Two hour decant: full bodied, concentrated dusty blackberry, spice, leather, dark chocolate coats your palate; chalky tannins, very well balanced. Cellared since release, my last 97. Made my evening.
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HDH auction at Spiaggia; 5/17/2018-5/19/2018 (Chicago, IL): Really intense nose with some plums that are starting to bruise just a little. Super dusty on the nose as well. The palate is intense and ripe, with a lovely bit of brown spice. Tannic, heavy, and dense, with a bit of sweet fruit. Dusty and big, but quite alluring too. Serious stuff, but it's the slight bit of stewiness and dare I say overripeness that kills it for me.
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Near perfection. This is a serious wine at its peak. Not for the faint of heart. Very similar to Harlan 97, in fact may be identical minus bottling difference. For anyone who's into big, bold, layered Napa Meritage, this is hard to beat.
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WOW! This is absolutely a 99-100pt wine. So powerful, rich, full bodied, but not heavy. Massive layers of flavors just keep on coming with a 45+ second finish. Needs 3-5 hours to show its best. This was better than the 1997 Harlan estate I drank.
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Like an old bordeaux. Slightly dusty, musty, wet wood, dark berries. The finish was just a touch off. The next bottle I will decant for at least 6 hours. Still lots of power left in this guy.
Realized the last 2 bottles out of this case were flawed slightly but new cases are unreal!
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- Garnet color and aromas of tar, tobacco, hay/straw and rose. It's somewhat balanced and has flavours of chocolate, burnt toast and mushroom with a medium/full body. Polished texture with a long finish.
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After an amazing trip to Bordeaux I drank mostly Bordeaux over the last month or so. Age matters and a wine at it's perfect maturity is just a great pleasure. It was interesting to me that this wine is actually aging slower and is more approachable than most 1996 or 2000 Bordeaux. It just doesn't close down. Perfect balance of fruit and acidity. Long finish. For me this is the second most enjoyable bottle this month. First was 2000 Eglise Clinet.
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Had this together with a 97 Caymus SS. Both wines were excellent but they were as different as two wines could be. This was very dark, dense and young looking 94;82. Mouthfeel is fat, rich and thick and it is in perfect balance even though it is of massive proportions. Very dark and brooding flavors and the aftertaste is building and getting longer and longer.
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Had together with a 97 Caymus SS - both were excellent and I rated them the same score but they were as different as 2 wines could be. This was much darker, denser and younger looking. 94;82. Very thick and fat in the mouth and with a huge, massive structure. Lots of tannins and quite a lot of acid and tons of fruit. Very dark and brooding and with a very long aftertaste that is getting longer and longer.
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Best bottle of this wine for at least 5 years. Decanted 2 hrs. Absolutely gorgeous looking wine - perfect looking. 92;74. Very dark and dense, starting to mature on the edge. Clear and clean and coating the glass. Great nose; spicy, exotic, peppery, brown sugar and flowers. In the mouth it is a huge wine with huge structure, at some times a bit lean because of the tannins. Very high acidity keeps it fresh but the gobs of fruit still makes it delicious. Currants, vanilla, huge licorice, violets and a higher more intense fruit. Very long, lingering aftertaste with high fruit, flowers and lots of other stuff. I gave this wine 97 points but Lynn loves it and thinks it is better than the Harlan the other day that we gave 98p.
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This was found as part of a mixed case at the kids school auction. Whoever the Bacich School first grade dad is that contributed this, Thanks. Dark Red/Black Beautiful complex nose. Mostly ready to drink after open in the bottle for an hour. Leather, Smoke, Dark black fruit, lovely.
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Tasting Group Dinner - Chateauneuf at Heidi's (Heidi's, Minneapolis): Served blind. I guessed Aussie Shiraz, and specifically 1998 Grange. Not close. This had a crazy, intense nose and flavors of confected, over-ripe black fruit, smoke, and dill/pickle juice. The dill made me think of American oak, and the sweetness and extraction of the fruit made me guess Aussie Shiraz. I would have rated this about 85 points, but Chris Palm swore that this was a badly off bottle, and looking back at my much more favorable tasting note from our Harlan vertical, I agree. Formal judgment reserved.
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Wednesday at Heidi's: Chris Palm poured this blind for the group. He has had this multiple times, and declared this to be an off bottle (not corked, some form of VA?). Chris offered to open the back-up bottle, but we figured we'd had enough wine already.
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Decanted for 24 hours. Together with 99 Maiden and 02 Bond Melbury. NVR was he best wine according to everybody. Big rich and powerful but with a very good balance.
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Stinky nose up front but blew off after 15 minutes. Soft, supple tannins enveloping sweet balck fruit. Very easy wine to drink and the lineage to Harlan 97 is evident here.
