Deep garnet colour, still almost black. Loads of black cherries and blackberries on the nose, as well as smoky notes, liquorice and graphite. Full-bodied and unctuous palate, definitely more “Napa-like” than “Bordeaux-like”, plummy, with some lingering tannins, and a long finish. Really well-made blend and has a good few years of life in it yet.
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A Bordeaux blend with a full Cali treatment. Thin lite brick rim. Full nose of jammy black berries and hints of earth and anise. More on the palate. Tannins almost fully resolved. Balanced with medium length finish. Maybe two more years. One bottle left.
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- Brick color and aromas of blackberry and raspberry. It's in total harmony with a medium/full body. Smooth texture with a long finish - Despite my proper cellaring the cork was dried out, requiring me to use my 2 prong extractor and then filtering the wine into my decanter. Beautiful fruity nose indicating a live wine whose taste did not disappoint. Beautifully integrated tannins , with great length . My last bottle!
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needs 45 of air to open...layered cherry, plum, black and white crushed pepper, rose pedals, pencil lead....not thick but powerful. Nice stuff and well made.
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Nice color, black raspberries, leather, chocolate, and licorice in the nose and flavor. Full bodied, concentrated fruit, nice acidity, well balanced, and a long finish.
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Aged Napa versus Aged Bordeaux at Cork Vault (Charlotte, NC): 45% Cabernet Sauvignon, 36% Merlot and 19% Cabernet Franc Slow-ox for 1 hour before sampling. Enjoyable scents of cherries, gravel and musty forest on the nose. Surprisingly lively on the palate the new world fruits reveal an unexpected youthfulness -- red cherries, bell pepper, blueberries, and notes of red raspberries. The wine resolves easily into a medium length finish. There is nice structure to this wine although it lacks comparative complexity. A very nice wine, well-made, and still showing well.
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Beautifully integrated wine. Short decant, redcurrant and plum with some mint or camphor - long in the mouth with a nice chewiness despite being 19 years old. Plenty of life left, do decant as it brings out the aroma.
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Cork disaster and we ended up having to filter this to drink it. But drinking great. Super deep color and looks young (some of the color could be sediment, eg cork disaster). But great nose and palate. Suspect it’s a nice under the radar wine. What I got lingered and was full of fruit. Tasted young. 93-96-ish
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I mostly stopped buying Cal Cabs around ten years ago when my taste turned more decidedly to more aromatic wines such as barolo and red burgundy. I might have been too hasty. The cabs that I bought in the 01 and 02 vintages are really singing as the tannins have resolved and the buoyant fruit flavors remained. This one was at its pretty best while retaining enough body to stand up to flavorful food.
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Medium ruby. Long legs. Black fruit and berry nose. Blackberry, black raspberry, and dark chocolate with full, long finish. Tannins resolving. There's time left here, but I doubt it'll much change. Great with porterhouse, but might be fatiguing alone.
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Decanted with aerator for 1/2 hr. Deep ruby with a brownish tinge. Minimal bricking. Long legs. Dark berry and a hint of vanilla on the nose. Rich blueberry and black raspberry with just bit of black plum (but not in any way cooked). Loooong smooth fully integrated finish with chocolate, mocha, and durable tannin on the gums on the back end. Not at all hot or fatiguing. A joy to drink. Still primary, a joy to drink, and years to go.
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Decanted over 2 hours. Opened up over time. More tannic than I would have expected - fruit of berries and due to age was not as chewy as a younger vintage.
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brick - nice but undistinguished nose without much complexity - full mouth of red fruits - tannins resolved but acidity predominates - bitter finish - went well with food, which covered some of the flaws, but not that pleasant by itself
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Cellared at 55 since early acquistition so ymmv; deep dark opaque youthfully purple black, fresh nose of red cherries and flowers; menthol notes present on nose become more prominent on palate where brisk acids and pleasantly tannic strength carry on from there for this complete wine. Rediscovered Ramey on recent trip to area - dug this one out - confirms new found admiration
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Took a bottle from the wine 54 degree cabinet to dinner with another couple. Opened and poured into two large bordeaux glasses and let it sit for about 20 minutes. On my third "sip", I looked at the glass and then the bottle and couldn't wait to get home and confirm I had two more bottles remaining. Color was a really dark blue red and consistent across the glass to the edges. Length was about 15 seconds lingering on the senses and a wonderful smell as it continued to open up over the evening. Great mouth feel without being too chewy. Excellent wine! Should last another three years easy.
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After some of the recent reviews I was relieved with its performance. Still dark around the rim with little if any bricking. Notes of camphor and dark fruit. On the palate there is menthol and still some tannin present. There is just no "wow" factor that we were all hoping for after release.
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Open, rich, good aromas of coffee, chocolate, some black and green peppers. Not much bottle development, but very pleasant. Very low tannins, nice finish.
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This is well made wine, but nothing really special now. Still feels big, but not a monster. Heat shows through and somewhat mars the drinking experience. Black fruit is still present but won't last indefinitely. Probably time to finish these up.
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A bit mute on the nose, but this was a nice, lean, structured Cab with lovely verve and balance. Brawny and muscular and could still age quite a bit more.
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Right out of the bottle this is still pretty tight -- definitely more than I was expecting for a ~13-14 year old napa cab. Probably will be better with a few years and/or a long decant, but I'm a bit disappointed with it for the $100 price tag. I'm getting a lot of sour cherry, that's very much the dominant flavor for me. Clearly a well made wine, just not my favorite style.
UPDATE: After 2.5 hours in the decanter, this has changed dramatically for the better. I increased my score from 91 to 93 points.
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Minimal aroma of dark fruit and earth. Juicy blackberry and boysenberry flavors with tobacco. Lots of heat with good body and balance. Lots of sediment.
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This was the first bottle of the '01 I have had in 5 years, and it has developed dramatically into a truly stellar wine. Prior tastings were more monolithic and dense. Decanted for 4 hours, filtering out a surprising amount of sediment. The nose was abundant but refined, with pipe tobacco, dark fruit and some slate. Very powerful on the palate, but not at all heavy. A complex array of flavors, including, strangely enough, a strong sense of the seacoast on a foggy day; not something I associate with Cab. Really delicious. Big finish, more of a crescendo than the usual fade-out. I've always enjoyed David's wines, but this one is very special and has a lot of life left. I'm looking forward to my remaining 5 bottles over the next several years.
This drank really well, almost right from opening. Tannins softened, lovely mature fruit, a long finish with a touch of acid to it. Seemed like could go another 6-8 yrs.
Still nearly opaque dark red with just a bit of lightening at the rim. Slow legs. Nose sorts sweetish red berry fruit with a hint of menthol. Really opens up with air. Characteristic cabernet fruit. Smooth entry, quickly makes its presence felt with full body and rich, deep fruit. No weak sister, this, though the tannins are mostly resolved and chewy. Fairly lengthy across the palate and into the finish. Drinking nicely now but could last for years and may even evolve further. Good acid backbone signals potential for further development. Not a blockbuster but enjoyable, to say the least. 4-12-16-8: 90/100.
Very nice. 3 hour decant. Certainly in its drinking window. Lovely dark fruits and fully integrated. Nice mid palate and long finish. Had first glass with grilled pork...great compliment. The next two glasses by themselves. Got better through hour 5. Buying a few more.
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Monopole: Fragrant pure blackberry, cassis, blueberry; clay, soil, sweet truffle; palate is medium silky with good grip, medium plus density, pure, concentrated, but extremely well balanced with mineral and berry notes with smoke and just a touch of oak spice. This is incredibly balanced, complex, with long finish and great tangy acidity to keep it fresh. Awesome. 93-94
What a lovely wine! Decanted for about 2.5 hrs. This followed a 2009 Bdx (Pomerol) and was my WOTN between the two. It is essentially a Cali Bdx blend and it was singing! Nose was a mix of blackberry and cassis liqueur. Palate was full bodied and the tannins are in the background. Tremendously long wonderful finish.
Lots of bottle variation on these. This was the best of the three I've had. Big, bold, yet not overpowering. This one came to play. I'd still say it would be best to be drinking these up but maybe your next one will surprise like this.
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Very, very good wine and somewhat overperformed my expectations. I have found some of David's cabs to be heavily tannic but this was supple and velvety with a full, round mouthfeel. Good color, expressive nose. Missing some complexity on the finish or the score would be even higher but this was a remarkably good bottle (hence my remark). Har har.
Very dark purple. First glass poured, rest decanted and enjoyed over 2 hours. Explosive nose at the outset: brooding dark fruit, very youthful, with a clear beam of pencil shavings underlying all the fruit. On the palate, slightly grainy tannins frame a rich yet balanced, long wine with currant paste, spicy black plum and graphite. The only thing keeping this from a point or two higher was it was slightly less complex than I anticipated. No need to be in a hurry with this - it'll be great for at least 5-7 more years, if not improve a bit.
Left to breathe in the bottle for about 2 hours. This wine continues to show extremely well and was consistent with previous notes. Nice attack of black and red fruits along with secondary notes of tobacco, leather and pencil lead. Well balanced with a smooth mouthfeel. Medium plus finish with integrated tannins. Showing no sign of decline at this point.
