Brought by Mark and Carol to our dinner in the little French restaurant. What a great wine with plenty of life, complexity, tannins and good acidity. This medium plus body monster is full of cherry and dark chocolate.
I felt it darker than the 2013 Cakebread Dancing Bear. I would not be in a rush to drink this one while it's ready to go now.
Obtained in the last year at auction. Decanted for 1 hour then back into the clean/dry bottle to take to dinner as I wasn't sure how the Erasmus would play out. Under stopper for 3+ hours then slow ox'd at the table for about 30 minutes. Consumed over 2 hours with escargot topped sirloin and steak frites. 92-93 initially, it improved further through dinner......
Dark purple in the glass, nose of dark black fruit and mild earthy notes like tilled black dirt. Tannins are fairly well resolved, and the wine overall is balanced except for missing just a bit of acidic energy on the back end. If this bottle had that, it would have had a bigger mouthwatering finish and I would have rated it a full 2-3 points higher. Still, it was a great accompaniment to the perfectly charred sirloin. I have one more bottle and am left with a dilemma. Is this all that's left at this juncture, or.....will letting it get another 5 years of age on it add complexity? I'm leaning towards this is all there is, as some Napa '07s are starting on a downward path now.
Purple in color. 14.6% ABV. Sensational nose of blue and black fruits, molten licorice and violets. Rich and plus with amazing texture. Notable concentration, power and balance. Black raspberry, blueberry, cassis liqueur and dark chocolate on the palate. The finish is long with prominent silky tannins. Napa Valley at its best. Breathtaking Cabernet Sauvignon that will drink well for another 3-5 years. I'll check in on my last bottle in 2027.
Decanted half hour before dinner. Scents of dark fruits emanated from decanter saying this wine was going to be special. In the glass, dark red and opaque. Nose dark berries, mocha. Tasting this wine, crushed rocks, dark fruits, long excellent finish. Special friend allowed me to purchase part of his mailing list allocation years ago. This is one exceptional Oakville Cabernet. Special now will not fall apart anytime soon though.
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PNP in a long night of wine. This was dark and ripe, fully mature with tannins completely resolved. Again it was a long night but this seemed at or possibly just past its peak but very enjoyable now. A-
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Decanted 1 hour. Ripe, lush, blue fruits. Concentrated, expansive, fully resolved tannins. A hint of mint on the long finish. Classic Cali cab and feels at its peak but should hold for some time. A-
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PnP bit took 30 min to show its best. Blueberry, blackberry, black raspberry, tar, faint iron and smoke notes. No oak or tannins in the way. Such a beautiful wine!
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Sensational and mature Napa Cabernet, seems to be drinking at peak right now. The berry fruit was vivid and pure, also notes of crushed rocks, graphite, and creme de cassis. Wonderful structure, everything was in place. The finish was long and fulfilling. This 2007 DV is one of the very best wines we’ve drank in the last 10 years.
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PnP and drank well from the start. Smoke, charcoal, black cherry nose, and on the palate more black cherry with hints of blackberry and raspberry coming out to play. Faint pine note showed up about 30 min but complimentary not distracting. Tannins and oak completely integrated yet enough acid left for many years to come. No hurry here.
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Really wanted to love this wine as we had such a good experience recently with the 2009 and 2010. The elegance and femininity we so love was there, so was the core of pure fruit, dark cherry. A bit of pyrazines that blew off a bit in the decanter. At the same time it never quite opened up to what we wanted it to be although I do believe I saw the potential, I’m going to chalk it up to opening too early. I have another bottle, hoping that one is more expressive.
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This earthy and integrated wine is drinking beautifully right now, with a compelling blend of ripe fruit and gravelly structure. Dark purple in color and medium in body, the wine offers enticing aromas of blackberry, leather, graphite, and crushed rock. The wine has a ripe but high-toned fruits like raspberry and cherry, with more savory tastes of cocoa powder, rosemary, and cedar. Drink 14.6% alcohol. This is a wine of pure class that is completely delicious. Drink in next few years, since this seems to be within its peak drinking window. 95+.
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Good, but not up to level of prior bottles. Consistent with prior notes, but this bottle seemed “duller” compared to prior bottles. Most likely the lower score is user error. It went quickly, but I remember more pizzazz.
