Wine of the night. Dark garnet to the eye, just a hint of bricking at the edges - wonderful nose. This performed like a young adult in the peak of health. Very slight bitterness on the end of a long finish. Drink and enjoy.
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I was most impressed with the color (slight brown on the edge) and body. It brings some berries from start to end. It is a good wine not great. It is always great to taste fruit from 3 decades in the past.
I enjoyed the 2014 much more this week which was obviously significantly different.
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Gorgeous nose of plums, cassis, red cherries, tobacco, earth, minerals, leafy greens, new leather, a hint of violets and menthol. Tart cherries, plums, blackberries, red cherries, spice, earth, and herbs on the palate. Bright and tangy acidity, grippy tannins, med-long finish. Really amazing that this is over 30 years old. It has so many primary elements still. Wow, what a lovely wine with food.
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This is beautiful true-Bordeaux-style Cabernet! It has classic spicy tobacco aromas, black fruit palate with sweet plum notes, and very smooth structure. Still goes strong with no signs of old age. Highly recommend, especially considering rather approachable prices.
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Pretty California cab with tones of red fruit, some slight hints of black fruit and cigar smoke with wet earth. Slight hint of bitterness that detracted a little. Served with a 1984 Robert Mondavi Reserve and a 1986 La Mission Haut Brion. The Mondavi was the pick of the litter but the Berninger was better than the La Miss.
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Parker was spot on. Have had this wine it’s entire life. Drinking perfectly in 2019. Parker said 2011-2021. Super soft but with still very fresh fruit. Tanins perfectly balanced with the fruit. Color still deep ruby red. Sediment was moderate. Nose a bit short after 20 min of decanting.
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Pretty nose of black fruit and cigar box. Really lovely mix of Napa fruit and Bordeaux complexity. Some tannin, but nicely integrated. Enough acid to balance. Long finish. Not as good at '91 and '92 ... but a tasty wine and great value.
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Giving it the same score as previous bottle. This time the cork came out easily and in one piece with an ah-so puller. Silly smooth and sweet tannins. The dark fruit is still present along with prominent cedar and tobacco , just a lovely mature wine.
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Straight out the bottle upon opening was almost pinot-like as it was light bodied, rose colored and soft red fruit. With air it darkened and added some black cherry and raspberry. Very balanced but not too much acidity. Some bricking around the edges. Some tobacco and cigar box notes. Very nice almost 30 year old wine.
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99% C.S. & 1% C.F., 47% from Bancroft Ranch, 27% Chabot, 25% Home Ranch, & the 1% C.F. from Bancroft Ranch
N: Attractively ripe beries, flowers, & probably smoke, rest tough to parse; [Though relatively inexperienced with Bordeaux, that's what came to mind for me. Moreover, 2 *far* more experienced tasters felt similarly.]
P: LM body; NICE, almost swtish frt met by some puckerish astringncy which QUITE loses its punch by the LONG, balanced, SPICY, very, VERY slightly tangy finish with a pleasant bitter/swt choc aspect that encourages more food/another sip. Right now would still be BEAUTIFUL with food, though fall off WAS noticed after 3+ hrs in a small tasting glass. Nonetheless, SHOULD hold for several more yrs. My EXC+/Exceptional-. 94 pts ea WA (from an 05/2011 review) & WS. [This vendor's $119.95 (1 bottle left?) is $29 < wine-searcher's only other listed source.]
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This one was rated as drink by 2015. I tried it anyway - really good in an older wine kind of way. Very smooth. The nose -especially early on- was terrific. Color was well into bricky. Aired for an hour beforehand. Other notes vary on this - I think it drank better earlier after being opened. After an hour the tannins were very pronounced, the nose was almost gone. Still a very nice wine if you like mature wines.
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Level of wine was only 1/2 inch below cork but the cork crumbled upon extraction. Filtered with coffee filter and drank directly. Wine is fully mature with eArth and cedar nose and BlackBerry fruit on palate. Flowery nose evolved after three hours and finish was now 5-10 seconds. Beautiful wine but seems mature. Tobacco notes very prominent after 4 hours so had to add a couple of points to score.
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Soft, but perfect cork releases an aromatic explosion. Still delicious, but more mineral, more leather, more olive than I remember. Time to drink, if you like a decent fruit load on your aged cab.
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What a very pleasant surprise. First bottle from this vintage. PnP. Immediately struck by the vibrant color; showing no visible signs of age. Youthful nose but stately on the palate. My Ca Cab loving wife sniffed out just enough Bordeaux earthiness to decide it wasn't for her. Nice food wine, but not ready for ribeye anymore. Tannins have all but disappeared. Should hold for a few more years, but in a great place right now.
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Cork fell apart but the fill was great and after 30 minutes in the decanter, the wine was signing. Truly wonderful. Black fruits, layered with black currant, layered with sweet vanilla Oak, hints of dried herbs and silky smooth. Perhaps my best bottle of this vintage yet.
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very nice aged cali cab, mostly secondary but with some fruit still nicely supporting the age, color is good, i love beringer private reserve, always a solid performer... not sure this will improve so drink up
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Fill into neck. Solid cork. Some age, but very good color. Only 15 minutes in the glass needed before it was fully open. Blackberries, some black cherries, vanilla Oak, some hard leather and a hints of sour red fruits plus eucalyptus. Very smooth.
