Last of the case and right out of the bottle this had a beautiful nose with leather and aged wood over a hint of flowers, but this very quickly blew off. After an hour there's a faint mustiness with leather and cigar lingering far back.
As Genghis commented in his recent note, the tannins have largely dissipated but there is just enough structure to keep the soft fruit in balance. Black tea, leather, and aged barrel dominate.
This 17 YO wine looks burgundian on its edges but still has a solid grip on the stems. While it has aged gracefully and longer than anything at this price point, it's time to put away the keys and drink this up.
After 2.5 hrs did a side-by-side comparison w sommelier stems, which really added to the nose while bringing more weight and complexity to the palate, bumping to 93. However after 3.5 hrs the wine is fading fast, now 89. Mrs DandR poured some more to sample w tonight's wood-grilled filets but quickly poured her glass into mine out of indifference, rare for her w an aged wine.
Bottom line - drink up within 2 hrs of opening and don't decant.
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Dark burgundy, full bodied. Three hour decant. Faint nose. Some dark fruit and leather but faint. Sips..this is where the magic happens. Still holding on to some youth. Some dark fruit residual notes, but mostly tertiary. Leather, baking spice, some oak, super smooth. Tannin has disappeared. Medium plus finish. Just an amazing wine. In it's zone right now. Drink or hold for two years. LOVE this wine.
Dark ruby-colored, medium to full-bodied, concentrated but nicely integrated and balanced sweet black currant fruits with note of cola, cassis, mocha, tobacco leaf, graphite and floral violets with a moderate smooth polished soft tannins on the finish. At seventeen years, the fill level, label, foil, and importantly, the cork were in ideal conditions. This was a the apex of its drinking window, but likely nearing the end and won't improve with further aging. Enjoy it in the next few years. https://unwindwine.blogspot.com/2023/06/quilceda-creek-columbia-valley-red-wine.html
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DNF - we opened four bottles of QC Red Wine, a 2005, 2006, 2010, and 2011 and tasted side by side. While the 2010 was the favorite, the 2006 was deemed 2nd best, but guess what, we never finished the bottle. Fruit, but maybe diminishing.
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Really excellent and drinking great at this point. Blackberries cherries and a melange of dark fruit. Robust but not overpowering. Smooth and polished with a good long finish. Has the '16 a day before which was certainly too young, this one is fully resolved and ready to go.
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Uncorked and hooked up to a nitrogen tap. These notes are during the course of night one. Classic QC aromas when first pouring, But indicative of the age, with muted blue fruit and some vibrant pine on the nose.
3 hrs in there’s lavender along w blue fruit on the nose. Fruit is secondary to structure on the palate, but candied red fruit kicks in on the finish. I’d say it’s time to drink up any remaining bottles, with great appreciation for a wine that only cost $36 on release and drinks this well 12 years later.
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Holding up nicely, darker red fruits, but still fresh, smooth tannins. Not a lot of complexity, but an easy drinker. Enjoyed with ribs. Not a great value however.
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Rich, opulent wine that we served with lamb burgers. Good pairing. Very true to the house style, this is a big bold wine, layers of oak and fruit that 13 years has almost fully integrated. Nose was very aromatic and still had lots of oak notes. Palate was large scale, multi-layered and attention demanding. The lamb burgers really paired well with this wine so that it didn't overwhelm the food. Finish was medium long.
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Q2 - 2018 Tasting - Aged Washington State Wines (NYC): 6/11 wines tasted double blind. This had a nose of dark fruits with some tobacco. On the palate this was drinking really nicely very mature and nicely knit together with a long finish. Quite an attractive wine. My general experience with these QC red wines is that they deliver a lot relative to the price. This one is in a great drinking window right now and seems like it will hold for another 5 years - I think the CT window is far to narrow. 0 pennies voted by me but this was my 3rd favorite and 2 by the group overall
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Q2 2018 Tasting - Aged Washington Wines (The Apt): Wine #6: Interesting to have this one blind with the flagship wine. It's black currant and a hint of funk and coffee. Good wine. Great QPR when you factor in price point. (2 pennies)
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Had two glasses and hook the balance up to a nitrogen canister. Unfortunately the wine disintegrated after the course of a week on gas but the initial glasses were still very solid and capable of aging another year or two.
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Opened for two hours or so. Drank great, paired well with steak. No tannins after airing out, Slight seasoning on the edge of the wine, but as mentioned by others, nothing overwhelming and therefore, probably not going much further
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This was dark inky garnet colored, medium-full bodied, concentrated structured forward black berry and black raspberry fruits with notes of kirsch, almost cherry cola like with dark mocha chocolate, hints of cedar, tones of tobacco and leather on the structured tannin lingering finish.
Pop and pour. Stored in my cellar since release. This is really singing. Drank over several hours and didn't change much. I feel it is at it's peak and while it will hold for a few more years (maybe more), I don't think it will get better.
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Opened 30 minutes before the first pour...traces of red fruit on the nose...soft mouthfeel with no tannins present...medium finish...my last of six bottles...no need to let these rest any longer.
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Nice wine all around. Earthy both on the nose and palate. Nice mouth feel, little bit of tannin on the end and what I would consider a nice medium to long finish.
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Decanted. Cork was a bit dry. Wine still a beast. Dark slightly sweet fruit. Cassis.perhaps some kirsch Tasty but still needed a longer decant. Perhaps too big for me.
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Dark, nearly opaque red color. Aromas of kirsch and cherry liqueur followed by blueberry and vanilla. Palate initially is cocktail-like with blueberry and kirsch flavors. With some air, this subsides a bit and the wine comes into a better sense of balance with blueberry, currant, asphalt, and some peppery notes on a medium-long finish. I can't say I preferred this to the Jones, but if I factor price into the equation, it is a clear winner.
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This opaque ruby/red wine is a blend of 77% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Cabernet Franc, 10% Merlot, 2% Petit Verdot and 1% Malbec. It was Vinturi-decanted and serially tasted over several hours. After 2-3 hours in decanter, a bouquet of black cherries, dark chocolate, lavender, licorice, and pipe tobacco is fully released. Full-bodied, seamlessly alcoholic (15.2%) and with low-to-medium acidity, it delivers a flavor profile which mirrors the nose. There are plentiful mouth-coating tannins to swaddle the fruit. Dense and layered in the middle, it closes with good persistence. Well-cellared bottles of this structured offering should hold up well for several more years. Drink now-2023.
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Very Good - still holding up, some structure left but very smooth overall. Has dark fruit and cedar throughout the mid palette. Drinking window prime now and over the next couple of years.
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Delicious, smooth, silky dark cherry, spice and pencil lead flavors, rich yet elegant. Wish the bottle was endless. Can't wait to try the "big brother".
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Finished off the bottle I CV'd earlier in the month. Popped the cork and allowed it to open for 90 mins. Faint berries and black fruit on the nose. Structure is medium, somewhat watery as noted before, but the fruit, tobacco and smoke provide nice flavors. Solid wine.
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Coravin a glass.Bordeaux nose with forest floor, slight must. Dusty tannins nicely balance mature fruits. Well-aged wine whose fruit still exhibits energy, this is clearly in its wheelhouse but doesn't need to be rushed. Still say drink by 17-18. Great expression
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Notes from memory of a few days ago. After about an hour in the bottle poured off to the shoulders, this wine was absolutely delicious, almost like cabernet candy. Just great. Big contrast to the 2005 which has yet to give up as good a flavor profile as the 2006.
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This is at a great spot. Dark berries, cassis, some tobacco. Medium acidity. Very polished, a tad too civilized. Very good finish. Everyone at the party loved it.
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This is absolutely superb right now. P&P and consumed over 2 hours. Perfectly balanced notes of cassis, black cherry, ripe raspberry, hints of tart blueberry, wild strawberry, subtle spice, a whispery hint of leather, and just stunning balance and finish. In a blind tasting against much higher priced WA and CA Cabs and Bordeaux blends, this wine would do extremely well. Killer QPR, sorry it's my last but I'll have to look for more.
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This wine was showing exceptionally well. Should drink well for at least the next two years IMO. I enjoyed this so much, I'm really starting to question the $140 for the cab.
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Short decant at restaurant. Great bordeaux nose of deep dark fruit with some mocha. Palate was well integrated, good fruit, medium complexity and good finish. I liked it and was not disappointed.
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Seeing how much I love everything from Quilceda, I was a bit disappointed. The wine is clearly well made ... good balance, good structure, good color. But it lacked any discernible fruit. More of a Bordeaux style. Good, not great.
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Drank two bottles with some real bottle variation. Although one bottle was a little dull the second bottle was vibrant and full of fruit. For both bottles the tannins were tamed with earth and dark fruit. One the first bottle the fruit was there but there was a fog hanging over it. The second bottle was like a clear day.
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Decanted for 45 mins, then followed over an hour. Extremely dry profile, with modest blackberry/black cherry flavors, faint vanilla and muted tobacco. While very easy to drink, this didn't have the depth I typically find in a QC red.
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Pop and pour and consumed over ~2 hours. Well balanced, with currant, licorice, black raspberry, blackberry, baking spices, a floral hint, and subtle vanilla on the finish. Great mouthfeel and long length. Excellent QPR.
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- Brick color and aromas of blackberry, raspberry and mushroom. It's balanced and has flavours of tobacco, blackberry, black currant, vanilla and mushroom with a medium/full body. Polished texture with a long finish - Drank w/Lim parents. They liked better than '08 Pride Cab.
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Lots of wood apparent with this wine. Day 2 it had calmed down and was drinking quite nicely. Sweet black fruit, cassis, espresso, oak, and a vanillin finish.
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Crazy! Such bottle variation....the tannin and oak here are predominant. Popped the same bottle a few nights ago and it was a totally different experience. Same net result for different reasons.
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Been almost 2 years since my last bottle....seems to be past it's prime. Soft, lush and light....all tannin and oak has melted away. Pretty simple wine at this stage...wish I hadn't waited this long and will be drinking up the rest.
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We had this wine opened at a restaurant on New Years's eve. Based on the dark color I was expecting a heavier wine. We enjoyed it none the less. This wine is of the Bordeaux style with lighter flavors and more subtleness. It went very well with the Italian food we had and I think would have benefited from being decanted.
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A blend of 77% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Cabernet Franc, 10% Merlot, 2% Petit Verdot and 1% Malbec, this wine was Vinturi-decanted and serially tasted over the ensuing four hours. It remains a youthful-appearing opaque ruby. With aeration over 3-4 hours, aromas of black cherry liqueur, chocolate, licorice, cedar and earth develop to moderate intensity. The wine is full-bodied on the palate, with low-to-medium acidity, ample ripe tannins, well-integrated alcohol (reported as 15.2%) and ripe black fruit (and bittersweet chocolate) flavors. The flavors build on the middle and the finish is now quite lengthy. Time in the cellar has paid dividends since my last sampling of this wine 12/17/10. No doubt that the fruit and structure are there for this one to provide enjoyment for at least another decade. Drink now-2023.
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Blueberry quite evident upon uncorking, tar and tobacco on the nose. Mouthfeel is medium - to -watery in weight, yet satisfying. Blackberry prominent, cathing some dark chocolate and hints of vanilla / toasted oak as well. While my last bottle gave me the impression that this was peaking, I still believe that to be the case, however I believe the drinking window extends to the late 20-teens rather than 2015. If the bottle will be consumed in its entirety within an hour, give 60 mins of air before drinking.
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In a great state but tons of time. Black fruit, hints of anise and huge on the semi sweet chocolate. Palate lives up to the nose with a long finish and good acid
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Decanted and allowed to rest for an hour before following. 3.5 hours after decanting there's still some faint oak on the nose, along with old leather and sweet berries - bordeaux notes abound. Mouthfeel is smooth and silky, more fruit than tannin indicating that this is in its or just beyond its prime. Mostly cherry, some blackberry and currants. I'll drink my remaining 6 bottles by 2015/16.
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8 hours of slow-ox in the cellar and this bottle was singing! Keep the temp cellar cool otherwise heat peaks through on the finish. Clearly drinking well above it's level!
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Hi..bottle#2 since that tirade....what a huge change can happen over two and half years....have I changed? Has my palate changed? Probably a mixture of both....what do I find now?? Nose a little restrained, still a solid red fruit nose, and some graphite notes...a very tight mouthfeel, highly tannic. Very youthful, burbs solid fruit structure. Too drink this now absence some fatty cheese or acidic food defeats the purpose...you will find it very bitter...still a solid red...going 92 ( as it turns out again..just checked th score previously) but can be better...
