opened 1½ hours prior to decanting and served 30 minutes after decanting. Very minty, very ripe, very alcoholic. Lots of coconut butter, tons of exotic spices. Still going strong after more than 1 hour in decanter and almost 3 hours after opening. Still sharp and alcoholic on the nose, but sooooo beautiful!
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Deep garnet, almost onyx color. Big dark fruits with some dominating heat prior to decanting. Decanted after the first glass - Firm tannins and structure with loads of red currant, smokey anise and cassis. Juicy blackberry with pretty new leather and sweet oak. This bottle seems much younger than the last we tried from this case and could easily evolve another 5+ years. Actually saving a glass to try another night … stay tuned.
Night 3 - drank very similar to night 1 - structure holding firm.
p.s. leftovers
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Beautiful garnet with light amber edge. Ripe, extracted fruit with flint, Asian spice, rhubarb and sweet oak. Quintessential CA Cabernet with lovely notes of blackberry extract, some mocha and several layers along with well defined structure. Definitely drink up.
p.s. mexican pork & beef hash with roasted cauliflower.
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decanted for 1½ hours before serving. Lots of woodsy fragrance. Initially showed plenty of good fruit but a little lean. Two hours in this was really exotic with coconut butter, and pretty sweet on the palate. Drinking really well.
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Bright yet deep purple color with lengthy legs. Cocoa, oak, black currant, concentrated blackberry preserves and graceful graphite. Subtle hint of anise and Asian spice. Still quite a large wine that is showcasing incredible structure and body. While exciting now, this has time to go! We plan wait and try this again in 3 years. Cheers to Bond’s “second” wine - simply amazing!
Night 2 - showcasing very similar notes to night 1, but slightly more rounded.
p.s. leftovers
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Obsidian color. Smells like a clean, spring field while cold which then evolves with herbs, perfume, dark fruits and nutmeg. Wet rock, cedar with lovely raspeberry, blackberry and chutney. Silky texture and elegant, complex structure and compounding layers. This wine is incredible now showing some inky flavors, but truthfully could go so many beautiful ways as well. Saving some to try tomorrow, but found it too be far more spectacular day 1.
p.s. pot roast
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My 2/4 but the group was more varied. Blackcurrant and blackberry, graphite, rain-soaked earth, subtle cocoa and black pepper nose, on the palate surprisingly youthful with fresh black fruit and ripe plum along with a host of flavors on the earthy side. Still has some tannin and balance although I think it’s already at its peak or close.
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As much as I didn't want to like this I liked it. Bought on release it has perfect providence. Drank over two days. Intriguing earthiness. Super clean with no distractions (think Brett). A really satisfying and interesting wine.
I didn't want to like it because Bill Harlan has too much wine at too high of a price but he has developed pedigree and set high standards now if he could lower the pricing.....
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Plenty of dark fruit with some tannins still present, but fairly smooth. A little spice and a slight hint of dirt round this out nicely. Overall quite good. Don't think there is really much room for improvement with additional age, but certainly not at risk of dying any time soon.
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Blackberries, blueberries, plum, licorice, and a hint of floral in the nose. Rich black fruit in the flavor with black cherries, black raspberries, and chocolate. Elegant, full bodied, nicely balanced, and a long smooth finish.
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Some early funk on open but wow! Primarily red fruit focused but herbal and mineral notes were complimentary, grandmas house kept coming back. As it warmed some tannins showed up to dry it up. Overall conclusion- drink up, this is really good, no need to decant, no reason to hold any longer, kicked the $h*t out of a 2016 Somnium.
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PnP, delicious beauty here. Herbal earthy notes, seemingly secondary have overtaken the faint fruit. Graphite, cedar, wet rock, forest floor, sage, faint red berry. Nice change of pace from my normal wheelhouse. On the downslope, but no hurry for a few years.
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Aerated with a Vinturi and decanted 2.5 hours. Nose of blackberry, blueberry, cassis, mocha, black licorice, vanilla and dried herbs. Rich and ripe black and blue fruit, licorice, vanilla and spice on the palate. Leads to a long, fruit forward finish. Full bodied. Still drinking very youthful. A beautiful wine. Paired with filet béarnaise.
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Beautiful bottle of wine at this stage of it's life. still very dark all the way to the rim. Showing little signs of aging. Nose of cassis, black berries, wet cement and chocolate. Med-Full bodied palate that is very tasty and lively. All this leading to a long finish with some great acidity and tannins that are just starting to mellow out. This is when I really enjoy Cabs. the sweet 10-15 year-old spot...
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This is a monumental wine. It shocked me, as it was so much better than the last bottle I had 2 years ago. I have to say that this 2002 might be better than most of the Bond wines I've had from other vintages. Stylistically, it evenly straddles the line between "fun" and "serious". It's teeth-staining, palate-coating with a ton of tannic grip, with no decanting. It's rich with minerality, and an abundance of dark fruits, leather, tobacco. Couldn't stop drinking this. I wish I had more, as I would not hesitate to cellar this another 10+ years.