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This is awesome, you would never guess it is 11 years old, bold, brooding, loaded with blackberry fruit, and yet a nice smooth voluptuous finish. Too bad Ramey is not making Jericho Canyon CS anymore. :(
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95 POINT DOUBLE BLIND DINNER @ Le Provencal; 1/22/2013-1/24/2013 (Le Provencal, Miracle Mile, Coral Gables,FL): - Violet color with slow forming legs and aromas of blackberry, black currant and oak. It's balanced and has flavours of blackberry and black currant with a medium/full body. Smooth texture with a medium finish - Mark's wine(me). Decanted in am. The cork broke. Tasted from the bottle, and used Vinturi on another taste to determine if I would give it a long decant. Thought the bouquet dissipated with the Vinturi, so I rebottled. As the only California Red in the line up the predominant oak separated it from the others, despite it's 50CS/30Merlot/20CF makeup. 4 years ago it was too tight. Now it is approachable with good dark fruits. Still needs additional time. I purchased this for my grandson Joshua born in 2001. It should be singing when he turns 21.
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Wonderful CS, this one has voluminous blackberry fruit, nice hint of pine and vanilla, well integrated oak; lush and full yet quite balanced and integrated; drinking wonderfully!
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Wow, this is a massively structure wine that really shows no sings of being over 10yrs old. Dark massive fruits on the nose, with infused mocha. Palate is just massive concentrated expression of fruits. Fine sweet tannins on the backend with a lengthy finish with layers of fruit and vanilla. Well made in a massive Cali cab style. Surprisingly youthful and balanced for the style.
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This wine was in great shape, a very pure and compelling expression of CS; black fruits, graphite, integrated oak & vanilla; strong profile, but balanced and very enjoyable. Decanted 2 hours.
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Agree completely with Pinothoarder. Slightly less good than two years ago. Losing fruit and body but still worth drinking based on flavor and smoothness. Definitely time to drink.
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Left to slow ox in the bottle for 3 hours. Consistent with previous notes. Outstanding wine which continues to drink really well. Probably at or near its' peak.
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Damn, I forgot to read the CT notes about recommended decant times. Ended up Slow ox’ing for 5 hours, and I think the nose concentration did suffer quite a bit. Would definitely recommend a 1-2 hour decant and consume by the 4th or 5t hour; as it was a little weak in the nose in that window and didn’t improve by hour 8. For me, this worked better as a stand-alone wine; just didn’t have the tannic structure to stand up the evening’s steak like other cab blends in the flight. Fairly one-dimensional with nose of dark ripe plum, and some very distant support elements that were very weak; smoke & wet loam maybe. Full fruit and nicely balanced acidity, and perfectly integrated tannins. Drink now, as this is only going to start losing ground.
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Decanted 90 minutes. Purple. Long legs. Black raspberry, black cherry, and vanilla nose. Black fruit, more subtle than before. Still pretty primary but there are notes of leather, earth, and spice. Full through the long finish.
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Seductive, Fruity nose. Black cherries, smooth as silk. Blew my doors off. Ate with grilled ribeye topped with blu cheese crumbles and caramelized onions. Sad I only have 1 bottle left. Stole the show tonight.
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The first bottle of this vintage from my cellar. Decanted and drank over the evening. Deep purple color, wonderfully smooth on the tongue. Nose and taste were initially disappointing. Wine peaked two hours after decanting. Spectalular, complex ripe dark fruit with hints of chocolate. At three hours, wine began to fade, althought it was still very nice.
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Decanted for 90 minutes. Dark fruit, cocoa and black cherry nose. This is all dark--black plum, blue berry, and tar. Smooth through the finish, with oak and balanced tannin. Beginning to drink well, and pairing well with a rack of lamb without overwhelming it. Not hot, but it creates a buzz. Great QPR. Really drinking well tonight.
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Big, brawny and young. Amazingly fresh for ten years old. Lots of life here. A bit hot at first, settled in after 2+ hr decant. And no over oaking here.
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Decanted 1 hour then re-bottled and left to breathe for 2 hours. This bottle pretty much reflected my note from 2/14/10. Great wine which is still drinking at a very high level. Still quite primary for a wine of this age although there is plenty of complexity and nice secondary characteristics. Worth seeking out.
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Not a blockbuster, but very well made CS; cherry, blackberry, boysenberry, just loads of fruit, touch of oak, medium body, good finish; but to me the finish is maybe a little thin/light and where we end up shy of outstanding. Decanted for an hour then enjoyed over the following two hours.
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This is probably another 2 years away from being in it's sweet spot. Initially on opening it has a rather candied palate and still a little hot. After a couple of hours it settles down and you begin to peel back the layers and get a sense of dark fruit and smoke. I vacuvined it to finish tomorrow and think it will be even better. Next bottle in two years.
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Decanted 3 hours. After a slightly below par showing from the last bottle this one did not disappoint. Quite simply an awesome wine. Lots of ripe black fruit on the nose with aromas of tar and burnt cedar. Very full bodied with great red & black fruit intensity while still maintaining a nice balance. Nice secondary notes of anise, tobacco and leather. Long finish with moderate tannins. Should be approaching its peak in a couple of years and drink well for a long time after that. Expensive but worth the money in my opinion.
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Just got a taste of this. Purple hue. Nose of cedar, currant, blackberry, dark plum. Full and expansive on the palate with layers of blueberry, licorice, black currants, a bit of char. Still some acidity and lots of sweet grip. Tannins present but fairly rounded off. Entertaining to drink and a natural pairing with a big fat steak.
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Purple with cherry rim, cassis, blackberry, sandalwood; smooth, almost creamy; minerals, burnt sugar; alcohol push with a long finish. Nice wine, decanted one hour +
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Dark ruby, long legs. Black cherry, blackberry, smoke and leather on the nose. Black fruit in a lush initial attack, which remains full through to the moderate finish. Current, plum, and spice at the finish. Smooth tannins and this is not at all hot. Lots of time left here.
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Still drinking wonderfully well. Decanted this bottle for about 2 hours. Continued to improve over several more hours and was consistent with my previous notes. Outstanding wine although this bottle did not quite match the level of previous bottles.
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The first thing that people said was "MEGA PURPLE". The second thing was "what's the alcohol in this thing?". Hard to finish a glass, let alone a bottle. May be it needs more time but I certainly won't be seeking out any bottles of this.
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Consistent with previous notes. Fabulous wine which is still going strong. Complex and balanced with lots of red and black fruits and nice secondary flavors evolving. Definitely needs plenty of air. Not cheap but still represents good value compared to many other wines at this price point
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Structured and full with good aromatics and a sight austerity. If it fills out in another year or two it wcouldbe something special but I can't guarantee that will happen. Popular at the dinner table as is.
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Still a very young/strong wine; large/modern CS showing some oak + vanilla, cherry fruit more than black fruits; well balanced despite large size; decanted for two hours.
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Soaring, room filling nose the moment that the cork was pulled. Intense cassis and cherry - ruby red in colour and a long sweet (fruit) mid palate and finish. Not showing a hint of maturity yet and despite the intensity, this was fresh and pretty light on its feet. A perfect match for grilled NY strip.
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14.7% alcohol. decanted. beautifully perfumed upon opening, with whiffs of sage and currant. additionally in the mouth, there is a marvelous cornucopia of mineral laden licorice, plum, and black cherry. the wine is thick and chewy, and you can almost crunch the sweetness out of the tannins. this doesn't break any new napa cab ground, but it's a fabulously packaged cabernet that is all about the pure joy of simple drinking pleasure. the oak definitely imparts a mild toast which i don't mind, and can be cellared for further resolution. sit on it for another 3-5 years to allow the nuances of leather and spice to develop. it's popular in our house tonight, a favorite vineyard in a great vintage. the fruit is nicely focused within a strong framework of balance and complexity. highly recommended.
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Decanted 2 hours and consumed over the next 4 hours. Outstanding, complex nose of ripe black fruit, smoke, cedar and a little smoked meat. Great initial attack of ripe, black fruit which builds in the mouth on the mid palate. Full bodied with great depth and complexity and a long finish with lots of secondary flavors showing. Tannins still in evidence on the backend although they are not intrusive. 6 hours after opening this was still getting better.Tremendous wine which i feel is still 2-3 years from its peak. If drinking now, i would suggest at least a 4 hour decant.
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Big boy and big boned evident tannins. It went in and out of what seemed awkward phases tonight, almost shy at some points (after decant) so it seemed a little out of balance. The nose is subtle, but very complex. You really have to try and coax it out. A little more restrained than what I was expecting. Still delicious overall, just not outstanding. Not bringing it! Real score is more like a 90, but I know this will come around. Decanted 1 hour and then drank over 4 hours.
Color: Dark red core with red edges. A little cloudy from sediment.
Nose: Blackberry, minerals and flowers, some soy sauce, burnt orange peel, mocha dust, crushed all spice, subtle oak influence.
Palate: Tannins are really pronounced. Integration is there but is struggling to stay balanced. Alcohol is a bit high at 14.7%. Don't love the texture, though great acidity. Blackberry, slate like minerality with crushed blackberry, really surprising for a Napa Cabernet to be so mineral driven. Bordeaux like, a cross between St. Julien and St. Estephe.