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Wow, this is really lovely juice. Decanted for an hour and consumed over the next 3 hrs. Very rich with massive dark cherries and baking spices on the palate with fine tannins.
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Big big wine! Tannins have subsided a little, now silky smooth, enormous fruit, coffee, clove, black cherry, and cassis on the nose, thick mouth feel, 45+ second finish. Can't wait to pop the Columbia valley!
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Drank side by side with the 2005. This seemed more restrained and a better made wine. I really use to love these at $35-38 price range, but would much rather spend my money elsewhere. Blueberry, somewhat hot, slight green on the nose.
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Happy Fourth of July! Picked up as a reasonably serious American wine for the party. Decanted 1 hour, it was still showing young but delivered solid depth and complexity - dark berries, cassis, licorice, cigar box, leather. Big boned and dense, but well balanced. Medium finish. All in all, good wine that shows its pedigree, even if a bit rustic. The rest can sleep for a while.
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Popped and poured. Medium-plus deep garnet/purple hue, still quite youthful. Aromatically forward upon pouring and showing fruit, with moderately complex notes of blackberry, blueberry, creme de cassis, vanilla bean, herbs, earth, and a subtle floral note. Medium-plus body, silky mouthfeel. Nothing subtle about the flavors in mouth, this shows a great core of fresh black and red fruits along with hints of herbs, root vegetables, and earth along with spice and smoke from toasted oak. The tannins are somewhat chewy and astringent but push the fruit flavors through on the moderate-plus close. Moderate acidity. This is drinking quite nicely at present but should be even better with a few more years. All-in-all, just a really nice vintage from Quilceda Creek of their second wine.
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Beautiful floral nose with red fruits and a hint of mint. Nice bright red fruits, crushed stone and minerals with a touch of blueberries. Beautiful full lush mouth feel with a medium to dark color. I passed on the flagship this spring but I will load up on these in the fall.
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I can't believe his is their "leftovers" wine. It remains spectacular and stands on its own despite its muscular big brothers. Has outstanding Washington fruit up front with cinnamon on the nose. Tannins are mellowing on the back end and has lovely legs.
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Dark red, saturated color. Strong aromas of plum, cassis, blueberry, and licorice. Palate is full of red currant and licorice flavors with ample, suave tannins and no real sign of the advertised alcohol. The finish cleans up enough to keep this from being gloppy and this has developed positively for my tastes. Drinkable now with a hearty grilled meat and expect that it will reward further cellar time if you are seeking some subtlety to emerge. Very boisterous right now. Drink or hold.
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Nice red fruit and a touch of floral notes on the nose. Full, balanced mouth feel. Lush red fruit caress every taste bud. Supportive, but restrained tannins in the middle along with stone and subtle meat flavors The finish went on forever with a hint of licorice. Spot on brilliant. Had with beef bourguignon.
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Wow, this is a big wine -definitely new world style. Concentrated, rich, fruit forward, however manages to stay in balance. This has at least another 5 yrs in it.
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Thought about giving it a 75 to sandbag the averages and keep this gem to myself. Off the hook special....bright cab notes surrounded by cab franc jam. Both subtle and strong. Wish I had more, but will save stuff for a year or so from now.
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I take the entire month of January off from drinking wine -- well, except for my wife's birthday (which is tomorrow). Plus, we had some good friends stop over for a couple of G & T's tonight. So, what was I to do. I popped this table wine. Wow!!! Was I surprised. This is Exhibit "A" for the benefits of time in the bottle. A few years back, I was not so impressed. Now, I am completely impressed. Can I please delete my review from 8/11/10? This is SPECTACULAR!! This may be one of my better purchases. This is really, really, really, really, really, really GOOD!! It all has now come into integration. It is working on all cylinders so to speak. That Washington fruit is divine. The oak has faded, and what is left is the very definition of great Washington Wine Making. This wine makes me want to buy about 5 cases. Shhhhhhh. It's a secret that this table wine is so good. Don't tell anyone. P.S. It really sings with Down In The Valley by The Head and the Heart. Something about fiddles. . . .
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Some heat at first, tannins still very strong, mellow out after 2 hours, need to decant this baby. Or keep a few more years, should last very well. Nose of oak and nuts, fruits not showing much until about 2 hours later, the last hour was great, balanced and complex.
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Decanted and allowed to sit for 75 minutes before drinking. Dry with a slight sourness immediately upon opening, but this was eliminated before the drinking window opened. Blackcurrants, red fruit, finely polished tannins, barely a hint of oak.
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Great wine for the money. Drinks so much bigger than its price. Strawberries on the nose with subtle red fruit on the palate. The wine improved as the night progressed. The tannins were still strong, so I think this wine could go a few more years. Medium finish with a nice balance. I wish I had more of this vintage.
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No formal notes. 90 minute decant and consumed over two hours. Well balanced wine with red fruit, spice, and subtle blackberry. Well integrated tannins with a finish of red currant, a floral note and a hint vanilla. Definitely improved with the extra year in bottle and easily has 5+ years ahead.
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Drank over a two day period. Only got better the second day. Double decanted, beautiful fruit, long intense finish with polished tannins. The nose I couldn't believe as the first day,first pour I had my stemless glass sitting a foot away from me on a back couch table and the fragrance drifted over to me and drew me in to taste. Maybe the first bottle I opened which was totally different on the down side was a little dumb, I don't know. Looking forward to the third to find out!
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What a difference some time in the bottle makes with this table wine. For some reason, this paired extremely well with slow cooked Ahi Tuna steaks, that I cooked in fresh ginger, garlic, Chinese fish sauce, soy sauce, and wine. There was magic when eating the cooked ginger and this wine. Who knew that cooked ginger and red wine worked so well, but they do. This wine has started to off gas its early overly oaked profile, and what is left behind is a nice, fruit-filled wine, that is picking up an almost Italian wine profile, with some nice chalk and vanilla in the finish. The rough edges are falling away. It still needs some more time, but it is just entering the beginning of a very nice stage for drinking.
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This note is not about lazy-ness, but I found it represents a very accurate note of this wine.
Sean Sullivan(of the WA Wine Report) wrote: "Dark and inky in color. Almost opaque. Abundant dark fruit, including black currant and blackberry jam, along with spice and oak. Touches of vanilla and light perfume. A thick, gripping wine with a strong tannin lick and a gigantic mid-palate loaded with fruit and spice. Lots of oak notes on the nose. Alcohol comes through occasionally as well. Still fairly closed at the moment. Decant extensively before consuming or wait 3-5 years. Tasted twice with consistent notes. 77% Cabernet; 10% Cab Franc; 10% Merlot; 2% Petit Verdot; 1% Malbec. 15.2% alcohol. Sampled at 65 degrees." *quoted*
I used a pumice aerator many times to try and get this bastard to open up and strut some stuff. Currently showing all of the above. You can tell that the G family is still trying to provide good QPR for the money, but with the financial investment of their oak regime, one must charge for it. Oh, and their fruit sources aren't cheap either. I'm drinking the last glass on hour 4, and it still is tight. Cellar or decant aggressively.
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Black fruit, pencil lead, licorice flavors, smooth, rich, supple texture, coats the entire palate. Delicious with grilled salmon. Decanted for an hour.
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Popped and poured. This one is usually a crowd pleaser with its upfront fruit and was this night as well. Great balance of dark fruit and some spice, vanilla. No presence of alcohol and a decent finish.
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Tasted on night 2 with family. Despite some overnight ox and development, this wine still showed some nice red tree fruit and earthen oak notes. Wish I had a crack at it on night one at +2 hours decanting; probably would have been a decent glass. Body was medium and yet not weighty at all.
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Another great bottle. I have to admit this wine is a little silly in terms of being over the top with fruit, alcohol and vanilla. It's great fun to drink and went well with our burgers.
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Followed a 2005 Corliss Syrah. This was much more complex, offering definite cabernet flavors. Some floral (violets?) aspect running through the nose, and some nice creamy vanilla on the long finish.
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Popped and poured, should have decanted it but all of the decanters were dirty (whoops). Nose of cedar, blackberry, pipe tobacco and vanilla. Even at 15% alcohol there was no perceptible heat. Nice weight on the mid palate without being heavy. Flavors of vanilla, blackberry and currant. Overall this wine integrated much better after about an hour of air. Solid effort. Would purchase again.
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Was hoping to see improvement this time. Best part is the finish. Finish has more fruit than nose or palate. Has fine grain sweet tannin. Don't believe it will turn into anything special. My last purchase of this wine.
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Blackberry, tar, leather and black pepper. Creme de cassis and oak. Chocolate on the finish. Last bottle. Will have to decide when to crack open the big boy estate wine now.
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Delicious and in a great drinking window for me. Still some tannins, but less evident. ON the nose, chocolate covered dark cherries. In the mouth smooth grained tannins and goes down very well. Get chocolate notes in the mouth as well. Hides the 15.2% alc very nicely on the nose and palate. I was very happy to open this tonight.
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77% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Cabernet Franc, 10% Merlot, 2% Petit Verdot, 1% Malbec, 15.2% alcohol. This wine was taken from my cellar, popped and poured in front of the fire and Christmas tree with my wife and some Boursin cheese. Opaque purple/ruby robe. Being patient (which is easy when relaxing in front of the fire), the wine opens over the first hour to show a quite intense nose of black currants, smoke, dry earth and tar. Full-bodied on the palate, with low-to-medium acidity, generous ripe tannins and black fruit flavors, with amazingly well-integrated alcohol (considering the number). The absolutely solid middle leads to a medium-long, slightly astringent finish. This wine is very enjoyable now, but for those with patience, a couple more years in the bottle should pay nice dividends. Drink 1/13-12/20.
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Decanted 1 hour. Nose of red and black berries, violets and a bit of wood, with flavors to match. Not as tannic as I assumed it would be, although the oak did start to creep out into the forefront after around 2 hours. Finish was all creamy vanilla and fairly lengthy.
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Great qpr cab - definitely more on the fruitier and easy drinking side. Big nose of violet and mixed berries. Very good structure and balance. Good fun to drink now.
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Bordeaux no, delicious yes. Went with the vinturi and the double decant. Balanced new world cab with nice dark berry fruit, resolving sweetening tannins, and uplifting acidity on the finish.
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Decanted for a couple hours on the first night, then finished off the second half of the bottle the next night. Cocoa & dark fruits smell. The taste was smooth, definitely could tell the Merlot component in this.
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Deep crimson. Blackberry, boysenberry, and cassis. Leather and licorice. My first QC and look forward to the estate cab and SVDs in the cellar if this is any indication.
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Like a dark fruit bordeaux. This was seemless and really well made. Still just a baby, it was much more elegant on day 2. This wine represents a great value. World class.
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Not sure what happened here - the previous 5 bottles have all be dissapointing to me, but #6 hit a sweet spot. This thing had completely settled down - no offensive alcohol & oak!!!! Very well integrated & while not perfectly balanced, it was a joy to drink. I'm SHOCKED to be honest as I had totally written off this wine & only ordered 3 of the '07's as a result (normally I buy 12-18 each year). Saved 1/2 of the bottle corked for the next day & it remained solid! If every bottle was like this; I'd be a happy camper. Loaded with fruit, spice & softe oak influence this time around. Cedar on the nose with some cassis & mint & black berries. Hope my remaining 6 bottles are as good as this one & may check back on the QC website to order more '07!
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A gift from our best friends from our wedding, opened on our first annivesary. The waiter immediately got a huge smile looking at what we had and grabbed us a decanter. "What a monster he said...you're gonna love it!" Huge wine that paired perfectly with my filet...great nose, firm tannins and big flavor...silky finish that lasted on and on.
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On target to better then my last bottle. Still have to agree with my note that this has a similar taste to the Lewelling regular bottle. Will enjoy the other half tonight! Enjoy!
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This opens up quickly with medicinal aromas, almost minty. Lacking a mid-palate the finish is rather odd, an almost cherry cobbler meets Robitussin combination. 15.2% alcohol has me feeling intoxicated after the 1st glass? This doesn't taste like Cabernet, more like an Australian shiraz...Parker style. I opened this to have a taste before I ordered any 2007's....sorry QC, I will enjoy my Bordeaux and Robert Parker can have my allocation.
