Inviting nose with cherry and cassis over oak. The wine was tight and I decanted it for 20 minutes which opened it up nicely. Smooth fruit on the palate with some heat on the finish. I have a few left an report further when consumed.
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Decanted 2-2.5 hours. Paired with filet mignon with mushrooms and a red wine/balsamic sauce. Opened up nicely. Smooth with integrated tannins. Some nice dark fruit notes that are more in the background. This has aged nicely.
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This wine has really smoothed out nicely. Much improved from the first bottle that I drank a year and a half ago. Or maybe just inconsistent bottles? That one was much astringent, whereas this had beautiful fruit. Classic Napa cab profile with rich dark fruit, with a little green pepper thrown in.
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You want Napa Cab? You got Napa Cab! A classic profile in all respects and drinking beautifully now. This has developed nicely since my original tasting two years earlier. Enjoy this now and raise your glass to Ms. Zahtila!
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Decanted for an hour. Nose was not that aromatic, mainly got oak. Palate was full-bodied and somewhat tannic, but improved with the second glass. Finish came back to oak/cedar. Not one of my favorites especially for $33. 5,12,14,5=86
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Deep ruby color leads to a nose of cassis and black cherry. Medium body has nice dark fruit wrapped in a wierd cherry NyQuil vibe. Tannins are smooth lasting 20 seconds. Some alcohol lingers on back of tongue. A very acceptible weekday wine that kind of bores the palate. Nothing wrong with wine and its well made just uninspired. 2003 was a superior vintage from this producer.
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Meh. Not awful, but not impressive either, and poor qpr. Disjointed. Blackberry upfront, medium mouthfeel and very hot, then a little dust and wood, then nothing. I don't see time helping this one. Actually reminds me more of new world syrah than cab Sauv. I think because of the lack of tannins.
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Was just as unimpressed with this bottle, as a previous one I've had. This is my second of three. Not amazing at all and cost is too high for what it is when poured. The nose is hot and bland at the same time. The taste is is the same thing. Leaving some overnight to taste the next day didn't help it. Really wanted this one to be better after letting it lie 15 months.
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What a difference a year makes. This bottle was nowhere near as ripe tasting as my previous bottle. Got a lot of dust mixed in with the fruit this time. A lot more refined than I expected. Based on everyone's tasting notes it seems like there is a lot of bottle variation on these. Looks like I got one of the good ones this time.
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Color (5/5): Good dark ruby purple. Clings slightly to the glass. Nose (11/15): Classic Napa Cab nose of cassis and vanilla oak. Not a bowl you over nose, but solid. Palate (13/20): Matches the nose: cassis, chocolate. Soft entry, moderate tannins. Finish is medium length but full. Potential/Quality (6/10): Might last for up to a decade after vintage, but can't see any development in that time. Pretty well-integrated and a definite drink now. Well made but not spectacular. Wouldn't feel bad giving this as a gift.
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Placing this at the high end of the good range, or one point above the last one I rated. I gave it some time this go-round and it opened up nicely. Still the great color, but less (not no) heat and wonderfully thick and leathery flavors in addition to the typical fruity profile. A day later, having been refridgerated in a half bottle, the flavor profile was further restrained, but still pleasant.
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Virtually opaque dark burgundy with slight violet tint. Unremarkable legs. Nose is hot and a bit harsh. Oak, cedar, spice, with a suggestion of dark fruits...but buried beneath those bolder notes. A bit sour/vinegary.
Sour indeed; initially rough, though not from tannins. I'm surprised there aren't more, actually, based on colour and varietal. Definitely hot, but bearably. The rough quality is more from the tartness combined with the walloping woods - the oak and cedar notes take the fore too much for my liking. A bit thin bodied for a Cab. But there's some tasty fruit on the mid-palate - raisin, prune, stewed Bing cherries. Spicy finish of black pepper and sharp green pepper (almost grassy) is disappointingly short, except for lingering chalkiness and heat.
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Nose: blackberry Taste: strong bell pepper, and blackberry jam. Comments: Very hot, I don't usually chill red wines, but chilled this one to mute some of the heat. I enjoy bell pepper notes, but these seemed to cover up the fruit. The blackberry jam could poke through, but never really shone, just died out into a thin tart aftertaste.
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While still having good flavor, it did not develop the complexity that I was hoping for. The predominate flavor, other than the heat, was tart cherry with some other jammy fruits trying to make it through. I did not remember there being this much heat in the first bottle but this one has it. Still enjoyable but better and more balanced can be found for cheaper...