I am befuddled as the previous tasting notes here are great, well written and typical of what I'd expect from this wine and this wine maker's style. Maybe just a dumb phase for this one but pretty delicate tonight. Just different than I was expecting. Good none the less.
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What can you say about perfection? It was big, but not too big. Totally balanced. Hints of chocolate and magic. I think it could cellar a little while longer. I decanted for about an hour, not too much sediment.
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Had two bottles last night - the first was spectacular. The second had subtle cork taint. If I had only had the second, the taint was so subtle that I might have thought that it was just not a great wine - but tasting them side by side the taint was incredibly obvious. A very sad story for a great wine.
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Really coming around. Great balance with gorgeous nose of dark fruit, chocolate,and licorice. Great mouthfeel and texture. One of the nicest Cali cabs I've had in some time. Perfect with a charred fatty NY strip. Very good +.
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14.7% alcohol. decanted one hour, and then followed in the glass over three more hours. a gorgeous wine of lovely proportion. it lacks only extended emotional connections to propel it into epic status. i've been excited more by a few other wines, i carry a memory of several calicabs from the past that surpass this (e.g. 1995 harlan estate, 95 colgin herb lamb), but the balance, weight, mouthfeel, texture, finish of this wine is intoxicating and places it in the highest tier of competition. bold and beautiful without being over done. delicious. jane says 96 points...i won't argue.
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Massive nose with lots of oak jumping from the glass. Just as massive on the palate. Huge black fruits, oak and alcohol. Coats the mouth and lingers. Too over the top for my taste.
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In celebration of the upcoming excellent Spring weather, Dore and I opened one of our few remaining Rameys. Very limited decant time. Black fruit on the nose, but subdued. Was a bit tight in the first glass, still plenty of tannins, some complexity. Oak not really evident. Sense was that it needed some additional air time, but it was drinking very nicely, quite elegant and smooth, but still more opportunity to soften the tannins and allow the fruit to express more. Back to the cellar with the remaining bottles; this baby is going to be absolutely fantastic in another couple of years.
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Only had time for 1/2 hr decant. Still tight. Threw a lot of sediment, a gooid sign. it seems as if it is going through a transitory stage, and it will be interesting to see where it goes from here. Now reticent, intense dark fruits.
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very similar to the last bottle, but this with a little bit more spice to it. This was also opened longer than the previous bottle. This would be excellent with a roast sirloin
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Had this one in a lineup with 3 fabulous wines -- the 2002 O'Shaughnessy Mt. Veeder cab, 1999 Verite La Muse, and 1995 Seavey Cab. For my tastes, while all of these wines were very different from one another, this one was my favorite. About as pure a wine as I've ever had. Dark ruby purple, scents of mochoa and, after a while in the glass (decanted about 2 hours prior), a HUGE boquet of chocolate-covered cherries. Layers upon layers or dark fruits, seamless, nothing heavy or overly tannic, yet structured with a beautiful midpalate. This one kept changing as we drank it, evolving in the glass, almost from sip to sip. The grilled filets unlocked additional flavors, and, while this was great with the steaks, I actually preferred it on its own...it was just too pure to blend with anything. Really showed why Ramey is my favorite producer, anywhere. LOVE this wine. Amazing. Can't wait to try the next bottle of the 2002.
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WOW!.."a bottle of wine" does not accurately describe my experience, last night; "A MEAL", is more like it! This wine was a proverbial onion - each 10min. interval seemed to reveal yet another aroma & flavor layer - from kirsh, to mocha, to liccorice/anise, to chocolate-covered black cherries! I've never had a wine that's continually evolved & developed into so many layers of flavor; each increasingly compelling. This wine is the SH_T! The "experience", as described above, is what earned this such a high rating from me; and it was more for the rating-description = "Extraordinary", than for the quality and integrity. I now know what a certain notorious critic means when he says, "MUST BE TASTED TO BE BELIEVED!"
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Enormous amount of perfect ripe fruits in the bouquet. Mostly dark fruits like cherries and blackberries. In the mouth a musical of fruits fighting to play the leading role. Also chocolate and blood. Enormous concentration. Soft and lush, but powerful tannin. Good acidity and bitterness. The fruit is still ruling, but there certainly is complexity and the wine has an enormous length.
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Complex, penetrating nose is complimented with sharply defined medium-full flavors of spicy red currant, black pepper, citrus zest and mineral. Holds these flavors through a finish with good length and complexity. Excellent Cab. Drink or hold.
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A smooth, well-balanced fruit bomb (in a good way, as this is not at all synthetic/over-extracted, just really ripe, beautiful fruit on the attack). Drinking very well right now. Medium bodied, this might not have quite the size/grip of a great Harlan, Dalla Valle Maya or Montelena Estate, but a very compelling wine. Fun.
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Decanted for 2-1/2 hrs in am. Evolving beautifully. Our first bottle of Joshua's (Grandson b 2001) wine. At this junmcture reticent bouquet, but excellent deep black fruit flavors, and extended finish. Tannins give it a long life ahead.Will be perfect when Joshua turns 21!
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Decanted 3 hours. Full body. Super dark and viscous with a monster nose of black fruit and chocolate. Very mouthcoating adding a coffee dimension. Big finish. Spectacular. Consistent with experience a year ago as well.
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California tasting @ Restaurant Savelberg (Netherlands): Licorice, rum bonbons, cherry licquor, very port-like and alcoholic. Completely out of balance, don't know where this is heading for.... Overextracted and loudmouthed. I'd like my wines to be more 'civilized'. 15/20
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Decanted for 2 hours and back to the bottle for 8 hours. Gentle, well integrated nose of creosote, mocha and a little red currant. Initially a little flat on the mid palate but added energy after 2 hours in the glass. Flavors of blackcurrant, dark chocolate, tobacco and menthol. The structure does creep up on the finish, with brisk acidity and moderate tannins. Seemed very closed at first but opened towards the end of the bottle. This wine has changed immensely from the tannic beast it was upon release. Rather disappointing at this point but it hinted at a brighter future. Hold for another 4-5 years.
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The mid-palate here shows an intense cherry-raspberry character. Reminds me just a bit of the Justin Isoceles in that respect. Unmistakably Californian.
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This wine was very good but a bit of a let down from what I was expecting . Nice and mellowwith well integrated flavors but a bit one dimentional with little complexity.
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Big and still young as hell, this is a fruit fwd, great drinker with a bunch more there than fruit, but it does have great fruit...Notes 5 days later, but I rember balance and structure with depth and purity
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14.7% alcohol. when this wine was made by ramey for rudd, it was responsible for converting jane to reds. decanted two hours. in a word: KILLER. the complexity of this wine is astounding. residual tannins exist, and i would expect that for the vintage; but no matter, as they are very sweet and couple with the fruit beautifully. no doubt, it will be delivering the goods for 10+ years. the nose has a bit of bordeaux in it, and i know it's a blend, but i have to look up what the split is. nevertheless, this is unmistakably california in the best possible manner. sensational!
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The nose had cherries, currants, and some raspberries. The palate of this wine had blackberry, raspberry and mocha. This was very smooth, and didn't have the oakiness that the 03 Ramey was showing this evening. Full bodied wine with a medium length finish.
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No written notes taken. Popped and poured. Dark garment color in the glass, clear hue throughout. Tight nose and palate only showing a little simple red cherries and red berries. Also of note there was a little volatile acidity on the nose upon opening. Either it needs a decant (perhaps extended) or continue holding. Therefore no rating issued.
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I've had at least 4 bottles of this before -most recently in March of last year. In the past, it has always been very dense and tannic, with great fruit but dominated by chocolatey-oak. Not this time. Oak has receded, becoming a chocolate acccent, and there rest is classic Napa Cab fruit. Really nice.
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Black/purple. This bottle seems to be aging prematurely. The nose is a little harsh; the primary aromas are of creamy blackberry liqueur, but there is a strong overlay of herbs and a background of walnuts or shellac. Some VA. On the palate, rather disjointed; the fruit is still very intense and rich but now seems a bit oxidized. A bit hot. The acidity of the wine comes across as a bit shrill and the overall impression isn't all that enjoyable.
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The wine is performing far better. Something must have been wrong with my last bottle. I still find it clumsy relative to earlier ones, but at least I can relate this to the wine I bought six bottles of a few years ago!
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This wine seems to be slipping. Attractive nose highlights rich, ripe fruit, but the wine is overly aggressive and comes across as clumsy. The tannins are thick enough to chew, but have become noticably bitter and convey a sort of flabby impression. Alcohol was always high, but is no longer concealed. And there is an almost sugary sweetness here. Hopefully, this bottle was just awkward or perhaps too warm (east coast has been going through a tough summer). But I would either drink this up, or leave it for five years in the hope of a second "flowering". Right now, the wine is heavy, overdone, and aggressive.
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Black/grenat. Profound nose of cassis, walnuts, tobacco, fresh cut parsley. Sweet, ripe, rich and long in the mouth; velvet tannins. A bit bitter on the back of the tongue; may need more bottle time, or might suggest a risk with long-term cellaring. But at this stage, really an outstanding young cabernet.