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First impression: silky plums with an echo of the real Quilceda Cab. I then got lost in a book --- Darkness Visible -- and came back to the wine to write an actual review. This is a very nice wine. It has that Washington fruit profile, which is ripe, fruity, soft and feminine. There are, however, some oaky tannins in the background, which feel at this point (after about 3 hours in the glass) to be a bit too oaky, and the tannins need some time to settle down. For the price point, this is a pretty good wine, particularly when it is just popped and poured. This is one of those instances where the flaws in the wine were revealed with time in the air. The slight bitterness from the oak profile and the tannins detracted from my early fondness for the wine when it was just opened. I will be curious to see how this wine evolves with more time in the cellar. Right now, the rating reflects the fact that the oak and the tannins are a bit too pronounced for me.
Night Number 2:
After last night's experience drinking from the wood-chipper, I decided to try again. This is still quite tannic tonight, but getting better. The bitterness of the wood is fading, although still pronounced, which is confirming my belief that this needs many years in the cellar. It is better than night #1, but not there yet. Probably an 89 tonight.
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What a lovely wine. Took a sniff before decanting and was already showing lovely cabernet notes - mint, cassis and berry. With some decanting this mellows somewhat, shows some heat, but pretty fresh and balanced with dark fruit on the nose. The minty note got lost on airing. Palate is smooth and well balanced - really delicous, sweet ripe cherry and blackberry fruit, with some minty cassis notes on hte finsih. Shows a little heat on the finish (15%+ ABV), but not overwhelming. Overall - this was a really nice wine and a pleasure to pair with my steak.
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This is a big, big wine! Let it breathe for 2 hours and then decanted as there was sediment in the neck on the initial pour. A very nice nose of dark fruits accompanied by monster extraction, oak and alcoholic heat. This wine may settle down in the future, but the heat remains a concern for me. The overall impression of this wine is reminiscent of Aussie Shiraz. I think others may appreciate this wine more than me. I don't mind owning (and trying) the other 5 bottle I own, but I'm wary of buying more in similar quantities.
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Opened w 45 min air in bottle. Dark ruby to the edge w dark fruit & spice notes on the nose. Smooth rich mouth-filling wine that is predominately blueberries and dark fruit w hints of tobacco and minerals. This has improved over the last few months or i am liking it more right now - this is a real value @ price point and easily has the structure to go another 5+ years with more improvement. If you cannot find Quilceda's flagship wine, find this one.
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Monster of a wine, opened bottle for about 90 min. Drank towards the end of a tasting but its power still shined through a cut through a fatigued palate. Could possibly use a bit of finesse to go with the strength, but showed well enough to have me order the 2007... Has improved in the 8 months since I opened the first bottle
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On the nose waves of blueberry, creme de cassis, licorice and cigar spice. When it hits the palate notes of deep blueberry, violets and creme de cassis take over. This is followed by hints of licorice, milk chocolate, clove and tar. This medium bodied wine has very ripe tannins and is great for drinking right now. The price of QC's table wine dropped to $35 this past year so it makes it a great value!
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My first Quilceda Creek wine...nice nutty and cassis nose with a deep solid red color....a little astringent...perhaps young still...while a blend, the cab really comes out. I would expect with 10% cab franc and merlot that it would be a bit softer. This is a solid young wine. Blackberry pronounced...still tight...I really like this. If you see it one a wine list and you are eating steak, order it....you will not be disappointed...I for one will not open another until next year and review...this may be a 93 or a 94
As an aside, has anyone else noticed that CT score avg are far far more harsh than the wine critics. I am not sure what kind of lightening in a bottle the avg drinker expects. In my opinion this particular wine has scored too low on avg. Why I am not sure...perhaps everyone is incredibly particular but if this is a 91 whatever these people see as 99 or 100 must be unworldly. I have tasted and drunk hundreds of wines...some damn near awful in my younger less affluent days when I would buy a $12 wine I know would be OK and then augment it with a few throw aways at $6-$12 to expand my palate..every now and then you would hit a winner but boy were most just awful..now..a few years later and a few years more experiene and wealth... some wines I drink are off the charts and very exclusive..I am only now trying to attempt to comment more on the wines I drink....for this wine..it is borderline 93...and I have a feeling it may be 94....my grades are what a wine is NOW....not it's potential....
I really liked this. The nose was great. First taste was a bit harsh and tannic right out of the bottle. I let it sit about 15-20 minutes and swirlled in the glass. Everything was great. The harshness was gone, the taste, well it reminded me of a Lewlings regular bottle. What I was hoping for. Enjoy!!!
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Smokey red fruit nose. Very young still. Pretty structured and tannic now, but quite tasty with silky smooth fruit. Excellent length. Impressive for the price. I will wait a few years before opening another.
This has been sitting open on the kitchen counter for 11 days with the cork stuck in. No gas, no refrigeration. Man, this is good. Serious wine for the money. Should age 30 years. Thick, silky, classic Cab. If you told me this was 2000 Bordeaux, I would be believe you.
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Opened and decanted for 45 minutes, dark ruby to the rim with dark berries on the nose. Medium body, but big in the mouth with blueberry & raspberry, anise and a touch of spice. The wine continued to open and show more fruit over the ensuing hour - well structured and it will definitely improve over the next 2-3 years. Really a very nice wine for the release price; the equal or better of many reds twice the price.
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Very tight when opened and took at while for the dark fruit to come through. Tannic but nice body and lots of earth, minerals, coffee upfront. Opened up over time and showed better
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Popped and poured. Medium-plus purple/crimson hue Expressive aromas of ripe raspberries, blueberries, a bit of currant, anise, and a bit of funky earthiness. Medium-plus body. Flavors of black and blue fruits explode on the palate...but the complex notes of leaf tobacco, black licorice, crushed stones, and a touch of spice really amp this WA Bordeaux up a notch or two...seamless and opulent. Continually evolves in glass. Tannins are fine grained and a touch astringent; hardly surprising in a Quilceda Creek wine of any level. Needs time in the cellar, probably a good 4-5 years but certainly worth opening now on a pop 'n pour if you have fair amount; indeed, this is one of the showiest examples of Quilceda Creek Red Wine since the 2003 vintage.
Quick commentary - I have been purchasing Quilceda Creek for some time now...while easy to note the potential, most of the younger wines I've been able to taste are simply shut down (2005 Red Wine was hard as nails on release). It's quite nice to open this and then have it show so well. For that, I have to thank davidandrose for the review below; only reason why the wine wasn't decanted was due to their TN...decanting would surely have resulted in a much more closed wine.
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Pop and pour; this was good right out of the bottle, but based on notes from others I gave this a strong decanting and shook the decanter vigorously several times over the course of an hour. About 90 mins after decanting the wine began thinning out, losing some of its depth and richness. I'll either go right out of the bottle next time, or I won't give it a lot of shaking or double-decanting.
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Night 1: Great wine! Tight, but as it opened violets, dark fruit, licorice and fine tannins. Night 2: Mostly dominated by licorice and anise, which was surprising. Score based on the first night's drinking.
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This stuff keeps getting better. The key is to give it time to open. Once it has enough air time it starts to strut its stuff and boy does it know how. What I like about this wine is the perfect balance of acids and tannins, sweetness from the oak with fruit from the grapes, yum. I have a few bottles left, will be hard to keep from consuming them. But, they way I figure it they should be peak in two to three years. What a great wine.
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Tight, tight, tight! 2 hours in the decanter made a big difference. This wine has a ton of complexity and structure. Not sure if you can call a $35 bottle of wine a bargain, but if this said Napa on the label, it would easily be $50+ Dark, almost opaque purple, with dark fruits and lots of oak on the nose. On the palate I got more dark fruit and oak, but also an earthy component. I think patience will be rewarded, but it's awfully good now.
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This is some really good wine. has a great nose of violet, blackberry, vanilla, spice, oak....palate is big and coats every portion of your palate with dark fruit, and a long finish. it does have a lot of oak, but it is very well integrated without the bitterness that often comes from an over-oaked wine. simply blew away the other three 93-94pt(spectator) wines tasted with it.
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Great red table wine, and a wonderful value. Agree this needs to sit a while, and after having it open for 6-8 hours it was still going strong. Super structure. Should continue to improve.
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Based on previous reviews I knew I should wait, but I wanted to try my first QC allocation. Decanted for 3 hours before drinking. This is a BIG wine, which really needs some time to mellow. I can tell that the structure is great, and everything integrates nicely, but the overall experience is a bit much right now. I'll be waiting a couple more years before trying the next bottle.
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Great structure. Decanted 2 hour prior to serving. Tasted vey Pauillac-like. Pencil lead, earth, and red fruit. Seemed to peak at about 4-5 hours after opening. Definitely needs time or a good decant. Drinks like a more expensive wine than it is. I am very pleased to have more of this in the cellar.
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Complex bouquet of spices, fresh herbs and pencils. This took an hour to open up a bit, then the palate took off. Flavors of cassis, coffee and plum. Firm tannins and overall structure. Needs several years, at least mid-2012, to come around. Very good to outstanding wine that surely is meant to be enjoyed after six or eight years cellaring.
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Ghostwriter777 (scroll down in the tasting notes) is definitely on to something here. There's a good wine in this bottle, but it takes a lot of effort right now. I decanted mine for 3 hours and it still wasn't quite there - a bit tight and a bit hot still. But, make no mistake, this is a good wine. I can already tell there's a lush silkiness to this wine that will only get better with time. Fruit is pretty sparse on the nose, but what fruit there is is black, with some leather, mocha and vegetable notes. In the mouth, blue/blackberry, blackcurrant, cigar tobacco and black licorice, with a very broad distribution. Very well balanced, long finish, this one should be even better if aged, but not past a few years - doesn't feel like it has legs to go much past 3 - 4 years. 77% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Cabernet Franc, 10% Merlot, 2% Petit Verdot, 1% Malbec from Champoux, Ciel du Cheval, Galitzine, Klipsun and Tapteil vineyards.
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Staff Favorites (Farpointe Cellar): The nose had graphite, raspberry, floral notes, and some licorice at the end. The palate was smooth, and had black currant, tobacco, pencil shavings, spice, and a licorice finish.
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I opened this wine yesterday at 2:30 and consumed through 10:00. There was a little sediment in the neck, the cork was much darker than my previous '06. My original impression of the bouquet was, now this is what a fine wine is all about(2:30). I immediately proceeded to pour a little into my glass, mmmm, somethings going on here, not sure what but I will do my best to describe. The nose shows wood and heat, not liking this too much. The taste, well let's say at this point this is nothing more than an 87-88 at best, mouthfeel disjointed, crap(this was my thought at that time), nice dark fruit, oaky, heat but not as bad as first bottle consumed on October 29th. In defense of this experience(Oct. 29) we popped and poured with friends and it was not a great experience. Getting back to the current, around 7:00 this wine started to glow, by 9:00 it started to shine. Everything started to fall into place. The silky(chalky/nutty) tannins, the fruit, oak, licorice, I sensed a bit of sweetness(couldn't tell if it was from the alcohol) became seamlessly integrated, decent finish, wow. Once you know the trick, the magic in the wine is revealed. I have been trying and wanting to understand what all the hype was about so I kept reading the good, bad and ugly of this wine and came to realize, in order to truly enjoy Quilceda it MUST be decanted for at least 5 hours. Can't wait to revisit the '05 and give it a good decant to see where it ranks or see what my next '06 bottle has to offer in a year or so. I am certain this will improve with time in the bottle.
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Brought this to an xmas party, so didn't get a chance to sit down and evaluate it. From my glass it was similar to previous vintages w/nice blue and black fruit, a good dose of alc and the cab franc peaking through w/some vegital and graphite notes. Still way too young but more approachable then the 05 at this point in their youth. The RTW needs a minium of 1yr in the bottle to show what they are really made of in my opinion.
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Popped and poured, and sipped after dinner. This wine definitely needed more time, or more air or both. Dark fruit on the palate, with a rich mouthfeel and a great backbone, only drawback is a slight bitter taste, and a little too much alc... I think given some time this settles into a monster of a wine..It is still pretty good right now...
