In decent shape, which is especially shocking because the cork moves up and down 5mm in the neck (the coravin popped it up some and it moves back and forth!)
Rich dark red fruit, cherries and cassis. Integrated tannins, but pretty grippy on the teeth. Not terribly long on the finish though.
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Pnp. A little thin. It evolved at a pretty good clip and needed about 3 hours to show it's stuff. Dark berry and a decent mouthfeel. Still youthful and bright but no tannin. I can't see it getting better. Very enjoyable but not memorable.
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Decanted over 2 hours. Became very nice wit some air. Deep hues. Rich lush black and blue fruit. Complex and integrated. Acidity and tannins blew off. Very nice bottle.
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Decanted about an hour. Inky purple. Decent nose. Full ripe integrated black blue and red fruit. I thought complex and interesting. Long finish. In a good place right now. I didn't note the menthol and heat others have commented on.
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Nose was pretty with cherry, chocolate, and coffee aromas. Palate was equally delightful with milk chocolate coated sweet red berries and cherries. Tannins were soft and smooth. Finish was moderate with a lingering coffee bean, chocolate taste. Good, balanced and well made but not much in terms of complexity. All in all, a laid back, fun and easy drinking wine for quick enjoyment. Decanting was not needed but preferable and the wine was open for business. Good QPR.
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Tiny bit of funk upon first opening, but blew off pretty quickly. Excellent balance, hint of tannins, long length and finish. A really nice wine to accompany a nice ribeye.
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Definitely at it's drinking apex. Let breath for an hour. Wonderful nose and flavors, but started to flatten out after about thirty minutes. Still, a pleasant experience.
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This bottle did not come together as nicely as the one I opened 5 mos ago. It lacked the fruit and the roundness of the one before. Aeration did not help it remained in a sort of muted flat state through out. I did not dislked it but was no raving fan either. Sadly my last one. No rating.
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Decanted for half hour. Nose slightly floral and with candied red fruits. Palate was full-bodied with some red fruits. Slightly sweet, jammy and very new world style. Tannins were velvety and overall very smooth. Elegant wine. Really punching far above it's weight. Aftertaste was rounded and long. All in all, very well integrated and classy with an extremely good QPR. A hugely satisfying wine.
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This wine proved me wrong. I first had it in May 2010, I thought it had potential but did not lived to the hype. Boy was I wrong. It has evolved beautifully. After 30 mins the wine was singing. Full body, rich dark fruit but restrained, elegant yet approachable. Drinking very well now with a little bit of air, but could easily last 2-3 years in this state.
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Surprisingly good! I've been rediscovering some of these new world wines that have a little bottle age on them and finding the quite fun. Not the stuff I generally prefer, but this is nicely balanced.
Good fruit up front, but not so forward that it's distracting. Lots of gravely and forest floor flavors, very fresh and surprisingly light. Bright cherry and a bit of blackberry jam along with some nice spice-box notes.
Not terribly complex, but elegant in it's own right since nothing is really wrong or overdone.
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Black garnet. Nose was all Robert Foley-some oak, winter spices, plums. The taste had soem slight mid-palate thinness, but otherwise mouth filling, rich, plums, spice, pepper. Good
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Deep garnet. Nose was all Foley-blackberries, plums, clove. Taste was a more mellow verion of the Claret. Mouthfilling, but more melloe than expected. I liked a lot and for the price, great.
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Same as the other 3 bottles I've had of this. Dark fruit on the nose. Classic big Foley wine, but not overly powerful. Smooth, plush tannins, berries, some oak and mocha. Slightly dry finish. It doesn't get much better than this in the $30-$35 price range
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Very dark purple color. Nice bouquet of cassis and green pepper. Very intense fruit and good amount of sweet tannins with full body that coats the whole palate. Long length and very pleasant finish.
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Very enjoyable. Fruity, so much more of a standalone drinker. Would not pair well with food in my view. From from to back this showed dark fruit, mostly cherry and blackberry. I am not sure fruit focused profile would suit everyone, but certainly an enjoyable bottle.
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A wonderful blend of Foley's wines and a perfect demonstration of the diversity of the 07 vintage. This was the last of the 2007 Griffin I have, as I'm waiting for the 6 pack of the 2008's coming in. Being a lover of Foley's merlot and petit syrah, I can appreciate the complexity of this unique blend. This is a big wine with a wonderfully complex nose, silky tannins, and a dark fruit core that would linger more on the finish but for the sharp edge given the wine from the petit syrah grape.
