Bought Nov. 2017 from L'Ecole Cellar. Great time at tasting room.
Enjoyed with a smoked/grilled cowboy steak (i.e. big-ass bone-in rib eye). Drank over 3 hours. Initially, the tannins were very present though fairly soft. However, as the hours passed, the dark fruits came more forward and became fresher and the tannins melted away. Deep dark cherry was primary flavor thoughout with dust, herbs and roast intermingling along the way. Based on the 3 hour decant, this has more life to it, but can definitely be enjoyed now. Score went form 91 upon opening and evolved to a 94 after 3 hours. It could easily be compared to an aged Bordeaux in a blind tasing.
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Still drinking very, very well. Great balance, smooth tannins and still a fair amount of dark fruit flavors. Long finish. This probably has another 10 years or so on it, depending on your tastes.
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Decanted for 3 hours. Deep red, with brownish tint. Floral and earthy notes, accented by sweet vanilla and ripe berries. Primary fruit has receded at this point, wine is still very lovely and enjoyable - blackberry jelly, charcoal, nutmeg, graphite/minerality. Medium texture, medium-minus acid. Likely past peak, drink now.
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Lovely right now. Drinking at or near peak. Still pretty full bodied - needed about an hour to really open, and then was pretty much all I want in a good Walla Walla red.
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Fine wine, but the proportion of Merlot males this wine finish more like a Pinot than a Cab. A tiny bit disappointing. Let this bottle breath for more than two hours and that was smart as well.
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Lots of fruit. Blind testing group with some 2000 Bordeaux, everyone knew there was a big WW but everyone thought this was low alcohol french. nice and smooth. lots of red fruit. Beat out a 2001 Quilceda.
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This wine was smooth and without any sharp notes, but that is not to say it was without character or depth. Everyone really enjoyed this wine, would buy more. The wine looks Garnet colored. The legs are Medium. It smells like Black currant (cassis), Cedar, and Clove. It tastes like Cedar, Sandalwood, and Vanilla. The body is Medium. The wine is textured Smooth. The wine finishes Medium.
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Mocha dusted cherry blossoms on the nose as well as dusty plums, leather, spice, dried herbs, and clove. Black cherries, clove, graphite, mocha, sweet herbs, currants, and mint. Nice long dry finish. Still has a few yrs left. Oak nicely integrated but present.
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Drinking extremely well now. No decant but should have, lots o' sediment. Nose of smoked plums dipped in caramel sauce, herbs, red and blue fruits, and earth. Most of the nose moved to the palate as well as some cigar notes, leather, light mint, cherries, chocolate, and clove. A nice tart medium plus finish with some tannins stil kicking. Washed down some soy/garlic/citrus beef tenderloin beautifully. Will wait a few yrs to down the next bottle.
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Excellent wine. Very aromatic, smooth... very well balanced... fruits and spice. Defiinitely got the tobacco, pepper hints that mix in with the fruit. Would love to get some more!
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Decanterd 2.5 hours: Aroma: This wine has spicy aromas of nutmeg and clove, hints of tobacco. Tasting notes: Fruit flavors of dark cherry & cranberry. Excellent now!
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At a recent Washington wine tasting, the hit of the evening was Apagee with seven out of eight people selecting this well structured wine that shows attractive balance and pleasant fruit flavors. Can’t wait to try the 03!
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Dark, with toasty new oak, vanilla, and lead pencil on the nose. The palate has lots of blackberry fruit, black pepper, and spice box. The fruit is deep and rich but not jammy, which gives the overall wine a really nice structure and balance. The tannins are fine-grained and grippy, but only emerge on the finish. Excellent now, would be even better if the oak were more integrated. Perhaps this needs another few years?
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Dinner at barking frog (Barking Frog Woodinville, WA): Bold and spicy. Not as smooth as the Sorella but had a more distinct personality that I admire. The pepper bridge fruit has a "pepper" spice characteristic that really stands out when you taste this wine. Complexity is sorting out the fruit from the spice flavors. Finish is medium length. Two of five people chose this as the best wine of the night.
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I opened this wine next to the '02 Perigee. It had loads of ripe fruit and nice depth, but I thought it too heavily oaked. The Perigee, in contrast, was much more balanced. From what I understand, the two were vinified in the same manner, so it seems like the Seven Hills fruit absorbed the oak better than the Pepper Bridge fruit.
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6/18/2018 - DJPremierCru Likes this wine: 94 Points
Bought Nov. 2017 from L'Ecole Cellar. Great time at tasting room.
Enjoyed with a smoked/grilled cowboy steak (i.e. big-ass bone-in rib eye). Drank over 3 hours. Initially, the tannins were very present though fairly soft. However, as the hours passed, the dark fruits came more forward and became fresher and the tannins melted away. Deep dark cherry was primary flavor thoughout with dust, herbs and roast intermingling along the way. Based on the 3 hour decant, this has more life to it, but can definitely be enjoyed now. Score went form 91 upon opening and evolved to a 94 after 3 hours. It could easily be compared to an aged Bordeaux in a blind tasing.
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9/2/2016 - Trolson wrote: 90 Points
Still drinking well though time to drink is now. Has the basement overtone of a good Italian.
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4/24/2016 - SeaCellar Likes this wine: 90 Points
Still drinking surprisingly well. Opened up well without decanting. Was cellared very well.
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11/27/2015 - devman wrote: 92 Points
Still drinking very, very well. Great balance, smooth tannins and still a fair amount of dark fruit flavors. Long finish. This probably has another 10 years or so on it, depending on your tastes.
