This is muted but refined. It may be past peak. Altogether, it is a classic Napa Cab, with the currant and dark cherry coming across fine. Hot and spicy palette.
Cork broke on opening, but thankfully no taint.
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I’m not in agreement with the past few reviews that suggests this is at peak. This is far past, at least the bottle we had. Color is a medium red-purple with a bit of bricking at the rim. Right away on the nose you get a yellow flag that this wine is tired - vinegary, “heat” in the glass despite being served at cellar temperature. Palate had just a hint of pleasant cherry and black currant, but was all secondary at this point. No tannin or even oak to back up any of the faded fruit. Certainly not a disaster but I expect better given the price point and only 17 years old. Too many other great producers out there to buy this again.
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Drinking well. Nicely rounded notes of dark fruit and pepper typical of NAPA cabs. Tannins are still present, but no harsh edges to them right now. I'll hang on to the other 05's a few more years before drinking.
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Very good. Still has a good fruit taste. Showing signs of aging. Soft tannins and medium mouth feel. Medium finish. Really good with dark chocolate and cheese.
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Hated to open it, just kept saving it...but there comes a time when you just have to open the bottle. It was worth it! Although past it’s prime, it was incredibly rich and delicious. Great depth, soft tannins, long finish.
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Normally, I would never have bought this wine except my boss loved Cakebread; so naturally I had several bottles around. Overall, I was impressed; showed great expressive, dry, cherry-like fruit, a slight bit of tannin, and a refreshing finish such that I wanted more. Cakebread is known for its white wines; so this was a treat to taste.
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All the reviews said it peaked & died 3 years ago, so I wasn't expecting much. That being said drink it sooner rather than later. Age makes wine an integrated wiser version of itself & this one...not intriguing enough at any age, so drink up. At first, it unveiled wet forest floor. After an hour of decanting, it was loaded with tobacco leaf, dark berry jam, cassis, black currant, & rich velvety tannins. Showing just fine, as long as you let it open up. I give it a "good" rating because it tastes manmade & stripped of soul. It's clean, precise, & boring, but good.
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Drinking extremely well right now - a beautiful, softening, complex, mature and balanced Napa cab from a very reputable vineyard and given how well it is drinking right now this wine is quite a good QPR at our price point. Decanted for about 30 minutes at the Red Stag in Asheville NC and this paired beautifully with both a locally grown and grass fed rib eye steak and elk loin. Dark purple, now medium bodied, excellent mouth feel, very well balanced with soft but still present tannins, no off tones at all and a reasonably long aftertaste. Mature and peaked - I recommend drinking up holdings within the next 1-2 years. Soft muted but complex nose of oak, plum, blueberry and a hint of burnt sugar and well balanced very classic primary flavors of osk, plum, cassis and later on the palate more warm earth and almost chocolatey notes. Definitely recommend this wine.
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Pretty faded but still enjoyable. Light amounts of blueberry, black cherry, toasted vanilla, and graphite. Still a little tannic grip on the finish but no need to hold.
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Upon first opening the nose was entirely restrained. Decanting 1 hour helped a lot. Deep ruby, almost black in color. Blackberry, cassis, and dark chocolate. Full bodied, not overly extracted, lots of oak. Not overly complex, but nicely put together with well integrated acid and tannin. A little heat from the alcohol on the finish, but not a turn off.
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Dark opaque garnet. Smells very odd...starts off with dried figs or dates, cranberry, oak, alcohol and spice. Seems out of balance to me. In fairness I did not decant this and it may have needed it. The flavors seem very mixed up and muddied. Heavy oak and vanilla on the palate with a strange mix of dried dark and tart fruits. Seems even higher than the listed 14.5% ABV. Very modern styled.
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Robust and full bodied, this probably would have been much better maybe a year ago. Raisin and alcohol on the nose; prune on the palate and finish, with some hints of chocolate.
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Big and fruity yet still has a bit of dryness and good tannins. Pretty good all week long. Good bit of anis as well. Rated higher the second time. — 9 years ago
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All I can say is WOW! Hits every part of the palate with grace, finesse, and concentrated complexity. The tannins and acidity have come into perfect alignment after a couple years of cellaring. Easily beats some of the $150+ bottles of Napa Cab I have had.
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Nice full nose, good ruby color a lot of tannin right out of the bottle that soften up nicely with some air. I let it warm up and breathe for about an hour. It does carry a bit of a currant/raisin fruit flavor that then carries over to a nice finish.
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PNP, last bottle, initial alcohol on the nose, blew off rather quickly. The palate was quite concentrated with sweet currants, cassis, plums, blackberries, hints of blueberry and vanilla, the finish was a bit dry and astringent. Overall based on this bottle it appears to be holding up quite well. Classic Napa cab, sweet, rich, ripe and concentrated!
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Typical Cali Cab. Aromas of blackberry, boisenberry, and huckleberry with a bouquet of vanilla, molasses and a touch of oak. Some blueberry and a slightly pungent overipe rhubarb note are overpowered by the heavy alcohol component which is very reminiscent of vodka. The nose is much better than the palate. This wine does have some legs, so I'm curious how it shows five years out.
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Wine is aging well. Lots of pop in that classic Napa Cab. Tobacco, vanilla, leather, red fruit all married nicely. Tannin's are smoothed out now, still pucker-worthy.
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When this was opened I could smell the wonderful aromas from across the kitchen. The wine seems to have plenty of structure and the nose is beautiful, but the fruit on the palate didn't quite live up to the nose. After day 2 the fruit had still not come around.
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Interesting night - we had the Cakebread Merlot first, which I was disappointed with, and then this cab, which I enjoyed more. Was that because it was nicer or because I already had half a bottle of wine in me :) This has a nice fruity nose with soft dark berries on the palate and a far nicer finish than its merlot cousin.