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Deep, black-purple. Although teetering on too-ripe, it wasn't over-ripe. What impressed the most was how the Merlot component popped, about 1/2-way through the bottle. Rich, semi-sweet chocolate, ever-so-slightly masked by the blue-black fruits. Most definitely a justifiable pop & pour.
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big but not huge wine. Fruit forward nose. Licourice. Very interesting mid palate that rumbles in your mouth like a storm until it disappates into a very smooth and long finish. Some may not like the density of this wine, but if massive wines are you thing dive into this QPR winner. PDQ
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Drank this with Carrie, Randy, and Mike at Napa Valley Wine and Cigar. Much improved since my note last January. Inky Color. Darker than ruby. Great legs and a nice nose. Some tannins. This time I tasted prunes and raisens.
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Primary in character and modern in style but with a super-appealing brightness to its red cherry, black raspberry, plum, and floral aromas. Swirling the glass brings on additional oak-influenced notes of vanilla and espresso, but really this is about bright fruit and summer flower flavors. Velvety, silky and gentle on the palate with soft, round tannins, medium to full body, low acid and no hard edges. A superb, sexy effort, and one that speaks to Bob's house-style at a young age and affordable price.
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Opened the wine and was greeted with a somewhat complex nose with forward fruit. Could easily identify each component. Swirled in my glass and tasted a young wine rich in character. Thought-yes-this wine is nice. Started a fire in the fireplace-yes even in June. Sat back and started where I left of with the book Isaac's Storm. Little did I know an almost perfect storm was brewing in my glass. Four hours later I started smelling this amazing bouquet. What the heck is going on in my glass? (Please be advised I hate to call myself a wine snob-but I usually only drink bottles of wine that are highly rated by pros and highly rated here on CellarTracker-95 or above-but since I bought the Claret from the winery decided on a couple Griffens) The most amazing complex nose beguiled me. Like a lady in a black velvet dress with red lace swirling past you in moonlight. How do I describe the nose??? Dark, deep, nose of blackened tree stems intermixed with slightly burn molasses. Add to that a smell I cannot identify. The nose on this wine would score a 97 for me. Of course we have to remember this is a $30+ bottle so the taste follows through with what you smell-has a good complex almost full finish that is fantastic in this price range. No it is not a finish that lasts for minutes-but a dark wonderful finish for about 15 seconds. The nose is so haunting-I am stunned. DON'T pop and pour-you will miss everything this wine has. A great buy. Once again repeat with me-the wine you get when you pop and pour is not the wine you will get in four hours.
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Tasted more ripe and forward to me this time, as opposed to the last bottle. While the ripeness is present, it does not create a thick or clumsy wine so what I perceived is a more forward wine, with some ripe edges, but enough balance within the palate to make it work. Lots of black fruit and black cherry. Ready to drink.
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Tasting notes after decanting the wine for two hours. Very pleasant bouquet expressing fig, lavander and prune. On the palate, I had high expectations based on previous CT tasting notes. However, I think the wine while pleasant on the front end, the mid-palate and tail end did not live up to its expectations. There is potential for improvement over the next few years as there is a lot going on with the wine but is not all together there. However, I don't believe the wine lives up to the hype.
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Really very good, still young, inky ruby in color, light fruit on the nose but plenty on the palette. Foley graham cracker is there, but faint compared to others. Not tanic at all, smooth medium finish. Great deal @ $30.
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Darn tasty. What you'd come to expect from Foley. Dark, bold, blueberry, pie-crust vanilla extract concoction. Cab/PS/Merlot blend. Well done and even at $30, a great QPR!
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Popped and poured and got another rich luscious fruit-a-palooza. This time I think I got both Caramel and Vanilla. soft rounded and delicious. Great QPR and an outstanding wine to just sit and drink...Will rebuy...
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The first serious by the bottle 2007 from Napa Valley for me. Everything has been from winery, event and barrel tasting to date. Rock sold wine for the $, great QPR from Napa. Youthful, needs time but with air this is drinking greatly right now.