I thought this wine would be nearing EOL but its not even close. Still dark, deep purple with rich fruit to match the color. Licorice, smoke and graphite. Mouth coating and explosive at age 13.
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Just wonderful. We put it up against a Colgin Herb Lamb from '98 and I worried a bit that it would get overshadowed but indeed it showed very well. Opened and let air for prob an hour before pouring. In retrospect a decant may have been in order since the wine was improving even as we were finishing it up a few hours later. Compared to the Colgin this had excellent fruit - mostly red and more on the tart side. Good pepper and earth. Went fantastically with some duck that one person ordered. Great wine and prob with some years left on it.
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No formal notes taken but this was outstanding after a 2 hour decant. Full bodied and packed with black & blue fruits. Seems to be in its' prime and should drink at this level for several more years.
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Deep dark and brooding. Have no way of gauging the huge expectations of a twelve year old cab blend with the realities bottle variation and unknown storage approach. Tasty black fruits and secondary flavors of licorice tobacco and leather. Fig skin? Ketchup? Wackiness that invites a second sip.
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Decanted through a Vinturi two hours before serving, which was just enough time to let this monster calm down. This might go another five years without falling over. Quite excellent.
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Aerated with a Vinturi and decanted for 2.5 hours. Aromas of blackberry, blueberry, currant, mocha, spice box, tobacco leaf, licorice and cedar. A dark fruit core interwoven with coffee, leather, spice, licorice and fine tannins. Leads to a long, velvety smooth, dry finish. Full bodied, layered and well balanced. Drinking beautifully. Paired with filet mignon and a blackberry sauce.
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Classic Matriarch. Nose is very aromatic of the fruit it holds. Finish is very long about 30 seconds or longer. Taste is very dark fruit and notes of cassis, and cedar. Beginning to get a bit tired and starting to go the other direction. Probably would drink I the next few years. Good drinking right now. Matriarch never disappoints.
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Aerated with a Vinturi and decanted for 1.5 hours. Beautiful nose of black currant, tobacco, blackberry, leather, cedar, red licorice and dried herbs. Dark berry fruit, mocha, and leather integrated with soft, fine dusty tannins lead to a long, dry finish. Full bodied, rich, layered and well balanced. A very pretty wine that appears to be approaching its peak. Paired beautifully with filet Béarnaise.
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This wine is singing on all levels right now. Very dark color. Dark fruit aroma. Explosive in the mouth with layers of fruits, spice, earth, tobacco and perfect tannin, in my opinion. Still youthful but not overwhelming. Nice lingering finish. Hit after an hour decant. Drink now or easily another 5 years down the line. Yummy!
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Aerated with Vinturi and decanted for two hours. Aromatic nose of blackberry, blueberry, currant, spice, cedar, pine needle, and vanilla. Dark velvety berries and very fine tannins lead to a very long finish. Full bodied, fruit forward and rich. Paired with Greek tenderloin.
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Still young in it's evolution...this is a massive wine. The nose smells like it would be alcohol "hot" but this heat/alcohol was not present on the palate. Everything is in balance and more age should be this wine's ally. Will try my next one in 3-4 years. A quality, well-made wine that needs more time but still was a pleasure to drink at this early age.
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Saturday at S2's House (18 Aug): Tannin, tannin, tannin, followed by lip puckering tannin. Then the fruit moves in and balances. There's real heat on the nose, but an abundance of mint cools everything on the palate. Lots of blackberry, cassis and licorice on the palate as well. I'm not sure this will get better but it will be fun to see in a few years.
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Aerated with Vinturi followed by a two hour decant. Black currant, blackberry, vanilla, spice, and tobacco notes. Dark fruit and fine tannins lead to a very long finish. Fruit forward and outstanding. Paired beautifully with filet bernaisse.
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Light purple color in the glass. Undecanted - Red and blue fruit nose with oak. Heavy oak and vanilla on the palate with the fruit. After decanting the oak was a lot more integrated. A little vanilla and great dark fruit.
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2 hour decant. Garnet red color. Blackberry, black cherry, leather, anise, tobacco, and cedar aromas and flavors. Dark fruit on the mid-palate with a smooth, tannic backbone. Nicely layered and structured. Full bodied, thick and rich with a very long finish. An outstanding and highly enjoyable fruit forward style of wine that is drinking beautifully right now.
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Black. Such a Cal Cab. Everything a Burgophile usually hates. Deep plums, blackberries, cloves. Taste was similar with a touch alcohol on the end. Got better and better the more it aired. Delish.
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Decanted 4 hours. Very dark purple color with black cherry and cassis on the nose with some smokiness. Smooth and very full bodied in the mouth with lots of ripe, dark fruit. Notes of dark chocolate and tobacco on the mid palate. Long finish with mild tannins. Seems to be entering its' peak drinking window. Rich and opulent, this is an outstanding wine which is drinking beautifully just now and should continue to do so for many years.