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Tasty cab, with strong bursts of black and red raspberries, surrounded by hints of dark chocolate and coffee. Long, complex aftertaste keeps sending me back for a little more.
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Waited two years between the last bottle...you know its good when the nose is almost as satisfying as the wine itself! >=two hours decanting still required to bring this wine out properly. served with somewhat spicey pasta and wonderful company made it better! The nose was dark and rich, and the must was enticing, like a promising covering over the goodness to come. Somewhat fruit forward, dry and complex as it changed over the tongue. after taste was long an satisfying. one bottle left makes me wish I had more.
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A great bottling from Cakebread. Out shined the Quintessa and just a point behind Opus. Great sweeter raspberry, caramel, nutty qualities. Sweeter tannins as well - a little pancake syrup flavor qualities. Not viscous, just ripe and spicy. Great balanced finish. Feminine in style compared to both others tasted.
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Excellent effort from CB on this vintage...I think the time in the cellar really benefited this wine. Great nose, opened up fairly quickly in the decanter after 30 minutes. Smooth, fruit blasts through all levels of the pallet, really liked this one. Wish I had more.
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I've had mixed experiences with Cakebread wines. Bought a bunch after a trip to Napa as a wine newbie. Mostly they haven't lived up to my original enthusiasm. This, however, is a nice bottle of wine. Toasty oak and eucalyptus on the nose, it's medium-bodied and ripe (but not jammy) on the palate. The tannins are well-integrated.
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Big, dark fruit with very nice structure and plenty of oak and char. Vituried the bottle twice into a decanter. This was in a great place and improved over the evening.
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1 hr decant. Expressive nose of black currant, black raspberry, vanilla and tobacco. Black fruits, leather, graphite and a long mocha finish. Medium tannins
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I let two bottles decant for 3 hours, paired with steak and madera sauce. Veyr nice nose and forward think, velvety fruit with a long finish. very satisfying! I know more air time helped this wine open - not sure if another couple of years will improve the profile it has now.
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Drunk with Mike and Lou at their house. Deep dark wine with a little sediment. Increasingly powerful nose with resins as well as fruit seething around ??leather. It got better and better over a long dinner. Amazing complexity for such a young vintage. It could last for ever if it is not all drunk up!
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Decanted for 30 minutes - had with fillet - Correct amount of oak, well balanced. Nothing earth shattering. I found this on close out for 45.00 - would purchase again at this price point but would consider other options @ 60-70
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Decanted for a couple of hrs, the nose was filled with cassis, blueberry, boysenberry and cedar. Intense fruit on the palate, with blueberry, boysenberry, dark raspberry, cassis and vanilla. Very fruity, very California and very tasty.
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Just fantastic. Dark, full-bodied, and well balanced. Goes great with the typical steak or the like. Tough to like the price, but an a special occasion, you can't beat it.
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This wine has softened up a good deal; it's certainly ready to drink. Good weight, decent fruit, and what I would call above average balance. Standard cali cab flavors with some secondary flavors with bottle age starting to show.
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well done wine - luckily it was a gift bottle so the cost wasnt an issue. was the showcase dinner wine with short ribs and went great. dense cab with great nose, full fruit with some vanilla after tones.
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A little dissapointed in this bottle as I've had many others. However, I'll attribute it's lackluster performance to shipping (plane trip)/altitude (lake tahoe) and the meal pairing (turkey dinner). My other bottles have been outstanding so I'll forgive this one.
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Not a wine I would typically drink, but this was in my cellar and I felt like drinking a Cab. Purple in color, opaque and bright. The nose is nice with cassis, leather, and some oak, mostly vanilla. full bodied. On the palate, this is easy to drink with some complexity. Cassis and oak flavors. Nice balance and richness. Good finish. Pretty much a classic Napa Cab but at $80 Ohio, way over priced. That said, it was still very enjoyable.
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A well made Napa Cab with nice fruit and a smooth finish. Popped and drank immediately. Perfect to drink now, lacking complexity and vigor to warrant extended cellaring. Not worth the price tag however.
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Another bottle of this really outstanding and slowly maturing Napa cab enjoyed last night at Josh's on the Square in Hickory NC with wine friends Danny and Pat Bolick so this bottle was popped and poured - this is however a wine which really can stand to be decanted. Continues to improve, love this stuff and highly recommend it but not a great QPR at $60+ / bottle. We get a case from the local distributor every year. Overall tasting notes very consistent: dark, intense and big yet very well balanced at this point with tannins starting to mellow and oak core speaks of cellaring potential for many years to come. Bouquet of dark stone fruit, tar and blackberry. Primary flavors dominated by classic Napa cab cassis with dark fruit, both blue- and blackberries present, black pepper and with aeration leather and mocha developed. I still agree with my previous assessment that on full maturation over the coming years I see this wine eventually in the 93 - 94 point range - however at the rate I am going through this stuff I will never see that day with my bottles.
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Popped and poured, intense sweet nose of currants, cassis and vanilla. Rich and intense dark fruit, vanilla and oak on the palate. Still some tannins to shed, balanced and very Californian. 89+
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Fantastic example of what a Cali Cab should be. Big and dense, but not overpowering. Dark fruit and a little pepper on the back end. Finish is incredibly smooth with velvety tannins. Drank immediately after opening, delicious and ready to drink now. Had with dinner, but the wine is probably solid enough to hold up on its own without food.
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Fabulous fruity with plum overtones and black fruit. Let this decant and warm up to room temperature and you will be reward. Grat nose, smooth fruit and great smooth finish.
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Had with baked fish and veggies. Very smooth with great fruit on the nose and the palate. This is a very solid Napa cab. Wife who doesn't drink much red is all about this one, so that should say it all.