Color: Dark, seductive rich hues of red and purples flashes
Nose: Some vanilla, blackberry and flowers, a little mocha powder too
Palate: Medium to full bodied. Creme de cassis, blackberry, black cherry, tea, and tobacco create a complex palate, while fresh acidity and semi-firm tannins balance the wine nicely.
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Great wine and great qpr. Had a wonderful nose and taste of dark fruit and almost stewed fruit as it opened up into softening tannins but still pretty mouthfilling and teethstaining from the PS with a long finish that was a great match with cassoulet and a colder night.
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Just as good as the last time I had this. Dark fruit on the nose. Classic big Foley wine, but not overly powerful. Smooth, plush tannins, berries, some oak and mocha. Slightly dry finish. It doesn't get much better than this in the $30-$35 price range.
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Wow, a great wine. Subtle on the nose but lots of fruit and tanins at first, with the tanins softening quickly (15 min) to reveal a nice smooth finish.
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1/18/10: Had this wine again on a pop and pour with stuffed veal. Very similar profile to the last time I had it with Fruit for days, but this time instead of caramel, I got Vanilla...Vanilla for days on end...what a fun and tasty wine...one that would probably go better without food and just sipping and smoking a cigar...
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Very dark purple color. The nose was faint but had hints of toasty oak and red fruit. Flavors of sweet cherry, black currant and smoke. Great QPR at $32.00. More at my blog http://encompasswine.wordpress.com/
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WooHoo. Glad I have another bottle for the future. Sweetish and a bit hot on opening. The heat wore off quickly. I thought this was full bodied and smooth. I tasted chocolate and mocha/mint. No improvement at 2 hours... it was still delicious. I'll wait at least a year to drink my other bottle.
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popped and poured at Del Frisco's and had with a bone in ribeye...This wine was nothing short of terrific especially at the price. Big wine, with big fruit - 43% Cabernet Sauvignon, 35% Petite Sirah, 22% Merlot - (the PS, really shines through) dark fruit, cassis, with a caramel component as well. Velvetty mouthfeel, and a long finsih with sweet soft tannins...one of the most tasty wines I have had all year....will search some out and pick some up...
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First of 3. At the price of 32 bucks, I actually bought more of this than the petite this year. Tasting tonight for the first time, dark color and some new oak, the kind that is mocha-like, cocoa powder noted. The palate shows some of the same mocha/chocolate edges, but with the cab and petite playing back and forth with tobacco and black cherry notes from the cab and the juicy blackberry and spice from the petite, perhaps even some plum that I would attribute to the merlot. I will agree with others that have noted the wine is not big boned like other Foley bottlings (i.e. the Foley Petites) but more medium weighted and gentle with dark notes. For the price, with the wood and fruit notes mixing, it works for me.
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Dark fruit on the nose. Classic big Foley wine, but not overly powerful. Smooth, plush tannins, berries, some oak and mocha. Slightly dry finish. It doesn't get much better than this in the $30-$35 price range.
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Garnet. Just had to open one. It was his claret, only slightly lighter all around. Nose was Robert Foley, but not so in your face. Taste was where the light became more evident. Nice, nothing out of place, just trailed off the tongue a little too soon. Very good for the price.
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Had this at a wine tasting tonight. Nice blend with an attractive nose and a smooth finish. This was the overall winner of the selections, beating out more expensive offerings from Pride and Caymus.
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The Griffin is a smooth full flavor wine for $31. The nose wa very inviting, color was a deep purple, the flavor was full bodied and a toch of oak. Every sip was better than the preceding.
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Opened but not decanted 2 hours prior to drinking at a restaurant; this needed another 90+ mins to begin coming together. Not a bad wine but the different varietals didn't seem to completely come together for some time.
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Big, juicy and acidic. Strong PS spice (pepper/cinnamon) complements core of black cherry and licorice. Modest oak and definitely would not mistake for a cab despite high % of CS and Merlot.
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12/20/2022 - SeattlePaul wrote: 89 Points
A very reasonable wine. Pleasantly drinkable with very nice fruit. Considering the age, I'm happy with it.
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12/14/2022 - SeattlePaul wrote:
In decent shape, which is especially shocking because the cork moves up and down 5mm in the neck (the coravin popped it up some and it moves back and forth!)