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Opened & decanted with venturi, put back into bottle 24 hours before drinking. This was excellent! Still a very young cab with great grip and beautiful dark fruit - black rasberry & plum, with nice smoke & coffee notes in the background. This will last a while...
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Nose is dominated by maraschino cherry and smoke. Espresso, tobacco, smoke, and bittersweet chocolate on the palate. Long finish. Tannins are present, but not obtrusive. Long finish. Serious juice.
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This was my first experience with Matriarch and only my second with Bob Levy/Bill Harlan wine. As expected, this is a pretty jammy, fruit-packed wine to my palate at the expense of complexity and depth. I found it to be a bit superficial, but what it does well it does very well. Eucalyptus, cassis, lots of berry on the nose with an interesting tobacco note as well. Similar theme in the mouth with big opulent fruit and smooth, well-integrated tannins. I was pleasantly surprised that the oak was well-integrated. Long, if simple, finish. Very well made, just not in the sweet spot for me style-wise.
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Dark fruit, a finish that last 20-30 seconds... Big, bold (almost grapee) but nice structure and tannins. very dark inly purple, nose of dark cherry with a hint of leather and vanilla
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Dinner Eri and next night with Gary and Sandy -- Surprisingly balanced CA Cab with deep cassis fruit, scorched earth, some oak for sure but not cloying, and some refreshing acidity/balance. A pretty sexy heady wine, showed well.
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Deep garnet. Nose is brooding black fruits, wonter spices. Taste was big yet smooth. A mouthful to be sure, but very young. An excellent wine, young. And this is Bond's second wine!
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Decanted for 2 hours. 1st hour there was too much alcohol to get a sense of the fruit that would eventually take over. After two hours of air this is a brilliant wine. Medium to full bodied, perfect fruit - cherry, cassis, vanilla, maybe even a little caramel at the end. A bottle that will not be forgotten soon. Drank over a period of 2 hours and it just kept getting better.
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Excellent cabernet, with notes of cassis, plum, and bay leaf. Still very structured...I decanted for several hours but what this bottle needs is several years in the cellar. Very promising.
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At its peak (for my palate). Inky, dark violet color and a very full body (and a lot of sediment); powerful blackcurrant, chocolate, and cedar on the nose; rich plum, blackcurrant, and vanilla flavors, with a soft structure (but a structure nonetheless) and an incredibly long finish; decadent, but not overwhelming
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Deep tanzanite color leads to a brooding nose of currant, tobacco, dark cherry and vanilla. Full bodied palate contains flavors of currant, dark cherry, vanilla, with just a touch of chocolate. Tannins are firm and sweet lasting 40 seconds. A really good bottle of wine - can't wait to try the 02 Bonds.
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Big intense red color. Big wine, scent of crushed berries, vanilla and very fine oak. Get better and better with time. Nice firm finish which last for half minute
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Deep, deep purple, totally opaque. Not offering much on the nose initially. Big and rich, cassis and black fruit flavors, some licorice and an almost sweet finish. Still way too young, but should develop very nicely. Try the next one in 2-3 years. I wonder about the high end Bonds ...
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Dark as a moonless night. A nose like the essence of cassis, with black stony fruits, huge minerality and dark chocolate, some english thyme and bay leaves. Really dark and deep but with lots of layers. Very large scaled but equally poised.
The wine was expectedly very full bodied, but impeccably balanced, with a deft use of oak and great texture. A cassis and black plum bomb. More baking chocolate, and again with great precision, minerality and balance. A dark beauty. A great example of Cali Cab based wine at early peak. It paired near perfectly with the prime rib. Bravo!
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deep purple / black in color. Great nose but even after 3 hours it did not open to reveal all the fruit. Still a little tannic but should be better in 2 years.
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Dinner at St Jacques with Todd & Lisa, Wes & Terry Ann and Bill K. Dark purple in color, this is a very young and very big wine. Very oaky and a bit disjointed. A little hot on the finish. Very uninteresting and clumsy to drink after the more elegant wines that preceded it. Maybe it will better integrate and balance with some cellar time but this is not a wine I would want to own. 50+12+11+7+7 = 87(+?)
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Decanted for two hours. Wonderful intensity and concentration in this one. Aromas of currant, floral and blackberry. Flavors of currant, dark fruits and chocolate finish with a "lip smacking" intensity. Absolutely outstanding.
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On the nose currants with a floral element of roses and burnt sugar. On the nose earthen flavors of chocolate covered truffles, with a splash of dirt make this a very interesting wine. Long supple finish. This wine was many peoples favorite.
