Just a spectacular wine, aged cabernet exactly as it should be. A tiny bit of funk on opening but it blows off. Still surprisingly dark in color, plenty of fruit remaining, so smooth. Drinking beyond peak but plenty of time left that this will be good.
Acker Pre-Auction September 2022 (Redbury Lounge): Good solid old Napa which avoided the too intense ‘97 style but which doesn’t seem to have the nuances that I always get more in other vintages and find more lacking in this one.
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High fill into neck - perfect bottle. Pop and Pour, wait 15 mins. A little bricking but almost no sediment. Overripe but not jammy black cherry fruit, some blackberries and blueberries. Sweet vanilla Oak in background with a hint of sage. Velvety smooth. Great balance. Blown away by how good this bottle was. This bottle had 3+ more years of top quality drinking left in it.
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A sentimental bottle purchased on 1st trip to Sonoma back in the day! Opened on daughter's birthday after Sea Smoke and Caymus bottles. Started out a bit thin and tight but then blossomed after about an hour in the decanter. Got really nice with blue fruit, decent balance and some spice. Tried on day #2 and it fell apart overnight. Drink up if you have them
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Weekend in Minneapolis; 8/17/2018-8/18/2018 (Various Locations): I'm generally a sucker for old Napa although not always the '97s. This one was totally fine. Good aged character. Lots of dried fruit and potpourri. It should have been a wine that I quite liked, but I felt like something was missing. Perhaps a bit more of a shift? It was fairly one dimensional which is odd for a wine with this much age. Decent though and given the string of corked bottles we'd had that night nice to have one that was not.
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Pop and pour. It may have partly been that we tasted 8 chardonnays first, but this was absolutely gorgeous. Textbook old school napa cab. Leather, tobacco and cedar.
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Monthly Tasting Group: Worldwide Chardonnay with Blast of Chablis (Oceanaire, Mpls, MN): Another one with a small pour, but I was quite happy to get to try it. Thanks Steve. And no Joe, you're right, this is delicious and in such a lovely old school way. Arrowood simply performs and these old bottles a always a treat. Very nice red fruits, dried berry, leather, earth and fine tannins. 92+pts.
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This is a Big Merlot! Drinking really well for almost 20 years old, not many Merlots can make it this far. I think that tells you what it is made of. If you have some left, drink up and enjoy!!!
Remarkably fresh and profound. Medium body with brick red color with robust aromas. Tart cranberry, smoke and underbrush. Grilled anise in the middle leading to mocha laced, and long-lasting finish. Nice tension in this wine - Wonderful surprise! Super Bowl Sunday
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A nice well balanced Cab from a good friend from Sonoma. Nice color, nose structure and complexity and it all comes together with that nice Cab finish and mouth feel. Enjoy!
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Translucent garnet in color. No real bricking noted. Cork solid with minimal soaking. Nice aroma of aged cab, cherries, violets and hints of mushrooms. Tannins mostly dissipated, leading a light and airy mouthfeel. Finish a bit clipped but drinking very well right now. Will consume last bottle sometime this year.
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Excellent balanced, lots of light cabernet flavors, dark fruit although not the fruit forward of a younger wine more of an aged fruit. Got better over the 3 hour drinking period. Long very pleasant finish
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Very floral; rose petals, violets and lavender; along with cherry and dark fruit aromas. Balanced; flavors of red fruit, berries and plum. Long finish, but not as complex as the Laurel Glen.
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No idea where Kathy got this one but it was surprisingly good. nose of dark berry mouth - dark fruits, blackberry and cassis, good minerality, drinking great. Ready.
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My girlfriend called it hand-holding wine. Great nose of dark, red fruit. Good acidity and structure with a fair amount of fruit on the palette. Glad I have two more to try.
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soft and round, delicious, at it's peak, drink now, it will only deteriorate. Spectacular soft red fruits with some structure and backbone. Ripe, round and luschious
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This wine was brought to a walk-around wine and food World Series-viewing party. It was double-decanted at home and allowed to aerate for three hours prior to funneling back into the cleaned bottle. Opaque ruby/red robe with red rim. Clean, moderately intense nose of black currants, coriander and minerals. Full-bodied on the palate, with low-to-medium acidity and ample, fairly supple tannins. The flavors mirror the nose and the middle palate is solid. Medium, slightly dry finish. Quite youthful despite the fact that it is now 12 years old. Drink now-12/15.