Rich dark red fruit, cherries and cassis. Integrated tannins, but pretty grippy on the teeth. Not terribly long on the finish though.
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10/22/2016 - gjv115 Likes this wine: 87 Points
Pnp. A little thin. It evolved at a pretty good clip and needed about 3 hours to show it's stuff. Dark berry and a decent mouthfeel. Still youthful and bright but no tannin. I can't see it getting better. Very enjoyable but not memorable.
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10/15/2016 - mckillop Likes this wine: 91 Points
Simply yummy. Nice fruit and still going strong. Medium body with a short finish but a perfect bottle for the price.
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8/27/2016 - ogres3 Likes this wine: 93 Points
Decanted over 2 hours. Became very nice wit some air. Deep hues. Rich lush black and blue fruit. Complex and integrated. Acidity and tannins blew off. Very nice bottle.
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4/7/2016 - Nicholas81 wrote: 87 Points
Slightly over the peak now. The flavour in the glass is slightly blunt and not as focused as before. The tannins have all been resolved. Drink Up.
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3/26/2016 - ogres3 Likes this wine: 93 Points
Decanted about an hour. Inky purple. Decent nose. Full ripe integrated black blue and red fruit. I thought complex and interesting. Long finish. In a good place right now. I didn't note the menthol and heat others have commented on.
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3/18/2016 - jon_goodman1 wrote: 92 Points
scickingly good. not that complex but drinking well
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1/2/2016 - mxpbuy Does not like this wine: 88 Points
Classic Foley alcohol laden fruit bomb. Black and red fruits with hot menthol on the finish which really took this wine down a couple points for me.
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12/2/2015 - skinut wrote: 91 Points
Still fresh and fruity, nice finish. Years ahead of it, but it is unlikely to get any better.
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9/14/2015 - Acohen Likes this wine: 90 Points
Nice dark fruit with currant, blueberry and cassis that had good body and nice finish
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7/30/2015 - jon_goodman1 wrote: 92 Points
very good cab. tannis softeneed and good balance of fruit. Great cab especially for the money
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6/14/2015 - Nicholas81 wrote: 89 Points
Nose was pretty with cherry, chocolate, and coffee aromas. Palate was equally delightful with milk chocolate coated sweet red berries and cherries. Tannins were soft and smooth. Finish was moderate with a lingering coffee bean, chocolate taste. Good, balanced and well made but not much in terms of complexity. All in all, a laid back, fun and easy drinking wine for quick enjoyment. Decanting was not needed but preferable and the wine was open for business. Good QPR.
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5/5/2015 - Sugarb Likes this wine: 92 Points
Drinking very well right now.
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4/15/2015 - fbrack wrote: 91 Points
Very dark, not a lot of nose, but delicious fruit, loved by all four of us at dinner!
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2/16/2015 - bradfriedlander Likes this wine: 89 Points
Full body fruit; light, soft tannins; not much structure; dark cherry, chocolate;
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10/20/2014 - Sugarb Likes this wine: 91 Points
Very nice, plenty more time to let this mature. Tannins have already started to soften, berry fruits showing through.
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10/14/2014 - skinut Likes this wine: 91 Points
Tiny bit of funk upon first opening, but blew off pretty quickly. Excellent balance, hint of tannins, long length and finish. A really nice wine to accompany a nice ribeye.
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9/4/2014 - jackaroo Likes this wine: 92 Points
Definitely at it's drinking apex. Let breath for an hour. Wonderful nose and flavors, but started to flatten out after about thirty minutes. Still, a pleasant experience.
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8/5/2014 - vinomex wrote:
This bottle did not come together as nicely as the one I opened 5 mos ago. It lacked the fruit and the roundness of the one before. Aeration did not help it remained in a sort of muted flat state through out. I did not dislked it but was no raving fan either. Sadly my last one. No rating.
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5/29/2014 - Nicholas81 Likes this wine: 91 Points
Decanted for half hour. Nose slightly floral and with candied red fruits. Palate was full-bodied with some red fruits. Slightly sweet, jammy and very new world style. Tannins were velvety and overall very smooth. Elegant wine. Really punching far above it's weight. Aftertaste was rounded and long. All in all, very well integrated and classy with an extremely good QPR. A hugely satisfying wine.
