Deep red color. Aromas of blackberries, chocolate and oak spices. Ripe, fully integrated fruit and tannins in the mouth with excellent depth and length. Nicely supple and persistent on the palate. At peak.
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Brought to The Wolf in Oakland. Paired with a rib eye steak. I was worried when the waiter initially tried to open it but he successfully used a Butler’s Thief. The cork was in good condition. The first taste: the wine was hot and somewhat thin but the fruit was lively and still there. With time it filled out with the heat dissipating, with dark red fruit with some chocolate notes. Medium weight in body. Ends with a semi dry finish. Good +.
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Dark garnet color in the glass, clear looking throughout. Nose of soapstone, currants, black pepper, violets and plums. Flavors of currants, plums, raspberries and loganberries. Tart acidity, medium tannin, full bodied. Drink now.
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Nice wine. Big leather,fruit,less smooth things going on in this bottle. Multi-dimensional wine, not as good as my previous bottle.Drank over 3 nights last glass on the 4th night was shot.
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Drank Bottle 8 of 60 Premier Napa Valley Cabernet. Beautiful wine, typical Napa Valley Cabernet, seems fully mature but showing no signs of age. Should last another 5 years easily. No hurry to consume it if you happen to have any, Obtained my bottle at auction. Wish I had more.
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Dark garnet color in the glass, clear looking throughout. Nose of soapstone, violet, leather and mixed berries. Flavors of black raspberries, black cherries and black berries. Medium acidity, medium tannin, full bodied. Drink or hold.
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This is one of the great Bressler vintages and one of the great Napa Valley Cabs. I just wish that the bottle that we had last night wasn't our last one.
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Nothing to complain about...lovely balanced blackberry fruit, hints of plum, licorice, fresh herbs, touch of oak. Round, and complete. Medium length. Lovely.
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I've had one of these per year for the last three years and they've consistently been outstanding. Such a great balance of ripe fruit with elegant structure and culminating in a long, smooth finish.
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Enjoyable, easy-drinking modern, fruit forward but not over the top Cab. Pulled up from the cellar after the rest of the red wine I had out for the party was gone because I hoped it would not need decanting or much breathing to be enjoyed. It served this purpose well. Very soft, jammy blackberry and boysenberry flavors. It did seem rather one dimensional though but to be fair this may have had to do more with the lack of breathing than the essence of the wine's nature.
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This is such a beautiful, complex cab with plenty of good years ahead of it. Black cherry and coffee notes on the front end pair with a smooth, rich mouthfeel and lead to a long, mildly tannic finish. Simply excellent.
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Terrific stuff. More on the red fruit end of the spectrum, with sweet red raspberry notes most prominent. Offered up a beautifully perfumed nose, too, which I'm always a sucker for. This was medium-to-full bodied and had a certain elegance to it. I gave this two hours of air, which seemed just right.
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Wine, Browns and my 55th Birthday (My Home): I really liked this wine. In a great place right now. Classic Napa Cab. The nose is dusty with cassis, some oak. Soft yet full bodied. Layers of fruit unwind in the glass. Nice finish. Elegant yet some power too.
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Tasted non blind. Opened and glass decanted about an hour before serving.
Dark garnet color in the glass, clear looking throughout. Nose of sandalwood, potpourri, ligenberry and raspberries. Flavors of ligenberry, black berries and dark plums. Medium acidity, medium tannin, full bodied. Drink or hold.
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The fourth 2005 cabernet consumed at Thanksgiving, and my favorite (very close score to the Staglin). Just delicious California cabernet, and unusually refined.
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Much better on the second night. Great nose, a little harsh, however. Typical very good california cab. Drank along side a 1997 Mondavi to-kalon and a Juslyn Perry's Blend from 2004. This was second best. Comparable: Ron Cey.
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Popped and poured. Lovely nose of cassis, cigar box and charcoal. Very nice initial attack of blackberry, blueberry and dark cherry fruit. Rich and smooth in texture with notes of tobacco, coffee and a little leather. The finish is quite long with integrated tannins. Excellent cab. Not had this before but it seems to be in a great place just now.