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Very consistent tasting notes among now three bottles tried in last few months. This last bottle was enjoyed earlier tonight with good CT and wine buddy neighborbill and spouses as the last wine of the night at a fabulous veal dinner with after-dinner pool, decanted for about three hours - very dark, intense and big with a strong tannic structure and oak core with cellaring potential for many years to come. Decanting definitely helped. Bouquet of dark stone fruit, tar and blackberry. Primary flavors dominated by classic Napa cab cassis with dark fruit, both blue- and blackberries present, black pepper and with aeration leather and mocha developed. Too expensive to be a reasonable QPR but I highly recommend this wine - with full maturation over the coming years I still see this wine eventually in the 93 - 94 point range.
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Really a good wine - the first bottle out of a case of 12 recently obtained from the local distributor and enjoyed last night with Kim while grilling flank steak. Continued high expectations and this wine does not disappoint. Very dark, intense and big with a strong tannic structure and oak core with cellaring potential for many years to come. Decanting definitely helped. Bouquet of dark stone fruit, tar and blackberry. Primary flavors dominated by classic Napa cab cassis with dark fruit, both blue- and blackberries present, black pepper and with aeration leather and mocha developed. Too expensive to be a reasonable QPR but I highly recommend this wine - with full maturation over the coming years I still see this wine eventually in the 93 - 94 point range.
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I had the pleaseure of enjoying this wine at dinner last night. This is a wine I have long sought since the last time I had tasted it was a 1974 vintage and was wonderful. Floral fuit accents that were not overly wrapped in leather and tobacco gave this wine a pleasant nose. On the pallet, the wine was moderate to light in tannins with a velvety smooth finish. If I can find this wine I will buy it. Added to my wish list!
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Well...pretty good, I guess. Solid, oaky nose. A very big wine all around. Still very fresh tasting. Full bodied with supple but assertive tannins. Low acidity. One dimensional with little to no complexity. Not sure if the fruit and low acid will be able to keep up with the tannin. A little heat on the finish.
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Wonderful depth and balance. This has all of the componenets of a good napa cab. Ripe (but not jammy) fruit, sweet tannins, with a touch of veggies/olives. Really tasty.
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Decanted for two hours and it was just perfect! It opened up nicely as the evening went on with strong fruit and supple tannins. It could still sit for a while but drinking nicely now.
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Decanted 1 hr and was ready to go. Fantastic, as always. Drank with Pauliene and Thommy. Great weekend with the kids. Ate with marinated trip tip....A widely available Cab, not sure if its better than Caymus but theya re close
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88-89. This wine was pretty disappointing, flabby. I decanted for ~2 hours, the nose never opened giving anything. Flavors were basic Napa Cab. on a firm struture. This wine was "half-pregnant". It did not have the ripe napa fruit or the minerality and acid that would make it more old world. Very expensive for the quality. I've got another bottle, hoping it's better...AMM
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Full bodied, but luscious - a Merlot drinkers Cabernet - with a soft-texture and gobs of fruit, this offers generous aromas of black cherry, plum, bell pepper and a big dollop of vanilla. Well integrated with velvety tannins and very persistent - though very oaky - black fruit flavors.
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Amazing still relatively young Napa cab, definitely my WOTN - greatly enjoyed last night with Kim and members of our dinner club at M5 in Charlotte NC. My first Cakebread and I had high expectations for this wine - it did not disappoint. Very dark, intense, big and bold, strong tannins with oak core and cellaring potential for many years to come. Needs to be decanted if opened at this point. Amazing bouquet with an explosion of dark stone fruit, leather, smoke and blackberry. Primary flavors dominated by classic Napa cab cassis with dark fruit, both blue- and blackberries present, black pepper and with further aeration leather and mocha developed. Too expensive to be a reasonable QPR but I highly recommend this wine, will definitely be looking for a case of this. With further maturation and development I see this wine eventually in the 93 - 94 point range.
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Tasted at winery – medium, almost dark ruby, clear. Nose of bell pepper, black cherries and blackberries. Flavours of dark fruits, spice and some earthy notes. Medium body, firm tannins, medium to high acidity with a medium length finish. Needs time. Very good. 88+
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Drank at Ditka's in Pittsburgh with friends.. Decanted in glass for 1/2 hr due to tight nose and hot finish... In the end, a great wine... oaky on the nose, definitely some smoke present as well... dark fruits on the palate, medium bodied wine... Will definitely drink bottle #2 after an hour of true decanting...
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Fabulous Napa Cab. I had high expectations as this is one of my favorite labels, and this vintage didn't disappoint. For me, a very distinctive and exciting wine. Love it- every time.
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Thanksgiving Dinner (Jeff McHugh's condo): Decanted 2 hours. Steve's big wine, and big is the correct word. Big price, big bouquet, big fruit...and big oak. The over-oaked taste was what kept this wine from being wine of the night. I usually don't mind some oak in my cabs, but this went a bit too far for me. Even with the oak, serious gobs of concentrated raspberry fruit and earth showing. Tannins were present, but not bothersome, only lightly drying the mouth on the finish. Color was somewhat lighter than I expected for a Cali cab. All in all, a nice showing, but overshadowed (for me at least) by the 20 year-old St. Emillion, and the Mitolo shiraz.
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Taste from 'crazy table 72' at WF OB (after having to kick them out). Decanted almost 2 hours. Lush and beautiful. Very lively dark berries. Blueberries and plum with some nice cassis and excellent oak. Totally balanced acidity with very well integrated tannins. The mid palate is pleasing and shows a medium to long finish. A good year for the Cakebread Cab.
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After two hours decanted lots of dark fruit was dominating the nose. Blackberries, plum and oak. Tons of CHOCOLATE and ESPRESSO aromas. Wine shows an interesting asian spice on the palate laced with dried raisins and some nice mid palate heat. Well integrated tannins with a long finish.
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11/19/2023 - loj Likes this wine: 90 Points
This is muted but refined. It may be past peak.