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Decanted for 1 hour. Wonderful nose of dark skinned fruit, plum or even prune. Slight oak and sweaty leather nose and taste. Tannins seemed well intigrated and seems to be in its drinking window now.
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Big, powerful, very well balanced. Chewy with a fat mouthfeel. Tannins are there but sweet and supple, good acidity. black currant and anise all the way - nose, palate and aftertaste. Long aftertaste. Delicious now but will last.
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This is another great wine from David Ramey, following the great Jericho Canyon wines he made for Rudd in 1998, 1999 and 2000. On pouring it into the decanter a dark and deep purple color is observed. A truly wonderful aroma comes off this wine. Its aroma screams loudly of blackberry and follows with hints of coffee, vanilla and oak. On first taste after 1 hour decanting the tannins hit hard and the finish seemed a little hot. After two hours it opens up and has big fruit and a long finish. I didn’t detect much oak, but this wine did not need a lot of oak. The structure, color and aroma of this wine compares well to the Opus One 2001. With a few years bottle aging to drop the tannin level, this could be a favorite for the 2001 year. I’ll try it again in 2 years.
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Dark purple in color with a slightly reddish rim. Black cherry and toasty oak on the nose. Concentrated and extracted on the palate with an interesting citrus and herbal notes. Texaswino noted "grand marnier' - this is good descriptor for part of the midpalate of this wine. A very long finish with big tannins. It was not ready to drink and could use a few more years in bottle. It could end up a WOW (95+ wine) with more bottle age. Terrific wine. A blend of 49% cabernet sauvignon, 31% merlot and 20% cabernet franc. [$80; Decanted three hours and needed it; Will not open another until 2008; Served with veal chops]
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WOW! This on December 23rd is in the running for the best glass of wine of 2004. Very dark and thick. Explosive nose of Chocolate oak and black cherry. In the mouth it does not disapoint. Dark fruit, chocolat and roasted coffee. Substantial tannins suggest inprovement ahead with fruit and stuffing to go years.
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A deep dark purple red. With air a muted nose of chocolate, black cherries and vanillin. On the palate an incredibly concentrated and dense wine. Superb fruit, excellent concentration and extract, well integrated oak, but very tannic and many years to go. Given my limited experience with Californian cabs, I would score this at least 95, and I look forward to my remaining bottles at a much later date.
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In Sweden at Gunnar’s place. Huge, fat, juicy and chewy but good acidity and tannins stops it from being clumsy and gives it great backbone. Great currants and blackberries with anise, leather and a Mouton like quality of lead-pencil. Great wine - long-lived but can it be better than it is right now?
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Wow what a bouquet. This is one of those wines you can just smell & be happy, but the taste does not disapoint. loads of berries & blackberry jam & chocolate forever. I like this juice. Over the top... yeah but so what a good over the top. I think Mr. Laube missed it on this one
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Needs a few hours in the decanter before it shows its stuff. Then ....WOW. Rich nose is almost port like with hints of dark chocolate and grand marnier. Lots of tannins in the finish. This will be a great, great wine in 5-7 years. It has a long life ahead of it. The rest of mine will not be opened for 5 more years at least.
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Red Carpet; Opaque dark purple; some bell-pepper, port-like, very lite vinegar; big bod, very velvety, rich thick t’s, overboard, big a’s too, dark earth; coffee-like fin.***Huge and brooding.
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6/20/2022 - DesMarteau wrote:
Consistent with prior note …amazing stuff in a great window
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5/2/2022 - RISM Likes this wine: 95 Points
Deep garnet colour, still almost black. Loads of black cherries and blackberries on the nose, as well as smoky notes, liquorice and graphite. Full-bodied and unctuous palate, definitely more “Napa-like” than “Bordeaux-like”, plummy, with some lingering tannins, and a long finish. Really well-made blend and has a good few years of life in it yet.
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3/15/2022 - grub94 Likes this wine: 91 Points
A Bordeaux blend with a full Cali treatment. Thin lite brick rim. Full nose of jammy black berries and hints of earth and anise. More on the palate. Tannins almost fully resolved. Balanced with medium length finish. Maybe two more years. One bottle left.
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2/27/2022 - cknapp wrote: 92 Points
- Brick color and aromas of blackberry and raspberry. It's in total harmony with a medium/full body. Smooth texture with a long finish - Despite my proper cellaring the cork was dried out, requiring me to use my 2 prong extractor and then filtering the wine into my decanter. Beautiful fruity nose indicating a live wine whose taste did not disappoint. Beautifully integrated tannins , with great length . My last bottle!
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1/24/2022 - DesMarteau Likes this wine: 95 Points
needs 45 of air to open...layered cherry, plum, black and white crushed pepper, rose pedals, pencil lead....not thick but powerful. Nice stuff and well made.
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9/20/2021 - buckeye76 Likes this wine: 94 Points
Nice color, black raspberries, leather, chocolate, and licorice in the nose and flavor. Full bodied, concentrated fruit, nice acidity, well balanced, and a long finish.
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4/10/2021 - kevinpatrick Likes this wine: 92 Points
Aged Napa versus Aged Bordeaux at Cork Vault (Charlotte, NC): 45% Cabernet Sauvignon, 36% Merlot and 19% Cabernet Franc
Slow-ox for 1 hour before sampling. Enjoyable scents of cherries, gravel and musty forest on the nose. Surprisingly lively on the palate the new world fruits reveal an unexpected youthfulness -- red cherries, bell pepper, blueberries, and notes of red raspberries. The wine resolves easily into a medium length finish. There is nice structure to this wine although it lacks comparative complexity. A very nice wine, well-made, and still showing well.
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9/21/2020 - spacewrangler wrote: 93 Points
Beautifully integrated wine. Short decant, redcurrant and plum with some mint or camphor - long in the mouth with a nice chewiness despite being 19 years old. Plenty of life left, do decant as it brings out the aroma.
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8/7/2020 - weinmatt wrote: 95 Points
Easily one of the best wines I’ve had in a very long time.
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10/12/2019 - rcg62 wrote: flawed
Cork disaster and we ended up having to filter this to drink it. But drinking great. Super deep color and looks young (some of the color could be sediment, eg cork disaster). But great nose and palate. Suspect it’s a nice under the radar wine. What I got lingered and was full of fruit. Tasted young. 93-96-ish
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3/23/2019 - Topper wrote: 93 Points
I mostly stopped buying Cal Cabs around ten years ago when my taste turned more decidedly to more aromatic wines such as barolo and red burgundy. I might have been too hasty. The cabs that I bought in the 01 and 02 vintages are really singing as the tannins have resolved and the buoyant fruit flavors remained. This one was at its pretty best while retaining enough body to stand up to flavorful food.
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3/17/2019 - Kavine wrote: 94 Points
Two hour decant over a steak night. Very nice softness and fruit - not a bold as one might expect from a Napa Cab though well suited.
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2/24/2019 - roasted hill wrote:
Consistent notes, so i've decided to approach some bottles over the next few years. No need to drink up, that's for sure. What a wine.
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1/11/2019 - AlexHop Likes this wine: 94 Points
Beautiful and expressive. Lush, sage and oregano with still some good fruit. Long finish.
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12/27/2018 - silent7706 Likes this wine: 100 Points
Perfect!
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11/17/2018 - edjBoca Likes this wine: 93 Points
Really fresh and large. Dark in color, somewhat hot and bright fruits with some complexity. Will last...
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9/16/2018 - roasted hill wrote:
Medium ruby. Long legs. Black fruit and berry nose. Blackberry, black raspberry, and dark chocolate with full, long finish. Tannins resolving. There's time left here, but I doubt it'll much change. Great with porterhouse, but might be fatiguing alone.
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5/4/2018 - roasted hill wrote:
Decanted with aerator for 1/2 hr. Deep ruby with a brownish tinge. Minimal bricking. Long legs. Dark berry and a hint of vanilla on the nose. Rich blueberry and black raspberry with just bit of black plum (but not in any way cooked). Loooong smooth fully integrated finish with chocolate, mocha, and durable tannin on the gums on the back end. Not at all hot or fatiguing. A joy to drink. Still primary, a joy to drink, and years to go.
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1/6/2018 - Kavine Likes this wine: 91 Points
Decanted over 2 hours. Opened up over time. More tannic than I would have expected - fruit of berries and due to age was not as chewy as a younger vintage.
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10/4/2017 - Verb Likes this wine: 89 Points
brick - nice but undistinguished nose without much complexity - full mouth of red fruits - tannins resolved but acidity predominates - bitter finish - went well with food, which covered some of the flaws, but not that pleasant by itself
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9/4/2017 - Tgood Likes this wine: 94 Points
Cellared at 55 since early acquistition so ymmv; deep dark opaque youthfully purple black, fresh nose of red cherries and flowers; menthol notes present on nose become more prominent on palate where brisk acids and pleasantly tannic strength carry on from there for this complete wine. Rediscovered Ramey on recent trip to area - dug this one out - confirms new found admiration
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2/22/2017 - juicenjams Likes this wine: 93 Points
Took a bottle from the wine 54 degree cabinet to dinner with another couple. Opened and poured into two large bordeaux glasses and let it sit for about 20 minutes. On my third "sip", I looked at the glass and then the bottle and couldn't wait to get home and confirm I had two more bottles remaining. Color was a really dark blue red and consistent across the glass to the edges. Length was about 15 seconds lingering on the senses and a wonderful smell as it continued to open up over the evening. Great mouth feel without being too chewy. Excellent wine! Should last another three years easy.
