similar to my last note - ripe red berry nose - rich fruit mouth, a little over-extracted, but not nearly as awkward as some previous tasting notes - very good acid balance, ripe tannins dominate in the mid- to late mouth - a bit alcoholic, but EtOH mostly hidden by the abundant fruit - 10 sec smooth finish - this wine is a good example of how malbecs soften with age but still hold their abundant exuberant fruit - not everyone's style, but I'm happy I kept this for 16 years to follow the evolution of this well made wine
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dark red - ripe red berry nose - rich fruit mouth, a little over-extracted, but not nearly as awkward as some previous tasting notes - very good acid-tannin balance - a bit alcoholic, but mostly hidden by the abundant fruit - 10 sec finish - this wine is a good example of how malbecs soften with age but still hold their abundant exuberant fruit - not everyone's style, but I plan to hold onto my other bottles for anther 5 years with the expectation of even further improvement
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Aerated 1 hr; fair amount of sediment noted. This really didn't wow me, the (modernly-styled) way that past bottles have. I think the best days are behind it, and a lack of any real secondary character tends to support that idea. The oak and alcohol still take the lead on this, so give it solid aeration - unless of course that's what you're looking for. The rich, almost sappy quality that this has shown in the past has mellowed, but not in the most elegant of ways. 14,9% abv, drink thru 2014, approx $34. Cheers Mark M. !
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PnP consumed over 4 nights. Still huge with alcohol and heavy fruit tipping the scales in the direction of improper balance and heavy handedness. However, by day 3, this had really settled down and by day 4, it was quite enjoyable and actually worked with food. One left that I'll see if I can keep for 3-4 more years (even though I'm not sure it's going to improve much).
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This was a deep, rich, complex wine that shows with many high end Napa cabs. The alcohol was in check for a Malbec and the texture was very full and mouth coating. Very nice!
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Pop n pour consumed over 2 nights. The acidity continues to out-flank the depth of the fruit. Too bad this is so ripe, it could have been more cellar worthy, I think. This is probably drinking at peak right now, but should continue to show well for 2-3 more years. Rich, opulent and textured, this paired well with grilled tenderloins and a homemade spice rub (thanks, Jen!). 14,9% abv, approx $38.
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Ripe, oaky, rich, and very much in Paul Hobbs's style... which, alas, is no longer my style. Not my kind of wine, although I acknowledge its quality for those into this style
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Very dark. Dark fruits and blueberries. Big, viscous, lots of fruit...Moderate tannins that have not resolved. Keep for a few years before trying again.
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dark plum color with a moderate watery edge and one transition. a nose of blackberry liqueur, cassis, cream, vanilla, earthen dust and dark spices. The palate is thick, rich and unctuous with a moderate + persistence. I drank this over three days - the wine is complex and presented black fruits on day 1, 2 and a little less fruit and more flowers and perfume on day 3. A bit ripe for my taste, but well balanced, and with superb underlying acidity. 14.9% abv, drink through 2013 for best enjoyment
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Tremendous amounts of violet and plum on the nose and initial palette. Moving into the black fruits before succumbing to just as tremendous an amount of tannin. Very inky color, nearly a syrah. Good mouth feel, but almost *too* much, and nearly slippery. I don't drink much malbec, so not much to compare to. I need to try this with something much fattier like a steak or lamb. It overwhelmed our pork chops.
4/27/09 The extra six months in the cellar seemed to have help. That plus a pairing with steak instead of a lighter pork made this bottle significantly more enjoyable that the first. Not much different in my tasting notes, other than the impact of the tannins was nearly gone.
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decanted 30 minutes. Rich, extracted and wonderfully textured this shows cassis, ripe plum, violets, chocolate covered cherries & cashews on the nose (along with a hair too much alcohol). Unctuous on the palate, with a warm lingering finish. The varietal character gets a little lost in all the ripeness and extraction. Give it a few years in the bottle to settle down. Approx $30 (release), drink thru 2014
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Rubi red very deep with violet notes almost granate. very very veep with pronounced legs. Notes of leather, bluberries, black fruits (all of them). Very good attack. red fruits medium body, chocolate notes perfect balance jelly plum, super silky and velvety. I love this wine and was incredible the dust in the bottle. Need one hour open bottle or fifteen minutes of decanter. good potential. I really like the paul hobbs and marchiory wines.
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PnP. Drank over next 4 hours. Black color. Nose is overwhelmingly dill and oak with a bit of nondescript black fruit. Palate follows nose with full body and a ton of glycerin that gives a manipulated mouth feel. No particular varietal character present; any such nuance is completely masked by the over ripe, over extracted, and manufactured nature of this wine. This wine is the poster child for internationaly styled cocktail wines that I find increasingly difficult to enjoy.
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Dark berry on the nose, with strong graphite notes; dark berries, crisp acidity, and chocolate flavors, with strong tannic structure holding it all together. May need more time, but a rich, decadent, opulent treat.
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2/20/2021 - Verb Likes this wine: 92 Points
similar to my last note - ripe red berry nose - rich fruit mouth, a little over-extracted, but not nearly as awkward as some previous tasting notes - very good acid balance, ripe tannins dominate in the mid- to late mouth - a bit alcoholic, but EtOH mostly hidden by the abundant fruit - 10 sec smooth finish - this wine is a good example of how malbecs soften with age but still hold their abundant exuberant fruit - not everyone's style, but I'm happy I kept this for 16 years to follow the evolution of this well made wine
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2/6/2018 - Verb wrote: 92 Points
dark red - ripe red berry nose - rich fruit mouth, a little over-extracted, but not nearly as awkward as some previous tasting notes - very good acid-tannin balance - a bit alcoholic, but mostly hidden by the abundant fruit - 10 sec finish - this wine is a good example of how malbecs soften with age but still hold their abundant exuberant fruit - not everyone's style, but I plan to hold onto my other bottles for anther 5 years with the expectation of even further improvement
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2/21/2016 - jsherdc wrote: 87 Points
Over extracted. Meh.