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5/30/2015 - GA_Seattle Likes this wine: 90 Points
Decanted for 3 hours. Deep red, with brownish tint. Floral and earthy notes, accented by sweet vanilla and ripe berries. Primary fruit has receded at this point, wine is still very lovely and enjoyable - blackberry jelly, charcoal, nutmeg, graphite/minerality. Medium texture, medium-minus acid. Likely past peak, drink now.
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5/10/2014 - zovizule Likes this wine:
Lovely right now. Drinking at or near peak. Still pretty full bodied - needed about an hour to really open, and then was pretty much all I want in a good Walla Walla red.
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8/3/2013 - Mark in Seattle Likes this wine: 91 Points
Fine wine, but the proportion of Merlot males this wine finish more like a Pinot than a Cab. A tiny bit disappointing. Let this bottle breath for more than two hours and that was smart as well.
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1/15/2013 - ClubTerry wrote: 90 Points
Time has made if light and less complex.
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12/4/2012 - Rogburn509 Likes this wine: 89 Points
The wine looks Purple colored. The legs are Medium. The body is Light/Medium. The wine finishes Short.
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11/19/2011 - ChateauTourteau wrote: 94 Points
Lots of fruit. Blind testing group with some 2000 Bordeaux, everyone knew there was a big WW but everyone thought this was low alcohol french. nice and smooth. lots of red fruit. Beat out a 2001 Quilceda.
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10/15/2011 - rben_mvp wrote: 92 Points
Drink this with a steak, what a match.
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2/15/2011 - arthrovine wrote: 93 Points
needs about 90 minutes in a decanter. Really nice wine. Would buy more
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2/11/2011 - Gilmortal wrote: 93 Points
Consumed with friends. A clear winner on the night. Lush, full-bodied, rich fruit. Great cab with strong character.
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10/2/2010 - Sundesertcactus wrote: 94 Points
This wine was smooth and without any sharp notes, but that is not to say it was without character or depth. Everyone really enjoyed this wine, would buy more.
The wine looks Garnet colored.
The legs are Medium.
It smells like Black currant (cassis), Cedar, and Clove.
It tastes like Cedar, Sandalwood, and Vanilla.
The body is Medium.
The wine is textured Smooth.
The wine finishes Medium.
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4/4/2010 - Sundesertcactus wrote: 92 Points
This wine was great. Really long nice finish, cigar notes, and leather. Went really well with Steak Diane.
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1/4/2010 - Vinsant wrote: 91 Points
Mocha dusted cherry blossoms on the nose as well as dusty plums, leather, spice, dried herbs, and clove. Black cherries, clove, graphite, mocha, sweet herbs, currants, and mint. Nice long dry finish. Still has a few yrs left. Oak nicely integrated but present.
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7/20/2009 - Vinsant wrote: 91 Points
Drinking extremely well now. No decant but should have, lots o' sediment. Nose of smoked plums dipped in caramel sauce, herbs, red and blue fruits, and earth. Most of the nose moved to the palate as well as some cigar notes, leather, light mint, cherries, chocolate, and clove. A nice tart medium plus finish with some tannins stil kicking. Washed down some soy/garlic/citrus beef tenderloin beautifully. Will wait a few yrs to down the next bottle.
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1/12/2009 - sbpwjm wrote: 93 Points
Excellent wine. Very aromatic, smooth... very well balanced... fruits and spice. Defiinitely got the tobacco, pepper hints that mix in with the fruit. Would love to get some more!
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6/18/2008 - NomadicEntrepreneur wrote: 93 Points
Amazingly smooth, good nose. Drank well for a couple hours, getting better with each passing minute.
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8/15/2007 - msivret wrote: 90 Points
Very nice wine, drank on the second night on a Bahama Cruise. Went wonderfully with the prime rib.
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6/10/2007 - dawgdaze wrote: 92 Points
Decanterd 2.5 hours: Aroma: This wine has spicy aromas of nutmeg and clove, hints of tobacco. Tasting notes: Fruit flavors of dark cherry & cranberry. Excellent now!
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11/4/2006 - motoring wrote: 92 Points
I need to get more... Very good
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4/28/2006 - dawgdaze wrote: 92 Points
At a recent Washington wine tasting, the hit of the evening was Apagee with seven out of eight people selecting this well structured wine that shows attractive balance and pleasant fruit flavors. Can’t wait to try the 03!
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1/21/2006 - Siggy wrote: 92 Points
Dark, with toasty new oak, vanilla, and lead pencil on the nose. The palate has lots of blackberry fruit, black pepper, and spice box. The fruit is deep and rich but not jammy, which gives the overall wine a really nice structure and balance. The tannins are fine-grained and grippy, but only emerge on the finish. Excellent now, would be even better if the oak were more integrated. Perhaps this needs another few years?
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5/25/2005 - SGates wrote: 92 Points
Dinner at barking frog (Barking Frog Woodinville, WA): Bold and spicy. Not as smooth as the Sorella but had a more distinct personality that I admire. The pepper bridge fruit has a "pepper" spice characteristic that really stands out when you taste this wine. Complexity is sorting out the fruit from the spice flavors. Finish is medium length. Two of five people chose this as the best wine of the night.
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11/26/2004 - Spencer wrote: 88 Points
I opened this wine next to the '02 Perigee. It had loads of ripe fruit and nice depth, but I thought it too heavily oaked. The Perigee, in contrast, was much more balanced. From what I understand, the two were vinified in the same manner, so it seems like the Seven Hills fruit absorbed the oak better than the Pepper Bridge fruit.
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