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Excellent. Still holding up. Deep purple. Cherries on the nose and palate. There was a quarter bottle left and overnight it lost most of the fruit, but it was an exellent wine.
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A wonderfully mature nose of blackcurrant, cigar box and leather. Soft and supple in the mouth with just the right amount of grip through the finish. This particular bottle has aged better than many CA Cult Cabs. At peak and an amazing QPR.
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Deep purple color. Nice nose of cherry and mushrooms with cherries and cassis fruit predominating in mouth. Tannins still not tmed even after bottle opened for 12 hours. Otherwise the score would be better.
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At peak. Medium red color. Bordeaux-like aromas with nicely balanced fruit in the mouth. Not a blockbuster but a well-crafted, enjoyable California cab blend.
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really nice, with expressive nose of vanilla and ripe berry fruit, the wine tasted of blackberry, cassis, and cedar, with brown spice and some dry earth. Finish was moderate, and balance was nice. tannin structure was tame by the bottle time, and this wine really shined.
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I had been holding this bottle for along time. I'm glad I waited. the wine was perfectly balanced wit plenty of ripe berries, some mineral hints and just a bit of tannin on the finish. Very smooth and worth the wait.
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Impressive bottle. Enticing aromas of blackcurrant, cigar box, leather, wet stone and vanilla. Creamy on the palate with dark fruit, licorice and bitter chocolate. Shows tart cherry fruit and tobacco leaf on the slightly harsh finish. This wine would be genuinely superb if the finish were more opulent.
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Sorry to see this one go. This was one of the first bottles of good wine that I ever bought. As a 10-year old it was very nice. Good nose, really nice smoothness with some tannins remaining. I was surprised that it had little or no sediment. Very happy to have enjoyed it. The Merlot smoothness and fruity flavor shined through.
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Nicely integrated nose of blackcurrant, cedar and a touch of green bell pepper. Medium weight, with earthy currant fruit and cigar tobacco. The finish is the best part of this wine showing black fruits, smoke and just enough tannin grip. The green streak on the nose, which increased with air, and a little lack of concentration keeps it under 90 points. I think that this wine needs to be drunk over the next 2-3 years.
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Group #5 - Deep bright red with pink at the edges. Looks younger. Bright blueberry spice aroma. Almost zin like. Menthol. Slightly dusty tight black fruit with a somewhat bitter finish.. Rounded out and improved with time.
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Terrific depth and balance. This was a fantastic drink of wine. Berries, cassis, vanilla oak, and smoke, with a long lingering finish. Still a youngster, I think this has many good years ahead of it.
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Drank w/peter and harf at typical NJ pigfest. Balanced, strong fruit, earth, wood, and tannin. Lots left in there for the future consumption. Not far from the RS at all. Yum.
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Chicago Wine Geeks taste Cali Cab (Frank's place): Dark ruby red appearance in the glass. Nose has lots of underlying red fruit but a strong whiff of alcohol that just doesn't go away. Palate brings forth the full dark cassis fruit profile with some lead pencil. Brambly. Alcohol continues to overwhelm on the palate - though this disipates with time in the glass. Ultimately too strong a distraction to really enjoy what this wine might otherwise have to give. Not decanted, which may have helped matters.
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Very tight at first, taking 2 hours to start opening up. Very ripe red fruits, cedar and dried herbs. Smooth and full bodied. I suspect that this wine will show more complexity with another 2-3 years.
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Opened not decanted. I was looking forward to this wine. The wine came straight from my cellar (which is ambient and around 54F right now) and served in a cold room where the heat didn't kick in for awhile. This could definitely improve by being served around 65 to 68F. The cold kept the flavors and nose compressed. I have a smidgen left which I will try later on. However, what I did get was smooth integrated tanins with a smokey finish. But it wasn't a standout.
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This was purchased from the First In Line list from Arrowood on release.
I'm not sure what my expectations were, but this was a very pleasant, elegant wine. It was opened, but not decanted, two hours before the first pour and started out a little high toned and tight (surprisingly) but over a couple of hours, put on weight and the darker fruits started to come to the forefront. It was pretty long too with a nice spicy finish.
There are definitely some secondary characteristics coming though but given how the wine evolved over dinner, I'd say that there is no rush to open this. It easily has another 5 solid years.