Altogether, it is a classic Napa Cab, with the currant and dark cherry coming across fine. Hot and spicy palette.
Cork broke on opening, but thankfully no taint.
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7/16/2022 - 214sleduc wrote:
Cork broke when opening it and some of the pieces fell in due to age, but once it was able to breathe it was still a wonderful bottle.
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2/20/2022 - hrazdiiv Does not like this wine: 86 Points
I’m not in agreement with the past few reviews that suggests this is at peak. This is far past, at least the bottle we had. Color is a medium red-purple with a bit of bricking at the rim. Right away on the nose you get a yellow flag that this wine is tired - vinegary, “heat” in the glass despite being served at cellar temperature. Palate had just a hint of pleasant cherry and black currant, but was all secondary at this point. No tannin or even oak to back up any of the faded fruit. Certainly not a disaster but I expect better given the price point and only 17 years old. Too many other great producers out there to buy this again.
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12/23/2021 - J+B_Wines wrote: 94 Points
Customer came in complaining the wine was bad. Had to sample it. Drinking well at its peak now
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12/2/2021 - Joseph Davi wrote:
Wrong inventory
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9/4/2021 - mkparker wrote:
na
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2/13/2021 - Michael_D Likes this wine: 91 Points
Drinking well. Nicely rounded notes of dark fruit and pepper typical of NAPA cabs. Tannins are still present, but no harsh edges to them right now. I'll hang on to the other 05's a few more years before drinking.
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12/26/2020 - Esteban wrote: 91 Points
Beau gros cab américain. Beaucoup de fruit un peu devanille mais l'ensemble est intéressant et quel nez!
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6/16/2020 - bradfriedlander Likes this wine: 89 Points
Very good. Still has a good fruit taste. Showing signs of aging. Soft tannins and medium mouth feel. Medium finish. Really good with dark chocolate and cheese.
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5/11/2020 - Winegirl1959 Likes this wine: 90 Points
Hated to open it, just kept saving it...but there comes a time when you just have to open the bottle. It was worth it! Although past it’s prime, it was incredibly rich and delicious. Great depth, soft tannins, long finish.
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3/28/2020 - smoothjazz Likes this wine: 91 Points
Normally, I would never have bought this wine except my boss loved Cakebread; so naturally I had several bottles around. Overall, I was impressed; showed great expressive, dry, cherry-like fruit, a slight bit of tannin, and a refreshing finish such that I wanted more. Cakebread is known for its white wines; so this was a treat to taste.
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12/8/2018 - CHanover Likes this wine: 94 Points
Had a magnum so it aged more delicately... bit muted, but smooth as hell! Maybe best a year or two ago, but still LOVED IT!
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11/3/2018 - Joseph.dimonte Likes this wine: 91 Points
Still big. Excellent.
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5/11/2018 - JD Apuna Likes this wine: 85 Points
All the reviews said it peaked & died 3 years ago, so I wasn't expecting much. That being said drink it sooner rather than later. Age makes wine an integrated wiser version of itself & this one...not intriguing enough at any age, so drink up. At first, it unveiled wet forest floor. After an hour of decanting, it was loaded with tobacco leaf, dark berry jam, cassis, black currant, & rich velvety tannins. Showing just fine, as long as you let it open up. I give it a "good" rating because it tastes manmade & stripped of soul. It's clean, precise, & boring, but good.
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10/17/2017 - dpohlman Likes this wine: 91 Points
This is a very nicely made wine. Not extraordinary, but very well done.
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12/23/2016 - tmccracken Likes this wine: 94 Points
Great bottle. Once decanted very smooth and rich
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7/26/2016 - dines Likes this wine: 92 Points
Drank beautifully, in a great spot right now.
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5/21/2016 - ikkaariainen Likes this wine: 92 Points
Drinking extremely well right now - a beautiful, softening, complex, mature and balanced Napa cab from a very reputable vineyard and given how well it is drinking right now this wine is quite a good QPR at our price point. Decanted for about 30 minutes at the Red Stag in Asheville NC and this paired beautifully with both a locally grown and grass fed rib eye steak and elk loin. Dark purple, now medium bodied, excellent mouth feel, very well balanced with soft but still present tannins, no off tones at all and a reasonably long aftertaste. Mature and peaked - I recommend drinking up holdings within the next 1-2 years. Soft muted but complex nose of oak, plum, blueberry and a hint of burnt sugar and well balanced very classic primary flavors of osk, plum, cassis and later on the palate more warm earth and almost chocolatey notes. Definitely recommend this wine.
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3/17/2016 - MAXIMUM SATISFACTION wrote: 91 Points
Pretty faded but still enjoyable. Light amounts of blueberry, black cherry, toasted vanilla, and graphite. Still a little tannic grip on the finish but no need to hold.
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6/14/2015 - VinoDiver Likes this wine: 91 Points
Showing nice secondary cab notes, fine tannins, and good fruit. this bottle was in really good place.
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4/25/2015 - Mike1947 Likes this wine:
Decanted for about 6 hours and it was great! Enjoyed it and will enjoy the
Next one also!
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4/24/2015 - DRK III Likes this wine: 90 Points
Upon first opening the nose was entirely restrained. Decanting 1 hour helped a lot. Deep ruby, almost black in color. Blackberry, cassis, and dark chocolate. Full bodied, not overly extracted, lots of oak. Not overly complex, but nicely put together with well integrated acid and tannin. A little heat from the alcohol on the finish, but not a turn off.
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1/10/2015 - oldwines Does not like this wine: 87 Points
Dark opaque garnet. Smells very odd...starts off with dried figs or dates, cranberry, oak, alcohol and spice. Seems out of balance to me. In fairness I did not decant this and it may have needed it. The flavors seem very mixed up and muddied. Heavy oak and vanilla on the palate with a strange mix of dried dark and tart fruits. Seems even higher than the listed 14.5% ABV. Very modern styled.