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12/22/2023 - BradE wrote:
Drank well, and liked by the group.
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9/17/2023 - Burgundy Al wrote: 88 Points
Pausing for the Cause Fundraiser and Dinner (Obelix - Chicago IL): Alongside the Harlan 1997. Also tasty, but ripe and fleshy fruit is maturing and losing its edge. Good, but little that I could still find exciting.
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12/20/2022 - BradE wrote:
Popped and poured. Drank well, and liked by all.
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12/24/2020 - Elkcims Likes this wine: 96 Points
Two hour decant: full bodied, concentrated dusty blackberry, spice, leather, dark chocolate coats your palate; chalky tannins, very well balanced. Cellared since release, my last 97. Made my evening.
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5/19/2018 - acyso wrote: 90 Points
HDH auction at Spiaggia; 5/17/2018-5/19/2018 (Chicago, IL): Really intense nose with some plums that are starting to bruise just a little. Super dusty on the nose as well. The palate is intense and ripe, with a lovely bit of brown spice. Tannic, heavy, and dense, with a bit of sweet fruit. Dusty and big, but quite alluring too. Serious stuff, but it's the slight bit of stewiness and dare I say overripeness that kills it for me.
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6/8/2017 - exd121 Likes this wine: 90 Points
Très bon vin
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2/5/2017 - Burgundy Al wrote:
Good Wine with an Exciting Super Bowl (Chez Kailin - Northbrook IL): Small glass, brief note. All black fruit with dark chocolate. Overall good balance. Very enjoyable now, with enough elegant structure to age gracefully for probably another decade.
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1/17/2017 - floridawinedrkr Likes this wine: 98 Points
This is still big and powerful. Built for the long haul. Spectacular! see previous notes
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12/24/2016 - BradE wrote:
Popped and poured, so we didn't give it a fair shot. Good, but needs significant decanting time.
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9/24/2016 - floridawinedrkr Likes this wine: 95 Points
This is best after 6-8 hours of decant time. Really smooth with enough time. see previous notes
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9/18/2016 - floridawinedrkr Likes this wine: 95 Points
No decant. But excellent again. Big & powerful. Rich and full bodied but not heavy. see previous notes
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4/19/2016 - floridawinedrkr Likes this wine: 92 Points
Not as good as the last bottle. Some what flat, disjointed, closed, and a little hot.
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3/6/2016 - convex Likes this wine: 99 Points
Near perfection. This is a serious wine at its peak. Not for the faint of heart. Very similar to Harlan 97, in fact may be identical minus bottling difference. For anyone who's into big, bold, layered Napa Meritage, this is hard to beat.
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2/13/2016 - floridawinedrkr Likes this wine: 99 Points
WOW! This is absolutely a 99-100pt wine. So powerful, rich, full bodied, but not heavy. Massive layers of flavors just keep on coming with a 45+ second finish. Needs 3-5 hours to show its best. This was better than the 1997 Harlan estate I drank.
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2/9/2016 - floridawinedrkr Likes this wine: 97 Points
Just picked up another case and these bottles are outstanding! Rich, dark, smooth, creamy, velvety, med-full bodied, sexy, and so easy to drink.
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2/6/2016 - floridawinedrkr Likes this wine: 93 Points
Pretty good wine but just off by a touch. needs a few hours to settle down. see previous notes
Ps: I just got another case on 2/8/16 and the previous bottles were flawed for sure. This is a 97 point wine.
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10/5/2015 - floridawinedrkr Likes this wine: 94 Points
Like an old bordeaux. Slightly dusty, musty, wet wood, dark berries. The finish was just a touch off. The next bottle I will decant for at least 6 hours. Still lots of power left in this guy.
Realized the last 2 bottles out of this case were flawed slightly but new cases are unreal!
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7/26/2014 - Verticalcollector Likes this wine: 97 Points
Decanted for an hour before drinking. How can I get more?
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2/8/2014 - BradE wrote:
Drank well, if not great tonight. Remember to decant.
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10/16/2013 - jjanderson wrote:
- Garnet color and aromas of tar, tobacco, hay/straw and rose. It's somewhat balanced and has flavours of chocolate, burnt toast and mushroom with a medium/full body. Polished texture with a long finish.
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12/15/2012 - El Tej wrote: 99 Points
Epic. Nose of spring flowers, spice box, sandalwood. Licorice, cherry and damp forest on the palate. 45 second finish. Bravo!
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6/7/2012 - Weston3220 wrote:
Was handed a glass of this blind, first initial thought was whose opening young napa cab
Very youthful nose med+ intensity, good cassis fruit not over the top
on the palate great togetherness good fruit and oak is beautifully intergrated
Conc: Good Juice
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6/2/2012 - BradE wrote:
Decanted for 30 minutes. Initially showed quite young. We left it in the decanter, and a few hours later it was strutting. A nice showing.