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2/25/2014 - vinomex wrote: 93 Points
This wine proved me wrong. I first had it in May 2010, I thought it had potential but did not lived to the hype. Boy was I wrong. It has evolved beautifully. After 30 mins the wine was singing. Full body, rich dark fruit but restrained, elegant yet approachable. Drinking very well now with a little bit of air, but could easily last 2-3 years in this state.
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2/8/2014 - morpheusrising wrote: 91 Points
Surprisingly good! I've been rediscovering some of these new world wines that have a little bottle age on them and finding the quite fun. Not the stuff I generally prefer, but this is nicely balanced.
Good fruit up front, but not so forward that it's distracting. Lots of gravely and forest floor flavors, very fresh and surprisingly light. Bright cherry and a bit of blackberry jam along with some nice spice-box notes.
Not terribly complex, but elegant in it's own right since nothing is really wrong or overdone.
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12/29/2013 - Dasher wrote: 93 Points
Wish I had more of this.
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2/27/2013 - Acohen wrote: 91 Points
Noticably more integrated than before and the bold primary fruits have mellowed a little bit. Still big blackberry and dark fruit with a solid finish
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8/29/2012 - Ridgerunner Likes this wine: 91 Points
perfect with dinner
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8/19/2012 - pdemaio wrote: 93 Points
great complexity on this new world, but not overripe wine. Great integration.
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7/22/2012 - Harry Cantrell wrote: 91 Points
Black garnet. Nose was all Robert Foley-some oak, winter spices, plums. The taste had soem slight mid-palate thinness, but otherwise mouth filling, rich, plums, spice, pepper. Good
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6/3/2012 - Harry Cantrell wrote: 93 Points
Deep garnet. Nose was all Foley-blackberries, plums, clove. Taste was a more mellow verion of the Claret. Mouthfilling, but more melloe than expected. I liked a lot and for the price, great.
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3/18/2012 - Ridgerunner Likes this wine: 91 Points
Really a pleasurable wine! Great fruit. Could drink ten years from now... but quite pleasant right now.
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1/9/2012 - marcw23 wrote: 91 Points
Same as the other 3 bottles I've had of this. Dark fruit on the nose. Classic big Foley wine, but not overly powerful. Smooth, plush tannins, berries, some oak and mocha. Slightly dry finish. It doesn't get much better than this in the $30-$35 price range
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9/17/2011 - pdemaio wrote: 93 Points
Big but easy to drink. An excellent entry level example of what makes Robert Foley wines so enjoyable.
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9/3/2011 - pjhr wrote: 89 Points
Rich blackberry and cassis aromas and ripe fruit on the palate with soft tannins on the finish. Lacks the acidity/tannins to bring it all home.
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7/18/2011 - pdemaio wrote: 93 Points
Love this juice. spices and umami abound. Darker fruit. Some cherry. Vanilla. fully bodied. Touch of (enjoyable) VA. Very strong wine
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6/12/2011 - hanasowner wrote: 91 Points
Last (and best) of the three bottles I bought. Popped and poured. Great with burgers. Wouldn't wait to drink now if I had more.
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6/5/2011 - Winiac wrote: 91 Points
Very dark purple color. Nice bouquet of cassis and green pepper. Very intense fruit and good amount of sweet tannins with full body that coats the whole palate. Long length and very pleasant finish.
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2/19/2011 - laxman wrote: 89 Points
Very enjoyable. Fruity, so much more of a standalone drinker. Would not pair well with food in my view. From from to back this showed dark fruit, mostly cherry and blackberry. I am not sure fruit focused profile would suit everyone, but certainly an enjoyable bottle.
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2/17/2011 - Dasher wrote: 91 Points
Consistent with past bottles, Rich lush dark fruit for days, soft and very drinkable. A great pop and pour... love this wine
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2/17/2011 - Jab_343434 wrote: 90 Points
A powerful complex wine. Paired perfectly with steak.
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2/13/2011 - Dasher wrote: 92 Points
Really good. Dark color. Blackberry cassis nose and palate! Awesome wine
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2/4/2011 - yasgurdj wrote: 90 Points
Really good. Dark color. Blackberry cassis nose and palate. Delishhh.