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12/17/2014 - JJB007 wrote:
for the new hires
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11/9/2014 - Wheelz wrote: 92 Points
John's retirement party with Maynard.
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10/18/2014 - SFDoug wrote: 86 Points
Robust and full bodied, this probably would have been much better maybe a year ago. Raisin and alcohol on the nose; prune on the palate and finish, with some hints of chocolate.
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10/1/2014 - KimberJ Likes this wine: 93 Points
Big and fruity yet still has a bit of dryness and good tannins. Pretty good all week long. Good bit of anis as well. Rated higher the second time. — 9 years ago
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8/21/2014 - Dempsmat wrote: 96 Points
All I can say is WOW! Hits every part of the palate with grace, finesse, and concentrated complexity. The tannins and acidity have come into perfect alignment after a couple years of cellaring. Easily beats some of the $150+ bottles of Napa Cab I have had.
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7/18/2014 - Lanceamoore wrote: 95 Points
Delicious, well rounded once opened up. Great wine
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7/3/2014 - pickhardt wrote: 88 Points
Maybe a little over the hill. Fruit was not as pronounced as I had hoped, but still quality.
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4/18/2014 - danscellar Likes this wine: 90 Points
Nice full nose, good ruby color a lot of tannin right out of the bottle that soften up nicely with some air. I let it warm up and breathe for about an hour. It does carry a bit of a currant/raisin fruit flavor that then carries over to a nice finish.
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2/11/2014 - Winegirl1959 Likes this wine: 85 Points
Very jammy, but paired well with NY steak
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12/7/2013 - wineshaman wrote: 90 Points
PNP, last bottle, initial alcohol on the nose, blew off rather quickly. The palate was quite concentrated with sweet currants, cassis, plums, blackberries, hints of blueberry and vanilla, the finish was a bit dry and astringent. Overall based on this bottle it appears to be holding up quite well. Classic Napa cab, sweet, rich, ripe and concentrated!
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10/8/2013 - ckucic wrote: 95 Points
V
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8/3/2013 - winesnob4u wrote: 85 Points
Light in flavor and may be past its prime. Would not save any longer.
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7/20/2013 - Rickfor wrote: 91 Points
- Ruby color.
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7/2/2013 - sandwich Likes this wine: 88 Points
Typical Cali Cab. Aromas of blackberry, boisenberry, and huckleberry with a bouquet of vanilla, molasses and a touch of oak. Some blueberry and a slightly pungent overipe rhubarb note are overpowered by the heavy alcohol component which is very reminiscent of vodka. The nose is much better than the palate. This wine does have some legs, so I'm curious how it shows five years out.
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6/4/2013 - Drink&Trade Likes this wine: 92 Points
Wine is aging well. Lots of pop in that classic Napa Cab. Tobacco, vanilla, leather, red fruit all married nicely. Tannin's are smoothed out now, still pucker-worthy.
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3/30/2013 - Ben Christiansen wrote:
Tasty and well done, if overall not my cup of tea.
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3/26/2013 - VinoDiver wrote: 88 Points
When this was opened I could smell the wonderful aromas from across the kitchen. The wine seems to have plenty of structure and the nose is beautiful, but the fruit on the palate didn't quite live up to the nose. After day 2 the fruit had still not come around.
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2/28/2013 - lifebreath Does not like this wine: 78 Points
Overcooked jammy fruit and flabby.
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1/19/2013 - Fatso wrote:
Took ski Jim Ross
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1/18/2013 - somadoc wrote: 90 Points
Interesting night - we had the Cakebread Merlot first, which I was disappointed with, and then this cab, which I enjoyed more. Was that because it was nicer or because I already had half a bottle of wine in me :) This has a nice fruity nose with soft dark berries on the palate and a far nicer finish than its merlot cousin.
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10/28/2012 - iwadasn wrote: 91 Points
Tasty cab, with strong bursts of black and red raspberries, surrounded by hints of dark chocolate and coffee. Long, complex aftertaste keeps sending me back for a little more.
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9/29/2012 - pierrebiere wrote: 93 Points
Waited two years between the last bottle...you know its good when the nose is almost as satisfying as the wine itself! >=two hours decanting still required to bring this wine out properly. served with somewhat spicey pasta and wonderful company made it better! The nose was dark and rich, and the must was enticing, like a promising covering over the goodness to come. Somewhat fruit forward, dry and complex as it changed over the tongue. after taste was long an satisfying. one bottle left makes me wish I had more.
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9/14/2012 - pickhardt wrote: 88 Points
This continues the poor run of 2005s for me vs. expectations. Not bad, but I was hoping for better.
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7/4/2012 - hr3 wrote: 93 Points
really enjoyed this, dark fruits, mocha, dense and rich.
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6/5/2012 - beezer6 wrote: 91 Points
A great bottling from Cakebread. Out shined the Quintessa and just a point behind Opus. Great sweeter raspberry, caramel, nutty qualities. Sweeter tannins as well - a little pancake syrup flavor qualities. Not viscous, just ripe and spicy. Great balanced finish. Feminine in style compared to both others tasted.
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2/25/2012 - wineshaman wrote: 89 Points
Popped and poured, currant/cassis, concentrated plums and vanilla, a bit tannic still. 89+
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12/31/2011 - Soche wrote: 88 Points
Good but not great. Balanced and smooth but was a little light and unmemorable
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11/24/2011 - AtomicKyle wrote: 86 Points
Subtle vanilla and leather notes. Black cherry and cassis forward. A fine wine for giving thanks today.
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11/21/2011 - jimmyrice14 wrote: 92 Points
Excellent effort from CB on this vintage...I think the time in the cellar really benefited this wine. Great nose, opened up fairly quickly in the decanter after 30 minutes. Smooth, fruit blasts through all levels of the pallet, really liked this one. Wish I had more.