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i opened this wine and had two glasses, the second of which i ended up pouring 1/2 down the sink, thinking this is way overrated, based upon being from Quilceda. I was kind of disappointed since I have several more of their more expensive bottles of Cabs, which I haven't tried yet. Well, i tried the remainder of the bottle the next night, big difference, the wine was excellent. I have made this mistake so many times, not airing enough, that you would think I would get smarter.
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Dark purple-red color. Aromas of blueberry milkshake, currants, and chocolate. On the palate, this is rich and overpowering with blueberry, blackberry, cassis, plum, and some vanilla showing. The finish is long, with a lot of heat evident. Over time in the glass, this takes on characteristics of a blueberry or blackberry liqueur. It never gets over its baby fat to show any underlying structure, which isn't altogether surprising. Seemingly more red fruit notes on day two. If it can gracefully absorb the baby fat and keep the alcohol in check, this will be a fine wine. Balance may be a problem; time will tell.
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Did taste upon opening...very tight and tannic. After 2 hours in the decanter started to open up to a nice balance of dark fruit, oak, cocoa. Needs more time in the bottle, but seemed more approachable at this stage than the 05 which still seems to need considerable more time.
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This was a beautiful wine. But throughout the night (3 hours) the alcohol was ever present. Oak-infused dill and milk chocolate, lively blackberry, and superb mouthfeel gave this wine a presence but...the abv was too much for me, at the end of the day.
I suspect that those who are not sensitive to alc will love it - it certainly has both pedigree and composure to please. For me, it's an 87-88.
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Finally made it through the wait for the mailing list. Popped and poured just off the UPS truck. Closed and tannic at first but now mellow and warm with boysenberry and a hint of chocolate. Glad I have more.
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Mid-Fall Wine Tasting (Down's Lake): This is a tough one for me to score, because the style is a center of the plate pitch for my tastes. Opened for 3 hours before pouring, not decanted. First tastes were "wow". Dark cherry, cassis, vanilla on both nose and palate. The palate initially was very rich and elegant, relatively balanced but thick. At this point, I would have scored this 92+ points. But somewhat surprisingly to me, this closed down after 30 minutes in the glass. Less lush, a harsher bite on the finish showing a bit of alcohol heat. Maybe 89 points. Which version of this will ultimately win out over time, I have no idea, though my suspicion is that this will grow into a 90+ wine without much trouble. And at that, it will be a very nice QPR. Much better than the 2001. Update: brought to tasting Day 2 - this wine was shot. Way, way hot on the finish.
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Dark red, opaque. Nose of dark fruit. Palate is full body with moderate firm tannin. Long tannic dry finish. Seems to have opened up a bit since tasted at the winery a few months ago. Medium acidity with a slight astringent feel on the palate. Overall the wine is very nice and should benefit from 2 or 3 years in the cellar.
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Tasted @ the winery pre-release. A wonderful surprise to compliment any occasion. Wonderful nose of fruit, tannin, youth. Balanced palate to drink early or wait for some maturity. Will be a very popular wine.
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10/29/2023 - davidandrose Likes this wine: 92 Points
Last of the case and right out of the bottle this had a beautiful nose with leather and aged wood over a hint of flowers, but this very quickly blew off. After an hour there's a faint mustiness with leather and cigar lingering far back.
As Genghis commented in his recent note, the tannins have largely dissipated but there is just enough structure to keep the soft fruit in balance. Black tea, leather, and aged barrel dominate.
This 17 YO wine looks burgundian on its edges but still has a solid grip on the stems. While it has aged gracefully and longer than anything at this price point, it's time to put away the keys and drink this up.
After 2.5 hrs did a side-by-side comparison w sommelier stems, which really added to the nose while bringing more weight and complexity to the palate, bumping to 93. However after 3.5 hrs the wine is fading fast, now 89. Mrs DandR poured some more to sample w tonight's wood-grilled filets but quickly poured her glass into mine out of indifference, rare for her w an aged wine.
Bottom line - drink up within 2 hrs of opening and don't decant.
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10/19/2023 - Genghis88 wrote: 93 Points
Dark burgundy, full bodied. Three hour decant.
Faint nose. Some dark fruit and leather but faint.
Sips..this is where the magic happens.
Still holding on to some youth. Some dark fruit residual notes, but mostly tertiary. Leather, baking spice, some oak, super smooth. Tannin has disappeared. Medium plus finish. Just an amazing wine. In it's zone right now. Drink or hold for two years. LOVE this wine.
Pizza and ribs by Britt....
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6/6/2023 - rmcnees Likes this wine: 92 Points
Dark ruby-colored, medium to full-bodied, concentrated but nicely integrated and balanced sweet black currant fruits with note of cola, cassis, mocha, tobacco leaf, graphite and floral violets with a moderate smooth polished soft tannins on the finish.
At seventeen years, the fill level, label, foil, and importantly, the cork were in ideal conditions. This was a the apex of its drinking window, but likely nearing the end and won't improve with further aging. Enjoy it in the next few years.
https://unwindwine.blogspot.com/2023/06/quilceda-creek-columbia-valley-red-wine.html
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3/18/2023 - Birorganic Likes this wine: 92 Points
Still in very good shape. Full resolved but will continue to age. Tons of sediment. Decant. Did not taste like a 17 year old wine. Lots of chocolate.
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5/20/2022 - DaneM Likes this wine:
Pop n pour was tannic and bitter. Much improved on day 2 and 3.
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2/16/2022 - BobbaWA Likes this wine: 90 Points
DNF - we opened four bottles of QC Red Wine, a 2005, 2006, 2010, and 2011 and tasted side by side. While the 2010 was the favorite, the 2006 was deemed 2nd best, but guess what, we never finished the bottle. Fruit, but maybe diminishing.
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12/25/2021 - ron m wrote:
Really excellent and drinking great at this point. Blackberries cherries and a melange of dark fruit. Robust but not overpowering. Smooth and polished with a good long finish. Has the '16 a day before which was certainly too young, this one is fully resolved and ready to go.
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1/25/2021 - Acohen Likes this wine: 92 Points
Classic WA cab with cassis, leather, mocha and minerality
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11/28/2020 - davidandrose Likes this wine: 91 Points
Uncorked and hooked up to a nitrogen tap. These notes are during the course of night one. Classic QC aromas when first pouring, But indicative of the age, with muted blue fruit and some vibrant pine on the nose.
3 hrs in there’s lavender along w blue fruit on the nose. Fruit is secondary to structure on the palate, but candied red fruit kicks in on the finish. I’d say it’s time to drink up any remaining bottles, with great appreciation for a wine that only cost $36 on release and drinks this well 12 years later.
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6/3/2020 - mpdonnel Likes this wine: 90 Points
Holding up nicely, darker red fruits, but still fresh, smooth tannins. Not a lot of complexity, but an easy drinker. Enjoyed with ribs. Not a great value however.
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5/30/2020 - BobbaWA Likes this wine: 92 Points
Plums & moss on the nose. A burst of smooth, dark fruit on the tongue. Nicely balanced. Holding up very well for 14 years!
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5/4/2020 - BobbaWA Likes this wine: 92 Points
Holding up nicely - lovely bouquet, the color just beginning to fade the tiniest amount. Big legs. Cassis, blackberry. Dry finish.
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9/25/2019 - hiker_guy Likes this wine:
Rich, opulent wine that we served with lamb burgers. Good pairing.
Very true to the house style, this is a big bold wine, layers of oak and fruit that 13 years has almost fully integrated.
Nose was very aromatic and still had lots of oak notes.
Palate was large scale, multi-layered and attention demanding. The lamb burgers really paired well with this wine so that it didn't overwhelm the food. Finish was medium long.
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7/28/2018 - norsktorsk wrote: 92 Points
very nice.
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4/7/2018 - retired_and_roving Likes this wine:
Q2 - 2018 Tasting - Aged Washington State Wines (NYC): 6/11 wines tasted double blind. This had a nose of dark fruits with some tobacco. On the palate this was drinking really nicely very mature and nicely knit together with a long finish. Quite an attractive wine. My general experience with these QC red wines is that they deliver a lot relative to the price. This one is in a great drinking window right now and seems like it will hold for another 5 years - I think the CT window is far to narrow. 0 pennies voted by me but this was my 3rd favorite and 2 by the group overall
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4/7/2018 - MC2 Wines wrote:
Q2 2018 Tasting - Aged Washington Wines (The Apt): Wine #6: Interesting to have this one blind with the flagship wine. It's black currant and a hint of funk and coffee. Good wine. Great QPR when you factor in price point. (2 pennies)
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12/2/2017 - davidandrose Likes this wine: 91 Points
Had two glasses and hook the balance up to a nitrogen canister. Unfortunately the wine disintegrated after the course of a week on gas but the initial glasses were still very solid and capable of aging another year or two.
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11/26/2017 - jfkwines wrote: 91 Points
Opened for two hours or so. Drank great, paired well with steak. No tannins after airing out, Slight seasoning on the edge of the wine, but as mentioned by others, nothing overwhelming and therefore, probably not going much further
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10/30/2017 - GA_Seattle Likes this wine: 90 Points
Nose of red fruit, but richer and darker upon taste. Medium body, medium acid, still holding up well. Enjoyable. Fine to drink over the next year.
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10/20/2017 - Rhone Rick Likes this wine:
Drink ‘em if you got ‘em. Greatness in a bottle but either a suboptimal bottle or they are gently tailing ....
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9/20/2017 - rmcnees Likes this wine: 92 Points
This was dark inky garnet colored, medium-full bodied, concentrated structured forward black berry and black raspberry fruits with notes of kirsch, almost cherry cola like with dark mocha chocolate, hints of cedar, tones of tobacco and leather on the structured tannin lingering finish.
https://unwindwine.blogspot.com/2017/09/forts-latourquilcedaredwine.html
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7/28/2017 - MWes Likes this wine: 93 Points
Pop and pour. Stored in my cellar since release. This is really singing. Drank over several hours and didn't change much. I feel it is at it's peak and while it will hold for a few more years (maybe more), I don't think it will get better.
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4/14/2017 - hanasowner wrote: 90 Points
Opened 30 minutes before the first pour...traces of red fruit on the nose...soft mouthfeel with no tannins present...medium finish...my last of six bottles...no need to let these rest any longer.
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1/12/2017 - rojoloco Likes this wine: 91 Points
Not as good as previous bottles. Ok but not great.
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1/30/2016 - johnnyo wrote: 92 Points
I love this wines value
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12/27/2015 - enjoyvino wrote: 92 Points
Nice wine all around. Earthy both on the nose and palate. Nice mouth feel, little bit of tannin on the end and what I would consider a nice medium to long finish.
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12/24/2015 - golfhawk Likes this wine: 93 Points
Very complex wine with fruit, spice and earth. Is bigger than I expected even after a 2 hour decant. Would pair it with a rich dinner in the future.
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12/23/2015 - Coupe 60 wrote:
Decanted. Cork was a bit dry. Wine still a beast. Dark slightly sweet fruit. Cassis.perhaps some kirsch
Tasty but still needed a longer decant. Perhaps too big for me.
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12/15/2015 - fredb Likes this wine:
Dark, nearly opaque red color. Aromas of kirsch and cherry liqueur followed by blueberry and vanilla. Palate initially is cocktail-like with blueberry and kirsch flavors. With some air, this subsides a bit and the wine comes into a better sense of balance with blueberry, currant, asphalt, and some peppery notes on a medium-long finish. I can't say I preferred this to the Jones, but if I factor price into the equation, it is a clear winner.
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12/15/2015 - La Cave d'Argent Likes this wine: 92 Points
This opaque ruby/red wine is a blend of 77% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Cabernet Franc, 10% Merlot, 2% Petit Verdot and 1% Malbec. It was Vinturi-decanted and serially tasted over several hours. After 2-3 hours in decanter, a bouquet of black cherries, dark chocolate, lavender, licorice, and pipe tobacco is fully released. Full-bodied, seamlessly alcoholic (15.2%) and with low-to-medium acidity, it delivers a flavor profile which mirrors the nose. There are plentiful mouth-coating tannins to swaddle the fruit. Dense and layered in the middle, it closes with good persistence. Well-cellared bottles of this structured offering should hold up well for several more years. Drink now-2023.
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12/11/2015 - Nbkat8 wrote: 92 Points
Very Good - still holding up, some structure left but very smooth overall. Has dark fruit and cedar throughout the mid palette. Drinking window prime now and over the next couple of years.