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Wow! This is a stunning rich fruit forward Cabernet that is drinking great now. Deep flavors of blue and black fruits and creme de cassis with a super long finish. Loved it. Decanted for 30 minutes and consumed over a 90 minute period. This was showing better than the ‘03 La Chapelle which we had side by side.
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2 hr decant. Red fruit dominated. Creosote, tar, charcoal, black raspberry, smoke, cherries, cola, black olive on a very very long finish. Best bottle so far.
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Delicious! Pours dark, little sediment on decant. 2 hrs in the decanter. Metallic nose along with hints of floral and berries. On the palate, Iron, blood, red dust fine tannins, hints of cherry, dark fruits, blackberry, jammy on the finish. One of my favorites delivering yet again!
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Tried Dalla Valle after a friend rec. 2 hr decant. Color seemed light for otherwise heavyweight powerhouse. Nose was lights out phenomenal with red berries, perfume and hints of creosote. Palate was red berries, some residual faint oak, hints of creosote, mint and subtle earthy mineral notes with a medium long finish. Definitely on lookout for more at decent price point.
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Deep, dark in hue, with licorice, coffee, jammy blackberry and fresh herb notes in the perfume. Thick, rich, polished and pure, the wine ends with layers of lush, polished, dark, jammy berries.
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5/7/2024 - gteran76 Likes this wine: 95 Points
Brought by Mark and Carol to our dinner in the little French restaurant. What a great wine with plenty of life, complexity, tannins and good acidity. This medium plus body monster is full of cherry and dark chocolate.
I felt it darker than the 2013 Cakebread Dancing Bear. I would not be in a rush to drink this one while it's ready to go now.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comments (1)
5/7/2024 - Mark1npt Likes this wine: 95 Points
Obtained in the last year at auction. Decanted for 1 hour then back into the clean/dry bottle to take to dinner as I wasn't sure how the Erasmus would play out. Under stopper for 3+ hours then slow ox'd at the table for about 30 minutes. Consumed over 2 hours with escargot topped sirloin and steak frites. 92-93 initially, it improved further through dinner......
Dark purple in the glass, nose of dark black fruit and mild earthy notes like tilled black dirt. Tannins are fairly well resolved, and the wine overall is balanced except for missing just a bit of acidic energy on the back end. If this bottle had that, it would have had a bigger mouthwatering finish and I would have rated it a full 2-3 points higher. Still, it was a great accompaniment to the perfectly charred sirloin. I have one more bottle and am left with a dilemma. Is this all that's left at this juncture, or.....will letting it get another 5 years of age on it add complexity? I'm leaning towards this is all there is, as some Napa '07s are starting on a downward path now.
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11/5/2023 - essenceofreal wrote: 92 Points
Very much ready. Decanted a few hours. Really nice. Kept saying really nice. But nothing more, OK I'm spoiled.
Clearly new world, lacked complexity. But nice. No way worth the ridiculous price. Bought on release for maybe $75, worth it.
Seemed to be drinking at peak. Unlikely to improve but should hold here a while.
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11/2/2023 - tomlee wrote: 97 Points
Purple in color. 14.6% ABV. Sensational nose of blue and black fruits, molten licorice and violets. Rich and plus with amazing texture. Notable concentration, power and balance. Black raspberry, blueberry, cassis liqueur and dark chocolate on the palate. The finish is long with prominent silky tannins. Napa Valley at its best. Breathtaking Cabernet Sauvignon that will drink well for another 3-5 years. I'll check in on my last bottle in 2027.
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6/1/2022 - jimyeni Likes this wine: 95 Points
Soft and lush, red fruit and crushed rocks with a touch of mint. Beautiful wine. 3 hour decant.
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3/25/2022 - SCM Fan Likes this wine: 96 Points
Decanted half hour before dinner. Scents of dark fruits emanated from decanter saying this wine was going to be special. In the glass, dark red and opaque. Nose dark berries, mocha. Tasting this wine, crushed rocks, dark fruits, long excellent finish. Special friend allowed me to purchase part of his mailing list allocation years ago. This is one exceptional Oakville Cabernet. Special now will not fall apart anytime soon though.