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Taken to the Lark Creek Steak in SF. Decanted about 1 hour before serving. Huge nose of blackberry jam with some alcohol. Started out lean and tight, with a super deep multi-layered levels of dark fruit. After another 1/2 hour it started to smooth out with some dill and celery on the nose and the finish became more dry and powdery with some pepper from the alcohol. A very interesting wine. Very good, but too early to drink. I'm going to try to not open another unitl 2009.
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Historical tasting note. Tasted three or four times the last six months. Surprisingly elegant and refined - not overly fruit bomby, but with good depth of character (in this way the opposite of R. Foley wines). Layers of almost seemless flavors - black and blue berry-fruits, chocolate, toast - keep coming in waves. Clearly from low-yield fruit. Probably not for long-term aging (but I could be wrong, and prefer aged wine).
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Never has a respectable wine been so outclassed as this was on this night. Medium purple but really only showing mild oaky, woody structure. There may be something more here, but it did nto show up to the party tonight.
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Wonderful dark fruit, with aromas of cedar and chocolate; tight tannins still, which will open up in the glass, but this is a great find and will only get better in a few years
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4/22/2023 - jlgnml Likes this wine: 94 Points
Jamie and Linda’s Excellent Wine Adventure (Country Club of Florida): Small pour, deep color, with some other grapes, almost Bordeaux like with some sweetness. Drink
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2/7/2023 - Peech Likes this wine: 95 Points
opened 1½ hours prior to decanting and served 30 minutes after decanting. Very minty, very ripe, very alcoholic. Lots of coconut butter, tons of exotic spices. Still going strong after more than 1 hour in decanter and almost 3 hours after opening. Still sharp and alcoholic on the nose, but sooooo beautiful!
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7/27/2022 - dkentaustin Likes this wine: 95 Points
Deep garnet, almost onyx color. Big dark fruits with some dominating heat prior to decanting. Decanted after the first glass - Firm tannins and structure with loads of red currant, smokey anise and cassis. Juicy blackberry with pretty new leather and sweet oak. This bottle seems much younger than the last we tried from this case and could easily evolve another 5+ years. Actually saving a glass to try another night … stay tuned.
Night 3 - drank very similar to night 1 - structure holding firm.
p.s. leftovers
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9/20/2021 - dkentaustin Likes this wine: 94 Points
Beautiful garnet with light amber edge. Ripe, extracted fruit with flint, Asian spice, rhubarb and sweet oak. Quintessential CA Cabernet with lovely notes of blackberry extract, some mocha and several layers along with well defined structure. Definitely drink up.
p.s. mexican pork & beef hash with roasted cauliflower.
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6/8/2021 - Peech Likes this wine: 94 Points
decanted for 1½ hours before serving. Lots of woodsy fragrance. Initially showed plenty of good fruit but a little lean. Two hours in this was really exotic with coconut butter, and pretty sweet on the palate. Drinking really well.
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5/18/2021 - dkentaustin Likes this wine: 96 Points
Bright yet deep purple color with lengthy legs. Cocoa, oak, black currant, concentrated blackberry preserves and graceful graphite. Subtle hint of anise and Asian spice. Still quite a large wine that is showcasing incredible structure and body. While exciting now, this has time to go! We plan wait and try this again in 3 years. Cheers to Bond’s “second” wine - simply amazing!
Night 2 - showcasing very similar notes to night 1, but slightly more rounded.
p.s. leftovers
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3/14/2021 - dkentaustin Likes this wine: 97 Points
Obsidian color. Smells like a clean, spring field while cold which then evolves with herbs, perfume, dark fruits and nutmeg. Wet rock, cedar with lovely raspeberry, blackberry and chutney. Silky texture and elegant, complex structure and compounding layers. This wine is incredible now showing some inky flavors, but truthfully could go so many beautiful ways as well. Saving some to try tomorrow, but found it too be far more spectacular day 1.
p.s. pot roast
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12/22/2020 - Peech Likes this wine: 93 Points
decanted for 30 minutes before serving. Nice and sweet on the palate, with smoky notes. Rich and full-bodied.
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12/19/2020 - suilesor25 Likes this wine: 95 Points
My 2/4 but the group was more varied. Blackcurrant and blackberry, graphite, rain-soaked earth, subtle cocoa and black pepper nose, on the palate surprisingly youthful with fresh black fruit and ripe plum along with a host of flavors on the earthy side. Still has some tannin and balance although I think it’s already at its peak or close.
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6/16/2020 - Clever Wine Likes this wine: 94 Points
As much as I didn't want to like this I liked it.
Bought on release it has perfect providence. Drank over two days. Intriguing earthiness. Super clean with no distractions (think Brett). A really satisfying and interesting wine.
I didn't want to like it because Bill Harlan has too much wine at too high of a price but he has developed pedigree and set high standards now if he could lower the pricing.....
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2/22/2020 - mbo1 Likes this wine: 93 Points
Plenty of dark fruit with some tannins still present, but fairly smooth.