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Basically a pop 'n' pour. Color still a dark purple to core. Hard leather, cassis, tobacco, slightly sour red and black fruits on a long finish. Extra point for ageworthiness.
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Decanted for 45 minutes at Ruth Chris (ideally 90 minute decant if u can)- very smooth, medium bodied, not very exciting but still excellent, medium finish. Decent value.
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Drinking beautifully now with a soft texture and lovely flavors of black currants and cassis. The tannins are totally ameliorated and the wine has a smooth silky texture and finishes soft and complex with notes of cedar and spices. Delicious and very ready to drink now.
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Opened my last bottle for wino121 and it didn't disappoint. We paired this with rack of lamb which was a wonderful compliment to the wine. This was surprisingly fresh and almost lively after it took on a bit of air. It was a smooth and enjoyable experience all the way through to the finish. I believe if cellared correctly this could go a few more years pretty easily. Drink now to 2014.
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Cork was totally clean 2/3 of the way up the neck. Pulled out easy. Nose of cedar and cherries. Decanted through a filter with little sediment. Inital thoughts was a this was going to be special. The color was ruby to dark red. Very much younger than 22 years. Great strawberry and blackberry fruits. A little tannin still left, but the acid was still very bright. This was a great wine, that improved with air. A mild citrus flavor and the finish was long and strong. 95 pts.
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What a perfect time to crack this cork - I'm glad Rob who gave me the bottle was there to enjoy it. There was nice age showing. Nose of older horse saddle, cigar box, rustic dirt covered dark cherries, raspberries, some caramel as well as touches of game and smokey meat. The palate is Bordeaux-esque and very well harnessed with fruit that isn't nearly over ripe, great finesse and earth tones as well as a resolved tannin structure. This is tasting exactly as the winery intended their '90 to sing in 2012. Thank you again Rob - this was a true treat - and to try against 1994 Mondavi Reserve was just a bonus.
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What a differenece a bottle makes (last one corked), this one spot on. Medium red, leahtery nose. Residual fruit in good balance in with slight remaining tannic backbone. Nice modest finish. Doing all the right stuff. Held up well against some premir cru burgundys and some supertuscans.
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Past it's prime, still a beautiful wine though. Fruit has collapsed and whats left of the tannins provided a little structure. Incredibly smooth and just motivates to go find the '94 I have as well to see if it's doing OK :)
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Beautiful blackberry nose after a swirl. Delicious on the palate, long blackberry. Enough body to chew this wine. Fruit/tannin/acidity absolutely in balance. This has 5 years left, easy. I would have guessed it was at least 10 years younger. Depressed cork fractured on the pull. Could not extract with the ah-so, and it pushed through. Poured through wire filter no problem. Amazingly little sediment for the age. Killer pairing with fried eggplant/goat cheese/red pepper stackers and meatballs. Love it when I get to pair the wines, and it works. :)
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Very nice library cabernet that was from the winery's cellars. Had great bottle age and mellow fruit. Went well with our steak and even a chicken dish. Definitely drinking well now and I wouldn't wait any longer. Bottle is showing great.
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Exceptional 21 year old California Cabernet. Light to medium bodied with considerable fruit, silky tannins with leather on the nose. Mildly acidic and likely needs to be drank at this point in time.
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Not too great upon opening but improved over the next few hours. The cork took awhile to get out, it basically crumpled as I opened it. I purchased this from a reputable Bay Area retailer who claimed it came directly from Beringer's cellar. The wine had that very noticeable green onion nose that slowly faded away we got some caramel on the front mouth feel but really I don't see any potential for improvement. I will drink the rest that I purchased soon. The fruit is disappearing but it can be enjoyed for what it is.
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This '90 bottle showed a fair modicum of fresher red fruit on the nose and palate spread over the same ample tannins when c/w a disappointing bottle a week or so ago.
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Still deep purple/black at core; muted but clean nose of cedar and distant ill-defined black fruits; moderate tannic strength sustaining vitality but I perceive no magical future.
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Past it's prime, flawed cork and an intense must smell. Unfortunately this 21 year old bottle was consumed right after a 2007 Hundred Acre Cabernet, so there could have been a bit of bias on my part. Once I spent a half an hour getting the cork out, there was a bit of fruit left, and decent tanins. This was my first time purchasing a wine with this many years of age on it, next time I will do a little more homework.
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Laurent notes that this maybe 18 months past peak. It does thin out somewhat on the palate, but as the wine aires, the sweetness of the fruit emerges. The fruit is fading and the cedar and herbs are showing more. This should be drunk now as it will not improve in the cellar. Lunch with Laurent D. at Rothmann's.
Very nice, complex nose with herbaceous, earthy and vegetal elements. These notes continue on the palate and are met by brambly fruit. Relatively high acidity, but pleasant to drink. Subdued tannins are mild but still present.
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Took about 45 minutes to open up but one it did, amazing wine. Lots of cherries, cassis and currants that give way to more secondary flavors of chocolate, earth and tobacco. Really hitting its stride.
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Tasted double blind. I correctly guessed this to be a classic aged Cali cab, with abundant creme de cassis, oak, and earth. Not everyone liked the authoritative tannins, but I did.