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10/31/2011 - km5 wrote:
Had with hotpot...oaky and sweet but tasty with hotpot.
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10/13/2011 - sarlyb wrote: 82 Points
thank goodness this isn't in my cellar anymore
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8/10/2011 - RSK wrote: 90 Points
I've had mixed experiences with Cakebread wines. Bought a bunch after a trip to Napa as a wine newbie. Mostly they haven't lived up to my original enthusiasm. This, however, is a nice bottle of wine. Toasty oak and eucalyptus on the nose, it's medium-bodied and ripe (but not jammy) on the palate. The tannins are well-integrated.
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6/16/2011 - krmcgrath wrote: 92 Points
Big, dark fruit with very nice structure and plenty of oak and char. Vituried the bottle twice into a decanter. This was in a great place and improved over the evening.
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6/11/2011 - grapist wrote: 91 Points
Rich and fruity, yet not a "fruit bomb". Heavy enough that this needs red meat.
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6/5/2011 - garywa wrote: 90 Points
Nice!
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5/30/2011 - Eddiek wrote: 95 Points
Really outstanding. Drink now. Great right out of the bottle.
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5/5/2011 - clarktoews wrote: 92 Points
drinking at it's best right now
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4/30/2011 - mikejarmstrong1@gmail.com wrote:
Lisa F drank
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3/22/2011 - nrosen wrote:
oak, smell of vanilla, smooth with a mellow finish....92pts
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3/15/2011 - dilitz wrote:
93 points. Paired well with prime rib!
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2/12/2011 - bobpsi wrote: 92 Points
1 hr decant. Expressive nose of black currant, black raspberry, vanilla and tobacco. Black fruits, leather, graphite and a long mocha finish. Medium tannins
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12/26/2010 - john_mcewan wrote: 93 Points
Had Christmas Eve 2010 with Filo wrapped Filets..yum!
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12/17/2010 - jorge48 wrote: 90 Points
Had a magnum bottle at Napa & Co. with Trads. Nose of fruit and menthol. Some oak on the palate, medium body and finish. Silky smooth tannins.
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9/26/2010 - pierrebiere wrote: 91 Points
I let two bottles decant for 3 hours, paired with steak and madera sauce. Veyr nice nose and forward think, velvety fruit with a long finish. very satisfying! I know more air time helped this wine open - not sure if another couple of years will improve the profile it has now.
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9/17/2010 - austincarty wrote: 97 Points
Drunk with Mike and Lou at their house. Deep dark wine with a little sediment. Increasingly powerful nose with resins as well as fruit seething around ??leather. It got better and better over a long dinner. Amazing complexity for such a young vintage. It could last for ever if it is not all drunk up!
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9/15/2010 - Cacophony82 wrote: 92 Points
Decanted for 30 minutes - had with fillet - Correct amount of oak, well balanced. Nothing earth shattering. I found this on close out for 45.00 - would purchase again at this price point but would consider other options @ 60-70
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8/22/2010 - wineshaman wrote: 91 Points
Decanted for a couple of hrs, the nose was filled with cassis, blueberry, boysenberry and cedar. Intense fruit on the palate, with blueberry, boysenberry, dark raspberry, cassis and vanilla. Very fruity, very California and very tasty.
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7/30/2010 - pghgator wrote: 92 Points
This one never dissapoints me. Well balanced and keeps improving. I've got 4 bottle left and will miss this one once gone.
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6/28/2010 - TheWinedown wrote: 92 Points
Just fantastic. Dark, full-bodied, and well balanced. Goes great with the typical steak or the like. Tough to like the price, but an a special occasion, you can't beat it.
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6/27/2010 - dchorton wrote: 90 Points
2nd try. Dinner w/ Wagyu NY strip steaks. Same opinion - nice but expected more for the price.
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4/22/2010 - clarktoews wrote: 92 Points
amazingly dark in the glass. fantastic nose of dark fruit and vanilla. big weight on the palate and a very long finish, a bit too much alcohol though.
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4/3/2010 - dchorton wrote: 90 Points
Good, but had hoped for better. Lower than average QPR.
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3/22/2010 - will2wine wrote: 90 Points
Ripe dark berries, subtle oak and herbs, big grip, nice backbone. Should improve. 90+
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3/21/2010 - nietzschephilosopher wrote: 90 Points
This wine has softened up a good deal; it's certainly ready to drink. Good weight, decent fruit, and what I would call above average balance. Standard cali cab flavors with some secondary flavors with bottle age starting to show.
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3/12/2010 - krmcgrath wrote: 91 Points
Good structure and balance makes this a good candidate for holding a while.
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2/20/2010 - bowmanbc wrote: 92 Points
well done wine - luckily it was a gift bottle so the cost wasnt an issue. was the showcase dinner wine with short ribs and went great. dense cab with great nose, full fruit with some vanilla after tones.
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12/24/2009 - pghgator wrote: 88 Points
A little dissapointed in this bottle as I've had many others. However, I'll attribute it's lackluster performance to shipping (plane trip)/altitude (lake tahoe) and the meal pairing (turkey dinner). My other bottles have been outstanding so I'll forgive this one.
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11/29/2009 - Loren Sonkin wrote: 90 Points
Not a wine I would typically drink, but this was in my cellar and I felt like drinking a Cab. Purple in color, opaque and bright. The nose is nice with cassis, leather, and some oak, mostly vanilla. full bodied. On the palate, this is easy to drink with some complexity. Cassis and oak flavors. Nice balance and richness. Good finish. Pretty much a classic Napa Cab but at $80 Ohio, way over priced. That said, it was still very enjoyable.