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10/26/2011 - phenricsson wrote: 96 Points
Still going strong. Even better the next day.
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9/28/2011 - BradE wrote:
Drank beautifully.
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6/26/2011 - aegerter Likes this wine: 97 Points
After an amazing trip to Bordeaux I drank mostly Bordeaux over the last month or so. Age matters and a wine at it's perfect maturity is just a great pleasure. It was interesting to me that this wine is actually aging slower and is more approachable than most 1996 or 2000 Bordeaux. It just doesn't close down.
Perfect balance of fruit and acidity. Long finish. For me this is the second most enjoyable bottle this month. First was 2000 Eglise Clinet.
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1/31/2011 - aegerter Likes this wine: 96 Points
Still young but drinks extremely well!
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6/18/2010 - phenricsson wrote: 97 Points
Had this together with a 97 Caymus SS. Both wines were excellent but they were as different as two wines could be. This was very dark, dense and young looking 94;82. Mouthfeel is fat, rich and thick and it is in perfect balance even though it is of massive proportions. Very dark and brooding flavors and the aftertaste is building and getting longer and longer.
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6/18/2010 - phenricsson wrote: 97 Points
Had together with a 97 Caymus SS - both were excellent and I rated them the same score but they were as different as 2 wines could be. This was much darker, denser and younger looking. 94;82. Very thick and fat in the mouth and with a huge, massive structure. Lots of tannins and quite a lot of acid and tons of fruit. Very dark and brooding and with a very long aftertaste that is getting longer and longer.
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6/6/2010 - phenricsson wrote: 97 Points
Best bottle of this wine for at least 5 years. Decanted 2 hrs. Absolutely gorgeous looking wine - perfect looking. 92;74. Very dark and dense, starting to mature on the edge. Clear and clean and coating the glass. Great nose; spicy, exotic, peppery, brown sugar and flowers. In the mouth it is a huge wine with huge structure, at some times a bit lean because of the tannins. Very high acidity keeps it fresh but the gobs of fruit still makes it delicious. Currants, vanilla, huge licorice, violets and a higher more intense fruit. Very long, lingering aftertaste with high fruit, flowers and lots of other stuff. I gave this wine 97 points but Lynn loves it and thinks it is better than the Harlan the other day that we gave 98p.
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3/21/2010 - Mike V wrote: 94 Points
This was found as part of a mixed case at the kids school auction. Whoever the Bacich School first grade dad is that contributed this, Thanks. Dark Red/Black Beautiful complex nose. Mostly ready to drink after open in the bottle for an hour. Leather, Smoke, Dark black fruit, lovely.
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1/12/2009 - BradE wrote:
Possibly the best bottle of this wine I've ever had. All in balance, showing a remarkable flavor profile. Hope this continues.
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1/16/2008 - Siggy wrote: flawed
Tasting Group Dinner - Chateauneuf at Heidi's (Heidi's, Minneapolis): Served blind. I guessed Aussie Shiraz, and specifically 1998 Grange. Not close. This had a crazy, intense nose and flavors of confected, over-ripe black fruit, smoke, and dill/pickle juice. The dill made me think of American oak, and the sweetness and extraction of the fruit made me guess Aussie Shiraz. I would have rated this about 85 points, but Chris Palm swore that this was a badly off bottle, and looking back at my much more favorable tasting note from our Harlan vertical, I agree. Formal judgment reserved.
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1/16/2008 - Dave Dalluge wrote: flawed
Wednesday at Heidi's: Chris Palm poured this blind for the group. He has had this multiple times, and declared this to be an off bottle (not corked, some form of VA?). Chris offered to open the back-up bottle, but we figured we'd had enough wine already.
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3/1/2007 - burgcamel wrote: 93 Points
Best bottle I have had to date. Nice mouth feel with a reasonably long finish. Sweet dark berries dominate.
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12/11/2006 - phenricsson wrote: 98 Points
Decanted for 24 hours. Together with 99 Maiden and 02 Bond Melbury. NVR was he best wine according to everybody. Big rich and powerful but with a very good balance.
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10/14/2006 - Siggy wrote: 92 Points
Harlan Vertical Tasting 1990-2002 (WA Frost, St. Paul): Smoke, char, and roasted red fruits. Teeth-staining. Very nice.
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5/30/2006 - G SQUARED wrote: 89 Points
Stinky nose up front but blew off after 15 minutes. Soft, supple tannins enveloping sweet balck fruit. Very easy wine to drink and the lineage to Harlan 97 is evident here.
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11/10/2003 - phenricsson wrote: 92 Points
At the Estate. Color:94, Maturity: 90. Very thick looking
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