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Dark garnet color in the glass, clear hue throughout. Nose of cocoa, black cherries, tobacco and thistle. Flavors of black berries and black cherries. Medium acidity, tannins and body. Drink anytime.
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Earlier in the day, a friend of mine said he thought Beringer Reserve cabs lacked character. Maybe so, but I opened a 1990 to have with a grilled steak and the wine was bright, balanced and very good. Quintessential Napa... yum!
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Due to cork concerns took additional care removing, and still it fell apart. Great brick red in colour. Still nice fruit on nose and palate. Definitely will not get any better. Drink now.
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We took this to a restaurant and, like past reviewers, the cork fell apart. The issue may be with the cork and not the storage. The wine was somewhat muted but good with a brief finish. The wine was not past its prime but is on the downward slope and soon to be corked. If you have any, drink it soon and be careful with the cork. I bought laddered vintages of this wine and am looking forward to the 91 vintage.
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Another must drink now bottle since Cellar Tracker says "Drink by 2008"! I bought this bottle while on a trip in Utah. I have cellared it properly but the cork was as soft as a "Hershey Bar". The cork crumbled on removal and left half the cork in bits bobbing about the wine. I decanted it at the though a filter funnel and left it for about 90 minutes while I went to North Providence for some good Pizzas. The color was deep purple, the nose was black fruit and maybe leather. I gave it a good minute on my first taste and got more hints of leather and some mushroom. East drinking and not gone by at all. . . from my point of view! I have 9 more later vintages left and I am looking forward to their turn in the glass!
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Slightly corked. I don't think was stored properly stored by the previous owner. This is the second bottle of 1990 from the collection with a cork that crumbled at the sight of my wine key.
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this bottle has been cellared well since purchase from Beringer, in 1996. well past its prime: thin, but not flabby, mouthfeel, then some tannins mid-range, with subtle residue of leather and chocolate. will be a good backdrop to holiday meal, but not very exciting. glad this is the last one. we'll see how my mags do.
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Extremely enjoyable. The carmel and leather nose was powerful and the balance of this wine was evident. I thought the complexity of taste was perfect for an 18 year old wine. Wines like this don't get the press of the current cult wines but this was the first bottle finished at an impressive wine tasting.
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Notes from wine tasting of "Comparitive Wine Styles" - no observations on colour -- I have no note but I was expecting, and did not find, a more refined note to tie into the enjoyable experience I had quaffing the 2005 Knights Valley several nights previous (I did detect eucalyptus notes). However, this was the 7th wine of the evening and it followed a 1983 Gruaud Larose. Therefore, I would prefer to have this wine during a relaxed dinner so that I could properly interact with it and then pass judgement.
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Dark black cherry with chocolate and hints fo sage and leather. The midpalate is lean with slightly drying tannins on the finish. While enjoyable, this bottle was on the start of its descent.
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Well, I could be a little biased since this was one of the wines I brought for Wine Night. Regardless, WOW! Still a lot of life left in this one. An 18 year old that was still chewy with tannins. If you have this in inventory, this can still cellar for many more years. We decanted out of bottle and it was perfect after just 10 minutes. Nice mouthfeel... very velvety and silky.
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Cork was dry and broke into pieces coming out of the bottle but the wine showed no signs of oxidation. Paired with Prime Rib and it blew my guest away. Lots of fruit and spice layers easily identifiable through the long silky finish. Drinking very well now.
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I have to agree with cgrimes to some extent. Not quite stewed fruits but fading. This was pleasant enough with little tanin but with no character to it. Mild cherry and tobacco but a short finish. I would say almost Brdx-like yet with none of the complexity. I'd drink-up if you've got'em.
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garnet with a hint of orange at the rim. Beautiful nose that took a bit to open in the glass, but open she did! Licorice galore, with dark fruits and seasoned salt adding complexity. Rich mouthfeel that just had a hint of acid on the finish. Good with the food and the first 90 Cal Cab that is drinking well now. Perhaps a sign?
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At Marks Las Olas w Steve, Joyce & Greg Rapaport, Martin & Annette Cohen, and Marlene Beck. From magnum, double decanted in am. Breathed in bottle and glass for 1 hour at Mark's. Last had 1-1/2 years ago. Somewhat restrained bouquet, but the palate and finish are excellent. Cranberries, cassis, anise flavors. Believe the wine is on a plateau, and wouldn't expect further development. My last bottle of the 90. But I have plenty of successors to follow.
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Very nice once again. Really great flavors of cassis and cherry, with hints of cigar and a significant amount of anise in the nose. As with the last bottle I had, I really think it is a great time to be drinking this.
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Opened at Restaurant Zoe. The cork was very dry and crumbly, and as a result it broke into several pieces and some had to be left in and effectively poured through, with a strainer above the decanter to keep from ending up in the decanted wine.
Very nice dark fruit nose, toned down appropriately for age. Very nice velvety mouth feel. Finely integrated tannins - not at all harsh, and a really great time to drink this wine. I've had this wine a couple of times in the last couple years, but I can say that I don't think there has been a better bottle or a better time to drink it. It hasn't started losing any fruit, or at least not enough to reduce any of the pleasure from this wine.