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I didn't get any of the heat that everyone keeps mentioning. Instead I got loads of overripe jammy fruit, mostly cherries, plums, and grape (of all things). Enjoyable enough wine but definitely made in the newer California style. I was hoping for a little more complexity. We'll see what some time in bottle does for my other 2 bottles.
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Tasty, well-made, refined. But nothing special on night 1, no decant. Palate fatigue may be a factor, as this was bottle #5 on the night, and followed some truly monstrous PS.
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Very good! It was a bit tart on the finish upon opening the bottle, but after about an hour that went away and this opened up beautifully with lots of fruit (nose and taste). Smooth feel, and just enough finish to make me reach for that next drink. Not quite a knock-out, but easily worth the ~$23. (I did not detect the "heat" others have referenced in their reviews)
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When first opened smelled heavy in black cherry. First tastes were hot and filled with fruit. Color was very purple and clear. Proceeded to decant for an hour. Heat dissapated. Fruit intensified and then tasted some spice = pepper, clove. Tannins were not heavy. Good food wine - ate with a sixteen spice grilled chicken. Enjoyable and will buy more.
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Not a classic Napa Cab in appearance, more like a Pinot.
Very harsh, hot taste. Not much oak. Short finish. Thin fruit mid-palate. Maybe time will be kind to this, maybe not. I don't think it has the tannins to last for more than a year or so.
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Nose: heat, with light oak, wood shavings, stewed dark fruits with a bit of bright fruit trying to burst through. taste: hot alcohol, i honestly can't believe this is 14.3%, it drinks far more like a 15+% cab. A bit of pepper and green pepper and some fruit, it's all masked under the alcohol and oak. Light tannins in the back. Finish: short.
Grade B.
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Color: very, very deep, almost inky burgundy. Held up to the light and tilted towards the rim, there's only a half-inch that's translucent at all.
First sniff of the bouquet: earthy, a bit of smoke, very ripe.
Really getting my nose in there: Something fuller, more like fruit but I can't put my finger on it. A bit of heat from the 15%, but nothing nostril-shattering. Coffee?
First taste: Bing cherries, blackcurrant. Dark chocolate? The tannins don't hit until well after the finish, but it's not so overwhelming as more like I just bit into a hand-full of blackberries.
Second sips, making that funny "aerating" noise: A bit more vegetal, almost like a bit of red apple where it's all the skin. Same flavors as before. I really love the finish on this: it's simple, but flavorful and lingering.
Summary: I really, really like this wine. I think giving this wine a bit of time might tone down the heat a bit, but that might be a give-and-take with the lower tannins. Good quality and QPR.
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Big beautiful currant, bing cherry and vanilla on nose. These flavors carry forward into the body with a bit of clove. Finish lasts 30 smooth seconds. An extremely enjoyable bottle of wine! While not the most complex wine in the world it overdelivers at its $25 - 30 pricepoint.
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2/20/2016 - McMalbec wrote: 88 Points
Inviting nose with cherry and cassis over oak. The wine was tight and I decanted it for 20 minutes which opened it up nicely. Smooth fruit on the palate with some heat on the finish. I have a few left an report further when consumed.
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8/2/2014 - PolarBear22 wrote: 89 Points
Still drinking quite well. Paired with some grass fed ribeye on the grill. Wonderful.
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3/2/2013 - PolarBear22 wrote: 88 Points
Decanted 2-2.5 hours. Paired with filet mignon with mushrooms and a red wine/balsamic sauce. Opened up nicely. Smooth with integrated tannins. Some nice dark fruit notes that are more in the background. This has aged nicely.
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8/21/2011 - aces219 wrote:
This wine has really smoothed out nicely. Much improved from the first bottle that I drank a year and a half ago. Or maybe just inconsistent bottles? That one was much astringent, whereas this had beautiful fruit. Classic Napa cab profile with rich dark fruit, with a little green pepper thrown in.
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7/30/2011 - iByron wrote: 88 Points
You want Napa Cab? You got Napa Cab! A classic profile in all respects and drinking beautifully now. This has developed nicely since my original tasting two years earlier. Enjoy this now and raise your glass to Ms. Zahtila!