Back to expectations... I really enjoyed this tonight and it was very very good. I'd stop short of labelling it as exceptional, yet even as I continue to sip on my final glass, it is still improving. I'm sure it will be a blur of a wine - one that I won't remember in a couple of months (unlike the Saralee's Vineyard Syrah I had recently) but that doesn't diminish how much I enjoyed it tonight.
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Decanted for 30 minutes, but an hour+ would have been better. Started to open up after about 1.5 hrs. Tawny-tinged garnet color; nose of cedar and cassis; medium-bodied mid-palate of velvety cassis and chocolate. Nice, long smooth finish. Very nice. Not the best pairing with African Lamb stew, which tended to mask the wine's character, but otherwise, great Cal cab.
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Time has been very good to this one, although it definitely has a lot more longevity left in it. For the price point, it drank better than the 97 BV De La Tour that someone brought, and also rated better than the 97 Cinq Cepages in a 97 blind tasting. It finished 3rd behind the 97 Staglin, and the 97 Snowden Cabs. Tasty stuff, but don't be hasty, this has plenty left!
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The color of this wine was ruby red, with high clarity. It has lost its barrel sample look that it had last time, according to my last notes. No amber on the edges whatsoever. The nose was nothing to rave about - lightly perfumed and nice, though. The initial attack was nice, and the mid palate was full of VERY bright red fruits - smooth and tasty, brilliant is the best word to describe the mid-palate. The finish was smooth and polished, but not particularly long
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6/22/2023 - Decanting Queen Likes this wine: 93 Points
Just a spectacular wine, aged cabernet exactly as it should be. A tiny bit of funk on opening but it blows off. Still surprisingly dark in color, plenty of fruit remaining, so smooth. Drinking beyond peak but plenty of time left that this will be good.
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2/13/2023 - Shapnyc Likes this wine: 94 Points
Leave it to Dick Arrowood
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9/7/2022 - MC2 Wines wrote:
Acker Pre-Auction September 2022 (Redbury Lounge): Good solid old Napa which avoided the too intense ‘97 style but which doesn’t seem to have the nuances that I always get more in other vintages and find more lacking in this one.
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10/29/2021 - Decanting Queen wrote: flawed
Corked
Wine seemed to be in excellent condition underneath. So sad.
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4/25/2020 - mxpbuy Likes this wine: 93 Points
High fill into neck - perfect bottle. Pop and Pour, wait 15 mins. A little bricking but almost no sediment. Overripe but not jammy black cherry fruit, some blackberries and blueberries. Sweet vanilla Oak in background with a hint of sage. Velvety smooth. Great balance. Blown away by how good this bottle was. This bottle had 3+ more years of top quality drinking left in it.
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4/4/2020 - iamandyc wrote: 89 Points
A sentimental bottle purchased on 1st trip to Sonoma back in the day! Opened on daughter's birthday after Sea Smoke and Caymus bottles. Started out a bit thin and tight but then blossomed after about an hour in the decanter. Got really nice with blue fruit, decent balance and some spice. Tried on day #2 and it fell apart overnight. Drink up if you have them
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8/17/2018 - MC2 Wines wrote: 88 Points
Weekend in Minneapolis; 8/17/2018-8/18/2018 (Various Locations): I'm generally a sucker for old Napa although not always the '97s. This one was totally fine. Good aged character. Lots of dried fruit and potpourri. It should have been a wine that I quite liked, but I felt like something was missing. Perhaps a bit more of a shift? It was fairly one dimensional which is odd for a wine with this much age. Decent though and given the string of corked bottles we'd had that night nice to have one that was not.
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4/24/2017 - galewskj wrote: 93 Points
Pop and pour. It may have partly been that we tasted 8 chardonnays first, but this was absolutely gorgeous. Textbook old school napa cab. Leather, tobacco and cedar.
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4/23/2017 - rocknroller wrote: 92 Points
Monthly Tasting Group: Worldwide Chardonnay with Blast of Chablis (Oceanaire, Mpls, MN): Another one with a small pour, but I was quite happy to get to try it. Thanks Steve. And no Joe, you're right, this is delicious and in such a lovely old school way. Arrowood simply performs and these old bottles a always a treat. Very nice red fruits, dried berry, leather, earth and fine tannins. 92+pts.