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Took this to dinner and had it with a Wet Aged Prime Bone-in Filet Oscar. From a magnum and decanted for about 45 minutes. This wine was hitting on all cylinders. Deep dark garnet in color with a little bricking on the edges. Cassis, smoke and saddle leather erupts from the glass. Full bodied, with a core of cassis and completely resolved tannins but still enough to provide good structure. Smooth satisfying finish. A perfectly mature wine IMO. This wine should continue to sing for another 5-7 years for bottles properly cellared since release.
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CT Group does Bordeaux vs Cal Cabs @ Jeff S: Big, jammy California style fruit. Essence of cassis, almost a crystalized fruit character. Low in acid and full of fruit with some creamy oak. Hard not to like. Still tastes young and unevolved.
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3/28/2024 - Wamrod wrote: 93 Points
Wine of the night. Dark garnet to the eye, just a hint of bricking at the edges - wonderful nose. This performed like a young adult in the peak of health. Very slight bitterness on the end of a long finish. Drink and enjoy.
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12/3/2023 - bryon m Likes this wine: 90 Points
I was most impressed with the color (slight brown on the edge) and body. It brings some berries from start to end. It is a good wine not great. It is always great to taste fruit from 3 decades in the past.
I enjoyed the 2014 much more this week which was obviously significantly different.
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10/31/2023 - rmh66 wrote: 94 Points
Gorgeous nose of plums, cassis, red cherries, tobacco, earth, minerals, leafy greens, new leather, a hint of violets and menthol. Tart cherries, plums, blackberries, red cherries, spice, earth, and herbs on the palate. Bright and tangy acidity, grippy tannins, med-long finish. Really amazing that this is over 30 years old. It has so many primary elements still. Wow, what a lovely wine with food.
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10/28/2023 - KingSlacker999 wrote:
Drank far younger than a 1990. Still very vibrant, but some of the expected green notes are showing up. Based on this bottle, no rush to drink soon.
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6/23/2023 - WineRay05 Likes this wine: 94 Points
Surprisingly holding strong after 33 years.
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12/10/2022 - martin_e Likes this wine: 95 Points
This is beautiful true-Bordeaux-style Cabernet! It has classic spicy tobacco aromas, black fruit palate with sweet plum notes, and very smooth structure. Still goes strong with no signs of old age. Highly recommend, especially considering rather approachable prices.
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7/9/2020 - Boone's Farm Likes this wine: 90 Points
Pretty California cab with tones of red fruit, some slight hints of black fruit and cigar smoke with wet earth. Slight hint of bitterness that detracted a little. Served with a 1984 Robert Mondavi Reserve and a 1986 La Mission Haut Brion. The Mondavi was the pick of the litter but the Berninger was better than the La Miss.
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1/18/2020 - Bert’s Stache Likes this wine: 89 Points
Still very good with plenty of fruit and bouquet. Probably missed its peak about 5 years ago.
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8/28/2019 - TonyCanova wrote: 94 Points
Parker was spot on. Have had this wine it’s entire life. Drinking perfectly in 2019. Parker said 2011-2021. Super soft but with still very fresh fruit. Tanins perfectly balanced with the fruit. Color still deep ruby red. Sediment was moderate. Nose a bit short after 20 min of decanting.
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8/11/2019 - Matthesen wrote: 92 Points
Pretty nose of black fruit and cigar box. Really lovely mix of Napa fruit and Bordeaux complexity. Some tannin, but nicely integrated. Enough acid to balance. Long finish. Not as good at '91 and '92 ... but a tasty wine and great value.
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6/13/2019 - ElAzul Likes this wine: 92 Points
Giving it the same score as previous bottle. This time the cork came out easily and in one piece with an ah-so puller. Silly smooth and sweet tannins. The dark fruit is still present along with prominent cedar and tobacco , just a lovely mature wine.
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5/28/2019 - iamandyc Likes this wine: 93 Points
Straight out the bottle upon opening was almost pinot-like as it was light bodied, rose colored and soft red fruit. With air it darkened and added some black cherry and raspberry. Very balanced but not too much acidity. Some bricking around the edges. Some tobacco and cigar box notes. Very nice almost 30 year old wine.
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2/9/2019 - srh Likes this wine:
Winebar [4 Whites, 8 Reds, & 4 *shared* bottles] from 02/08/19 (Vintage Wines Ltd., San Diego, CA): THANK you for yet ANOTHER *winner*, Dr. Tom! :)
Had been decanted for ~45 mins before I tried it
99% C.S. & 1% C.F., 47% from Bancroft Ranch, 27% Chabot, 25% Home Ranch, & the 1% C.F. from Bancroft Ranch
N: Attractively ripe beries, flowers, & probably smoke, rest tough to parse; [Though relatively inexperienced with Bordeaux, that's what came to mind for me. Moreover, 2 *far* more experienced tasters felt similarly.]
P: LM body; NICE, almost swtish frt met by some puckerish astringncy which QUITE loses its punch by the LONG, balanced, SPICY, very, VERY slightly tangy finish with a pleasant bitter/swt choc aspect that encourages more food/another sip. Right now would still be BEAUTIFUL with food, though fall off WAS noticed after 3+ hrs in a small tasting glass. Nonetheless, SHOULD hold for several more yrs. My EXC+/Exceptional-. 94 pts ea WA (from an 05/2011 review) & WS. [This vendor's $119.95 (1 bottle left?) is $29 < wine-searcher's only other listed source.]