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11/4/2009 - Canuck wrote: 89 Points
TWG Monthly Lunch - November (The National): This needs some time to develop
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11/2/2009 - tina7474 wrote: 90 Points
A well made Napa Cab with nice fruit and a smooth finish. Popped and drank immediately. Perfect to drink now, lacking complexity and vigor to warrant extended cellaring. Not worth the price tag however.
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10/31/2009 - ikkaariainen wrote: 91 Points
Another bottle of this really outstanding and slowly maturing Napa cab enjoyed last night at Josh's on the Square in Hickory NC with wine friends Danny and Pat Bolick so this bottle was popped and poured - this is however a wine which really can stand to be decanted. Continues to improve, love this stuff and highly recommend it but not a great QPR at $60+ / bottle. We get a case from the local distributor every year. Overall tasting notes very consistent: dark, intense and big yet very well balanced at this point with tannins starting to mellow and oak core speaks of cellaring potential for many years to come. Bouquet of dark stone fruit, tar and blackberry. Primary flavors dominated by classic Napa cab cassis with dark fruit, both blue- and blackberries present, black pepper and with aeration leather and mocha developed. I still agree with my previous assessment that on full maturation over the coming years I see this wine eventually in the 93 - 94 point range - however at the rate I am going through this stuff I will never see that day with my bottles.
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10/10/2009 - wineshaman wrote: 89 Points
Popped and poured, intense sweet nose of currants, cassis and vanilla. Rich and intense dark fruit, vanilla and oak on the palate. Still some tannins to shed, balanced and very Californian. 89+
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10/7/2009 - peeks13 wrote: 86 Points
A Night of Classic Cabernet (9/23/2009) (Wine Discount Center Barrington): This is their entry level Napa cab and it doesn't deliver relative to price.
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9/27/2009 - marcw23 wrote: 93 Points
Fantastic example of what a Cali Cab should be. Big and dense, but not overpowering. Dark fruit and a little pepper on the back end. Finish is incredibly smooth with velvety tannins. Drank immediately after opening, delicious and ready to drink now. Had with dinner, but the wine is probably solid enough to hold up on its own without food.
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9/19/2009 - ink_junkie wrote: 88 Points
Reminscent of a French wine but overpriced for the quality in my opinion. Lots of wines at half the price I'd prefer to this one.
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9/12/2009 - RobertDwyer wrote: 93 Points
Delicious. Dense yet elegant. Fruit forward yet serious. Fantastic once again. Love this wine.
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9/7/2009 - bordeauxbob wrote: 92 Points
Fabulous fruity with plum overtones and black fruit. Let this decant and warm up to room temperature and you will be reward. Grat nose, smooth fruit and great smooth finish.
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8/11/2009 - MemWine123 wrote: 92 Points
Had with baked fish and veggies. Very smooth with great fruit on the nose and the palate. This is a very solid Napa cab. Wife who doesn't drink much red is all about this one, so that should say it all.
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7/28/2009 - cab blends wrote: 91 Points
Tannins not too bold and drinkable from the bottle.
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7/25/2009 - ikkaariainen wrote: 91 Points
Very consistent tasting notes among now three bottles tried in last few months. This last bottle was enjoyed earlier tonight with good CT and wine buddy neighborbill and spouses as the last wine of the night at a fabulous veal dinner with after-dinner pool, decanted for about three hours - very dark, intense and big with a strong tannic structure and oak core with cellaring potential for many years to come. Decanting definitely helped. Bouquet of dark stone fruit, tar and blackberry. Primary flavors dominated by classic Napa cab cassis with dark fruit, both blue- and blackberries present, black pepper and with aeration leather and mocha developed. Too expensive to be a reasonable QPR but I highly recommend this wine - with full maturation over the coming years I still see this wine eventually in the 93 - 94 point range.
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7/18/2009 - ikkaariainen wrote: 91 Points
Really a good wine - the first bottle out of a case of 12 recently obtained from the local distributor and enjoyed last night with Kim while grilling flank steak. Continued high expectations and this wine does not disappoint. Very dark, intense and big with a strong tannic structure and oak core with cellaring potential for many years to come. Decanting definitely helped. Bouquet of dark stone fruit, tar and blackberry. Primary flavors dominated by classic Napa cab cassis with dark fruit, both blue- and blackberries present, black pepper and with aeration leather and mocha developed. Too expensive to be a reasonable QPR but I highly recommend this wine - with full maturation over the coming years I still see this wine eventually in the 93 - 94 point range.
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7/17/2009 - swimnfit wrote: 92 Points
I had the pleaseure of enjoying this wine at dinner last night. This is a wine I have long sought since the last time I had tasted it was a 1974 vintage and was wonderful. Floral fuit accents that were not overly wrapped in leather and tobacco gave this wine a pleasant nose. On the pallet, the wine was moderate to light in tannins with a velvety smooth finish. If I can find this wine I will buy it. Added to my wish list!
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6/24/2009 - w0lphman wrote: 92 Points
Getting better... Still needs a couple years.
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6/8/2009 - jleg wrote:
Well...pretty good, I guess. Solid, oaky nose. A very big wine all around. Still very fresh tasting. Full bodied with supple but assertive tannins. Low acidity. One dimensional with little to no complexity. Not sure if the fruit and low acid will be able to keep up with the tannin. A little heat on the finish.
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6/8/2009 - Sausalito wrote:
Great as always. Maggies first Cabernet!
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5/27/2009 - nietzschephilosopher wrote: 91 Points
Wonderful depth and balance. This has all of the componenets of a good napa cab. Ripe (but not jammy) fruit, sweet tannins, with a touch of veggies/olives. Really tasty.
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5/25/2009 - BJW wrote: 93 Points
Decanted for two hours and it was just perfect! It opened up nicely as the evening went on with strong fruit and supple tannins. It could still sit for a while but drinking nicely now.
