons of darker fruits including plums, blueberries, blackberries and currants. Has a creaminess that suggest a touch of oak, but again, NOTT. Smooth finish.
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7/25/2010 - drycab wrote:
Spicey and powerful, more decant time will only help the next bottle as will more bottle age. Good to Great Napa Cab and glad to have more.
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7/7/2010 - Ben Christiansen wrote:
Jesus the first hit of this was veg. bomb. Bill says more earthy than green. Randy doesn't mind it.
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7/6/2010 - nnybii wrote: 93 Points
2nd bottle of the night. high alcohol but not overwhemling. smooth, tasty
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7/2/2010 - alr6767 wrote: 91 Points
Red color, on the edge looks like a 10 year old wine rather than a 5. Heat, dark fruit and stewed fruit, anise and creme de cassis. Brooding on the palette, with some acidity and plenty of layers of ripe fruit. Silky texture. There are just enough interesting elements of flint and soy to even out the heat and firm tannin on the finish.
Reminds me of the 2005 Spotswoode, but just a touch better in terms of finish and structure. It is also worth mentioning that this bottle had thrown quite a bit of sediment.
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6/29/2010 - King Cab wrote: 94 Points
Super dark in color with brooding viscosity, this had such a medley of mixed fruits. Currant, black and red cherry, kirsch, fresh ground coffee, camphor, leather, and more. All nicely balanced within a super structure of tannins, true to the vintage. Long and elegant with food, pure and precise.
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6/27/2010 - NPD wrote: 93 Points
tobacco and fruit nose
tannic, fruit but a sharp finish, big body, rich
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6/6/2010 - Mrbuzz Likes this wine: 95 Points
Jen's Fund Raiser Dinner (Max's Bistro, Fresno Ca.): This was spectacular! Came towards the end of a long night...wish I could have spent more time with it. Wonderful dark berry fruit, rich, and held together firmly with amazing dusty charcoal tannin spice. Bold and deep flavors....Kirsch, smoked vanilla bean....all well balanced. Want to try this again!
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5/7/2010 - Benj wrote: 93 Points
Boutique California Wine with Bacchus Wine Society (Hertford College, Oxford): WOTN for me despite great showings from the Pinots (though the Walter Hansel gets WOTN if we're talking about QPR). Good slug of blackcurrant on the nose but surprisingly measured with an amazing flinty minerality and smoke. On the palate this is a big boy, pretty thick tannins but I am surprised by the balance on this wine. That said...this has enormous reserves of fruit and structure, but the alcohol is high at the moment. The bottle says 15.2% but I seem to remember that it's actually 15.6%...could be wrong though. Anyway, it's high, and it's too high at the moment, this neeeeeds time. I wouldn't touch it for another 5 years at least given how it's showing at the moment, but should hopefully age beautifully. For the price, I'd never buy it, but it's a great wine. 15.2% alc, 18 months in 80% new French oak, approx. 600 cases made, $100-150. 93+ points.
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4/25/2010 - DonWinspear wrote: 92 Points
Pop and pour at Hotel Luca in Napa. No food, just wine. Deep garnet in the glass. A full tilt nose of dark berry, currant. This is a whopper of a wine. We decanted it and drank it over 90 minutes. It needed an hour to relax. This blend is heavy on dark berries. Very nicely balanced with a hint of tobacco, cassis. The tannins suggest that it has significant cellaring potential. I wish I had had a nice juicy steak to accompany it.
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4/12/2010 - mwanasheria wrote: 92 Points
Cassis, smoke, tobacco. Excellent.
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4/12/2010 - jwebtx wrote:
Opulent and rich wine with a long finish. Decanted and it is throwing large chunks of tannin. Sweet cherry, kirsch, and a hint of tobacco lead to a lengthy finish. Great deal for $80 delivered. For my taste, Ill let the remainder sleep another 5+ years to hopefully see more secondary development & less fruit.
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4/9/2010 - JOsgood wrote:
A big Napa bomb. Hot and rich with a good bit of oak. Finishes dry. The flavor profile is very similar to many of the other high octane Napa cabs.
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3/27/2010 - timfh wrote: 96 Points
Took a bottle to dinner and shared a bit with the waiter who was impressed with our selection. Delicious wine. Needs a little time to open up. A bit peppery initially with a long pleasant finish. Just ordered another case.
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3/8/2010 - Jimbot Likes this wine: 96 Points
My favorite wine ever. Explosive and smooth. Unbelievable wine.
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2/18/2010 - Ben Christiansen wrote:
Big and full bore. Just opened.
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1/29/2010 - ManjuDaddy Likes this wine: 95 Points
I was introduced to this wine and vintage in Jan 2010. I loved it, but a little bit pricey at $100 per bottle.
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1/13/2010 - nvandyk wrote: 94 Points
Lovely wine. Deep plum color, good viscosity. Red fruit, some blackberry on the nose. Full of fruit but with good structure. Velvety tannins...a little on the lush side and I'm not sure if this is a 20 year ager or if it should be consumed in the next 10. It benefitted from a brief decant and continued to open through a two hour dinner. More subtle than a lot of over-the-top fruit bombs. I liked this wine a great deal.