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5/20/2018 - colima Likes this wine: 91 Points
This one was rated as drink by 2015. I tried it anyway - really good in an older wine kind of way. Very smooth. The nose -especially early on- was terrific. Color was well into bricky. Aired for an hour beforehand. Other notes vary on this - I think it drank better earlier after being opened. After an hour the tannins were very pronounced, the nose was almost gone. Still a very nice wine if you like mature wines.
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4/8/2018 - BrunelloBob wrote:
Didn't really live up to expectations, but this was by the fire pit, and it was in the 40s. May have been too cool.
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4/7/2018 - ElAzul Likes this wine: 92 Points
Level of wine was only 1/2 inch below cork but the cork crumbled upon extraction. Filtered with coffee filter and drank directly. Wine is fully mature with eArth and cedar nose and BlackBerry fruit on palate. Flowery nose evolved after three hours and finish was now 5-10 seconds. Beautiful wine but seems mature. Tobacco notes very prominent after 4 hours so had to add a couple of points to score.
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11/13/2017 - jgh123 Likes this wine: 95 Points
Beautiful, fully mature California cab. Tannins completely integrated; still good acidity. Mineral, coffee, tobacco. Drink over the next few years.
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7/14/2017 - Peech Likes this wine: 91 Points
more Bordeaux-like, with some sweet fruit and a little smoke. More tannic than the 1989.
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12/11/2016 - tutticalvi wrote: flawed
Corked
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2/11/2016 - Nothung Likes this wine: 93 Points
Fading, but still beautiful. Drunk right after opening and without decanting, which was the way to go.
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9/6/2015 - AllRed wrote: flawed
Corked.
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2/28/2015 - docjer Likes this wine: 96 Points
minimal sediment, color dk purple, friuty nose, no tannic characters
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2/18/2015 - Tgood wrote: 92 Points
Black, cedar and tobacco and blackberry, evident but gentle silky tannins, wife guessed bordeaux
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5/23/2014 - BrunelloBob wrote: 92 Points
Soft, but perfect cork releases an aromatic explosion. Still delicious, but more mineral, more leather, more olive than I remember. Time to drink, if you like a decent fruit load on your aged cab.
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3/22/2014 - JimN Likes this wine: 92 Points
What a very pleasant surprise. First bottle from this vintage. PnP. Immediately struck by the vibrant color; showing no visible signs of age. Youthful nose but stately on the palate. My Ca Cab loving wife sniffed out just enough Bordeaux earthiness to decide it wasn't for her. Nice food wine, but not ready for ribeye anymore. Tannins have all but disappeared. Should hold for a few more years, but in a great place right now.
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11/16/2013 - mxpbuy Likes this wine: 95 Points
Cork fell apart but the fill was great and after 30 minutes in the decanter, the wine was signing. Truly wonderful. Black fruits, layered with black currant, layered with sweet vanilla Oak, hints of dried herbs and silky smooth. Perhaps my best bottle of this vintage yet.
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9/21/2013 - WoodieBayArea wrote: 92 Points
very nice aged cali cab, mostly secondary but with some fruit still nicely supporting the age, color is good, i love beringer private reserve, always a solid performer... not sure this will improve so drink up
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8/24/2013 - mxpbuy Likes this wine: 93 Points
Fill into neck. Solid cork. Some age, but very good color. Only 15 minutes in the glass needed before it was fully open. Blackberries, some black cherries, vanilla Oak, some hard leather and a hints of sour red fruits plus eucalyptus. Very smooth.
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7/27/2013 - mxpbuy Likes this wine: 94 Points
Basically a pop 'n' pour. Color still a dark purple to core. Hard leather, cassis, tobacco, slightly sour red and black fruits on a long finish. Extra point for ageworthiness.
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6/27/2013 - Brian Love wrote:
Opened up nicely after about 45 minutes. Leather, spice, etc. modem finish.
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3/16/2013 - N.Bonaparte wrote: 93 Points
Decanted for 45 minutes at Ruth Chris (ideally 90 minute decant if u can)- very smooth, medium bodied, not very exciting but still excellent, medium finish. Decent value.
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1/13/2013 - Gabe wrote: 90 Points
Consistent with previous review, slightly improved actually.
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12/17/2012 - Tgood wrote: 88 Points
Dark ruby, restrained but clean nose of blackberry and cedar, amply tannic - a bit harshly so still yet nonetheless drinking window is open
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9/12/2012 - dream wrote: 90 Points
Drinking beautifully now with a soft texture and lovely flavors of black currants and cassis. The tannins are totally ameliorated and the wine has a smooth silky texture and finishes soft and complex with notes of cedar and spices. Delicious and very ready to drink now.
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8/23/2012 - Laughs and Juice wrote: 92 Points
Amazed at how much fruit is left on this, definitely could go another few years
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6/11/2012 - NEwino Likes this wine: 94 Points
Opened my last bottle for wino121 and it didn't disappoint. We paired this with rack of lamb which was a wonderful compliment to the wine. This was surprisingly fresh and almost lively after it took on a bit of air. It was a smooth and enjoyable experience all the way through to the finish. I believe if cellared correctly this could go a few more years pretty easily. Drink now to 2014.
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5/27/2012 - HofstraJet wrote: 92 Points
Elegant and delicions. Cork crumbled into bottle. Had to decant through cheesecloth.