A little spice and a slight hint of dirt round this out nicely. Overall quite good. Don't think there is really much room for improvement with additional age, but certainly not at risk of dying any time soon.
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11/10/2019 - buckeye76 Likes this wine: 93 Points
Blackberries, blueberries, plum, licorice, and a hint of floral in the nose. Rich black fruit in the flavor with black cherries, black raspberries, and chocolate. Elegant, full bodied, nicely balanced, and a long smooth finish.
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2/9/2019 - Geaux Tigers Likes this wine: 95 Points
Some early funk on open but wow! Primarily red fruit focused but herbal and mineral notes were complimentary, grandmas house kept coming back. As it warmed some tannins showed up to dry it up. Overall conclusion- drink up, this is really good, no need to decant, no reason to hold any longer, kicked the $h*t out of a 2016 Somnium.
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1/24/2019 - budman Likes this wine: 94 Points
Stunning wine. Not going downhill any time soon. Bright fruit. Long finish.
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12/19/2017 - Geaux Tigers Likes this wine: 93 Points
PnP, delicious beauty here. Herbal earthy notes, seemingly secondary have overtaken the faint fruit. Graphite, cedar, wet rock, forest floor, sage, faint red berry. Nice change of pace from my normal wheelhouse. On the downslope, but no hurry for a few years.
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4/21/2017 - AlexHop Likes this wine: 94 Points
Intense and dark. Still lots of youth and intense fruit.
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4/6/2017 - JohnnyBark wrote:
Good, not great.
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7/23/2016 - hoservin Likes this wine: 93 Points
Aerated with a Vinturi and decanted 2.5 hours. Nose of blackberry, blueberry, cassis, mocha, black licorice, vanilla and dried herbs. Rich and ripe black and blue fruit, licorice, vanilla and spice on the palate. Leads to a long, fruit forward finish. Full bodied. Still drinking very youthful. A beautiful wine. Paired with filet béarnaise.
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2/28/2016 - festiva Likes this wine: 95 Points
Wow, this wine is in the zone right now... Beautifully balanced. Incredible nose. Deep, plush, textured wine. Love it.
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12/26/2015 - yonster24 wrote:
Beautiful bottle of wine at this stage of it's life. still very dark all the way to the rim. Showing little signs of aging. Nose of cassis, black berries, wet cement and chocolate. Med-Full bodied palate that is very tasty and lively. All this leading to a long finish with some great acidity and tannins that are just starting to mellow out. This is when I really enjoy Cabs. the sweet 10-15 year-old spot...
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6/20/2015 - Hebrew Hammer wrote: 95 Points
- Brick color.
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4/23/2015 - Jonathan T wrote: 95 Points
This is a monumental wine. It shocked me, as it was so much better than the last bottle I had 2 years ago. I have to say that this 2002 might be better than most of the Bond wines I've had from other vintages. Stylistically, it evenly straddles the line between "fun" and "serious". It's teeth-staining, palate-coating with a ton of tannic grip, with no decanting. It's rich with minerality, and an abundance of dark fruits, leather, tobacco. Couldn't stop drinking this. I wish I had more, as I would not hesitate to cellar this another 10+ years.
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3/21/2015 - Hebrew Hammer wrote: 95 Points
- Brick color.
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3/8/2015 - MJTed wrote: 94 Points
I thought this wine would be nearing EOL but its not even close. Still dark, deep purple with rich fruit to match the color. Licorice, smoke and graphite. Mouth coating and explosive at age 13.
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12/30/2014 - MC2 Wines Likes this wine:
Just wonderful. We put it up against a Colgin Herb Lamb from '98 and I worried a bit that it would get overshadowed but indeed it showed very well. Opened and let air for prob an hour before pouring. In retrospect a decant may have been in order since the wine was improving even as we were finishing it up a few hours later. Compared to the Colgin this had excellent fruit - mostly red and more on the tart side. Good pepper and earth. Went fantastically with some duck that one person ordered. Great wine and prob with some years left on it.
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12/25/2014 - Yamadori Likes this wine: 94 Points
No formal notes taken but this was outstanding after a 2 hour decant. Full bodied and packed with black & blue fruits. Seems to be in its' prime and should drink at this level for several more years.
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7/26/2014 - Levinsb wrote:
Deep dark and brooding. Have no way of gauging the huge expectations of a twelve year old cab blend with the realities bottle variation and unknown storage approach. Tasty black fruits and secondary flavors of licorice tobacco and leather. Fig skin? Ketchup? Wackiness that invites a second sip.
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7/22/2014 - mavericksane Likes this wine: 94 Points
Decanted through a Vinturi two hours before serving, which was just enough time to let this monster calm down. This might go another five years without falling over. Quite excellent.