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4/18/2011 - rodsjuice wrote: 86 Points
Decanted for an hour. Nose was not that aromatic, mainly got oak. Palate was full-bodied and somewhat tannic, but improved with the second glass. Finish came back to oak/cedar. Not one of my favorites especially for $33. 5,12,14,5=86
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2/7/2011 - aces219 wrote:
Much better than last bottle! Lots of cherry, a bit of tannin. Quite pleasant pizza wine, still poor qpr.
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7/13/2010 - flashvictor Likes this wine: 88 Points
Deep ruby color leads to a nose of cassis and black cherry. Medium body has nice dark fruit wrapped in a wierd cherry NyQuil vibe. Tannins are smooth lasting 20 seconds. Some alcohol lingers on back of tongue. A very acceptible weekday wine that kind of bores the palate. Nothing wrong with wine and its well made just uninspired. 2003 was a superior vintage from this producer.
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2/6/2010 - aces219 wrote:
Meh. Not awful, but not impressive either, and poor qpr. Disjointed. Blackberry upfront, medium mouthfeel and very hot, then a little dust and wood, then nothing. I don't see time helping this one. Actually reminds me more of new world syrah than cab Sauv. I think because of the lack of tannins.
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12/9/2009 - SirWinesALot wrote:
Was just as unimpressed with this bottle, as a previous one I've had. This is my second of three. Not amazing at all and cost is too high for what it is when poured. The nose is hot and bland at the same time. The taste is is the same thing. Leaving some overnight to taste the next day didn't help it. Really wanted this one to be better after letting it lie 15 months.
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11/27/2009 - javadrinker wrote: 88 Points
What a difference a year makes. This bottle was nowhere near as ripe tasting as my previous bottle. Got a lot of dust mixed in with the fruit this time. A lot more refined than I expected. Based on everyone's tasting notes it seems like there is a lot of bottle variation on these. Looks like I got one of the good ones this time.
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10/22/2009 - KWC3141 wrote: 79 Points
Just not worthy of the cost. Not bad, but not very good either. doesn't have the fruit to balance a lot of alch and wood. Disjointed.
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5/14/2009 - iByron wrote: 85 Points
Color (5/5): Good dark ruby purple. Clings slightly to the glass. Nose (11/15): Classic Napa Cab nose of cassis and vanilla oak. Not a bowl you over nose, but solid. Palate (13/20): Matches the nose: cassis, chocolate. Soft entry, moderate tannins. Finish is medium length but full. Potential/Quality (6/10): Might last for up to a decade after vintage, but can't see any development in that time. Pretty well-integrated and a definite drink now. Well made but not spectacular. Wouldn't feel bad giving this as a gift.
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4/13/2009 - houtx wrote: 84 Points
Placing this at the high end of the good range, or one point above the last one I rated. I gave it some time this go-round and it opened up nicely. Still the great color, but less (not no) heat and wonderfully thick and leathery flavors in addition to the typical fruity profile. A day later, having been refridgerated in a half bottle, the flavor profile was further restrained, but still pleasant.
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3/13/2009 - fairnymph wrote: 85 Points
Virtually opaque dark burgundy with slight violet tint. Unremarkable legs. Nose is hot and a bit harsh. Oak, cedar, spice, with a suggestion of dark fruits...but buried beneath those bolder notes. A bit sour/vinegary.
Sour indeed; initially rough, though not from tannins. I'm surprised there aren't more, actually, based on colour and varietal. Definitely hot, but bearably. The rough quality is more from the tartness combined with the walloping woods - the oak and cedar notes take the fore too much for my liking. A bit thin bodied for a Cab. But there's some tasty fruit on the mid-palate - raisin, prune, stewed Bing cherries. Spicy finish of black pepper and sharp green pepper (almost grassy) is disappointingly short, except for lingering chalkiness and heat.
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1/9/2009 - Krastar wrote: 86 Points
Nose: blackberry Taste: strong bell pepper, and blackberry jam. Comments: Very hot, I don't usually chill red wines, but chilled this one to mute some of the heat. I enjoy bell pepper notes, but these seemed to cover up the fruit. The blackberry jam could poke through, but never really shone, just died out into a thin tart aftertaste.
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11/20/2008 - bkarney wrote: 87 Points
While still having good flavor, it did not develop the complexity that I was hoping for. The predominate flavor, other than the heat, was tart cherry with some other jammy fruits trying to make it through. I did not remember there being this much heat in the first bottle but this one has it. Still enjoyable but better and more balanced can be found for cheaper...