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11/14/2015 - no leashes wrote: 92 Points
Delicious, smooth, silky dark cherry, spice and pencil lead flavors, rich yet elegant. Wish the bottle was endless. Can't wait to try the "big brother".
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11/14/2015 - davidandrose Likes this wine: 91 Points
Finished off the bottle I CV'd earlier in the month. Popped the cork and allowed it to open for 90 mins. Faint berries and black fruit on the nose. Structure is medium, somewhat watery as noted before, but the fruit, tobacco and smoke provide nice flavors. Solid wine.
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11/5/2015 - davidandrose Likes this wine:
Coravin a glass.Bordeaux nose with forest floor, slight must. Dusty tannins nicely balance mature fruits. Well-aged wine whose fruit still exhibits energy, this is clearly in its wheelhouse but doesn't need to be rushed. Still say drink by 17-18. Great expression
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9/17/2015 - johnnyo wrote: 91 Points
Lovely
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8/22/2015 - rojoloco Likes this wine: 93 Points
Notes from memory of a few days ago. After about an hour in the bottle poured off to the shoulders, this wine was absolutely delicious, almost like cabernet candy. Just great. Big contrast to the 2005 which has yet to give up as good a flavor profile as the 2006.
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6/19/2015 - ron m wrote:
This is at a great spot. Dark berries, cassis, some tobacco. Medium acidity. Very polished, a tad too civilized. Very good finish. Everyone at the party loved it.
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4/26/2015 - Grape Stuff Likes this wine: 93 Points
This is absolutely superb right now. P&P and consumed over 2 hours. Perfectly balanced notes of cassis, black cherry, ripe raspberry, hints of tart blueberry, wild strawberry, subtle spice, a whispery hint of leather, and just stunning balance and finish. In a blind tasting against much higher priced WA and CA Cabs and Bordeaux blends, this wine would do extremely well. Killer QPR, sorry it's my last but I'll have to look for more.
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4/18/2015 - lirvingham Likes this wine: 92 Points
This wine was showing exceptionally well. Should drink well for at least the next two years IMO. I enjoyed this so much, I'm really starting to question the $140 for the cab.
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1/19/2015 - norsktorsk wrote:
to Sharan
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1/18/2015 - enjoyvino wrote: 92 Points
Short decant at restaurant. Great bordeaux nose of deep dark fruit with some mocha. Palate was well integrated, good fruit, medium complexity and good finish. I liked it and was not disappointed.
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12/25/2014 - johnnyo wrote: 92 Points
Amazing QPR!
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11/28/2014 - ipp wrote: 90 Points
Seeing how much I love everything from Quilceda, I was a bit disappointed. The wine is clearly well made ... good balance, good structure, good color. But it lacked any discernible fruit. More of a Bordeaux style. Good, not great.
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10/27/2014 - JS1056 wrote:
Drank two bottles with some real bottle variation. Although one bottle was a little dull the second bottle was vibrant and full of fruit. For both bottles the tannins were tamed with earth and dark fruit. One the first bottle the fruit was there but there was a fog hanging over it. The second bottle was like a clear day.
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10/24/2014 - norsktorsk wrote: 90 Points
Not as good as the 09 but ready
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10/20/2014 - norsktorsk wrote: 92 Points
Very nice. Rich, flavor and long finish.
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9/20/2014 - Rhone Rick wrote: 94 Points
Remarkably extracted, inky and saturated. Drinking beautifully and not past its prime.
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7/25/2014 - rojoloco Likes this wine: 91 Points
Very nice. A little heat on the back end in the first hour or so. Better the second day. Nice and round with some depth.
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6/29/2014 - davidandrose Likes this wine: 91 Points
Decanted for 45 mins, then followed over an hour. Extremely dry profile, with modest blackberry/black cherry flavors, faint vanilla and muted tobacco. While very easy to drink, this didn't have the depth I typically find in a QC red.
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6/2/2014 - Grape Stuff Likes this wine: 91 Points
Pop and pour and consumed over ~2 hours. Well balanced, with currant, licorice, black raspberry, blackberry, baking spices, a floral hint, and subtle vanilla on the finish. Great mouthfeel and long length. Excellent QPR.
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4/13/2014 - Steve's Cellar wrote:
- Brick color and aromas of blackberry, raspberry and mushroom. It's balanced and has flavours of tobacco, blackberry, black currant, vanilla and mushroom with a medium/full body. Polished texture with a long finish - Drank w/Lim parents. They liked better than '08 Pride Cab.
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3/28/2014 - norsktorsk wrote:
to Sharan
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1/16/2014 - RPerro Likes this wine: 90 Points
Lots of wood apparent with this wine. Day 2 it had calmed down and was drinking quite nicely. Sweet black fruit, cassis, espresso, oak, and a vanillin finish.
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1/14/2014 - gordoyflaca wrote: 87 Points
Seems very over-oaked right now. Oak dominates. I think there is a thread of pure black cherry in here?
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1/9/2014 - gbbwino wrote: 89 Points
Crazy! Such bottle variation....the tannin and oak here are predominant. Popped the same bottle a few nights ago and it was a totally different experience. Same net result for different reasons.
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1/6/2014 - gbbwino wrote: 89 Points
Been almost 2 years since my last bottle....seems to be past it's prime. Soft, lush and light....all tannin and oak has melted away. Pretty simple wine at this stage...wish I hadn't waited this long and will be drinking up the rest.
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1/5/2014 - skifree wrote:
Consistent with previous note - dark fruit, black tea, a hint of spice wrapped together nicely.
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1/1/2014 - KPieper Likes this wine:
tasty without food. With smoked turkey, began to show its alcohol. Much more fruit still present than the 2004 recently opened.
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12/31/2013 - JHalvorson Likes this wine: 90 Points
We had this wine opened at a restaurant on New Years's eve. Based on the dark color I was expecting a heavier wine. We enjoyed it none the less. This wine is of the Bordeaux style with lighter flavors and more subtleness. It went very well with the Italian food we had and I think would have benefited from being decanted.
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12/19/2013 - Zinlady wrote: 91 Points
Enjoyed. Big. Balanced. Dark. Had with Moussaka Tasted mature.
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12/14/2013 - hanasowner wrote: 91 Points
Opened an hour in advance. Drinking great right now...wonderful mouthfeel and finish. Bottle went fast. Always a buyer of the Red Wine.
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12/14/2013 - La Cave d'Argent Likes this wine: 93 Points
A blend of 77% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Cabernet Franc, 10% Merlot, 2% Petit Verdot and 1% Malbec, this wine was Vinturi-decanted and serially tasted over the ensuing four hours. It remains a youthful-appearing opaque ruby. With aeration over 3-4 hours, aromas of black cherry liqueur, chocolate, licorice, cedar and earth develop to moderate intensity. The wine is full-bodied on the palate, with low-to-medium acidity, ample ripe tannins, well-integrated alcohol (reported as 15.2%) and ripe black fruit (and bittersweet chocolate) flavors. The flavors build on the middle and the finish is now quite lengthy. Time in the cellar has paid dividends since my last sampling of this wine 12/17/10. No doubt that the fruit and structure are there for this one to provide enjoyment for at least another decade. Drink now-2023.
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10/12/2013 - davidandrose Likes this wine: 92 Points
Blueberry quite evident upon uncorking, tar and tobacco on the nose. Mouthfeel is medium - to -watery in weight, yet satisfying. Blackberry prominent, cathing some dark chocolate and hints of vanilla / toasted oak as well. While my last bottle gave me the impression that this was peaking, I still believe that to be the case, however I believe the drinking window extends to the late 20-teens rather than 2015. If the bottle will be consumed in its entirety within an hour, give 60 mins of air before drinking.
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9/6/2013 - memphishusky Likes this wine:
This was really good and seems to have ample time left. With a bottle open "decant" only, the wine was aromatic and very smooth, with ample fruit.
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8/22/2013 - lirvingham wrote: 92 Points
In a great state but tons of time. Black fruit, hints of anise and huge on the semi sweet chocolate. Palate lives up to the nose with a long finish and good acid
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6/2/2013 - davidandrose Likes this wine: 92 Points
Decanted and allowed to rest for an hour before following. 3.5 hours after decanting there's still some faint oak on the nose, along with old leather and sweet berries - bordeaux notes abound. Mouthfeel is smooth and silky, more fruit than tannin indicating that this is in its or just beyond its prime. Mostly cherry, some blackberry and currants. I'll drink my remaining 6 bottles by 2015/16.
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5/20/2013 - benny wrote: 92 Points
Drinking well but can still cellar. A unique wine. Very enjoyable but hard to describe. Not your grandfather's wine.
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5/2/2013 - MLwine wrote: 90 Points
Solid cabernet, and decent for the price. Unfortunately, nothing unique or especially compelling.
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3/7/2013 - pjhr wrote: 92 Points
8 hours of slow-ox in the cellar and this bottle was singing! Keep the temp cellar cool otherwise heat peaks through on the finish. Clearly drinking well above it's level!
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2/13/2013 - phantphant wrote: 91 Points
This is terrific!
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1/28/2013 - Justinwine wrote: 92 Points
Lush and delicious. The right time to drink this wine.
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1/24/2013 - Leeh Likes this wine: 93 Points
Loved this wine, very smooth with lovely flavors, medium body
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1/21/2013 - phantphant wrote: 92 Points
Wonderful...wonderful
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1/19/2013 - NTR wrote: 92 Points
Hi..bottle#2 since that tirade....what a huge change can happen over two and half years....have I changed? Has my palate changed? Probably a mixture of both....what do I find now?? Nose a little restrained, still a solid red fruit nose, and some graphite notes...a very tight mouthfeel, highly tannic. Very youthful, burbs solid fruit structure. Too drink this now absence some fatty cheese or acidic food defeats the purpose...you will find it very bitter...still a solid red...going 92 ( as it turns out again..just checked th score previously) but can be better...
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12/30/2012 - skifree Likes this wine: 92 Points
Wonderful bouquet on opening, dark fruit and black tea, with the tea dominating the finish. Spice added to the finish as it warmed up.
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12/23/2012 - redrhonewine wrote: 93 Points
Wow, this is really lovely juice. Decanted for an hour and consumed over the next 3 hrs. Very rich with massive dark cherries and baking spices on the palate with fine tannins.
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12/18/2012 - no leashes wrote: 91 Points
Delicious, silky dark cherry, pencil lead, mineral flavors, medium to full bodied, coats the entire palate.
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12/2/2012 - subir wrote: 87 Points
Big, alcoholic and woody. Will it ever be "ready"?
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12/2/2012 - tarheel17 wrote:
too much alcohol. neither of us could really stomach it, even at very cool (55) temperature.
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11/12/2012 - Acohen wrote: 91 Points
Beginning to open up even after two hours in a decanter. Rich red fruit with coffee, chocolate and slight minerality that leads to a nice finish
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10/20/2012 - winetastingnote wrote: 94 Points
Big big wine! Tannins have subsided a little, now silky smooth, enormous fruit, coffee, clove, black cherry, and cassis on the nose, thick mouth feel, 45+ second finish. Can't wait to pop the Columbia valley!
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10/6/2012 - hanasowner wrote: 91 Points
Not a complexity...just a solid and enjoyable fruity red. Medium body with tannins that will continue to mellow out.
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8/12/2012 - pjhr wrote: 92 Points
Tasty blackberry, plum and cassis notes on the nose and palate with hints of mocha on the finish.
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8/5/2012 - dd wrote:
very nice
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7/5/2012 - emdub wrote: 90 Points
Drank side by side with the 2005. This seemed more restrained and a better made wine. I really use to love these at $35-38 price range, but would much rather spend my money elsewhere. Blueberry, somewhat hot, slight green on the nose.
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7/4/2012 - ron m wrote:
Happy Fourth of July! Picked up as a reasonably serious American wine for the party. Decanted 1 hour, it was still showing young but delivered solid depth and complexity - dark berries, cassis, licorice, cigar box, leather. Big boned and dense, but well balanced. Medium finish. All in all, good wine that shows its pedigree, even if a bit rustic. The rest can sleep for a while.
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6/9/2012 - davidandrose wrote: 91 Points
Becoming more approachable and balanced.
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4/20/2012 - leadpencil wrote: 94 Points
Dark red, medium-full bodied. Boysenberry, licorice, cigar box. Best second wine I have had.