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6/7/2014 - hoservin wrote: 93 Points
Aerated with a Vinturi and decanted for 2.5 hours. Aromas of blackberry, blueberry, currant, mocha, spice box, tobacco leaf, licorice and cedar. A dark fruit core interwoven with coffee, leather, spice, licorice and fine tannins. Leads to a long, velvety smooth, dry finish. Full bodied, layered and well balanced. Drinking beautifully. Paired with filet mignon and a blackberry sauce.
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3/30/2014 - Bcw1989 wrote: 93 Points
Classic Matriarch. Nose is very aromatic of the fruit it holds. Finish is very long about 30 seconds or longer. Taste is very dark fruit and notes of cassis, and cedar. Beginning to get a bit tired and starting to go the other direction. Probably would drink I the next few years. Good drinking right now. Matriarch never disappoints.
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12/23/2013 - Levinsb wrote:
Black licorice tobacco fennel. a little bitter stewed fruit flavor suggests heat damage so I won't rate it. Mixed feelings. Will try again ...
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10/25/2013 - Levinsb wrote: 93 Points
Big layered chewy cab blend drinking nicely now.
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9/28/2013 - hoservin wrote: 95 Points
Aerated with a Vinturi and decanted for 1.5 hours. Beautiful nose of black currant, tobacco, blackberry, leather, cedar, red licorice and dried herbs. Dark berry fruit, mocha, and leather integrated with soft, fine dusty tannins lead to a long, dry finish. Full bodied, rich, layered and well balanced. A very pretty wine that appears to be approaching its peak. Paired beautifully with filet Béarnaise.
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9/25/2013 - MJTed Likes this wine: 94 Points
Still great. Ripe, thick and powerful blue fruit with classic cassis. Cedar, espresso ans smokey finish.
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8/21/2013 - Winokdub wrote: 93 Points
This wine is singing on all levels right now. Very dark color. Dark fruit aroma. Explosive in the mouth with layers of fruits, spice, earth, tobacco and perfect tannin, in my opinion. Still youthful but not overwhelming. Nice lingering finish. Hit after an hour decant. Drink now or easily another 5 years down the line. Yummy!
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3/2/2013 - hoservin wrote: 93 Points
Aerated with Vinturi and decanted for two hours. Aromatic nose of blackberry, blueberry, currant, spice, cedar, pine needle, and vanilla. Dark velvety berries and very fine tannins lead to a very long finish. Full bodied, fruit forward and rich. Paired with Greek tenderloin.
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1/20/2013 - Jadiii wrote: 93 Points
open it, in it's prime.
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8/18/2012 - S2 wrote: 92 Points
Still young in it's evolution...this is a massive wine. The nose smells like it would be alcohol "hot" but this heat/alcohol was not present on the palate. Everything is in balance and more age should be this wine's ally. Will try my next one in 3-4 years. A quality, well-made wine that needs more time but still was a pleasure to drink at this early age.
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8/18/2012 - S1 wrote: 92 Points
Saturday at S2's House (18 Aug): Tannin, tannin, tannin, followed by lip puckering tannin. Then the fruit moves in and balances. There's real heat on the nose, but an abundance of mint cools everything on the palate. Lots of blackberry, cassis and licorice on the palate as well. I'm not sure this will get better but it will be fun to see in a few years.
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6/9/2012 - hoservin wrote: 94 Points
Aerated with Vinturi followed by a two hour decant. Black currant, blackberry, vanilla, spice, and tobacco notes. Dark fruit and fine tannins lead to a very long finish. Fruit forward and outstanding. Paired beautifully with filet bernaisse.
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6/3/2012 - spts1000 wrote: 93 Points
still has lots of structure to last 5 years easy if not longer. fruit is primary as well. a great experience
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4/22/2012 - bupika wrote: 94 Points
A superb Cali Cab. Decanted 90 minutes, consumed over 2.5 - 3 hours. Super balanced and still plenty of fruit.
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1/29/2012 - Redwinedude wrote: 96 Points
Beautiful. Long finish well balanced. Had with rack of Lamb
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12/30/2011 - atrox wrote: 91 Points
Light purple color in the glass. Undecanted - Red and blue fruit nose with oak. Heavy oak and vanilla on the palate with the fruit. After decanting the oak was a lot more integrated. A little vanilla and great dark fruit.
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8/20/2011 - hoservin wrote: 94 Points
2 hour decant. Garnet red color. Blackberry, black cherry, leather, anise, tobacco, and cedar aromas and flavors. Dark fruit on the mid-palate with a smooth, tannic backbone. Nicely layered and structured. Full bodied, thick and rich with a very long finish. An outstanding and highly enjoyable fruit forward style of wine that is drinking beautifully right now.
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6/17/2011 - Harry Cantrell wrote: 94 Points
Black. Such a Cal Cab. Everything a Burgophile usually hates. Deep plums, blackberries, cloves. Taste was similar with a touch alcohol on the end. Got better and better the more it aired. Delish.
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4/8/2011 - AlexHop wrote: 92 Points
Huge and inky with lots of oak and solid tannins, pencil lead, leather. Not super complex but still really nice with a super long finish.
