1 hour decant. Gorgeous dark ruby with the slightest bricking. Soft, elegant and inviting. A lovely bottle from one of Napa's best. Delicate and restrained but still offering layers of ripe fruit and pillowy tannin. Scrummy!
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This was very nice. Opened with notes of blackberry and plum, Fruit was restrained and the secondary and tertiary notes were singling, expressing cedar, leather, earth, and a little chocolate. Very nice. Expect this will be heading more towards tertiary flavors as the primary fruit forward flavors fade. YMMV.
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Deep, complex bouquet of cherries, smoke, scorched earth, and licorice. Full bodied and clearly tertiary but with so much intensity and persistence of flavors. Cool stones give it ferrous complexity on the long finish. Excellent now but still retains the stuffing to maintain its beautiful drinking window for years to come.
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Decanted for around 3 hours. Dark crimson color. Brooding nose of mulberries, shoe polish, dried herbs, seasoning salt, and ink. The perfectly mature palate had luscious black fruits with a faint sweetness, and a wisp of remaining tannin on the lingering finish. This is probably 2-4 years past peak drinking but is on a very delicious plateau. No reason to wait any longer.
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Decanted for an hour and consumed over the next 3 hours. Wine opened up after about 2 hours. Light and translucent color in glass showing a nice light ring around the edge. On the nose the wine is subtle with leather, pepper and a bit of light fruit. I suspect the wine was more fruit forward a few years earlier. Taste is light and silky, smooth finish with little tannins. Finish is elegantly smooth but short with a nice mid palate. Not your normal California cab, more Bordeaux style.
Impressive across the board. Great nose of developed black fruits with pepper and wet earth. Rich and smooth on palate with great acidity and long finish.
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Still kicking but agree with drink now. Was smooth and drinkable immediately but really opened up after about an hour of decanting. Subtle nose and finish, but some cherry and sandlewood in the middle with light tanins. Delicate.
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Popped and poured from bottle, with about 30 mins+ air time in glass. Translucent garnet colour, slight bricking at rim. Nose showed blueberry, cassis, some menthol/eucalyptus, tar and some green notes. Blueberry, leather, tabacco on the palate. Medium finish with some grip still remaining. Decent acidity. This was pretty good on its own but alongside of the rest of the 93-97 vertical it was by far the weakest vintage. This dropped off pretty rapidly over the hour I was tasting it. Definitely drink now if you own this.
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The nose was pleasant but fairly unremarkable. The taste needed a very short time to open up but then became extremely smooth and complex. Wonderful finish. Definitely in its prime but I wouldn't wait any longer to drink.
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3/10/2023 - billcow wrote: 94 Points
1 hour decant. Gorgeous dark ruby with the slightest bricking. Soft, elegant and inviting. A lovely bottle from one of Napa's best. Delicate and restrained but still offering layers of ripe fruit and pillowy tannin. Scrummy!
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11/6/2022 - malbrecht wrote: 92 Points
This was very nice. Opened with notes of blackberry and plum, Fruit was restrained and the secondary and tertiary notes were singling, expressing cedar, leather, earth, and a little chocolate. Very nice. Expect this will be heading more towards tertiary flavors as the primary fruit forward flavors fade. YMMV.
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9/25/2021 - Baron Slick wrote: 93 Points
Deep, complex bouquet of cherries, smoke, scorched earth, and licorice. Full bodied and clearly tertiary but with so much intensity and persistence of flavors. Cool stones give it ferrous complexity on the long finish. Excellent now but still retains the stuffing to maintain its beautiful drinking window for years to come.
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10/20/2018 - william perry wrote:
Drank with Munro Lou Grant Laura and Rick in New Orleans
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4/9/2017 - NineteenEightyTwo Likes this wine: 90 Points
Decanted for around 3 hours. Dark crimson color. Brooding nose of mulberries, shoe polish, dried herbs, seasoning salt, and ink. The perfectly mature palate had luscious black fruits with a faint sweetness, and a wisp of remaining tannin on the lingering finish. This is probably 2-4 years past peak drinking but is on a very delicious plateau. No reason to wait any longer.
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2/14/2015 - Thrill22 Likes this wine: 90 Points
Decanted for an hour and consumed over the next 3 hours. Wine opened up after about 2 hours.
Light and translucent color in glass showing a nice light ring around the edge.
On the nose the wine is subtle with leather, pepper and a bit of light fruit. I suspect the wine was more fruit forward a few years earlier.
Taste is light and silky, smooth finish with little tannins. Finish is elegantly smooth but short with a nice mid palate.
Not your normal California cab, more Bordeaux style.
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11/15/2013 - Sixchips600 Likes this wine: 95 Points
Impressive across the board. Great nose of developed black fruits with pepper and wet earth. Rich and smooth on palate with great acidity and long finish.
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10/14/2013 - jcable wrote: 90 Points
Still kicking but agree with drink now. Was smooth and drinkable immediately but really opened up after about an hour of decanting. Subtle nose and finish, but some cherry and sandlewood in the middle with light tanins. Delicate.
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1/31/2012 - kultcha wrote: 89 Points
Popped and poured from bottle, with about 30 mins+ air time in glass. Translucent garnet colour, slight bricking at rim. Nose showed blueberry, cassis, some menthol/eucalyptus, tar and some green notes. Blueberry, leather, tabacco on the palate. Medium finish with some grip still remaining. Decent acidity. This was pretty good on its own but alongside of the rest of the 93-97 vertical it was by far the weakest vintage. This dropped off pretty rapidly over the hour I was tasting it. Definitely drink now if you own this.
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12/20/2011 - dederer wrote: 92 Points
The nose was pleasant but fairly unremarkable. The taste needed a very short time to open up but then became extremely smooth and complex. Wonderful finish. Definitely in its prime but I wouldn't wait any longer to drink.
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5/12/2011 - texbas57 wrote: 94 Points
Prime drinking. Leather, pepper and berries. No faults.
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4/18/2011 - drsprosty wrote: flawed
Corked
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2/21/2010 - handymom wrote: 90 Points
Opened both the 1993 and 1997 at the same time. The 1997 was better.
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