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5/27/2012 - viking60 wrote: 95 Points
Cork was totally clean 2/3 of the way up the neck. Pulled out easy. Nose of cedar and cherries. Decanted through a filter with little sediment. Inital thoughts was a this was going to be special. The color was ruby to dark red. Very much younger than 22 years. Great strawberry and blackberry fruits. A little tannin still left, but the acid was still very bright. This was a great wine, that improved with air. A mild citrus flavor and the finish was long and strong. 95 pts.
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4/4/2012 - beezer6 wrote: 92 Points
What a perfect time to crack this cork - I'm glad Rob who gave me the bottle was there to enjoy it.
There was nice age showing. Nose of older horse saddle, cigar box, rustic dirt covered dark cherries, raspberries, some caramel as well as touches of game and smokey meat.
The palate is Bordeaux-esque and very well harnessed with fruit that isn't nearly over ripe, great finesse and earth tones as well as a resolved tannin structure. This is tasting exactly as the winery intended their '90 to sing in 2012. Thank you again Rob - this was a true treat - and to try against 1994 Mondavi Reserve was just a bonus.
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1/15/2012 - kennyg wrote: 95 Points
What a differenece a bottle makes (last one corked), this one spot on. Medium red, leahtery nose. Residual fruit in good balance in with slight remaining tannic backbone. Nice modest finish. Doing all the right stuff. Held up well against some premir cru burgundys and some supertuscans.
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1/4/2012 - thegracchi wrote: 90 Points
Decanted 2 hours. Went well with sausage pasta. Bold. Nice smooth texture. Still tasted some tannins. A little more herbal than I prefer. Drink now.
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12/27/2011 - kirschke wrote:
Past it's prime, still a beautiful wine though. Fruit has collapsed and whats left of the tannins provided a little structure. Incredibly smooth and just motivates to go find the '94 I have as well to see if it's doing OK :)
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12/17/2011 - BrunelloBob wrote: 92 Points
Beautiful blackberry nose after a swirl. Delicious on the palate, long blackberry. Enough body to chew this wine. Fruit/tannin/acidity absolutely in balance. This has 5 years left, easy. I would have guessed it was at least 10 years younger.
Depressed cork fractured on the pull. Could not extract with the ah-so, and it pushed through. Poured through wire filter no problem. Amazingly little sediment for the age.
Killer pairing with fried eggplant/goat cheese/red pepper stackers and meatballs.
Love it when I get to pair the wines, and it works. :)
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12/8/2011 - BernieMSY wrote: 94 Points
Delicious, especially after an hour of breathing
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11/15/2011 - namja307 wrote: 94 Points
Very nice library cabernet that was from the winery's cellars. Had great bottle age and mellow fruit. Went well with our steak and even a chicken dish. Definitely drinking well now and I wouldn't wait any longer. Bottle is showing great.
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10/14/2011 - markcvino wrote: 92 Points
Exceptional 21 year old California Cabernet. Light to medium bodied with considerable fruit, silky tannins with leather on the nose. Mildly acidic and likely needs to be drank at this point in time.
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9/24/2011 - Gabe wrote: 89 Points
Not too great upon opening but improved over the next few hours. The cork took awhile to get out, it basically crumpled as I opened it. I purchased this from a reputable Bay Area retailer who claimed it came directly from Beringer's cellar. The wine had that very noticeable green onion nose that slowly faded away we got some caramel on the front mouth feel but really I don't see any potential for improvement. I will drink the rest that I purchased soon. The fruit is disappearing but it can be enjoyed for what it is.
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9/14/2011 - Tgood wrote: 88 Points
This '90 bottle showed a fair modicum of fresher red fruit on the nose and palate spread over the same ample tannins when c/w a disappointing bottle a week or so ago.
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9/6/2011 - Tgood wrote: 84 Points
Still deep purple/black at core; muted but clean nose of cedar and distant ill-defined black fruits; moderate tannic strength sustaining vitality but I perceive no magical future.
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4/21/2011 - casaccio Likes this wine: 89 Points
Past it's prime, flawed cork and an intense must smell. Unfortunately this 21 year old bottle was consumed right after a 2007 Hundred Acre Cabernet, so there could have been a bit of bias on my part. Once I spent a half an hour getting the cork out, there was a bit of fruit left, and decent tanins. This was my first time purchasing a wine with this many years of age on it, next time I will do a little more homework.
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3/5/2011 - Pknut wrote:
Laurent notes that this maybe 18 months past peak. It does thin out somewhat on the palate, but as the wine aires, the sweetness of the fruit emerges. The fruit is fading and the cedar and herbs are showing more.
This should be drunk now as it will not improve in the cellar. Lunch with Laurent D. at Rothmann's.
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12/4/2010 - BigBoy_Sonoma wrote: 92 Points
Slow to open up. Musty, earthy mushroom smell.
Fruit, dark cherries, cassis, spice finishes with a subdued smokey oak and cedar. This is a very good wine. Ate with Sushi at Morimoto.
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11/27/2010 - wr12162 wrote: 94 Points
11/27 - drank 1.5 liter at post thanksgiving feast. Fully mature, full flavored, terrific fruit, with nice earth tones. Drink now and enjoy!
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10/24/2010 - Sijan wrote: 91 Points
Very nice, complex nose with herbaceous, earthy and vegetal elements. These notes continue on the palate and are met by brambly fruit. Relatively high acidity, but pleasant to drink. Subdued tannins are mild but still present.