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1/2/2010 - JimN wrote: 94 Points
Second bottle with consistent notes. This wine is drinking very well as a young wine, and I don't see 20 years in its future. Needs about an hour decant.
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11/21/2009 - Nedder_travels_the_world wrote: 94 Points
Drank at Matyson restaurant in Philadephia. Decanted 1 hour. Classic cassis and leather and cherry overwhelms the nose at first. on the palate it has velvety tannins, soft for only 4 years of age. You can tell i has 10=15 years of drinking left in it and will develop additional nuances. Good flavors but not a good QPR IMHO - paid $80 at a PA state liquor store.
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11/10/2009 - cns wrote: 94 Points
This wine rocks. Decanted for two hours and it sang. However, I have a feeling that it will get much, much better as it gets some bottle age. Wow!
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10/24/2009 - cns wrote: 94 Points
What a great wine. The nose alone was worth half the money (and expensive this one is) -- sniffed this for a long time before even taking the first sip. Very well made wine, with very long finish, and good acidity while providing the perfect amount of fruit. If you give this wine a few (5+) years and the tannins integrate and the fruit stays as vibrant as currently, this wine will be an absolute stunner. Yes, it's expensive, but for what you are getting many other wineries are charging even higher prices. (Not that I'm a big fan of that, either.)
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10/23/2009 - actoback wrote: 97 Points
Rich delightful
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10/19/2009 - Eduhersp wrote: 93 Points
Taken from a 375 ml bottle. Nice garnet color. Decanted for 45 minutes.
Nose: Great nose, with dusty, earthydark fruit, some chocolate with shades of sweet oak. A little hot a first but it tamed down a bit.
Taste: Big, intense wine. medium to full bodied, rich, deliciously sweet dark fruit with shades of chocolate and licorice. Nice acidity, concentration and complexity, with great balance. This great wine gains complexity with decant time. The finish is spectacular with nice stweetnes in the backend palate. very good though I remmember it being a bit less tannic thefirst time. This wine needs some time to mellow a little bit, maybe 5-8 years. This should be spectacular in 10 years. For now 50-5-8-12-9-9
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10/7/2009 - peeks13 wrote: 94 Points
A Night of Classic Cabernet (9/23/2009) (Wine Discount Center Barrington): Me and my friend agreed this was WOTN. Pricey at $130 but it delivers.
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9/5/2009 - herberto wrote: 84 Points
Not horrible, but profoundly disappointing given this wine's reviews, and practically criminal at this price point. There is decent concentration, and hints of fruit. But the flavor profile is dominated by crushing, bitter oak. I have two more bottles of this, which I will lay down for 10+ years in the hope that the oak will mellow. But I'm not sure this one is getting a lot better.
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8/15/2009 - sdr wrote: 92 Points
Clearly a very well made wine in a the California fruit-forward style, yet it soars above most of its ilk due to a firmer structure and less obvious oak than so many California fruit bombs than are tiring beyond the first sip. Almost black in color. Expressive now with notes of blackberry, licorice and smoke. The tannins are firm and the finish is lingering so the future seems bright. It's a real Bordeaux blend of all five varieties, with 84% CS, 10% merlot and the remaing 6% divided among cab franc, malbec and petit verdot. The bottle is even more massive than the wine, the punt almost deep enough to hide a second bottle.
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7/25/2009 - Charlie Carnes wrote: 95 Points
Without sounding too rude... this wine blows away the 2004. I first noticed a fresher fruit nose and the cabernet franc and petit verdot were very detectable. Beautiful floral and red fruit profile, followed by ripe blackberries and dark cassis. The wine just fills the mouth; sure it is fruit driven but it is backed by a stern mineral and floral backbone. Definitely more fresh and lively than the 2004. The price is still pretty high but I would consider a couple of these to lay down. Again, only tasted a three sip tasting glass while standing on my feet.
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5/31/2009 - rpenn77 wrote: 92 Points
Deep purple color, excellent dark fruit. Mild tannins.
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5/9/2009 - annerk wrote: 93 Points
50+5+12+17+9 Generous cedar, toasted vanilla, and black cherry on the nose. Initially hot but alcohol blows off after a few hours in the decanter. On the palate lots of cedar, oak, dark stone fruit, and toast with a very long finish that adds some cinnamon and cloves. This is a monster of a wine that needs years in the cellar to settle down and unwind a bit more. I won't open another of my bottle until 2015.
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3/6/2009 - jaylew1 wrote: 93 Points
Delightful. Shows some stuffing and clearly young, but extremely enjoyable at this point. Great blackberry/cherry flavors and medium finish. This should be outstanding in 4-5 years.
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1/24/2009 - nectar14 wrote: 95 Points
Deep ruby purple. Very ripe and polished. Cedar scents with dark cherry and hints of charcoal. Plush but with good structure and a long finish.
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11/27/2008 - KensHouse wrote: 94 Points
Nice structure and complexity. Tasted at pour and was not impressed... after just 15 minutes, wine opens up with nice bouquet and bordeaux mouthfeel. very nice... very happy with this wine.
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10/17/2008 - burningstarIV wrote: 88 Points
50+4+11+16+7=88
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