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11/14/2008 - mnwrasslin wrote: 79 Points
Too much vegetable in the nose. Green Pepper was pronounced. Weak at the finish. Thin tasting.
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11/11/2008 - javadrinker wrote: 86 Points
I didn't get any of the heat that everyone keeps mentioning. Instead I got loads of overripe jammy fruit, mostly cherries, plums, and grape (of all things). Enjoyable enough wine but definitely made in the newer California style. I was hoping for a little more complexity. We'll see what some time in bottle does for my other 2 bottles.
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10/4/2008 - schuey wrote: 87 Points
Didn't notice the "heat" that others mentioned. Nice cab for the price.
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9/29/2008 - ajfranke wrote: flawed
Badly, badly corked.
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9/27/2008 - Loweeel wrote: 88 Points
Tasty, well-made, refined. But nothing special on night 1, no decant. Palate fatigue may be a factor, as this was bottle #5 on the night, and followed some truly monstrous PS.
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9/22/2008 - CTmark wrote: 86 Points
Very hot, peppery.
The alcohol overpowers the fruit. Very short finish.
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9/18/2008 - jwhite6114 wrote: 89 Points
Very good! It was a bit tart on the finish upon opening the bottle, but after about an hour that went away and this opened up beautifully with lots of fruit (nose and taste). Smooth feel, and just enough finish to make me reach for that next drink. Not quite a knock-out, but easily worth the ~$23. (I did not detect the "heat" others have referenced in their reviews)
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9/5/2008 - hld1970 wrote: 88 Points
Decent cab but still very hot with a lot of alcohol taste. Needs more cellaring.
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8/28/2008 - ajfranke wrote: 87 Points
Seemed much hotter this time, more palpable alcohol. Still, very enjoyable.
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8/21/2008 - CTmark wrote: 79 Points
Very hot!
The alcohol overwhelms everyhing.
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8/20/2008 - flashvictor wrote: 91 Points
Very enjoyable bottle of wine similar to previous TN. Really approachable - great QPR.
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8/15/2008 - MaxAlex wrote: 89 Points
When first opened smelled heavy in black cherry. First tastes were hot and filled with fruit. Color was very purple and clear. Proceeded to decant for an hour. Heat dissapated. Fruit intensified and then tasted some spice = pepper, clove. Tannins were not heavy. Good food wine - ate with a sixteen spice grilled chicken. Enjoyable and will buy more.
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8/14/2008 - dartboard wrote: 84 Points
Not a classic Napa Cab in appearance, more like a Pinot.
Very harsh, hot taste. Not much oak. Short finish. Thin fruit mid-palate. Maybe time will be kind to this, maybe not. I don't think it has the tannins to last for more than a year or so.
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8/12/2008 - clayfu wrote: 86 Points
Nose: heat, with light oak, wood shavings, stewed dark fruits with a bit of bright fruit trying to burst through.
taste: hot alcohol, i honestly can't believe this is 14.3%, it drinks far more like a 15+% cab. A bit of pepper and green pepper and some fruit, it's all masked under the alcohol and oak. Light tannins in the back.
Finish: short.
Grade B.
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8/6/2008 - ajfranke wrote: 88 Points
Color: very, very deep, almost inky burgundy. Held up to the light and tilted towards the rim, there's only a half-inch that's translucent at all.
First sniff of the bouquet: earthy, a bit of smoke, very ripe.
Really getting my nose in there: Something fuller, more like fruit but I can't put my finger on it. A bit of heat from the 15%, but nothing nostril-shattering. Coffee?
First taste: Bing cherries, blackcurrant. Dark chocolate? The tannins don't hit until well after the finish, but it's not so overwhelming as more like I just bit into a hand-full of blackberries.
Second sips, making that funny "aerating" noise: A bit more vegetal, almost like a bit of red apple where it's all the skin. Same flavors as before. I really love the finish on this: it's simple, but flavorful and lingering.
Summary: I really, really like this wine. I think giving this wine a bit of time might tone down the heat a bit, but that might be a give-and-take with the lower tannins. Good quality and QPR.
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2/17/2008 - flashvictor wrote: 91 Points
Big beautiful currant, bing cherry and vanilla on nose. These flavors carry forward into the body with a bit of clove. Finish lasts 30 smooth seconds. An extremely enjoyable bottle of wine! While not the most complex wine in the world it overdelivers at its $25 - 30 pricepoint.
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