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7/2/2016 - danscellar wrote: 91 Points
This is a Big Merlot! Drinking really well for almost 20 years old, not many Merlots can make it this far. I think that tells you what it is made of. If you have some left, drink up and enjoy!!!
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6/4/2016 - danscellar wrote: 91 Points
Very solid nice drinking cab that still has some nice complexity and structure. Enjoy!
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4/24/2016 - danscellar wrote: 90 Points
A very solid Cab, nice nose, color with a good structure and some complexity. Not as big of a finish as I would like. Very drinkable!!
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3/16/2016 - danscellar wrote: 90 Points
Good structure and complexity, a bit under on fruit but likely drank a. Bit quickly and didn't let it open up the way we should have.
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2/7/2016 - wine maestro wrote: 93 Points
Remarkably fresh and profound. Medium body with brick red color with robust aromas. Tart cranberry, smoke and underbrush. Grilled anise in the middle leading to mocha laced, and long-lasting finish. Nice tension in this wine - Wonderful surprise!
Super Bowl Sunday
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1/9/2016 - danscellar wrote: 91 Points
A nice well balanced Cab from a good friend from Sonoma. Nice color, nose structure and complexity and it all comes together with that nice Cab finish and mouth feel. Enjoy!
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1/8/2015 - Shapnyc Likes this wine: 94 Points
wow
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12/14/2013 - ajweststeyn wrote:
Outstanding bottle! Have one left - can't get any better......will drink in the next 6 months.
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6/25/2013 - Tracypyo wrote: 92 Points
Translucent garnet in color. No real bricking noted. Cork solid with minimal soaking. Nice aroma of aged cab, cherries, violets and hints of mushrooms. Tannins mostly dissipated, leading a light and airy mouthfeel. Finish a bit clipped but drinking very well right now. Will consume last bottle sometime this year.
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9/8/2012 - chris_3 wrote: 89 Points
Same as 2011 comments nice wine
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2/20/2012 - mlawren1 wrote: 92 Points
Lovely wine, cherries and currants role over the tongue. Gives way to an earthy finish. Would rate higher but starts to fade after the second glass.
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8/8/2011 - smcg wrote: 88 Points
Sorry, don't see what others like in this wine. Simpler than the '96 and doesn't hold a candle to the '95.
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8/1/2011 - chris_3 wrote: 89 Points
Excellent balanced, lots of light cabernet flavors, dark fruit although not the fruit forward of a younger wine more of an aged fruit. Got better over the 3 hour drinking period. Long very pleasant finish
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4/22/2011 - aofthek wrote:
Near end of drinking range - notes of leather, deep cherries
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4/10/2011 - AllRed wrote: 92 Points
Very floral; rose petals, violets and lavender; along with cherry and dark fruit aromas. Balanced; flavors of red fruit, berries and plum. Long finish, but not as complex as the Laurel Glen.
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7/17/2010 - buckeye76 wrote: 90 Points
BLACK CHERRIES AND LICORICE IN THE NOSE WITH BLACKBERRIES IN THE FLAVOR. MEDIUM TO LONG FINISH.
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4/18/2010 - soyhead wrote: 92 Points
No idea where Kathy got this one but it was surprisingly good. nose of dark berry
mouth - dark fruits, blackberry and cassis, good minerality, drinking great. Ready.
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4/11/2010 - jasonwh Likes this wine: 93 Points
My girlfriend called it hand-holding wine. Great nose of dark, red fruit. Good acidity and structure with a fair amount of fruit on the palette. Glad I have two more to try.
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2/21/2010 - Margauxguy wrote: 93 Points
soft and round, delicious, at it's peak, drink now, it will only deteriorate. Spectacular soft red fruits with some structure and backbone. Ripe, round and luschious
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11/1/2009 - La Cave d'Argent wrote: 89 Points
This wine was brought to a walk-around wine and food World Series-viewing party. It was double-decanted at home and allowed to aerate for three hours prior to funneling back into the cleaned bottle. Opaque ruby/red robe with red rim. Clean, moderately intense nose of black currants, coriander and minerals. Full-bodied on the palate, with low-to-medium acidity and ample, fairly supple tannins. The flavors mirror the nose and the middle palate is solid. Medium, slightly dry finish. Quite youthful despite the fact that it is now 12 years old. Drink now-12/15.