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I sadly had 2 straight bottles from different vintages corked. The first I returned and with great service given another bottle. Thanks! Then the one I got was corked! I just feel too guilty returning another one so I popped teh 2005 hoping not to strike out. This bottle was excellent and one of the better cabs I have had recently. It is a tweener. Richer than bordeaux in general but more structure and not over the top like so many coming out today. This wine would go with food or on its own.
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Nice little cab. 2005 was a nice showy year for napa. Pdq91. Wood on the nose along with the standard oak. Cedar maybe. Maybe the slightest touch of va? definitely a very tasty wine regardless.
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This one is a star. Still showing brooding black fruits from it's younger phase, but slowly moved on during the course of the hour we consumed it. Not as tight as before...perhaps will enter maturity in a year IMHO. Delicious.
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Really nice and balanced juice. I agree with the other notes that this will be much better in time, but it works well now too. I'm going to let the rest of my holdings sit for a while.
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Served blind. Clearly recognizable as a California wine. Lots of fruit, but very balanced. Surprisingly soft for a wine this young. Cherry, spice, earth and chocolate. Not overly complex and complicated, but a thoroughly enjoyable wine. Should be able to go for another number of years in the cellar, but I would drink between now and 2015.
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Decanted 2 1/2 hours. Very pretty dark garnet in the glass. Dark fruit, hints of tobacco and vanilla in the nose. In the mouth nicely extracted wine with dark berry fruits, a very nice milk chocolate note, vanilla and sweet oaky tannins (almost a tad sweet on the finish). Excellent structure. Hold. This is a very nice wine that will be even better in a few years.
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My "go to" cult wine. Same tasting note, but some found chocolate (dark) as well. A sophisticated drink, and hedonistic now. Can't wait to age these some more.
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Delicious blueberry tinged currant fruit, with some herbs and vanilla. Great balance, just showing a bit of hollowness in this bottle. Needs time in a decanter to come together at this young age, but still pretty tasty right out of the gate. Drink or hold.
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Great juice! Infanticide, for sure, but this bottle was an intoxicating mix of coffee, blackberry syrup, black cherry and hints of blueberry and a little blueberry. I LOVED this bottle of wine for it's in-your-face-fruit and strongly considered opening a 2nd bottle just because I have zero self-discipline.
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6/1/2023 - hsacks Likes this wine: 93 Points
Deep red color. Aromas of blackberries, chocolate and oak spices. Ripe, fully integrated fruit and tannins in the mouth with excellent depth and length. Nicely supple and persistent on the palate. At peak.
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8/13/2022 - tanglenet wrote:
Brought to The Wolf in Oakland. Paired with a rib eye steak. I was worried when the waiter initially tried to open it but he successfully used a Butler’s Thief. The cork was in good condition. The first taste: the wine was hot and somewhat thin but the fruit was lively and still there. With time it filled out with the heat dissipating, with dark red fruit with some chocolate notes. Medium weight in body. Ends with a semi dry finish. Good +.
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6/8/2021 - wineismylife wrote: 93 Points
WIML93
Tasted non blind.
Dark garnet color in the glass, clear looking throughout. Nose of soapstone, currants, black pepper, violets and plums. Flavors of currants, plums, raspberries and loganberries. Tart acidity, medium tannin, full bodied. Drink now.
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7/30/2020 - jsebiri wrote:
Nice wine. Big leather,fruit,less smooth things going on in this bottle. Multi-dimensional wine, not as good as my previous bottle.Drank over 3 nights last glass on the 4th night was shot.
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10/21/2019 - ken@ampy.com Likes this wine: 93 Points
Drank Bottle 8 of 60 Premier Napa Valley Cabernet. Beautiful wine, typical Napa Valley Cabernet, seems fully mature but showing no signs of age. Should last another 5 years easily. No hurry to consume it if you happen to have any, Obtained my bottle at auction. Wish I had more.