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12/25/2016 - roasted hill wrote:
decanted an hour, with lotsa sediment. not overbearing. nice nose and black fruit, a great pleasure. holding up perfectly well. no hurry to drink.
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9/25/2016 - g-man wrote: 89 Points
After some of the recent reviews I was relieved with its performance. Still dark around the rim with little if any bricking. Notes of camphor and dark fruit. On the palate there is menthol and still some tannin present. There is just no "wow" factor that we were all hoping for after release.
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8/20/2016 - cfulbright Likes this wine: 93 Points
Open, rich, good aromas of coffee, chocolate, some black and green peppers. Not much bottle development, but very pleasant. Very low tannins, nice finish.
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9/14/2015 - Topper wrote: 90 Points
This is well made wine, but nothing really special now. Still feels big, but not a monster. Heat shows through and somewhat mars the drinking experience. Black fruit is still present but won't last indefinitely. Probably time to finish these up.
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4/20/2015 - ken-yyz Likes this wine: 93 Points
Wonderful Napa cab. Lots of currant and a slight softness that makes this elegant despite its size.
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12/20/2014 - mdefreitas wrote: 93 Points
A bit mute on the nose, but this was a nice, lean, structured Cab with lovely verve and balance. Brawny and muscular and could still age quite a bit more.
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12/1/2014 - joshabramson Likes this wine: 93 Points
Right out of the bottle this is still pretty tight -- definitely more than I was expecting for a ~13-14 year old napa cab. Probably will be better with a few years and/or a long decant, but I'm a bit disappointed with it for the $100 price tag. I'm getting a lot of sour cherry, that's very much the dominant flavor for me. Clearly a well made wine, just not my favorite style.
UPDATE: After 2.5 hours in the decanter, this has changed dramatically for the better. I increased my score from 91 to 93 points.
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11/28/2014 - stjames wrote: 90 Points
Had high hopes for this Thanksgiving wine, but from the nose was somewhat subdued, and on the palate had decent fruit only.
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11/7/2014 - cparkhurst wrote: 90 Points
Double decanted for 2 hours and still way too tight for me.
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7/22/2014 - alwebb2000 wrote: 93 Points
Still tight at first. Opened up nicely over the first hour. Smooth, substantial fruit, nice finish.
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6/16/2014 - Asbo Wino Likes this wine: 93 Points
After a two hour decant this drank very well indeed. Great balance and structure, smooth with plenty of dark fruit. No food required.
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5/25/2014 - winejnky wrote: 90 Points
Fade has finally started; not quite as rich and robust as some prior bottles, but still solid blackberry and cherry fruit, smooth and supple.
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5/18/2014 - davidspieker wrote: 91 Points
Minimal aroma of dark fruit and earth. Juicy blackberry and boysenberry flavors with tobacco. Lots of heat with good body and balance. Lots of sediment.
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5/16/2014 - jsebiri wrote:
delicious , big wine , much alcohol , fruit fruit , will have lots of time left , maybe not multidimensional enough to be excellent , enjoyed
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4/7/2014 - cdunn wrote: 95 Points
This was the first bottle of the '01 I have had in 5 years, and it has developed dramatically into a truly stellar wine. Prior tastings were more monolithic and dense. Decanted for 4 hours, filtering out a surprising amount of sediment. The nose was abundant but refined, with pipe tobacco, dark fruit and some slate. Very powerful on the palate, but not at all heavy. A complex array of flavors, including, strangely enough, a strong sense of the seacoast on a foggy day; not something I associate with Cab. Really delicious. Big finish, more of a crescendo than the usual fade-out. I've always enjoyed David's wines, but this one is very special and has a lot of life left. I'm looking forward to my remaining 5 bottles over the next several years.
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4/6/2014 - JGinMO wrote: 93 Points
This drank really well, almost right from opening. Tannins softened, lovely mature fruit, a long finish with a touch of acid to it. Seemed like could go another 6-8 yrs.
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3/30/2014 - MicklethePickle Likes this wine: 90 Points
Still nearly opaque dark red with just a bit of lightening at the rim. Slow legs. Nose sorts sweetish red berry fruit with a hint of menthol. Really opens up with air. Characteristic cabernet fruit. Smooth entry, quickly makes its presence felt with full body and rich, deep fruit. No weak sister, this, though the tannins are mostly resolved and chewy. Fairly lengthy across the palate and into the finish. Drinking nicely now but could last for years and may even evolve further. Good acid backbone signals potential for further development. Not a blockbuster but enjoyable, to say the least. 4-12-16-8: 90/100.
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3/29/2014 - Pcrage Likes this wine: 94 Points
Very nice. 3 hour decant. Certainly in its drinking window. Lovely dark fruits and fully integrated. Nice mid palate and long finish. Had first glass with grilled pork...great compliment. The next two glasses by themselves. Got better through hour 5. Buying a few more.
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12/14/2013 - peternelson wrote: 93 Points
Monopole: Fragrant pure blackberry, cassis, blueberry; clay, soil, sweet truffle; palate is medium silky with good grip, medium plus density, pure, concentrated, but extremely well balanced with mineral and berry notes with smoke and just a touch of oak spice. This is incredibly balanced, complex, with long finish and great tangy acidity to keep it fresh. Awesome. 93-94
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12/13/2013 - jsebiri wrote:
sweet for a cab , some berries on the nose , nice , enjoyable
hour later - some more tannins showing , sweetness very obvious , syrah-like for sure
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11/16/2013 - KCBrian Likes this wine: 94 Points
What a lovely wine! Decanted for about 2.5 hrs. This followed a 2009 Bdx (Pomerol) and was my WOTN between the two. It is essentially a Cali Bdx blend and it was singing! Nose was a mix of blackberry and cassis liqueur. Palate was full bodied and the tannins are in the background. Tremendously long wonderful finish.
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10/14/2013 - Topper wrote: 94 Points
Lots of bottle variation on these. This was the best of the three I've had. Big, bold, yet not overpowering. This one came to play. I'd still say it would be best to be drinking these up but maybe your next one will surprise like this.
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10/13/2013 - nvandyk wrote: 95 Points
Very, very good wine and somewhat overperformed my expectations. I have found some of David's cabs to be heavily tannic but this was supple and velvety with a full, round mouthfeel. Good color, expressive nose. Missing some complexity on the finish or the score would be even higher but this was a remarkably good bottle (hence my remark). Har har.
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8/3/2013 - BRR Likes this wine: 92 Points
Very dark purple. First glass poured, rest decanted and enjoyed over 2 hours. Explosive nose at the outset: brooding dark fruit, very youthful, with a clear beam of pencil shavings underlying all the fruit. On the palate, slightly grainy tannins frame a rich yet balanced, long wine with currant paste, spicy black plum and graphite. The only thing keeping this from a point or two higher was it was slightly less complex than I anticipated. No need to be in a hurry with this - it'll be great for at least 5-7 more years, if not improve a bit.
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7/6/2013 - Yamadori wrote: 94 Points
Left to breathe in the bottle for about 2 hours. This wine continues to show extremely well and was consistent with previous notes. Nice attack of black and red fruits along with secondary notes of tobacco, leather and pencil lead. Well balanced with a smooth mouthfeel. Medium plus finish with integrated tannins. Showing no sign of decline at this point.
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2/9/2013 - Wino from Michigan wrote: 94 Points
Great Wine -- drink now -- perfectly balanced
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1/27/2013 - winejnky wrote: 93 Points
This is awesome, you would never guess it is 11 years old, bold, brooding, loaded with blackberry fruit, and yet a nice smooth voluptuous finish. Too bad Ramey is not making Jericho Canyon CS anymore. :(
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1/23/2013 - markellen.foodies@gmail.com wrote: 92 Points
95 POINT DOUBLE BLIND DINNER @ Le Provencal; 1/22/2013-1/24/2013 (Le Provencal, Miracle Mile, Coral Gables,FL): - Violet color with slow forming legs and aromas of blackberry, black currant and oak. It's balanced and has flavours of blackberry and black currant with a medium/full body. Smooth texture with a medium finish - Mark's wine(me). Decanted in am. The cork broke. Tasted from the bottle, and used Vinturi on another taste to determine if I would give it a long decant. Thought the bouquet dissipated with the Vinturi, so I rebottled. As the only California Red in the line up the predominant oak separated it from the others, despite it's 50CS/30Merlot/20CF makeup. 4 years ago it was too tight. Now it is approachable with good dark fruits. Still needs additional time. I purchased this for my grandson Joshua born in 2001. It should be singing when he turns 21.