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9/4/2010 - Yamadori wrote: 94 Points
Decanted 4 hours. Very dark purple color with black cherry and cassis on the nose with some smokiness. Smooth and very full bodied in the mouth with lots of ripe, dark fruit. Notes of dark chocolate and tobacco on the mid palate. Long finish with mild tannins. Seems to be entering its' peak drinking window. Rich and opulent, this is an outstanding wine which is drinking beautifully just now and should continue to do so for many years.
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7/17/2010 - sumshark wrote: 93 Points
Drinking at it's very best right now.
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5/11/2010 - InflationHedge wrote: 95 Points
Opened & decanted with venturi, put back into bottle 24 hours before drinking. This was excellent! Still a very young cab with great grip and beautiful dark fruit - black rasberry & plum, with nice smoke & coffee notes in the background. This will last a while...
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5/9/2010 - flashvictor Likes this wine: 94 Points
similar to prior note
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4/14/2010 - nfafoglia wrote: 93 Points
Nose is dominated by maraschino cherry and smoke. Espresso, tobacco, smoke, and bittersweet chocolate on the palate. Long finish. Tannins are present, but not obtrusive. Long finish. Serious juice.
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4/9/2010 - gblacave wrote: 89 Points
This was my first experience with Matriarch and only my second with Bob Levy/Bill Harlan wine. As expected, this is a pretty jammy, fruit-packed wine to my palate at the expense of complexity and depth. I found it to be a bit superficial, but what it does well it does very well. Eucalyptus, cassis, lots of berry on the nose with an interesting tobacco note as well. Similar theme in the mouth with big opulent fruit and smooth, well-integrated tannins. I was pleasantly surprised that the oak was well-integrated. Long, if simple, finish. Very well made, just not in the sweet spot for me style-wise.
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4/8/2010 - Mike V wrote: 91 Points
Still very dense and chewy. Black in the glass. tannic with a lot of everything. Fruit may not hold up with the other elements. Drink
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3/21/2010 - zinfidel Likes this wine: 93 Points
Deep purple color, dark blackcurrant with a hint of cedar on the nose, blackberry and plum on the palate. Finish lasts 30+ secs. Excellent.
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2/14/2010 - jtw1969 wrote: 93 Points
Dark fruit, a finish that last 20-30 seconds... Big, bold (almost grapee) but nice structure and tannins.
very dark inly purple, nose of dark cherry with a hint of leather and vanilla
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10/3/2009 - danstrings wrote: 92 Points
Dinner Eri and next night with Gary and Sandy -- Surprisingly balanced CA Cab with deep cassis fruit, scorched earth, some oak for sure but not cloying, and some refreshing acidity/balance. A pretty sexy heady wine, showed well.
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8/24/2009 - nfafoglia wrote: 93 Points
Soft tannins, pomegranate, and espresso. A long finish that is early in it's evolution. Can't wait for the next bottle!
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6/22/2009 - MJTed wrote: 93 Points
Smith River Trip so no decanting. Still huge with thick layes of blue fruit, cassis, and mocha. Strong spicy finish and excellent structure.
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4/26/2009 - Harry Cantrell wrote: 94 Points
Deep garnet. Nose is brooding black fruits, wonter spices. Taste was big yet smooth. A mouthful to be sure, but very young. An excellent wine, young. And this is Bond's second wine!
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3/7/2009 - cawineaux wrote: 94 Points
Decanted for 2 hours. 1st hour there was too much alcohol to get a sense of the fruit that would eventually take over. After two hours of air this is a brilliant wine. Medium to full bodied, perfect fruit - cherry, cassis, vanilla, maybe even a little caramel at the end. A bottle that will not be forgotten soon. Drank over a period of 2 hours and it just kept getting better.
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3/1/2009 - mmasterson wrote: 94 Points
Excellent cabernet, with notes of cassis, plum, and bay leaf. Still very structured...I decanted for several hours but what this bottle needs is several years in the cellar. Very promising.
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1/13/2009 - vinojones wrote: 94 Points
at Yujean Kang with Bipin- serious wine good QPR ;tasted with the 02 St Eden
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11/22/2008 - MJTed wrote: 94 Points
Dark ripe fruit, espresso and mocha. Full bodied but not flabby. Fine grained tannic structure with lengthy finish. Great stuff from a great vintage.
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11/16/2008 - sdatl wrote: 94 Points
At its peak (for my palate). Inky, dark violet color and a very full body (and a lot of sediment); powerful blackcurrant, chocolate, and cedar on the nose; rich plum, blackcurrant, and vanilla flavors, with a soft structure (but a structure nonetheless) and an incredibly long finish; decadent, but not overwhelming
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10/6/2008 - flashvictor wrote: 94 Points
Deep tanzanite color leads to a brooding nose of currant, tobacco, dark cherry and vanilla. Full bodied palate contains flavors of currant, dark cherry, vanilla, with just a touch of chocolate. Tannins are firm and sweet lasting 40 seconds. A really good bottle of wine - can't wait to try the 02 Bonds.