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9/5/2010 - mlawren1 wrote: 94 Points
Took about 45 minutes to open up but one it did, amazing wine. Lots of cherries, cassis and currants that give way to more secondary flavors of chocolate, earth and tobacco. Really hitting its stride.
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6/27/2010 - Javachip wrote: 92 Points
Tasted double blind. I correctly guessed this to be a classic aged Cali cab, with abundant creme de cassis, oak, and earth. Not everyone liked the authoritative tannins, but I did.
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5/5/2010 - wineismylife Likes this wine: 91 Points
Dallas 2nd Wednesday Group - May 2010 (SteveW's house in North Dallas): WIML91-92
Dark garnet color in the glass, clear hue throughout. Nose of cocoa, black cherries, tobacco and thistle. Flavors of black berries and black cherries. Medium acidity, tannins and body. Drink anytime.
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4/1/2010 - WinoRick wrote: 93 Points
Earlier in the day, a friend of mine said he thought Beringer Reserve cabs lacked character. Maybe so, but I opened a 1990 to have with a grilled steak and the wine was bright, balanced and very good. Quintessential Napa... yum!
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3/7/2010 - spanarkel wrote:
Decanted for sixty minutes. Great fruit on the nose, smooth and silky on the finish. Hint of pepper throughout.
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2/13/2010 - rexmerlot wrote: 89 Points
Due to cork concerns took additional care removing, and still it fell apart. Great brick red in colour. Still nice fruit on nose and palate. Definitely will not get any better. Drink now.
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2/1/2010 - timfh wrote: 92 Points
We took this to a restaurant and, like past reviewers, the cork fell apart. The issue may be with the cork and not the storage. The wine was somewhat muted but good with a brief finish. The wine was not past its prime but is on the downward slope and soon to be corked. If you have any, drink it soon and be careful with the cork. I bought laddered vintages of this wine and am looking forward to the 91 vintage.
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1/30/2010 - Old Amarone wrote: 92 Points
Another must drink now bottle since Cellar Tracker says "Drink by 2008"! I bought this bottle while on a trip in Utah. I have cellared it properly but the cork was as soft as a "Hershey Bar". The cork crumbled on removal and left half the cork in bits bobbing about the wine. I decanted it at the though a filter funnel and left it for about 90 minutes while I went to North Providence for some good Pizzas. The color was deep purple, the nose was black fruit and maybe leather. I gave it a good minute on my first taste and got more hints of leather and some mushroom. East drinking and not gone by at all. . . from my point of view! I have 9 more later vintages left and I am looking forward to their turn in the glass!
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1/30/2010 - psmith wrote:
Nicely restrained dark, classic fruits and a pleasant green note. Medium bodied and well balanced. Maturing but capable of lasting. Very nice.
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7/5/2009 - themodernsommelier wrote: flawed
Slightly corked. I don't think was stored properly stored by the previous owner. This is the second bottle of 1990 from the collection with a cork that crumbled at the sight of my wine key.
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4/13/2009 - mlawren1 wrote: 92 Points
Beautfiful wine. Smooth with a nice mild fruit that finishes with a bit of earth. Was a great way to start Easter.
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12/24/2008 - smokey17 wrote: 89 Points
this bottle has been cellared well since purchase from Beringer, in 1996. well past its prime: thin, but not flabby, mouthfeel, then some tannins mid-range, with subtle residue of leather and chocolate. will be a good backdrop to holiday meal, but not very exciting. glad this is the last one. we'll see how my mags do.
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12/9/2008 - brynmair wrote: 96 Points
Extremely enjoyable. The carmel and leather nose was powerful and the balance of this wine was evident. I thought the complexity of taste was perfect for an 18 year old wine. Wines like this don't get the press of the current cult wines but this was the first bottle finished at an impressive wine tasting.
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11/13/2008 - rjonwine@gmail.com wrote: 90 Points
Beringer Cabernets '88-'91 Blindtasted (Palo Alto, California): Group's #7 (my #3) – 60 pts; 0 1sts, 1 2nd, 4 thirds, 5 lasts – Dark red violet color; tobacco, charcoal and earthy nose; mature cassis, dried cherry and charcoal palate, open knit; medium finish 90+ pts.
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10/19/2008 - Griffin wrote:
Notes from wine tasting of "Comparitive Wine Styles" - no observations on colour -- I have no note but I was expecting, and did not find, a more refined note to tie into the enjoyable experience I had quaffing the 2005 Knights Valley several nights previous (I did detect eucalyptus notes). However, this was the 7th wine of the evening and it followed a 1983 Gruaud Larose. Therefore, I would prefer to have this wine during a relaxed dinner so that I could properly interact with it and then pass judgement.
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7/26/2008 - rmodak wrote: 88 Points
Dark black cherry with chocolate and hints fo sage and leather. The midpalate is lean with slightly drying tannins on the finish. While enjoyable, this bottle was on the start of its descent.
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7/19/2008 - KLwines wrote: 93 Points
Well, I could be a little biased since this was one of the wines I brought for Wine Night. Regardless, WOW! Still a lot of life left in this one. An 18 year old that was still chewy with tannins. If you have this in inventory, this can still cellar for many more years. We decanted out of bottle and it was perfect after just 10 minutes. Nice mouthfeel... very velvety and silky.