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4/12/2012 - jetfan wrote: 93 Points
killer. dense with balanced fruit
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3/19/2012 - *Vine* wrote:
Popped and poured. Medium-plus deep garnet/purple hue, still quite youthful. Aromatically forward upon pouring and showing fruit, with moderately complex notes of blackberry, blueberry, creme de cassis, vanilla bean, herbs, earth, and a subtle floral note. Medium-plus body, silky mouthfeel. Nothing subtle about the flavors in mouth, this shows a great core of fresh black and red fruits along with hints of herbs, root vegetables, and earth along with spice and smoke from toasted oak. The tannins are somewhat chewy and astringent but push the fruit flavors through on the moderate-plus close. Moderate acidity. This is drinking quite nicely at present but should be even better with a few more years. All-in-all, just a really nice vintage from Quilceda Creek of their second wine.
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3/19/2012 - bonedoc wrote: 91 Points
Ditto last tasting note. 2nd night showed no signs of fading, and it was maybe better than the first night.
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3/16/2012 - daveo6313 wrote: 92 Points
Beautiful floral nose with red fruits and a hint of mint. Nice bright red fruits, crushed stone and minerals with a touch of blueberries. Beautiful full lush mouth feel with a medium to dark color. I passed on the flagship this spring but I will load up on these in the fall.
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3/14/2012 - mokadamn wrote: 92 Points
I can't believe his is their "leftovers" wine. It remains spectacular and stands on its own despite its muscular big brothers. Has outstanding Washington fruit up front with cinnamon on the nose. Tannins are mellowing on the back end and has lovely legs.
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3/12/2012 - dleaf wrote: 93 Points
Drank over a three day period and held up well to day 3.
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3/4/2012 - fredb Likes this wine:
Dark red, saturated color. Strong aromas of plum, cassis, blueberry, and licorice. Palate is full of red currant and licorice flavors with ample, suave tannins and no real sign of the advertised alcohol. The finish cleans up enough to keep this from being gloppy and this has developed positively for my tastes. Drinkable now with a hearty grilled meat and expect that it will reward further cellar time if you are seeking some subtlety to emerge. Very boisterous right now. Drink or hold.
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3/4/2012 - raddoc71 wrote:
Nice red fruit and a touch of floral notes on the nose. Full, balanced mouth feel. Lush red fruit caress every taste bud. Supportive, but restrained tannins in the middle along with stone and subtle meat flavors The finish went on forever with a hint of licorice. Spot on brilliant. Had with beef bourguignon.
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3/1/2012 - depdoc wrote: 89 Points
Lots of dark fruit aroma which matches the palate along with spice. Needs more age.
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2/24/2012 - A&C wrote: 89 Points
A very nice table wine with a little extra thrown in for good measure.
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2/21/2012 - bonedoc wrote: 92 Points
Wow, this is a big wine -definitely new world style. Concentrated, rich, fruit forward, however manages to stay in balance. This has at least another 5 yrs in it.
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2/10/2012 - Rhone Rick wrote: 95 Points
Thought about giving it a 75 to sandbag the averages and keep this gem to myself. Off the hook special....bright cab notes surrounded by cab franc jam. Both subtle and strong. Wish I had more, but will save stuff for a year or so from now.
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1/10/2012 - phantphant wrote: 88 Points
Lovely lovely
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1/7/2012 - gbbwino wrote: 93 Points
Getting better with each passing day! Still has time to go and needs it to peak.
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1/6/2012 - A&C wrote: 94 Points
I take the entire month of January off from drinking wine -- well, except for my wife's birthday (which is tomorrow). Plus, we had some good friends stop over for a couple of G & T's tonight. So, what was I to do. I popped this table wine. Wow!!! Was I surprised. This is Exhibit "A" for the benefits of time in the bottle. A few years back, I was not so impressed. Now, I am completely impressed. Can I please delete my review from 8/11/10? This is SPECTACULAR!! This may be one of my better purchases. This is really, really, really, really, really, really GOOD!! It all has now come into integration. It is working on all cylinders so to speak. That Washington fruit is divine. The oak has faded, and what is left is the very definition of great Washington Wine Making. This wine makes me want to buy about 5 cases. Shhhhhhh. It's a secret that this table wine is so good. Don't tell anyone. P.S. It really sings with Down In The Valley by The Head and the Heart. Something about fiddles. . . .
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1/6/2012 - Love4Vino wrote:
Big and bold. Lots of blueberry pie notes. A crowd favorite.
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12/17/2011 - bubbachumps wrote: 92 Points
Consistent with my prior note. Holding up very well and lots of life ahead of it.
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12/17/2011 - danielk168 wrote: 90 Points
Some heat at first, tannins still very strong, mellow out after 2 hours, need to decant this baby. Or keep a few more years, should last very well. Nose of oak and nuts, fruits not showing much until about 2 hours later, the last hour was great, balanced and complex.
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12/9/2011 - davidandrose wrote: 92 Points
Decanted and allowed to sit for 75 minutes before drinking. Dry with a slight sourness immediately upon opening, but this was eliminated before the drinking window opened. Blackcurrants, red fruit, finely polished tannins, barely a hint of oak.
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12/4/2011 - Troon Likes this wine: 91 Points
Great wine for the money. Drinks so much bigger than its price. Strawberries on the nose with subtle red fruit on the palate. The wine improved as the night progressed. The tannins were still strong, so I think this wine could go a few more years. Medium finish with a nice balance. I wish I had more of this vintage.
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11/25/2011 - MLwine wrote: 92 Points
Excellent QPR. Rich, smooth, and balanced, with nice fruit and just enough grip. Good structure with a bit of complexity. Very enjoyable.
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11/23/2011 - Grape Stuff wrote: 91 Points
No formal notes. 90 minute decant and consumed over two hours. Well balanced wine with red fruit, spice, and subtle blackberry. Well integrated tannins with a finish of red currant, a floral note and a hint vanilla. Definitely improved with the extra year in bottle and easily has 5+ years ahead.
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11/14/2011 - dleaf wrote: 95 Points
Drank over a two day period. Only got better the second day. Double decanted, beautiful fruit, long intense finish with polished tannins. The nose I couldn't believe as the first day,first pour I had my stemless glass sitting a foot away from me on a back couch table and the fragrance drifted over to me and drew me in to taste.
Maybe the first bottle I opened which was totally different on the down side was a little dumb, I don't know. Looking forward to the third to find out!
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10/16/2011 - A&C wrote: 90 Points
What a difference some time in the bottle makes with this table wine. For some reason, this paired extremely well with slow cooked Ahi Tuna steaks, that I cooked in fresh ginger, garlic, Chinese fish sauce, soy sauce, and wine. There was magic when eating the cooked ginger and this wine. Who knew that cooked ginger and red wine worked so well, but they do. This wine has started to off gas its early overly oaked profile, and what is left behind is a nice, fruit-filled wine, that is picking up an almost Italian wine profile, with some nice chalk and vanilla in the finish. The rough edges are falling away. It still needs some more time, but it is just entering the beginning of a very nice stage for drinking.
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9/10/2011 - phantphant wrote: 93 Points
Terrific...earth...intensity....just overall terrific.
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9/5/2011 - TXRhoneRanger wrote:
This note is not about lazy-ness, but I found it represents a very accurate note of this wine.
Sean Sullivan(of the WA Wine Report) wrote: "Dark and inky in color. Almost opaque. Abundant dark fruit, including black currant and blackberry jam, along with spice and oak. Touches of vanilla and light perfume. A thick, gripping wine with a strong tannin lick and a gigantic mid-palate loaded with fruit and spice. Lots of oak notes on the nose. Alcohol comes through occasionally as well. Still fairly closed at the moment. Decant extensively before consuming or wait 3-5 years. Tasted twice with consistent notes. 77% Cabernet; 10% Cab Franc; 10% Merlot; 2% Petit Verdot; 1% Malbec. 15.2% alcohol. Sampled at 65 degrees." *quoted*
I used a pumice aerator many times to try and get this bastard to open up and strut some stuff. Currently showing all of the above. You can tell that the G family is still trying to provide good QPR for the money, but with the financial investment of their oak regime, one must charge for it. Oh, and their fruit sources aren't cheap either. I'm drinking the last glass on hour 4, and it still is tight. Cellar or decant aggressively.
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8/30/2011 - phantphant wrote:
My word. OUTSTANDING bottle.
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8/10/2011 - no leashes wrote: 91 Points
Black fruit, pencil lead, licorice flavors, smooth, rich, supple texture, coats the entire palate. Delicious with grilled salmon. Decanted for an hour.
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8/2/2011 - hanasowner wrote: 90 Points
Popped and poured. This one is usually a crowd pleaser with its upfront fruit and was this night as well. Great balance of dark fruit and some spice, vanilla. No presence of alcohol and a decent finish.
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7/26/2011 - bdeblank wrote: 93 Points
Very nice. Really came together well after being open for a couple hours. Fruit, some nice minerals. Great finish.
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7/21/2011 - dd wrote:
awesome
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7/2/2011 - phantphant wrote: 83 Points
Not nearly meeting expectations.
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6/21/2011 - Xfactor wrote: 84 Points
Tasted on night 2 with family. Despite some overnight ox and development, this wine still showed some nice red tree fruit and earthen oak notes. Wish I had a crack at it on night one at +2 hours decanting; probably would have been a decent glass. Body was medium and yet not weighty at all.
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5/12/2011 - vinoceros wrote: 92 Points
Another great bottle. I have to admit this wine is a little silly in terms of being over the top with fruit, alcohol and vanilla. It's great fun to drink and went well with our burgers.
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5/7/2011 - RPerro wrote: 93 Points
Followed a 2005 Corliss Syrah. This was much more complex, offering definite cabernet flavors. Some floral (violets?) aspect running through the nose, and some nice creamy vanilla on the long finish.
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5/6/2011 - MagnumGourmet Likes this wine:
Popped and poured, should have decanted it but all of the decanters were dirty (whoops). Nose of cedar, blackberry, pipe tobacco and vanilla. Even at 15% alcohol there was no perceptible heat. Nice weight on the mid palate without being heavy. Flavors of vanilla, blackberry and currant. Overall this wine integrated much better after about an hour of air. Solid effort. Would purchase again.
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4/14/2011 - phantphant wrote: 90 Points
Plush, solid, deep, lasting. Yumm
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3/4/2011 - Gnome wrote: flawed
Corked. Bummer.
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2/27/2011 - Gilmortal wrote: 88 Points
Decanted 3 hours, opened up a little, but still young and hot, but with great promise. Will try another bottle in a year.
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2/20/2011 - whinenut wrote: 88 Points
Was hoping to see improvement this time. Best part is the finish. Finish has more fruit than nose or palate. Has fine grain sweet tannin. Don't believe it will turn into anything special. My last purchase of this wine.
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2/20/2011 - emdub wrote: 85 Points
Over the top. Big fruit. Little structure. Lot's of heat. This is not what I expected from this wine.
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2/12/2011 - rjc3 Likes this wine: 89 Points
Good, but after a 2006 Charles Smith Royal City, it probably seemed less impressive than it was.
Pretty well balanced, but the pleasant pepper sometimes seems a bit vegetal. Still a very pleasant wine.
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2/4/2011 - mjf@ulkner wrote: 85 Points
Lots of oak. Decent, but pretty unremarkable. A reminder why I'm not a fan of second wines.
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1/24/2011 - phantphant wrote: 85 Points
Pleasant enough....but much weaker than previous QC Red Wines.....nothing special. Hint of usual
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1/5/2011 - brianngibson wrote: 93 Points
Blackberry, tar, leather and black pepper. Creme de cassis and oak. Chocolate on the finish. Last bottle. Will have to decide when to crack open the big boy estate wine now.
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12/30/2010 - bubbachumps wrote: 92 Points
Delicious and in a great drinking window for me. Still some tannins, but less evident. ON the nose, chocolate covered dark cherries. In the mouth smooth grained tannins and goes down very well. Get chocolate notes in the mouth as well. Hides the 15.2% alc very nicely on the nose and palate. I was very happy to open this tonight.
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12/29/2010 - dionysis wrote: 93 Points
Even a notch above the last time -- no better value out there. Wish I had more!
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12/28/2010 - Beck wrote: 88 Points
fine wine for the price.
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12/26/2010 - deltacop wrote: 90 Points
very nice. enjoyable now. a bit of veggies. mild tannins. enjoy!