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11/7/2021 - MC wrote:
PNP in a long night of wine. This was dark and ripe, fully mature with tannins completely resolved. Again it was a long night but this seemed at or possibly just past its peak but very enjoyable now. A-
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3/27/2020 - MC wrote:
Decanted 1 hour. Ripe, lush, blue fruits. Concentrated, expansive, fully resolved tannins. A hint of mint on the long finish. Classic Cali cab and feels at its peak but should hold for some time. A-
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10/11/2019 - Geaux Tigers Likes this wine: 96 Points
PnP bit took 30 min to show its best. Blueberry, blackberry, black raspberry, tar, faint iron and smoke notes. No oak or tannins in the way. Such a beautiful wine!
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1/4/2019 - cab_fran Likes this wine: 98 Points
Sensational and mature Napa Cabernet, seems to be drinking at peak right now. The berry fruit was vivid and pure, also notes of crushed rocks, graphite, and creme de cassis. Wonderful structure, everything was in place. The finish was long and fulfilling. This 2007 DV is one of the very best wines we’ve drank in the last 10 years.
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11/19/2018 - Geaux Tigers Likes this wine: 95 Points
PnP and drank well from the start. Smoke, charcoal, black cherry nose, and on the palate more black cherry with hints of blackberry and raspberry coming out to play. Faint pine note showed up about 30 min but complimentary not distracting. Tannins and oak completely integrated yet enough acid left for many years to come. No hurry here.
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11/16/2018 - jimyeni Likes this wine: 94 Points
Really wanted to love this wine as we had such a good experience recently with the 2009 and 2010. The elegance and femininity we so love was there, so was the core of pure fruit, dark cherry. A bit of pyrazines that blew off a bit in the decanter. At the same time it never quite opened up to what we wanted it to be although I do believe I saw the potential, I’m going to chalk it up to opening too early. I have another bottle, hoping that one is more expressive.
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11/10/2018 - msuwine wrote: 95 Points
This earthy and integrated wine is drinking beautifully right now, with a compelling blend of ripe fruit and gravelly structure. Dark purple in color and medium in body, the wine offers enticing aromas of blackberry, leather, graphite, and crushed rock. The wine has a ripe but high-toned fruits like raspberry and cherry, with more savory tastes of cocoa powder, rosemary, and cedar. Drink 14.6% alcohol. This is a wine of pure class that is completely delicious. Drink in next few years, since this seems to be within its peak drinking window. 95+.
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8/3/2018 - Geaux Tigers Likes this wine: 94 Points
Good, but not up to level of prior bottles. Consistent with prior notes, but this bottle seemed “duller” compared to prior bottles. Most likely the lower score is user error. It went quickly, but I remember more pizzazz.
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1/16/2018 - Francophile1 Likes this wine: 95 Points
Wow! This is a stunning rich fruit forward Cabernet that is drinking great now. Deep flavors of blue and black fruits and creme de cassis with a super long finish. Loved it. Decanted for 30 minutes and consumed over a 90 minute period. This was showing better than the ‘03 La Chapelle which we had side by side.
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9/23/2017 - Geaux Tigers Likes this wine: 97 Points
2 hr decant. Red fruit dominated. Creosote, tar, charcoal, black raspberry, smoke, cherries, cola, black olive on a very very long finish. Best bottle so far.
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10/17/2016 - Agreenblatt wrote: 94 Points
2 hour decant was helpful
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9/9/2016 - Geaux Tigers Likes this wine: 96 Points
Delicious! Pours dark, little sediment on decant. 2 hrs in the decanter. Metallic nose along with hints of floral and berries. On the palate, Iron, blood, red dust fine tannins, hints of cherry, dark fruits, blackberry, jammy on the finish. One of my favorites delivering yet again!
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12/4/2015 - Geaux Tigers Likes this wine: 96 Points
Tried Dalla Valle after a friend rec. 2 hr decant. Color seemed light for otherwise heavyweight powerhouse. Nose was lights out phenomenal with red berries, perfume and hints of creosote. Palate was red berries, some residual faint oak, hints of creosote, mint and subtle earthy mineral notes with a medium long finish. Definitely on lookout for more at decent price point.
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6/25/2015 - ctjared Likes this wine:
red fruit on dusty tannins. nice
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11/27/2011 - Jeff Leve wrote: 94 Points
Deep, dark in hue, with licorice, coffee, jammy blackberry and fresh herb notes in the perfume. Thick, rich, polished and pure, the wine ends with layers of lush, polished, dark, jammy berries.
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