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11/11/2012 - winejnky wrote: 92 Points
Wonderful CS, this one has voluminous blackberry fruit, nice hint of pine and vanilla, well integrated oak; lush and full yet quite balanced and integrated; drinking wonderfully!
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9/24/2012 - Nutty08 wrote: 93 Points
Wow, this is a massively structure wine that really shows no sings of being over 10yrs old. Dark massive fruits on the nose, with infused mocha. Palate is just massive concentrated expression of fruits. Fine sweet tannins on the backend with a lengthy finish with layers of fruit and vanilla. Well made in a massive Cali cab style. Surprisingly youthful and balanced for the style.
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8/12/2012 - Michael Moore Likes this wine: 93 Points
full of life.....plenty of time left
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7/27/2012 - winejnky wrote: 93 Points
This wine was in great shape, a very pure and compelling expression of CS; black fruits, graphite, integrated oak & vanilla; strong profile, but balanced and very enjoyable. Decanted 2 hours.
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6/25/2012 - BaroloRob wrote: 88 Points
The fruit of the cabernet sauvignon is gone leaving only the Cab Franc.
While drinkable, it is a shadow of the original.
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6/17/2012 - Topper wrote: 89 Points
Agree completely with Pinothoarder. Slightly less good than two years ago. Losing fruit and body but still worth drinking based on flavor and smoothness. Definitely time to drink.
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6/15/2012 - Yamadori wrote: 95 Points
Left to slow ox in the bottle for 3 hours. Consistent with previous notes. Outstanding wine which continues to drink really well. Probably at or near its' peak.
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6/4/2012 - pinothoarder wrote: 89 Points
Damn, I forgot to read the CT notes about recommended decant times. Ended up Slow ox’ing for 5 hours, and I think the nose concentration did suffer quite a bit. Would definitely recommend a 1-2 hour decant and consume by the 4th or 5t hour; as it was a little weak in the nose in that window and didn’t improve by hour 8. For me, this worked better as a stand-alone wine; just didn’t have the tannic structure to stand up the evening’s steak like other cab blends in the flight. Fairly one-dimensional with nose of dark ripe plum, and some very distant support elements that were very weak; smoke & wet loam maybe. Full fruit and nicely balanced acidity, and perfectly integrated tannins. Drink now, as this is only going to start losing ground.
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5/19/2012 - roasted hill wrote:
Decanted 90 minutes. Purple. Long legs. Black raspberry, black cherry, and vanilla nose. Black fruit, more subtle than before. Still pretty primary but there are notes of leather, earth, and spice. Full through the long finish.
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4/21/2012 - gpatramanis wrote: 96 Points
Seductive, Fruity nose. Black cherries, smooth as silk. Blew my doors off. Ate with grilled ribeye topped with blu cheese crumbles and caramelized onions. Sad I only have 1 bottle left. Stole the show tonight.
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2/19/2012 - wirelessbluedog wrote: 92 Points
The first bottle of this vintage from my cellar. Decanted and drank over the evening. Deep purple color, wonderfully smooth on the tongue. Nose and taste were initially disappointing. Wine peaked two hours after decanting. Spectalular, complex ripe dark fruit with hints of chocolate. At three hours, wine began to fade, althought it was still very nice.
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1/22/2012 - roasted hill wrote:
Decanted for 90 minutes. Dark fruit, cocoa and black cherry nose. This is all dark--black plum, blue berry, and tar. Smooth through the finish, with oak and balanced tannin. Beginning to drink well, and pairing well with a rack of lamb without overwhelming it. Not hot, but it creates a buzz. Great QPR. Really drinking well tonight.
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1/7/2012 - RussK wrote: 91 Points
RUSSK At Peter's Hlwd Wine Society 2001 CA Cab Tasting, most of them were still a bit young. tight and phenolic. Cab/CabF/Merlot. 91+
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12/11/2011 - AccaDacca wrote: 94 Points
Big, brawny and young. Amazingly fresh for ten years old. Lots of life here. A bit hot at first, settled in after 2+ hr decant. And no over oaking here.
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12/3/2011 - Mike V wrote: flawed
Corked
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11/19/2011 - Yamadori wrote: 95 Points
Decanted 1 hour then re-bottled and left to breathe for 2 hours. This bottle pretty much reflected my note from 2/14/10. Great wine which is still drinking at a very high level. Still quite primary for a wine of this age although there is plenty of complexity and nice secondary characteristics. Worth seeking out.
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11/6/2011 - winejnky wrote: 92 Points
Not a blockbuster, but very well made CS; cherry, blackberry, boysenberry, just loads of fruit, touch of oak, medium body, good finish; but to me the finish is maybe a little thin/light and where we end up shy of outstanding. Decanted for an hour then enjoyed over the following two hours.
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9/29/2011 - g-man wrote: 92 Points
This is probably another 2 years away from being in it's sweet spot. Initially on opening it has a rather candied palate and still a little hot. After a couple of hours it settles down and you begin to peel back the layers and get a sense of dark fruit and smoke. I vacuvined it to finish tomorrow and think it will be even better. Next bottle in two years.
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9/15/2011 - kenv Does not like this wine:
WCC 2001 California Cabernet Blind (Provence Restaurant, Albany, NY): [Double decanted at 11am.] Medicinal cherry nose. Cough syrup palate. Yuck! Not Rated.
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8/14/2011 - Yamadori wrote: 95 Points
Decanted 3 hours. After a slightly below par showing from the last bottle this one did not disappoint. Quite simply an awesome wine. Lots of ripe black fruit on the nose with aromas of tar and burnt cedar. Very full bodied with great red & black fruit intensity while still maintaining a nice balance. Nice secondary notes of anise, tobacco and leather. Long finish with moderate tannins. Should be approaching its peak in a couple of years and drink well for a long time after that. Expensive but worth the money in my opinion.
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8/13/2011 - DougLee wrote: 92 Points
Just got a taste of this. Purple hue. Nose of cedar, currant, blackberry, dark plum. Full and expansive on the palate with layers of blueberry, licorice, black currants, a bit of char. Still some acidity and lots of sweet grip. Tannins present but fairly rounded off. Entertaining to drink and a natural pairing with a big fat steak.
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7/29/2011 - shaferguy91 wrote: 92 Points
Decanted 2 hours.
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4/10/2011 - winejnky wrote: 91 Points
Purple with cherry rim, cassis, blackberry, sandalwood; smooth, almost creamy; minerals, burnt sugar; alcohol push with a long finish. Nice wine, decanted one hour +
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4/9/2011 - roasted hill wrote:
Dark ruby, long legs. Black cherry, blackberry, smoke and leather on the nose. Black fruit in a lush initial attack, which remains full through to the moderate finish. Current, plum, and spice at the finish. Smooth tannins and this is not at all hot. Lots of time left here.
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3/5/2011 - Yamadori wrote: 93 Points
Still drinking wonderfully well. Decanted this bottle for about 2 hours. Continued to improve over several more hours and was consistent with my previous notes. Outstanding wine although this bottle did not quite match the level of previous bottles.
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2/24/2011 - don_quichotte wrote: 85 Points
The first thing that people said was "MEGA PURPLE". The second thing was "what's the alcohol in this thing?". Hard to finish a glass, let alone a bottle. May be it needs more time but I certainly won't be seeking out any bottles of this.
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1/2/2011 - Yamadori wrote: 95 Points
Consistent with previous notes. Fabulous wine which is still going strong. Complex and balanced with lots of red and black fruits and nice secondary flavors evolving. Definitely needs plenty of air. Not cheap but still represents good value compared to many other wines at this price point
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11/26/2010 - Topper wrote: 92 Points
Structured and full with good aromatics and a sight austerity. If it fills out in another year or two it wcouldbe something special but I can't guarantee that will happen. Popular at the dinner table as is.
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11/14/2010 - winejnky wrote: 92 Points
Still a very young/strong wine; large/modern CS showing some oak + vanilla, cherry fruit more than black fruits; well balanced despite large size; decanted for two hours.
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7/11/2010 - ken-yyz Likes this wine: 94 Points
Soaring, room filling nose the moment that the cork was pulled. Intense cassis and cherry - ruby red in colour and a long sweet (fruit) mid palate and finish. Not showing a hint of maturity yet and despite the intensity, this was fresh and pretty light on its feet. A perfect match for grilled NY strip.
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6/6/2010 - Mrbuzz wrote: 89 Points
Jen's Fund Raiser Dinner (Max's Bistro, Fresno Ca.): Very plummy, prunes, currant fruit....graphite tannin, cedar spice. Not up to par with the others in the flight.
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4/8/2010 - shaferguy91 wrote: 91 Points
Decanted 2 hours. Good but not up to the level of some of these notes.
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3/14/2010 - Yamadori wrote: 95 Points
Decanted 6 hours. Continues to impress. This bottle was consistent with previous notes. Beautiful wine from beginning to end.