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12/26/2010 - ghobby wrote: 89 Points
Nice wine; complex with darker fruit flavors, has a rustic earthy taste,
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12/24/2010 - rbtfrazier wrote: 70 Points
Open the next one in about 20 years.
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12/19/2010 - parathesis wrote: 91 Points
Had a bottle at Christmas. Dark with chocolate and coffee, black fruits. Very nice
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12/17/2010 - La Cave d'Argent wrote: 91 Points
77% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Cabernet Franc, 10% Merlot, 2% Petit Verdot, 1% Malbec, 15.2% alcohol. This wine was taken from my cellar, popped and poured in front of the fire and Christmas tree with my wife and some Boursin cheese. Opaque purple/ruby robe. Being patient (which is easy when relaxing in front of the fire), the wine opens over the first hour to show a quite intense nose of black currants, smoke, dry earth and tar. Full-bodied on the palate, with low-to-medium acidity, generous ripe tannins and black fruit flavors, with amazingly well-integrated alcohol (considering the number). The absolutely solid middle leads to a medium-long, slightly astringent finish. This wine is very enjoyable now, but for those with patience, a couple more years in the bottle should pay nice dividends. Drink 1/13-12/20.
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12/13/2010 - memphishusky wrote:
Two hour decant. Nice aromas and lively flavors.
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11/26/2010 - Grape Stuff wrote:
No notes.
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11/25/2010 - RPerro wrote: 91 Points
Decanted 1 hour. Nose of red and black berries, violets and a bit of wood, with flavors to match. Not as tannic as I assumed it would be, although the oak did start to creep out into the forefront after around 2 hours. Finish was all creamy vanilla and fairly lengthy.
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11/7/2010 - texaswinelover wrote: 86 Points
Oaky, disjointed mess.
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11/2/2010 - madeiradog wrote: 91 Points
Great qpr cab - definitely more on the fruitier and easy drinking side. Big nose of violet and mixed berries. Very good structure and balance. Good fun to drink now.
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11/2/2010 - Wop wrote: 93 Points
Bordeaux no, delicious yes. Went with the vinturi and the double decant. Balanced new world cab with nice dark berry fruit, resolving sweetening tannins, and uplifting acidity on the finish.
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10/14/2010 - gordoyflaca wrote: 92 Points
we liked this. This is a raspberry creamsickle dusted with fennel pollen- in a good way. Good acidity. Drinkable now but can go the distance.
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10/13/2010 - emdub wrote: 91 Points
Great for the price and worth the sneak peak of what this winery can do.
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10/13/2010 - phantphant wrote: 91 Points
Very Bordeaux like.....deep, penetrating earth with pucker finish. If I had had this blind, I wouldn't have guessed New World, in a good way.
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9/28/2010 - Wine Sparty wrote: 89 Points
Decanted for a couple hours on the first night, then finished off the second half of the bottle the next night. Cocoa & dark fruits smell. The taste was smooth, definitely could tell the Merlot component in this.
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9/16/2010 - brianngibson wrote: 93 Points
Deep crimson. Blackberry, boysenberry, and cassis. Leather and licorice. My first QC and look forward to the estate cab and SVDs in the cellar if this is any indication.
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9/9/2010 - rschoemehl Likes this wine: 93 Points
Like a dark fruit bordeaux. This was seemless and really well made. Still just a baby, it was much more elegant on day 2. This wine represents a great value. World class.
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9/9/2010 - gbbwino wrote: 92 Points
Not sure what happened here - the previous 5 bottles have all be dissapointing to me, but #6 hit a sweet spot. This thing had completely settled down - no offensive alcohol & oak!!!! Very well integrated & while not perfectly balanced, it was a joy to drink. I'm SHOCKED to be honest as I had totally written off this wine & only ordered 3 of the '07's as a result (normally I buy 12-18 each year). Saved 1/2 of the bottle corked for the next day & it remained solid! If every bottle was like this; I'd be a happy camper. Loaded with fruit, spice & softe oak influence this time around. Cedar on the nose with some cassis & mint & black berries. Hope my remaining 6 bottles are as good as this one & may check back on the QC website to order more '07!
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9/7/2010 - cubswinws wrote: 90 Points
Great nose and perfect balance. Seemed in a nice place and ready to drink. Will probably consume my remaining bottle soon.
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9/1/2010 - ahow858 wrote: 94 Points
A gift from our best friends from our wedding, opened on our first annivesary. The waiter immediately got a huge smile looking at what we had and grabbed us a decanter. "What a monster he said...you're gonna love it!" Huge wine that paired perfectly with my filet...great nose, firm tannins and big flavor...silky finish that lasted on and on.
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8/27/2010 - deltacop wrote: 90 Points
On target to better then my last bottle. Still have to agree with my note that this has a similar taste to the Lewelling regular bottle. Will enjoy the other half tonight! Enjoy!
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8/17/2010 - phantphant wrote: 93 Points
This was ALL that. A great blend with subtlety and length. The finish sealed the deal. Tremendous.
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8/12/2010 - khmark7 wrote: 87 Points
This opens up quickly with medicinal aromas, almost minty. Lacking a mid-palate the finish is rather odd, an almost cherry cobbler meets Robitussin combination. 15.2% alcohol has me feeling intoxicated after the 1st glass? This doesn't taste like Cabernet, more like an Australian shiraz...Parker style. I opened this to have a taste before I ordered any 2007's....sorry QC, I will enjoy my Bordeaux and Robert Parker can have my allocation.
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8/11/2010 - A&C wrote: 88 Points
First impression: silky plums with an echo of the real Quilceda Cab. I then got lost in a book --- Darkness Visible -- and came back to the wine to write an actual review. This is a very nice wine. It has that Washington fruit profile, which is ripe, fruity, soft and feminine. There are, however, some oaky tannins in the background, which feel at this point (after about 3 hours in the glass) to be a bit too oaky, and the tannins need some time to settle down. For the price point, this is a pretty good wine, particularly when it is just popped and poured. This is one of those instances where the flaws in the wine were revealed with time in the air. The slight bitterness from the oak profile and the tannins detracted from my early fondness for the wine when it was just opened. I will be curious to see how this wine evolves with more time in the cellar. Right now, the rating reflects the fact that the oak and the tannins are a bit too pronounced for me.
Night Number 2:
After last night's experience drinking from the wood-chipper, I decided to try again. This is still quite tannic tonight, but getting better. The bitterness of the wood is fading, although still pronounced, which is confirming my belief that this needs many years in the cellar. It is better than night #1, but not there yet. Probably an 89 tonight.
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8/7/2010 - thebonnydooner wrote: 93 Points
What a lovely wine. Took a sniff before decanting and was already showing lovely cabernet notes - mint, cassis and berry. With some decanting this mellows somewhat, shows some heat, but pretty fresh and balanced with dark fruit on the nose. The minty note got lost on airing. Palate is smooth and well balanced - really delicous, sweet ripe cherry and blackberry fruit, with some minty cassis notes on hte finsih. Shows a little heat on the finish (15%+ ABV), but not overwhelming. Overall - this was a really nice wine and a pleasure to pair with my steak.
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8/7/2010 - uhclem wrote:
This is a big, big wine! Let it breathe for 2 hours and then decanted as there was sediment in the neck on the initial pour. A very nice nose of dark fruits accompanied by monster extraction, oak and alcoholic heat. This wine may settle down in the future, but the heat remains a concern for me. The overall impression of this wine is reminiscent of Aussie Shiraz. I think others may appreciate this wine more than me. I don't mind owning (and trying) the other 5 bottle I own, but I'm wary of buying more in similar quantities.
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8/7/2010 - CMz wrote: 92 Points
Opened w 45 min air in bottle. Dark ruby to the edge w dark fruit & spice notes on the nose. Smooth rich mouth-filling wine that is predominately blueberries and dark fruit w hints of tobacco and minerals. This has improved over the last few months or i am liking it more right now - this is a real value @ price point and easily has the structure to go another 5+ years with more improvement. If you cannot find Quilceda's flagship wine, find this one.
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8/6/2010 - Coupe 60 wrote: 91 Points
Monster of a wine, opened bottle for about 90 min. Drank towards the end of a tasting but its power still shined through a cut through a fatigued palate. Could possibly use a bit of finesse to go with the strength, but showed well enough to have me order the 2007... Has improved in the 8 months since I opened the first bottle
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8/4/2010 - whinenut wrote: 90 Points
Nose: eucalytus-mint-berries-alcohol
Palate: Alcohol-ripe berries
Finish: Berries-medium length-sweet grainy tannins
This bottle showed muchbetter than the first 5 months ago. I rated it 90 but it has the potential to improve.
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8/1/2010 - jce733 wrote: 92 Points
On the nose waves of blueberry, creme de cassis, licorice and cigar spice. When it hits the palate notes of deep blueberry, violets and creme de cassis take over. This is followed by hints of licorice, milk chocolate, clove and tar. This medium bodied wine has very ripe tannins and is great for drinking right now. The price of QC's table wine dropped to $35 this past year so it makes it a great value!
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7/17/2010 - NTR wrote: 92 Points
My first Quilceda Creek wine...nice nutty and cassis nose with a deep solid red color....a little astringent...perhaps young still...while a blend, the cab really comes out. I would expect with 10% cab franc and merlot that it would be a bit softer. This is a solid young wine. Blackberry pronounced...still tight...I really like this. If you see it one a wine list and you are eating steak, order it....you will not be disappointed...I for one will not open another until next year and review...this may be a 93 or a 94
As an aside, has anyone else noticed that CT score avg are far far more harsh than the wine critics. I am not sure what kind of lightening in a bottle the avg drinker expects. In my opinion this particular wine has scored too low on avg. Why I am not sure...perhaps everyone is incredibly particular but if this is a 91 whatever these people see as 99 or 100 must be unworldly. I have tasted and drunk hundreds of wines...some damn near awful in my younger less affluent days when I would buy a $12 wine I know would be OK and then augment it with a few throw aways at $6-$12 to expand my palate..every now and then you would hit a winner but boy were most just awful..now..a few years later and a few years more experiene and wealth... some wines I drink are off the charts and very exclusive..I am only now trying to attempt to comment more on the wines I drink....for this wine..it is borderline 93...and I have a feeling it may be 94....my grades are what a wine is NOW....not it's potential....
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7/9/2010 - deltacop wrote: 90 Points
I really liked this. The nose was great. First taste was a bit harsh and tannic right out of the bottle. I let it sit about 15-20 minutes and swirlled in the glass. Everything was great. The harshness was gone, the taste, well it reminded me of a Lewlings regular bottle. What I was hoping for. Enjoy!!!
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6/25/2010 - michigan dogs wrote: 89 Points
I enjoyed the wine, still tannic, muted fruit, probably needed more air than I gave it- very interesting earthy nose, not like too many cabs.
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5/19/2010 - kenv Likes this wine: 92 Points
Smokey red fruit nose. Very young still. Pretty structured and tannic now, but quite tasty with silky smooth fruit. Excellent length. Impressive for the price. I will wait a few years before opening another.
This has been sitting open on the kitchen counter for 11 days with the cork stuck in. No gas, no refrigeration. Man, this is good. Serious wine for the money. Should age 30 years. Thick, silky, classic Cab. If you told me this was 2000 Bordeaux, I would be believe you.
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4/30/2010 - CMz wrote: 91 Points
Opened and decanted for 45 minutes, dark ruby to the rim with dark berries on the nose. Medium body, but big in the mouth with blueberry & raspberry, anise and a touch of spice. The wine continued to open and show more fruit over the ensuing hour - well structured and it will definitely improve over the next 2-3 years. Really a very nice wine for the release price; the equal or better of many reds twice the price.
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4/24/2010 - Acohen wrote: 90 Points
Very tight when opened and took at while for the dark fruit to come through. Tannic but nice body and lots of earth, minerals, coffee upfront. Opened up over time and showed better
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4/8/2010 - *Vine* wrote: 93 Points
Popped and poured. Medium-plus purple/crimson hue Expressive aromas of ripe raspberries, blueberries, a bit of currant, anise, and a bit of funky earthiness. Medium-plus body. Flavors of black and blue fruits explode on the palate...but the complex notes of leaf tobacco, black licorice, crushed stones, and a touch of spice really amp this WA Bordeaux up a notch or two...seamless and opulent. Continually evolves in glass. Tannins are fine grained and a touch astringent; hardly surprising in a Quilceda Creek wine of any level. Needs time in the cellar, probably a good 4-5 years but certainly worth opening now on a pop 'n pour if you have fair amount; indeed, this is one of the showiest examples of Quilceda Creek Red Wine since the 2003 vintage.