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7/6/2009 - mlawren1 wrote: 91 Points
In its prime, stone fruit that just lingers in the mouth. Bit of earth and cedar on the finish
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6/27/2009 - wpd wrote: 91 Points
Excellent. Still holding up. Deep purple. Cherries on the nose and palate. There was a quarter bottle left and overnight it lost most of the fruit, but it was an exellent wine.
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4/14/2009 - gordoh wrote: 92 Points
Excellent. Just right.
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11/1/2008 - gmat5497 wrote: 90 Points
Aged very nicely. Nice nose with plenty of fruit. Very good finish.
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9/17/2008 - Gary wrote: 90 Points
fantastic! dominant notes of vibrant fruit and perfume... demonstrates that at least some of the 97 Calif Cabs have legs to last.
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6/11/2008 - tbone wrote:
Wonderful.
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6/9/2008 - pgordon62 wrote: 93 Points
A wonderfully mature nose of blackcurrant, cigar box and leather. Soft and supple in the mouth with just the right amount of grip through the finish. This particular bottle has aged better than many CA Cult Cabs. At peak and an amazing QPR.
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5/25/2008 - borneman wrote: 88 Points
Silky, chocolate and licorice notes. Good now, not likely to improve with age.
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4/18/2008 - ejca wrote:
One the better 97 we have opened recently, very pleasantly supprised.
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4/5/2008 - wmcguire52 wrote: 90 Points
Deep purple color. Nice nose of cherry and mushrooms with cherries and cassis fruit predominating in mouth. Tannins still not tmed even after bottle opened for 12 hours. Otherwise the score would be better.
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3/29/2008 - hsacks wrote: 91 Points
At peak. Medium red color. Bordeaux-like aromas with nicely balanced fruit in the mouth. Not a blockbuster but a well-crafted, enjoyable
California cab blend.
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1/20/2008 - jmd60611 wrote: 93 Points
Delicious...Ruby red, great floral nose, medium bodied, drinking well and complex....This wine has really come together
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1/20/2008 - mmyette wrote: 92 Points
really nice, with expressive nose of vanilla and ripe berry fruit, the wine tasted of blackberry, cassis, and cedar, with brown spice and some dry earth. Finish was moderate, and balance was nice. tannin structure was tame by the bottle time, and this wine really shined.
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12/23/2007 - crg wrote: 90 Points
Aromas were rich with dried fruit, subtle spice and a touch of vanilla. Smooth start on the palate with loads of dry plum.
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12/2/2007 - rfras wrote: 92 Points
I had been holding this bottle for along time. I'm glad I waited. the wine was perfectly balanced wit plenty of ripe berries, some mineral hints and just a bit of tannin on the finish. Very smooth and worth the wait.
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11/5/2007 - pgordon62 wrote: 92 Points
Impressive bottle. Enticing aromas of blackcurrant, cigar box, leather, wet stone and vanilla. Creamy on the palate with dark fruit, licorice and bitter chocolate. Shows tart cherry fruit and tobacco leaf on the slightly harsh finish. This wine would be genuinely superb if the finish were more opulent.
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11/4/2007 - wpd wrote: 92 Points
Good structure, plenty of black fruit, nicely balanced, great year.
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6/11/2007 - sgamiz wrote: 93 Points
Very surprised how good this wine was and the condition of it _ I would highly recomend to drink it as I believe it is on its prime.
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3/7/2007 - chicagobagley wrote: 91 Points
Sorry to see this one go. This was one of the first bottles of good wine that I ever bought. As a 10-year old it was very nice. Good nose, really nice smoothness with some tannins remaining. I was surprised that it had little or no sediment. Very happy to have enjoyed it. The Merlot smoothness and fruity flavor shined through.
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11/11/2006 - pgordon62 wrote: 88 Points
Nicely integrated nose of blackcurrant, cedar and a touch of green bell pepper. Medium weight, with earthy currant fruit and cigar tobacco. The finish is the best part of this wine showing black fruits, smoke and just enough tannin grip. The green streak on the nose, which increased with air, and a little lack of concentration keeps it under 90 points. I think that this wine needs to be drunk over the next 2-3 years.
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10/7/2006 - winefool wrote: 91 Points
Group #5 - Deep bright red with pink at the edges. Looks younger. Bright blueberry spice aroma. Almost zin like. Menthol. Slightly dusty tight black fruit with a somewhat bitter finish.. Rounded out and improved with time.