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2/28/2010 - jeff nowak Likes this wine: 94 Points
14.7% alcohol. decanted. beautifully perfumed upon opening, with whiffs of sage and currant. additionally in the mouth, there is a marvelous cornucopia of mineral laden licorice, plum, and black cherry. the wine is thick and chewy, and you can almost crunch the sweetness out of the tannins. this doesn't break any new napa cab ground, but it's a fabulously packaged cabernet that is all about the pure joy of simple drinking pleasure. the oak definitely imparts a mild toast which i don't mind, and can be cellared for further resolution. sit on it for another 3-5 years to allow the nuances of leather and spice to develop. it's popular in our house tonight, a favorite vineyard in a great vintage. the fruit is nicely focused within a strong framework of balance and complexity. highly recommended.
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2/14/2010 - Yamadori wrote: 95 Points
Decanted 2 hours and consumed over the next 4 hours. Outstanding, complex nose of ripe black fruit, smoke, cedar and a little smoked meat. Great initial attack of ripe, black fruit which builds in the mouth on the mid palate. Full bodied with great depth and complexity and a long finish with lots of secondary flavors showing. Tannins still in evidence on the backend although they are not intrusive. 6 hours after opening this was still getting better.Tremendous wine which i feel is still 2-3 years from its peak. If drinking now, i would suggest at least a 4 hour decant.
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2/6/2010 - tkoby11 wrote: 91 Points
Big boy and big boned evident tannins. It went in and out of what seemed awkward phases tonight, almost shy at some points (after decant) so it seemed a little out of balance. The nose is subtle, but very complex. You really have to try and coax it out. A little more restrained than what I was expecting. Still delicious overall, just not outstanding. Not bringing it! Real score is more like a 90, but I know this will come around. Decanted 1 hour and then drank over 4 hours.
Color: Dark red core with red edges. A little cloudy from sediment.
Nose: Blackberry, minerals and flowers, some soy sauce, burnt orange peel, mocha dust, crushed all spice, subtle oak influence.
Palate: Tannins are really pronounced. Integration is there but is struggling to stay balanced. Alcohol is a bit high at 14.7%. Don't love the texture, though great acidity. Blackberry, slate like minerality with crushed blackberry, really surprising for a Napa Cabernet to be so mineral driven. Bordeaux like, a cross between St. Julien and St. Estephe.
I am befuddled as the previous tasting notes here are great, well written and typical of what I'd expect from this wine and this wine maker's style. Maybe just a dumb phase for this one but pretty delicate tonight. Just different than I was expecting. Good none the less.
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12/13/2009 - brich wrote: 96 Points
What can you say about perfection? It was big, but not too big. Totally balanced. Hints of chocolate and magic. I think it could cellar a little while longer. I decanted for about an hour, not too much sediment.
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6/20/2009 - TRS-Wine wrote: flawed
Had two bottles last night - the first was spectacular. The second had subtle cork taint. If I had only had the second, the taint was so subtle that I might have thought that it was just not a great wine - but tasting them side by side the taint was incredibly obvious. A very sad story for a great wine.
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6/20/2009 - TRS-Wine wrote: 94 Points
Really great stuff.
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6/17/2009 - MNP wrote:
Really coming around. Great balance with gorgeous nose of dark fruit, chocolate,and licorice. Great mouthfeel and texture. One of the nicest Cali cabs I've had in some time. Perfect with a charred fatty NY strip. Very good +.
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5/25/2009 - jeff nowak wrote: 96 Points
14.7% alcohol. decanted one hour, and then followed in the glass over three more hours. a gorgeous wine of lovely proportion. it lacks only extended emotional connections to propel it into epic status. i've been excited more by a few other wines, i carry a memory of several calicabs from the past that surpass this (e.g. 1995 harlan estate, 95 colgin herb lamb), but the balance, weight, mouthfeel, texture, finish of this wine is intoxicating and places it in the highest tier of competition. bold and beautiful without being over done. delicious. jane says 96 points...i won't argue.
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5/3/2009 - the godfather wrote: 90 Points
very massive and young, too much alchohol and brawniness for me
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5/2/2009 - JOsgood wrote: 90 Points
Massive nose with lots of oak jumping from the glass. Just as massive on the palate. Huge black fruits, oak and alcohol. Coats the mouth and lingers. Too over the top for my taste.
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4/7/2009 - stevei01 wrote: 93 Points
In celebration of the upcoming excellent Spring weather, Dore and I opened one of our few remaining Rameys. Very limited decant time. Black fruit on the nose, but subdued. Was a bit tight in the first glass, still plenty of tannins, some complexity. Oak not really evident. Sense was that it needed some additional air time, but it was drinking very nicely, quite elegant and smooth, but still more opportunity to soften the tannins and allow the fruit to express more. Back to the cellar with the remaining bottles; this baby is going to be absolutely fantastic in another couple of years.
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4/3/2009 - markellen.foodies@gmail.com wrote: 92 Points
Only had time for 1/2 hr decant. Still tight. Threw a lot of sediment, a gooid sign. it seems as if it is going through a transitory stage, and it will be interesting to see where it goes from here. Now reticent, intense dark fruits.
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12/28/2008 - remeny1 wrote: 93 Points
very similar to the last bottle, but this with a little bit more spice to it. This was also opened longer than the previous bottle. This would be excellent with a roast sirloin
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12/19/2008 - Tory Griffin wrote: 97 Points
Had this one in a lineup with 3 fabulous wines -- the 2002 O'Shaughnessy Mt. Veeder cab, 1999 Verite La Muse, and 1995 Seavey Cab. For my tastes, while all of these wines were very different from one another, this one was my favorite. About as pure a wine as I've ever had. Dark ruby purple, scents of mochoa and, after a while in the glass (decanted about 2 hours prior), a HUGE boquet of chocolate-covered cherries. Layers upon layers or dark fruits, seamless, nothing heavy or overly tannic, yet structured with a beautiful midpalate. This one kept changing as we drank it, evolving in the glass, almost from sip to sip. The grilled filets unlocked additional flavors, and, while this was great with the steaks, I actually preferred it on its own...it was just too pure to blend with anything. Really showed why Ramey is my favorite producer, anywhere. LOVE this wine. Amazing. Can't wait to try the next bottle of the 2002.
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12/19/2008 - golfwine wrote: 96 Points
WOW!.."a bottle of wine" does not accurately describe my experience, last night; "A MEAL", is more like it! This wine was a proverbial onion - each 10min. interval seemed to reveal yet another aroma & flavor layer - from kirsh, to mocha, to liccorice/anise, to chocolate-covered black cherries! I've never had a wine that's continually evolved & developed into so many layers of flavor; each increasingly compelling. This wine is the SH_T! The "experience", as described above, is what earned this such a high rating from me; and it was more for the rating-description = "Extraordinary", than for the quality and integrity. I now know what a certain notorious critic means when he says, "MUST BE TASTED TO BE BELIEVED!"
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11/16/2008 - Zweder wrote: 96 Points
Enormous amount of perfect ripe fruits in the bouquet. Mostly dark fruits like cherries and blackberries. In the mouth a musical of fruits fighting to play the leading role. Also chocolate and blood. Enormous concentration. Soft and lush, but powerful tannin. Good acidity and bitterness. The fruit is still ruling, but there certainly is complexity and the wine has an enormous length.
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10/18/2008 - 6831 wrote: 93 Points
Complex, penetrating nose is complimented with sharply defined medium-full flavors of spicy red currant, black pepper, citrus zest and mineral. Holds these flavors through a finish with good length and complexity. Excellent Cab. Drink or hold.
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8/11/2008 - markellen.foodies@gmail.com wrote:
French Bakery BYO MERITAGE Dinner 8/13/2008; 8/11/2008-8/13/2008 (French Bakery, Kane concourse, Bay Harbor Islands, Florida): 8/13 Bob's wine
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8/9/2008 - JDB wrote: 93 Points
Birthday dinner w/ Flannery Rib Cap and what a happy pairing , my favorite red of the night
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8/2/2008 - BeavisCC wrote: 95 Points
A smooth, well-balanced fruit bomb (in a good way, as this is not at all synthetic/over-extracted, just really ripe, beautiful fruit on the attack). Drinking very well right now. Medium bodied, this might not have quite the size/grip of a great Harlan, Dalla Valle Maya or Montelena Estate, but a very compelling wine. Fun.
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5/27/2008 - CMCLR wrote: 92 Points
Which one is it? 89 or 96? Fruit is a little reticent but complexity and balance are there. Very good.
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5/11/2008 - markellen.foodies@gmail.com wrote: 93 Points
Decanted for 2-1/2 hrs in am. Evolving beautifully. Our first bottle of Joshua's (Grandson b 2001) wine. At this junmcture reticent bouquet, but excellent deep black fruit flavors, and extended finish. Tannins give it a long life ahead.Will be perfect when Joshua turns 21!
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4/30/2008 - remeny1 wrote: 92 Points
Nose of black fruit, earth, and spice. Lot's of black fruit and chocolate on the pallate, very velvety. The color was an inky purple
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4/12/2008 - Phin wrote: 96 Points
Decanted 3 hours. Full body. Super dark and viscous with a monster nose of black fruit and chocolate. Very mouthcoating adding a coffee dimension. Big finish. Spectacular. Consistent with experience a year ago as well.
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3/29/2008 - jkoenen wrote: 85 Points
California tasting @ Restaurant Savelberg (Netherlands): Licorice, rum bonbons, cherry licquor, very port-like and alcoholic. Completely out of balance, don't know where this is heading for....