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6/28/2008 - psmith wrote:
Dark, slightly funky fruit and tar notes. Nice body - rich fruit with an eartly classic profile. In a good place.
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4/20/2008 - jsander wrote: 92 Points
Cork was dry and broke into pieces coming out of the bottle but the wine showed no signs of oxidation. Paired with Prime Rib and it blew my guest away. Lots of fruit and spice layers easily identifiable through the long silky finish. Drinking very well now.
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4/5/2008 - g-man wrote: 90 Points
I have to agree with cgrimes to some extent. Not quite stewed fruits but fading. This was pleasant enough with little tanin but with no character to it. Mild cherry and tobacco but a short finish. I would say almost Brdx-like yet with none of the complexity. I'd drink-up if you've got'em.
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3/13/2008 - cgrimes wrote: 89 Points
Skinner Spring Auction Reception (Boston, MA): Garnet color. Nose of briary fruits, some earth. Palate of stewed dark fruit, some leather. A little too acidic. Soft tannins.
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1/18/2008 - Harry Cantrell wrote: 96 Points
garnet with a hint of orange at the rim. Beautiful nose that took a bit to open in the glass, but open she did! Licorice galore, with dark fruits and seasoned salt adding complexity. Rich mouthfeel that just had a hint of acid on the finish. Good with the food and the first 90 Cal Cab that is drinking well now. Perhaps a sign?
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12/27/2007 - WineForRob wrote: 90 Points
Blackcherry earth and tobacco on the nose with a fresh midpalate feel with o apparent tannins on the finish. Still fresh but would drink them now.
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4/11/2007 - 3daywinereview.com wrote: 88 Points
Red pepper, integrated tannins, oak and earth. Medium, buttery finish. Still drinking well.
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3/10/2007 - kstoddard wrote: 94 Points
Barnyard, blackberries, dried cherries, earth and black currant. Very soft. Great mid palate complexity. Nice acidity and finish. Pretty wine.
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11/4/2006 - markellen.foodies@gmail.com wrote: 93 Points
At Marks Las Olas w Steve, Joyce & Greg Rapaport, Martin & Annette Cohen, and Marlene Beck. From magnum, double decanted in am. Breathed in bottle and glass for 1 hour at Mark's. Last had 1-1/2 years ago. Somewhat restrained bouquet, but the palate and finish are excellent. Cranberries, cassis, anise flavors. Believe the wine is on a plateau, and wouldn't expect further development. My last bottle of the 90. But I have plenty of successors to follow.
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5/30/2006 - GZ3 wrote: 92 Points
took 2 hours to open up. tons of lees. worth the wait with a nice ribeye and mushrooms
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4/16/2006 - ml wrote: 93 Points
Very nice once again. Really great flavors of cassis and cherry, with hints of cigar and a significant amount of anise in the nose. As with the last bottle I had, I really think it is a great time to be drinking this.
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11/28/2005 - ml wrote: 93 Points
Opened at Restaurant Zoe. The cork was very dry and crumbly, and as a result it broke into several pieces and some had to be left in and effectively poured through, with a strainer above the decanter to keep from ending up in the decanted wine.
Very nice dark fruit nose, toned down appropriately for age. Very nice velvety mouth feel. Finely integrated tannins - not at all harsh, and a really great time to drink this wine. I've had this wine a couple of times in the last couple years, but I can say that I don't think there has been a better bottle or a better time to drink it. It hasn't started losing any fruit, or at least not enough to reduce any of the pleasure from this wine.
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11/18/2005 - cassetta wrote: 94 Points
Took this to dinner and had it with a Wet Aged Prime Bone-in Filet Oscar. From a magnum and decanted for about 45 minutes. This wine was hitting on all cylinders. Deep dark garnet in color with a little bricking on the edges. Cassis, smoke and saddle leather erupts from the glass. Full bodied, with a core of cassis and completely resolved tannins but still enough to provide good structure. Smooth satisfying finish. A perfectly mature wine IMO. This wine should continue to sing for another 5-7 years for bottles properly cellared since release.
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5/6/2004 - ipp wrote: 94 Points
elegant, balanced ... modestly seductive nose ... well integrated tannins ... tasty and interesting ... good finish
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11/20/1999 - mdefreitas wrote: 89 Points
Beringer Vertical @ Surf Village (Milford): Medium dark red. Black fruits. A bit dry and acidic. Some good fruit and caramel in it, but a bit out of balance.
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11/7/1998 - mdefreitas wrote: 95 Points
CT Group does Bordeaux vs Cal Cabs @ Jeff S: Big, jammy California style fruit. Essence of cassis, almost a crystalized fruit character. Low in acid and full of fruit with some creamy oak. Hard not to like. Still tastes young and unevolved.
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5/10/1997 - dbg wrote:
quite good
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3/12/1996 - dbg wrote:
tannins resolved nicely after 1 hr, kept getting better & better
throughout the evening
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9/29/1994 - bestdamncab Likes this wine: 88 Points
6 1991 Bordeaux and a 1990 Beringer Private Reserve. (Walnut Creek, Ca.): Nice simple, fruity nose with hints of tobacco, touch of heat, big body, nice, rich fruit, high acid, simple tasting, medium/long finish. My #6.
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