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7/30/2006 - mmyette wrote: 93 Points
Terrific depth and balance. This was a fantastic drink of wine. Berries, cassis, vanilla oak, and smoke, with a long lingering finish. Still a youngster, I think this has many good years ahead of it.
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6/27/2006 - ScottS wrote: flawed
Corked
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6/14/2006 - JordanC wrote: 92 Points
Drank w/peter and harf at typical NJ pigfest. Balanced, strong fruit, earth, wood, and tannin. Lots left in there for the future consumption. Not far from the RS at all. Yum.
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4/30/2006 - Nanda wrote: 85 Points
Chicago Wine Geeks taste Cali Cab (Frank's place): Dark ruby red appearance in the glass. Nose has lots of underlying red fruit but a strong whiff of alcohol that just doesn't go away. Palate brings forth the full dark cassis fruit profile with some lead pencil. Brambly. Alcohol continues to overwhelm on the palate - though this disipates with time in the glass. Ultimately too strong a distraction to really enjoy what this wine might otherwise have to give. Not decanted, which may have helped matters.
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4/7/2006 - pgordon62 wrote: 89 Points
Very tight at first, taking 2 hours to start opening up. Very ripe red fruits, cedar and dried herbs. Smooth and full bodied. I suspect that this wine will show more complexity with another 2-3 years.
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2/18/2006 - tanglenet wrote:
Opened not decanted. I was looking forward to this wine. The wine came straight from my cellar (which is ambient and around 54F right now) and served in a cold room where the heat didn't kick in for awhile. This could definitely improve by being served around 65 to 68F. The cold kept the flavors and nose compressed. I have a smidgen left which I will try later on. However, what I did get was smooth integrated tanins with a smokey finish. But it wasn't a standout.
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2/12/2006 - ken-yyz wrote: 89 Points
This was purchased from the First In Line list from Arrowood on release.
I'm not sure what my expectations were, but this was a very pleasant, elegant wine. It was opened, but not decanted, two hours before the first pour and started out a little high toned and tight (surprisingly) but over a couple of hours, put on weight and the darker fruits started to come to the forefront. It was pretty long too with a nice spicy finish.
There are definitely some secondary characteristics coming though but given how the wine evolved over dinner, I'd say that there is no rush to open this. It easily has another 5 solid years.
Back to expectations... I really enjoyed this tonight and it was very very good. I'd stop short of labelling it as exceptional, yet even as I continue to sip on my final glass, it is still improving. I'm sure it will be a blur of a wine - one that I won't remember in a couple of months (unlike the Saralee's Vineyard Syrah I had recently) but that doesn't diminish how much I enjoyed it tonight.
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3/13/2005 - borneman wrote: 89 Points
Decanted for 30 minutes, but an hour+ would have been better. Started to open up after about 1.5 hrs. Tawny-tinged garnet color; nose of cedar and cassis; medium-bodied mid-palate of velvety cassis and chocolate. Nice, long smooth finish. Very nice. Not the best pairing with African Lamb stew, which tended to mask the wine's character, but otherwise, great Cal cab.
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12/4/2004 - Pinotlover wrote: 93 Points
Time has been very good to this one, although it definitely has a lot more longevity left in it. For the price point, it drank better than the 97 BV De La Tour that someone brought, and also rated better than the 97 Cinq Cepages in a 97 blind tasting. It finished 3rd behind the 97 Staglin, and the 97 Snowden Cabs. Tasty stuff, but don't be hasty, this has plenty left!
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10/15/2004 - WaltH wrote: 90 Points
The color of this wine was ruby red, with high clarity. It has lost its barrel sample look that it had last time, according to my last notes. No amber on the edges whatsoever. The nose was nothing to rave about - lightly perfumed and nice, though. The initial attack was nice, and the mid palate was full of VERY bright red fruits - smooth and tasty, brilliant is the best word to describe the mid-palate. The finish was smooth and polished, but not particularly long
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10/7/2000 - brianofthevine wrote: 90 Points
Big peppery nose. Nice wine, smooth tannins, good black fruit.
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9/1/2000 - OneLastSyrah wrote:
Wine Country September 2000: Meaty nose. Solid built Cabernet with a slightly hot finish. Pretty nice wine, balanced, well integrated blending.
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