Overextracted and loudmouthed. I'd like my wines to be more 'civilized'. 15/20
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2/19/2008 - pgordon62 wrote: 89 Points
Decanted for 2 hours and back to the bottle for 8 hours. Gentle, well integrated nose of creosote, mocha and a little red currant. Initially a little flat on the mid palate but added energy after 2 hours in the glass. Flavors of blackcurrant, dark chocolate, tobacco and menthol. The structure does creep up on the finish, with brisk acidity and moderate tannins. Seemed very closed at first but opened towards the end of the bottle. This wine has changed immensely from the tannic beast it was upon release. Rather disappointing at this point but it hinted at a brighter future. Hold for another 4-5 years.
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2/9/2008 - JScott wrote: 92 Points
The mid-palate here shows an intense cherry-raspberry character. Reminds me just a bit of the Justin Isoceles in that respect. Unmistakably Californian.
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12/28/2007 - bdenuyl wrote: 95 Points
This is a really great wine. It has great depth and richness while maintaining excellent balance. The wine has excellent grip.
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10/24/2007 - dsimmons wrote: 92 Points
This wine was very good but a bit of a let down from what I was expecting . Nice and mellowwith well integrated flavors but a bit one dimentional with little complexity.
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10/11/2007 - jmd60611 wrote: 91 Points
Big and still young as hell, this is a fruit fwd, great drinker with a bunch more there than fruit, but it does have great fruit...Notes 5 days later, but I rember balance and structure with depth and purity
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9/23/2007 - jeff nowak wrote: 97 Points
14.7% alcohol. when this wine was made by ramey for rudd, it was responsible for converting jane to reds. decanted two hours. in a word: KILLER. the complexity of this wine is astounding. residual tannins exist, and i would expect that for the vintage; but no matter, as they are very sweet and couple with the fruit beautifully. no doubt, it will be delivering the goods for 10+ years. the nose has a bit of bordeaux in it, and i know it's a blend, but i have to look up what the split is. nevertheless, this is unmistakably california in the best possible manner. sensational!
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7/30/2007 - Phin wrote: 96 Points
Decanted for an hour+. Phenomenal deep, smooth, concentrated velvet from start to finish.
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7/8/2007 - last chance wrote: 92 Points
The nose had cherries, currants, and some raspberries. The palate of this wine had blackberry, raspberry and mocha. This was very smooth, and didn't have the oakiness that the 03 Ramey was showing this evening. Full bodied wine with a medium length finish.
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6/13/2007 - wineismylife wrote:
No written notes taken. Popped and poured. Dark garment color in the glass, clear hue throughout. Tight nose and palate only showing a little simple red cherries and red berries. Also of note there was a little volatile acidity on the nose upon opening. Either it needs a decant (perhaps extended) or continue holding. Therefore no rating issued.
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5/28/2007 - JDB wrote: 89 Points
unimpressive , hold & hope for things to come
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4/27/2007 - EBoyer wrote: 94 Points
I've had at least 4 bottles of this before -most recently in March of last year. In the past, it has always been very dense and tannic, with great fruit but dominated by chocolatey-oak. Not this time. Oak has receded, becoming a chocolate acccent, and there rest is classic Napa Cab fruit. Really nice.
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1/25/2007 - KPB wrote: 84 Points
Black/purple. This bottle seems to be aging prematurely. The nose is a little harsh; the primary aromas are of creamy blackberry liqueur, but there is a strong overlay of herbs and a background of walnuts or shellac. Some VA. On the palate, rather disjointed; the fruit is still very intense and rich but now seems a bit oxidized. A bit hot. The acidity of the wine comes across as a bit shrill and the overall impression isn't all that enjoyable.
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11/4/2006 - phenricsson wrote: 93 Points
Not as big and juicy as normal but still delicious.
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9/10/2006 - KPB wrote: 89 Points
The wine is performing far better. Something must have been wrong with my last bottle. I still find it clumsy relative to earlier ones, but at least I can relate this to the wine I bought six bottles of a few years ago!
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8/5/2006 - KPB wrote: 86 Points
This wine seems to be slipping. Attractive nose highlights rich, ripe fruit, but the wine is overly aggressive and comes across as clumsy. The tannins are thick enough to chew, but have become noticably bitter and convey a sort of flabby impression. Alcohol was always high, but is no longer concealed. And there is an almost sugary sweetness here. Hopefully, this bottle was just awkward or perhaps too warm (east coast has been going through a tough summer). But I would either drink this up, or leave it for five years in the hope of a second "flowering". Right now, the wine is heavy, overdone, and aggressive.
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4/2/2006 - KPB wrote: 93 Points
Black/grenat. Profound nose of cassis, walnuts, tobacco, fresh cut parsley. Sweet, ripe, rich and long in the mouth; velvet tannins. A bit bitter on the back of the tongue; may need more bottle time, or might suggest a risk with long-term cellaring. But at this stage, really an outstanding young cabernet.
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3/12/2006 - Julex wrote: 94 Points
Decanted for 1 hour. Wonderful nose of dark skinned fruit, plum or even prune. Slight oak and sweaty leather nose and taste. Tannins seemed well intigrated and seems to be in its drinking window now.
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10/21/2005 - phenricsson wrote: 95 Points
Big, powerful, very well balanced. Chewy with a fat mouthfeel. Tannins are there but sweet and supple, good acidity. black currant and anise all the way - nose, palate and aftertaste. Long aftertaste. Delicious now but will last.
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4/21/2005 - Davisjl wrote: 93 Points
This is another great wine from David Ramey, following the great Jericho Canyon wines he made for Rudd in 1998, 1999 and 2000. On pouring it into the decanter a dark and deep purple color is observed. A truly wonderful aroma comes off this wine. Its aroma screams loudly of blackberry and follows with hints of coffee, vanilla and oak. On first taste after 1 hour decanting the tannins hit hard and the finish seemed a little hot. After two hours it opens up and has big fruit and a long finish. I didn’t detect much oak, but this wine did not need a lot of oak. The structure, color and aroma of this wine compares well to the Opus One 2001. With a few years bottle aging to drop the tannin level, this could be a favorite for the 2001 year. I’ll try it again in 2 years.
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2/6/2005 - Winetex wrote: 94 Points
Dark purple in color with a slightly reddish rim. Black cherry and toasty oak on the nose. Concentrated and extracted on the palate with an interesting citrus and herbal notes. Texaswino noted "grand marnier' - this is good descriptor for part of the midpalate of this wine. A very long finish with big tannins. It was not ready to drink and could use a few more years in bottle. It could end up a WOW (95+ wine) with more bottle age. Terrific wine. A blend of 49% cabernet sauvignon, 31% merlot and 20% cabernet franc. [$80; Decanted three hours and needed it; Will not open another until 2008; Served with veal chops]
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12/24/2004 - Mike V wrote: 96 Points
WOW! This on December 23rd is in the running for the best glass of wine of 2004. Very dark and thick. Explosive nose of Chocolate oak and black cherry. In the mouth it does not disapoint. Dark fruit, chocolat and roasted coffee. Substantial tannins suggest inprovement ahead with fruit and stuffing to go years.
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9/11/2004 - CharlesM wrote: 95 Points
A deep dark purple red. With air a muted nose of chocolate, black cherries and vanillin. On the palate an incredibly concentrated and dense wine. Superb fruit, excellent concentration and extract, well integrated oak, but very tannic and many years to go. Given my limited experience with Californian cabs, I would score this at least 95, and I look forward to my remaining bottles at a much later date.
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8/21/2004 - phenricsson wrote: 97 Points
In Sweden at Gunnar’s place. Huge, fat, juicy and chewy but good acidity and tannins stops it from being clumsy and gives it great backbone. Great currants and blackberries with anise, leather and a Mouton like quality of lead-pencil. Great wine - long-lived but can it be better than it is right now?
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7/15/2004 - JDB wrote: 96 Points
Wow what a bouquet. This is one of those wines you can just smell & be happy, but the taste does not disapoint. loads of berries & blackberry jam & chocolate forever. I like this juice. Over the top... yeah but so what a good over the top. I think Mr. Laube missed it on this one
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6/28/2004 - texaswino wrote: 95 Points
Needs a few hours in the decanter before it shows its stuff. Then ....WOW. Rich nose is almost port like with hints of dark chocolate and grand marnier. Lots of tannins in the finish. This will be a great, great wine in 5-7 years. It has a long life ahead of it. The rest of mine will not be opened for 5 more years at least.
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2/28/2004 - AlexHop wrote: 94 Points
Rich cherry & forest nose. Intense, big mouthfeel. 20 sec finish. Could use a few years before its ready to drink.
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1/30/2004 - peternelson wrote: 88 Points
Red Carpet; Opaque dark purple; some bell-pepper, port-like, very lite vinegar; big bod, very velvety, rich thick t’s, overboard, big a’s too, dark earth; coffee-like fin.***Huge and brooding.
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1/30/2004 - rjonwine@gmail.com wrote: 92 Points
Purplish red color; lovely cassis nose; tight, ripe cherry and cassis palate, with big tannins; medium-plus finish
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