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9/15/2019 - jsebiri wrote:
Very nice , lots of fruit . Nothing over the top here . I would say something special.
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6/1/2019 - wineismylife wrote: 93 Points
WIML93
Tasted non blind.
Dark garnet color in the glass, clear looking throughout. Nose of soapstone, violet, leather and mixed berries. Flavors of black raspberries, black cherries and black berries. Medium acidity, medium tannin, full bodied. Drink or hold.
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4/28/2019 - colowino Likes this wine: 92 Points
Deep red, medium bodied, smooth, lovely finish. Drink it now!
Unfortunately my last bottle.
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4/13/2019 - mk42 Likes this wine: 92 Points
Dark fruits, blackberry, plum with mineral structure and hints of herbs. Chalk-based minerals deliver wonderful mouth feel and long finish.
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12/31/2017 - EMTAME wrote: 93 Points
So smooth and delicious. Just a step off of my last bottle. If you have them, drink up.
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7/3/2017 - ginfizz wrote: 94 Points
Delicious, round, complex. Full, medium bodied.
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3/5/2017 - Stuberman wrote: 95 Points
This is one of the great Bressler vintages and one of the great Napa Valley Cabs. I just wish that the bottle that we had last night wasn't our last one.
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2/4/2017 - ginfizz wrote: 95 Points
Nothing to complain about...lovely balanced blackberry fruit, hints of plum, licorice, fresh herbs, touch of oak. Round, and complete. Medium length. Lovely.
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12/24/2015 - EMTAME wrote: 95 Points
I've had one of these per year for the last three years and they've consistently been outstanding. Such a great balance of ripe fruit with elegant structure and culminating in a long, smooth finish.
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11/28/2015 - oldwines Likes this wine: 90 Points
Enjoyable, easy-drinking modern, fruit forward but not over the top Cab. Pulled up from the cellar after the rest of the red wine I had out for the party was gone because I hoped it would not need decanting or much breathing to be enjoyed. It served this purpose well. Very soft, jammy blackberry and boysenberry flavors. It did seem rather one dimensional though but to be fair this may have had to do more with the lack of breathing than the essence of the wine's nature.
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11/29/2014 - EMTAME wrote: 94 Points
This is such a beautiful, complex cab with plenty of good years ahead of it. Black cherry and coffee notes on the front end pair with a smooth, rich mouthfeel and lead to a long, mildly tannic finish. Simply excellent.
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1/18/2014 - Big S wrote: 95 Points
Perfect last night. Great nose, balance, fruit. Sorry I only have one more.
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12/21/2013 - EMTAME wrote: 94 Points
Terrific stuff. More on the red fruit end of the spectrum, with sweet red raspberry notes most prominent. Offered up a beautifully perfumed nose, too, which I'm always a sucker for. This was medium-to-full bodied and had a certain elegance to it. I gave this two hours of air, which seemed just right.
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9/23/2013 - Loren Sonkin wrote: 94 Points
Wine, Browns and my 55th Birthday (My Home): I really liked this wine. In a great place right now. Classic Napa Cab. The nose is dusty with cassis, some oak. Soft yet full bodied. Layers of fruit unwind in the glass. Nice finish. Elegant yet some power too.
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5/9/2013 - wineismylife Likes this wine: 92 Points
WIML92
Tasted non blind. Opened and glass decanted about an hour before serving.
Dark garnet color in the glass, clear looking throughout. Nose of sandalwood, potpourri, ligenberry and raspberries. Flavors of ligenberry, black berries and dark plums. Medium acidity, medium tannin, full bodied. Drink or hold.
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2/2/2013 - psoals wrote: 95 Points
This bottle is in an amazing place right now. It might improve, but I would be hard pressed to see how. Hoping I have a few more tucked away.
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11/22/2012 - BklynNeophyte wrote: 93 Points
The fourth 2005 cabernet consumed at Thanksgiving, and my favorite (very close score to the Staglin). Just delicious California cabernet, and unusually refined.