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5/25/2009 - difran wrote: 93 Points
Spicy, bold, big fruit. Cellar another 2 years- 2011
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5/11/2009 - Sausalito wrote:
Decanted 1 hr and was ready to go. Fantastic, as always. Drank with Pauliene and Thommy. Great weekend with the kids. Ate with marinated trip tip....A widely available Cab, not sure if its better than Caymus but theya re close
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4/29/2009 - lebo9968@gmail.com wrote: 93 Points
Very nice CA cab. Certainly young, but drinking very nicely. Very good fruit, structure and balance.
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4/13/2009 - AMM3RD wrote: 89 Points
88-89. This wine was pretty disappointing, flabby. I decanted for ~2 hours, the nose never opened giving anything. Flavors were basic Napa Cab. on a firm struture. This wine was "half-pregnant". It did not have the ripe napa fruit or the minerality and acid that would make it more old world. Very expensive for the quality. I've got another bottle, hoping it's better...AMM
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4/6/2009 - garywa wrote: 90 Points
tasty
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4/3/2009 - wino_tim wrote: 89 Points
Full bodied, but luscious - a Merlot drinkers Cabernet - with a soft-texture and gobs of fruit, this offers generous aromas of black cherry, plum, bell pepper and a big dollop of vanilla. Well integrated with velvety tannins and very persistent - though very oaky - black fruit flavors.
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3/28/2009 - ikkaariainen wrote: 91 Points
Amazing still relatively young Napa cab, definitely my WOTN - greatly enjoyed last night with Kim and members of our dinner club at M5 in Charlotte NC. My first Cakebread and I had high expectations for this wine - it did not disappoint. Very dark, intense, big and bold, strong tannins with oak core and cellaring potential for many years to come. Needs to be decanted if opened at this point. Amazing bouquet with an explosion of dark stone fruit, leather, smoke and blackberry. Primary flavors dominated by classic Napa cab cassis with dark fruit, both blue- and blackberries present, black pepper and with further aeration leather and mocha developed. Too expensive to be a reasonable QPR but I highly recommend this wine, will definitely be looking for a case of this. With further maturation and development I see this wine eventually in the 93 - 94 point range.
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3/18/2009 - godx wrote: 88 Points
Tasted at winery – medium, almost dark ruby, clear. Nose of bell pepper, black cherries and blackberries. Flavours of dark fruits, spice and some earthy notes. Medium body, firm tannins, medium to high acidity with a medium length finish. Needs time. Very good. 88+
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2/26/2009 - mattiej wrote: 90 Points
Drank at Ditka's in Pittsburgh with friends.. Decanted in glass for 1/2 hr due to tight nose and hot finish... In the end, a great wine... oaky on the nose, definitely some smoke present as well... dark fruits on the palate, medium bodied wine... Will definitely drink bottle #2 after an hour of true decanting...
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2/18/2009 - RobertDwyer wrote: 93 Points
Fabulous Napa Cab. I had high expectations as this is one of my favorite labels, and this vintage didn't disappoint. For me, a very distinctive and exciting wine. Love it- every time.
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12/10/2008 - Phin wrote: 94 Points
Drinking great. 30 minute decant, 65 degrees. Dark ripe fruits, smoke, very smooth.
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11/27/2008 - RPerro wrote: 92 Points
Thanksgiving Dinner (Jeff McHugh's condo): Decanted 2 hours. Steve's big wine, and big is the correct word. Big price, big bouquet, big fruit...and big oak. The over-oaked taste was what kept this wine from being wine of the night. I usually don't mind some oak in my cabs, but this went a bit too far for me. Even with the oak, serious gobs of concentrated raspberry fruit and earth showing. Tannins were present, but not bothersome, only lightly drying the mouth on the finish. Color was somewhat lighter than I expected for a Cali cab. All in all, a nice showing, but overshadowed (for me at least) by the 20 year-old St. Emillion, and the Mitolo shiraz.
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11/3/2008 - hcampana wrote: 84 Points
Retailer wine tasting (Lots of TNs incl. 05 Torre Muga, 05 Guado al Tasso, 06 Achaval Mirador, 05 Pintia, etc.) (Monterrey, Mexico): Flabby and hot.
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11/1/2008 - JOsgood wrote: 91 Points
Light in color for a cab, rich with plenty of tannins and great balance. Very smooth on the palate with a nice finish. Solid effort.
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8/23/2008 - M. Ware wrote:
Drank with family and friends while visting parents. Delicious bottle with subtle oak taste, very well balanced bottle. DECANT FUTURE BOTTLES
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8/21/2008 - JOsgood wrote: 92 Points
Very nice wine. Great nose. Smooth with notes of vanilla, cedar, black fruit and a short but balanced finish.
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8/8/2008 - sethmross wrote: 94 Points
Delicious! Jack has done it again!
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6/21/2008 - beezer6 wrote: 92 Points
Taste from 'crazy table 72' at WF OB (after having to kick them out).
Decanted almost 2 hours.
Lush and beautiful. Very lively dark berries. Blueberries and plum with some nice cassis and excellent oak.
Totally balanced acidity with very well integrated tannins. The mid palate is pleasing and shows a medium to long finish.
A good year for the Cakebread Cab.
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5/29/2008 - Phin wrote: 93 Points
Super young obviously. Came around after an hour in the glass. Seems a tad bit light and ripe compared to the spectacular 04. May be youth.
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4/12/2008 - EMichels wrote: 91 Points
Big, rich nose; Ripe but with good body; Nice finish
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3/19/2008 - beezer6 wrote: 92 Points
After two hours decanted lots of dark fruit was dominating the nose. Blackberries, plum and oak.
Tons of CHOCOLATE and ESPRESSO aromas.
Wine shows an interesting asian spice on the palate laced with dried raisins and some nice mid palate heat.
Well integrated tannins with a long finish.
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