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2/26/2012 - JacksonLee wrote: 89 Points
good but not great.
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8/29/2011 - Tim Heaton wrote:
Aerated 1 hr; fair amount of sediment noted. This really didn't wow me, the (modernly-styled) way that past bottles have. I think the best days are behind it, and a lack of any real secondary character tends to support that idea. The oak and alcohol still take the lead on this, so give it solid aeration - unless of course that's what you're looking for. The rich, almost sappy quality that this has shown in the past has mellowed, but not in the most elegant of ways. 14,9% abv, drink thru 2014, approx $34. Cheers Mark M. !
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10/16/2010 - zinnut wrote:
Took to dinner at Joe Chandler's 10/16/10 with osso bucco.
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6/30/2010 - Tim Heaton Likes this wine:
PnP consumed over 4 nights. Still huge with alcohol and heavy fruit tipping the scales in the direction of improper balance and heavy handedness. However, by day 3, this had really settled down and by day 4, it was quite enjoyable and actually worked with food. One left that I'll see if I can keep for 3-4 more years (even though I'm not sure it's going to improve much).
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4/26/2010 - mhewitt Likes this wine: 91 Points
This was a deep, rich, complex wine that shows with many high end Napa cabs. The alcohol was in check for a Malbec and the texture was very full and mouth coating. Very nice!
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1/2/2010 - Tim Heaton wrote:
Pop n pour consumed over 2 nights. The acidity continues to out-flank the depth of the fruit. Too bad this is so ripe, it could have been more cellar worthy, I think. This is probably drinking at peak right now, but should continue to show well for 2-3 more years. Rich, opulent and textured, this paired well with grilled tenderloins and a homemade spice rub (thanks, Jen!). 14,9% abv, approx $38.
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9/19/2009 - sdatl wrote: 83 Points
Ripe, oaky, rich, and very much in Paul Hobbs's style... which, alas, is no longer my style. Not my kind of wine, although I acknowledge its quality for those into this style
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2/1/2009 - rnellans wrote: 90 Points
Very dark. Dark fruits and blueberries. Big, viscous, lots of fruit...Moderate tannins that have not resolved. Keep for a few years before trying again.
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11/9/2008 - Tim Heaton wrote:
dark plum color with a moderate watery edge and one transition. a nose of blackberry liqueur, cassis, cream, vanilla, earthen dust and dark spices. The palate is thick, rich and unctuous with a moderate + persistence. I drank this over three days - the wine is complex and presented black fruits on day 1, 2 and a little less fruit and more flowers and perfume on day 3. A bit ripe for my taste, but well balanced, and with superb underlying acidity. 14.9% abv, drink through 2013 for best enjoyment
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10/11/2008 - underwds wrote: 88 Points
Tremendous amounts of violet and plum on the nose and initial palette. Moving into the black fruits before succumbing to just as tremendous an amount of tannin. Very inky color, nearly a syrah. Good mouth feel, but almost *too* much, and nearly slippery. I don't drink much malbec, so not much to compare to. I need to try this with something much fattier like a steak or lamb. It overwhelmed our pork chops.
4/27/09 The extra six months in the cellar seemed to have help. That plus a pairing with steak instead of a lighter pork made this bottle significantly more enjoyable that the first. Not much different in my tasting notes, other than the impact of the tannins was nearly gone.
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7/27/2008 - Tim Heaton Likes this wine:
decanted 30 minutes. Rich, extracted and wonderfully textured this shows cassis, ripe plum, violets, chocolate covered cherries & cashews on the nose (along with a hair too much alcohol). Unctuous on the palate, with a warm lingering finish. The varietal character gets a little lost in all the ripeness and extraction. Give it a few years in the bottle to settle down. Approx $30 (release), drink thru 2014
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6/24/2008 - sadiebear wrote: 89 Points
This bottle seemed a bit cooked....It grew on us a a bit of time went by.
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5/24/2008 - JuanDomingo wrote: 93 Points
Rubi red very deep with violet notes almost granate. very very veep with pronounced legs. Notes of leather, bluberries, black fruits (all of them). Very good attack. red fruits medium body, chocolate notes perfect balance jelly plum, super silky and velvety. I love this wine and was incredible the dust in the bottle. Need one hour open bottle or fifteen minutes of decanter. good potential. I really like the paul hobbs and marchiory wines.
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4/29/2008 - neurovino wrote: 90 Points
Not the Marchiori, but quite good.
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4/6/2008 - djs wrote: 83 Points
PnP. Drank over next 4 hours. Black color. Nose is overwhelmingly dill and oak with a bit of nondescript black fruit. Palate follows nose with full body and a ton of glycerin that gives a manipulated mouth feel. No particular varietal character present; any such nuance is completely masked by the over ripe, over extracted, and manufactured nature of this wine. This wine is the poster child for internationaly styled cocktail wines that I find increasingly difficult to enjoy.
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3/16/2008 - 911SCracer wrote: 91 Points
A good wine with blackberry fruit and good tannin balance. Tasted over a couple of hours.
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2/19/2008 - John McCabe wrote: 92 Points
Really striking and interesting. I have very little time for Argentenian cabs, but these Malbecs are really worth a look.
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2/4/2008 - sdatl wrote: 89 Points
Dark berry on the nose, with strong graphite notes; dark berries, crisp acidity, and chocolate flavors, with strong tannic structure holding it all together. May need more time, but a rich, decadent, opulent treat.
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