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6/9/2008 - Newplace31 wrote: 92 Points
It is essential to air this wine at least an hour before serving. Berries beneath light vanilla. This wine is a favorite with lamb chops.
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5/7/2008 - loverboy wrote: 93 Points
Big intense red color. Big wine, scent of crushed berries, vanilla and very fine oak. Get better and better with time. Nice firm finish which last for half minute
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3/7/2008 - scottj wrote: 92 Points
Deep, deep purple, totally opaque. Not offering much on the nose initially. Big and rich, cassis and black fruit flavors, some licorice and an almost sweet finish. Still way too young, but should develop very nicely. Try the next one in 2-3 years. I wonder about the high end Bonds ...
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1/3/2008 - cct wrote: 94 Points
Dark as a moonless night. A nose like the essence of cassis, with black stony fruits, huge minerality and dark chocolate, some english thyme and bay leaves. Really dark and deep but with lots of layers. Very large scaled but equally poised.
The wine was expectedly very full bodied, but impeccably balanced, with a deft use of oak and great texture. A cassis and black plum bomb. More baking chocolate, and again with great precision, minerality and balance. A dark beauty. A great example of Cali Cab based wine at early peak. It paired near perfectly with the prime rib. Bravo!
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1/1/2008 - jtw1969 wrote: 92 Points
deep purple / black in color. Great nose but even after 3 hours it did not open to reveal all the fruit. Still a little tannic but should be better in 2 years.
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9/28/2007 - JeffGMorris wrote: 87 Points
Dinner at St Jacques with Todd & Lisa, Wes & Terry Ann and Bill K. Dark purple in color, this is a very young and very big wine. Very oaky and a bit disjointed. A little hot on the finish. Very uninteresting and clumsy to drink after the more elegant wines that preceded it. Maybe it will better integrate and balance with some cellar time but this is not a wine I would want to own. 50+12+11+7+7 = 87(+?)
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9/28/2007 - Vinfauv wrote: 93 Points
Outstanding. Needs 5 years, will be 95+
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7/16/2007 - matthen wrote: 93 Points
Decanted for two hours. Wonderful intensity and concentration in this one. Aromas of currant, floral and blackberry. Flavors of currant, dark fruits and chocolate finish with a "lip smacking" intensity. Absolutely outstanding.
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5/6/2007 - LPskeleton wrote: 93 Points
On the nose currants with a floral element of roses and burnt sugar. On the nose earthen flavors of chocolate covered truffles, with a splash of dirt make this a very interesting wine. Long supple finish. This wine was many peoples favorite.
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1/19/2007 - tanglenet wrote:
Taken to the Lark Creek Steak in SF. Decanted about 1 hour before serving. Huge nose of blackberry jam with some alcohol. Started out lean and tight, with a super deep multi-layered levels of dark fruit. After another 1/2 hour it started to smooth out with some dill and celery on the nose and the finish became more dry and powdery with some pepper from the alcohol. A very interesting wine. Very good, but too early to drink. I'm going to try to not open another unitl 2009.
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12/23/2006 - Mike V wrote: 94 Points
Continues to impress. Same as tasting note from august
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11/25/2006 - kkazaks wrote: 91 Points
Historical tasting note. Tasted three or four times the last six months. Surprisingly elegant and refined - not overly fruit bomby, but with good depth of character (in this way the opposite of R. Foley wines). Layers of almost seemless flavors - black and blue berry-fruits, chocolate, toast - keep coming in waves. Clearly from low-yield fruit. Probably not for long-term aging (but I could be wrong, and prefer aged wine).
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11/17/2006 - Hillbilly wrote: 89 Points
Never has a respectable wine been so outclassed as this was on this night. Medium purple but really only showing mild oaky, woody structure. There may be something more here, but it did nto show up to the party tonight.
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8/5/2006 - Mike V wrote: 94 Points
Wow. Best Matriarch to date. Jumps from the glass with soaring aromas of cedar and dark fruit. Palate goes on and on. Great now.
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6/1/2006 - EBoyer wrote: 91 Points
Very chocolately, good finish, good cab. Ready to go but will last. Packs a punch.
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5/28/2006 - sdatl wrote: 93 Points
Wonderful dark fruit, with aromas of cedar and chocolate; tight tannins still, which will open up in the glass, but this is a great find and will only get better in a few years
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5/2/2006 - ticketking wrote: 95 Points
Great now and I think will get even better. It will be a challenge to stay away from the rest to find out.
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4/14/2006 - pakabear wrote: 93 Points
Cherry and dark fruit on the nose with a bit of nutt. Medium finish with big tannins. I will wait another 3 years before trying another bottle.
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