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3/17/2012 - BklynNeophyte wrote: 90 Points
Much better on the second night. Great nose, a little harsh, however. Typical very good california cab. Drank along side a 1997 Mondavi to-kalon and a Juslyn Perry's Blend from 2004. This was second best. Comparable: Ron Cey.
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2/11/2012 - Yamadori wrote: 92 Points
Popped and poured. Lovely nose of cassis, cigar box and charcoal. Very nice initial attack of blackberry, blueberry and dark cherry fruit. Rich and smooth in texture with notes of tobacco, coffee and a little leather. The finish is quite long with integrated tannins. Excellent cab. Not had this before but it seems to be in a great place just now.
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9/16/2011 - juggernt wrote: 93 Points
Beautiful nose, structured, balanced, brilliant. Good enough backbone to go with food, nice enough bouquet to drink alone.
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9/8/2011 - davidn wrote: 93 Points
Easy-drinking CA Cab. Chocolate undertones.
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3/19/2011 - aroby wrote: 92 Points
Popped and poured. Black fruits, a touch of oak and toast. Nicely balanced but would likely have been better decanted.
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10/24/2010 - pinotwinelover wrote: 94 Points
I sadly had 2 straight bottles from different vintages corked. The first I returned and with great service given another bottle. Thanks! Then the one I got was corked! I just feel too guilty returning another one so I popped teh 2005 hoping not to strike out. This bottle was excellent and one of the better cabs I have had recently. It is a tweener. Richer than bordeaux in general but more structure and not over the top like so many coming out today. This wine would go with food or on its own.
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9/6/2010 - pdemaio wrote: 91 Points
Nice little cab. 2005 was a nice showy year for napa. Pdq91. Wood on the nose along with the standard oak. Cedar maybe. Maybe the slightest touch of va? definitely a very tasty wine regardless.
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7/3/2010 - ginfizz wrote: 93 Points
This one is a star. Still showing brooding black fruits from it's younger phase, but slowly moved on during the course of the hour we consumed it. Not as tight as before...perhaps will enter maturity in a year IMHO. Delicious.
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6/20/2010 - brich wrote: 92 Points
Really nice and balanced juice. I agree with the other notes that this will be much better in time, but it works well now too. I'm going to let the rest of my holdings sit for a while.
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6/17/2010 - Winetex wrote: flawed
Corked; first time for Bressler CS. Purchased from the winery.
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4/3/2010 - steffenpelz wrote:
Served blind. Clearly recognizable as a California wine. Lots of fruit, but very balanced. Surprisingly soft for a wine this young. Cherry, spice, earth and chocolate. Not overly complex and complicated, but a thoroughly enjoyable wine. Should be able to go for another number of years in the cellar, but I would drink between now and 2015.
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12/12/2009 - Taylor56 wrote: 92 Points
Decanted 2 1/2 hours. Very pretty dark garnet in the glass. Dark fruit, hints of tobacco and vanilla in the nose. In the mouth nicely extracted wine with dark berry fruits, a very nice milk chocolate note, vanilla and sweet oaky tannins (almost a tad sweet on the finish). Excellent structure. Hold. This is a very nice wine that will be even better in a few years.
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11/28/2009 - ginfizz wrote: 94 Points
My "go to" cult wine. Same tasting note, but some found chocolate (dark) as well. A sophisticated drink, and hedonistic now. Can't wait to age these some more.
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7/28/2009 - ginfizz wrote: 93 Points
Delicious blueberry tinged currant fruit, with some herbs and vanilla. Great balance, just showing a bit of hollowness in this bottle. Needs time in a decanter to come together at this young age, but still pretty tasty right out of the gate. Drink or hold.
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4/4/2009 - DukeDrew wrote: 95 Points
Great juice! Infanticide, for sure, but this bottle was an intoxicating mix of coffee, blackberry syrup, black cherry and hints of blueberry and a little blueberry. I LOVED this bottle of wine for it's in-your-face-fruit and strongly considered opening a 2nd bottle just because I have zero self-discipline.
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