Quick commentary - I have been purchasing Quilceda Creek for some time now...while easy to note the potential, most of the younger wines I've been able to taste are simply shut down (2005 Red Wine was hard as nails on release). It's quite nice to open this and then have it show so well. For that, I have to thank davidandrose for the review below; only reason why the wine wasn't decanted was due to their TN...decanting would surely have resulted in a much more closed wine.
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4/4/2010 - davidandrose wrote: 91 Points
Pop and pour; this was good right out of the bottle, but based on notes from others I gave this a strong decanting and shook the decanter vigorously several times over the course of an hour. About 90 mins after decanting the wine began thinning out, losing some of its depth and richness. I'll either go right out of the bottle next time, or I won't give it a lot of shaking or double-decanting.
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3/28/2010 - vinoceros wrote: 92 Points
Night 1: Great wine! Tight, but as it opened violets, dark fruit, licorice and fine tannins. Night 2: Mostly dominated by licorice and anise, which was surprising. Score based on the first night's drinking.
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3/25/2010 - Ghostwriter777 wrote: 93 Points
This stuff keeps getting better. The key is to give it time to open. Once it has enough air time it starts to strut its stuff and boy does it know how. What I like about this wine is the perfect balance of acids and tannins, sweetness from the oak with fruit from the grapes, yum. I have a few bottles left, will be hard to keep from consuming them. But, they way I figure it they should be peak in two to three years. What a great wine.
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3/14/2010 - leadpencil wrote: 92 Points
Dark purple, full-bodied. Licorice, currant, blueberry, tobacco. Tight, needs time.
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3/13/2010 - ETrain wrote: 91 Points
Tight, tight, tight! 2 hours in the decanter made a big difference. This wine has a ton of complexity and structure. Not sure if you can call a $35 bottle of wine a bargain, but if this said Napa on the label, it would easily be $50+
Dark, almost opaque purple, with dark fruits and lots of oak on the nose. On the palate I got more dark fruit and oak, but also an earthy component. I think patience will be rewarded, but it's awfully good now.
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3/13/2010 - Gargamel wrote: 94 Points
This is some really good wine. has a great nose of violet, blackberry, vanilla, spice, oak....palate is big and coats every portion of your palate with dark fruit, and a long finish. it does have a lot of oak, but it is very well integrated without the bitterness that often comes from an over-oaked wine. simply blew away the other three 93-94pt(spectator) wines tasted with it.
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3/7/2010 - Gene_Mo wrote: 90 Points
Dark fruits nose, typical of other QC wines. Great QPR. Decanted before drinking. Well worth the money.
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1/30/2010 - dionysis wrote: 92 Points
Great red table wine, and a wonderful value. Agree this needs to sit a while, and after having it open for 6-8 hours it was still going strong. Super structure. Should continue to improve.
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1/25/2010 - TS4F wrote: 91 Points
Based on previous reviews I knew I should wait, but I wanted to try my first QC allocation. Decanted for 3 hours before drinking. This is a BIG wine, which really needs some time to mellow. I can tell that the structure is great, and everything integrates nicely, but the overall experience is a bit much right now. I'll be waiting a couple more years before trying the next bottle.
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1/24/2010 - MWes wrote: 91 Points
Great structure. Decanted 2 hour prior to serving. Tasted vey Pauillac-like. Pencil lead, earth, and red fruit. Seemed to peak at about 4-5 hours after opening. Definitely needs time or a good decant. Drinks like a more expensive wine than it is. I am very pleased to have more of this in the cellar.
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1/21/2010 - mmyette wrote: 91 Points
delish. see previious notes
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1/20/2010 - Grinder wrote: 91 Points
Complex bouquet of spices, fresh herbs and pencils. This took an hour to open up a bit, then the palate took off. Flavors of cassis, coffee and plum. Firm tannins and overall structure. Needs several years, at least mid-2012, to come around. Very good to outstanding wine that surely is meant to be enjoyed after six or eight years cellaring.
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1/17/2010 - gbbwino wrote: 85 Points
Unbalanced, high alcohol, oak, oak, oak. Not ready to drink now so set them aside. The fruit is there, but it's overpowered by other features.
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1/16/2010 - gregsp wrote: 88 Points
Very nice, but this needs more time; this is holding back... I think. 11 more bottles, so I'll see what it has to say in 6 months.
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1/11/2010 - rjhilgers@gmail.com wrote: 91 Points
Ghostwriter777 (scroll down in the tasting notes) is definitely on to something here. There's a good wine in this bottle, but it takes a lot of effort right now. I decanted mine for 3 hours and it still wasn't quite there - a bit tight and a bit hot still. But, make no mistake, this is a good wine. I can already tell there's a lush silkiness to this wine that will only get better with time. Fruit is pretty sparse on the nose, but what fruit there is is black, with some leather, mocha and vegetable notes. In the mouth, blue/blackberry, blackcurrant, cigar tobacco and black licorice, with a very broad distribution. Very well balanced, long finish, this one should be even better if aged, but not past a few years - doesn't feel like it has legs to go much past 3 - 4 years. 77% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Cabernet Franc, 10% Merlot, 2% Petit Verdot, 1% Malbec from Champoux, Ciel du Cheval, Galitzine, Klipsun and Tapteil vineyards.
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12/25/2009 - jcbrand wrote: 89 Points
Big, extracted, visually it's like squid ink, could use some more bottle time. This was ok but really makes me want to open one of it's big brothers.
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12/25/2009 - kdillon wrote: 90 Points
Berries and cranberries. Spice on the finish.
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12/23/2009 - John wrote: 82 Points
let 'em sleep for at least a year, two would be better. not giving much, but you could see that the structure was there to blossom into a nice wine.
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12/8/2009 - TL wrote: 93 Points
Very big wine for $35. Needs time.
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12/7/2009 - Harry Cantrell wrote: 88 Points
Deep garnet. Nose and taste was like an Oz shiraz minus the pepper. Take that comment for what it is worth. But that is exactly what it tasted like.
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12/5/2009 - mmurry wrote: 91 Points
Staff Favorites (Farpointe Cellar): The nose had graphite, raspberry, floral notes, and some licorice at the end. The palate was smooth, and had black currant, tobacco, pencil shavings, spice, and a licorice finish.
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12/5/2009 - Ghostwriter777 wrote: 92 Points
I opened this wine yesterday at 2:30 and consumed through 10:00. There was a little sediment in the neck, the cork was much darker than my previous '06. My original impression of the bouquet was, now this is what a fine wine is all about(2:30). I immediately proceeded to pour a little into my glass, mmmm, somethings going on here, not sure what but I will do my best to describe. The nose shows wood and heat, not liking this too much. The taste, well let's say at this point this is nothing more than an 87-88 at best, mouthfeel disjointed, crap(this was my thought at that time), nice dark fruit, oaky, heat but not as bad as first bottle consumed on October 29th. In defense of this experience(Oct. 29) we popped and poured with friends and it was not a great experience. Getting back to the current, around 7:00 this wine started to glow, by 9:00 it started to shine. Everything started to fall into place. The silky(chalky/nutty) tannins, the fruit, oak, licorice, I sensed a bit of sweetness(couldn't tell if it was from the alcohol) became seamlessly integrated, decent finish, wow. Once you know the trick, the magic in the wine is revealed. I have been trying and wanting to understand what all the hype was about so I kept reading the good, bad and ugly of this wine and came to realize, in order to truly enjoy Quilceda it MUST be decanted for at least 5 hours. Can't wait to revisit the '05 and give it a good decant to see where it ranks or see what my next '06 bottle has to offer in a year or so. I am certain this will improve with time in the bottle.
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12/4/2009 - bajayngo wrote:
Brought this to an xmas party, so didn't get a chance to sit down and evaluate it. From my glass it was similar to previous vintages w/nice blue and black fruit, a good dose of alc and the cab franc peaking through w/some vegital and graphite notes. Still way too young but more approachable then the 05 at this point in their youth. The RTW needs a minium of 1yr in the bottle to show what they are really made of in my opinion.
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12/1/2009 - Coupe 60 wrote: 90 Points
Popped and poured, and sipped after dinner. This wine definitely needed more time, or more air or both. Dark fruit on the palate, with a rich mouthfeel and a great backbone, only drawback is a slight bitter taste, and a little too much alc... I think given some time this settles into a monster of a wine..It is still pretty good right now...
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11/27/2009 - michigan dogs wrote: 90 Points
i opened this wine and had two glasses, the second of which i ended up pouring 1/2 down the sink, thinking this is way overrated, based upon being from Quilceda. I was kind of disappointed since I have several more of their more expensive bottles of Cabs, which I haven't tried yet. Well, i tried the remainder of the bottle the next night, big difference, the wine was excellent. I have made this mistake so many times, not airing enough, that you would think I would get smarter.
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11/20/2009 - fredb wrote:
Dark purple-red color. Aromas of blueberry milkshake, currants, and chocolate. On the palate, this is rich and overpowering with blueberry, blackberry, cassis, plum, and some vanilla showing. The finish is long, with a lot of heat evident. Over time in the glass, this takes on characteristics of a blueberry or blackberry liqueur. It never gets over its baby fat to show any underlying structure, which isn't altogether surprising. Seemingly more red fruit notes on day two. If it can gracefully absorb the baby fat and keep the alcohol in check, this will be a fine wine. Balance may be a problem; time will tell.
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11/12/2009 - parathesis wrote: 88 Points
Not as good as the 05. The alcohol is high and seems to be out of balance. Might get a little better with more time in the bottle.
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11/12/2009 - ChrisWilen wrote: 91 Points
Did taste upon opening...very tight and tannic. After 2 hours in the decanter started to open up to a nice balance of dark fruit, oak, cocoa. Needs more time in the bottle, but seemed more approachable at this stage than the 05 which still seems to need considerable more time.
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11/5/2009 - tarheel17 wrote:
This was a beautiful wine. But throughout the night (3 hours) the alcohol was ever present. Oak-infused dill and milk chocolate, lively blackberry, and superb mouthfeel gave this wine a presence but...the abv was too much for me, at the end of the day.
I suspect that those who are not sensitive to alc will love it - it certainly has both pedigree and composure to please. For me, it's an 87-88.
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10/20/2009 - Sijan wrote: 89 Points
Nice rich nose with dark fruits on palate. Nice purity of fruit. A little bitter on finish with some tobacco/cigar notes. This really needs time.
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10/12/2009 - MitchL wrote: 90 Points
Finally made it through the wait for the mailing list. Popped and poured just off the UPS truck. Closed and tannic at first but now mellow and warm with boysenberry and a hint of chocolate. Glad I have more.
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10/11/2009 - vanpe003 wrote:
Mid-Fall Wine Tasting (Down's Lake): This is a tough one for me to score, because the style is a center of the plate pitch for my tastes. Opened for 3 hours before pouring, not decanted. First tastes were "wow". Dark cherry, cassis, vanilla on both nose and palate. The palate initially was very rich and elegant, relatively balanced but thick. At this point, I would have scored this 92+ points. But somewhat surprisingly to me, this closed down after 30 minutes in the glass. Less lush, a harsher bite on the finish showing a bit of alcohol heat. Maybe 89 points. Which version of this will ultimately win out over time, I have no idea, though my suspicion is that this will grow into a 90+ wine without much trouble. And at that, it will be a very nice QPR. Much better than the 2001. Update: brought to tasting Day 2 - this wine was shot. Way, way hot on the finish.
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10/8/2009 - kris.h wrote: 89 Points
Dark red, opaque. Nose of dark fruit. Palate is full body with moderate firm tannin. Long tannic dry finish. Seems to have opened up a bit since tasted at the winery a few months ago. Medium acidity with a slight astringent feel on the palate. Overall the wine is very nice and should benefit from 2 or 3 years in the cellar.
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4/20/2009 - 9 and 3/4 wrote:
Tasted @ the winery pre-release. A wonderful surprise to compliment any occasion. Wonderful nose of fruit, tannin, youth. Balanced palate to drink early or wait for some maturity. Will be a very popular wine.
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