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1/30/2011 - Tri Wine wrote: 92 Points
A wonderful blend of Foley's wines and a perfect demonstration of the diversity of the 07 vintage. This was the last of the 2007 Griffin I have, as I'm waiting for the 6 pack of the 2008's coming in. Being a lover of Foley's merlot and petit syrah, I can appreciate the complexity of this unique blend. This is a big wine with a wonderfully complex nose, silky tannins, and a dark fruit core that would linger more on the finish but for the sharp edge given the wine from the petit syrah grape.
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1/28/2011 - golfwine wrote: 88 Points
Deep, black-purple. Although teetering on too-ripe, it wasn't over-ripe. What impressed the most was how the Merlot component popped, about 1/2-way through the bottle. Rich, semi-sweet chocolate, ever-so-slightly masked by the blue-black fruits. Most definitely a justifiable pop & pour.
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1/5/2011 - pdemaio wrote: 93 Points
big but not huge wine. Fruit forward nose. Licourice. Very interesting mid palate that rumbles in your mouth like a storm until it disappates into a very smooth and long finish. Some may not like the density of this wine, but if massive wines are you thing dive into this QPR winner. PDQ
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12/19/2010 - dhammer53 wrote: 91 Points
Drank this with Carrie, Randy, and Mike at Napa Valley Wine and Cigar. Much improved since my note last January. Inky Color. Darker than ruby. Great legs and a nice nose. Some tannins. This time I tasted prunes and raisens.
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11/15/2010 - wino_tim wrote: 92 Points
Primary in character and modern in style but with a super-appealing brightness to its red cherry, black raspberry, plum, and floral aromas. Swirling the glass brings on additional oak-influenced notes of vanilla and espresso, but really this is about bright fruit and summer flower flavors. Velvety, silky and gentle on the palate with soft, round tannins, medium to full body, low acid and no hard edges. A superb, sexy effort, and one that speaks to Bob's house-style at a young age and affordable price.
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8/31/2010 - hkfoebee wrote:
Fatigued palate maybe to blame as this bottle did not appear to be at par with the others. Oh well, as this was my last bottle...
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8/15/2010 - brewking wrote: 90 Points
still a great wine, big, fruity, not to tannic. great to merlot lovers
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8/4/2010 - AlexHop wrote: 91 Points
Really nice, bold and interesting.
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7/21/2010 - Acohen wrote: 91 Points
Wonderful lush and mouthfilling with dark fruit and layers of taste. Slightly over the top and teethstaining but really enjoyable
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7/6/2010 - brianngibson wrote: 90 Points
Blueberry and blackberry of the Petite Sirah shines through.
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6/21/2010 - Dasher wrote: 91 Points
Great bottle of wine! always smooth and inviting.
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6/6/2010 - hkfoebee wrote:
Another solid showing. Glad and sad to only have 1 more...
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6/6/2010 - vintage1949 wrote: 92 Points
Opened the wine and was greeted with a somewhat complex nose with forward fruit. Could easily identify each component. Swirled in my glass and tasted a young wine rich in character. Thought-yes-this wine is nice. Started a fire in the fireplace-yes even in June. Sat back and started where I left of with the book Isaac's Storm. Little did I know an almost perfect storm was brewing in my glass. Four hours later I started smelling this amazing bouquet. What the heck is going on in my glass? (Please be advised I hate to call myself a wine snob-but I usually only drink bottles of wine that are highly rated by pros and highly rated here on CellarTracker-95 or above-but since I bought the Claret from the winery decided on a couple Griffens) The most amazing complex nose beguiled me. Like a lady in a black velvet dress with red lace swirling past you in moonlight. How do I describe the nose??? Dark, deep, nose of blackened tree stems intermixed with slightly burn molasses. Add to that a smell I cannot identify. The nose on this wine would score a 97 for me. Of course we have to remember this is a $30+ bottle so the taste follows through with what you smell-has a good complex almost full finish that is fantastic in this price range. No it is not a finish that lasts for minutes-but a dark wonderful finish for about 15 seconds. The nose is so haunting-I am stunned. DON'T pop and pour-you will miss everything this wine has. A great buy. Once again repeat with me-the wine you get when you pop and pour is not the wine you will get in four hours.
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6/1/2010 - Coupe 60 wrote: 91 Points
consistent with past bottles, Rich lush dark fruit for days, soft and very drinkable even with a PnP... love this wine
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5/31/2010 - psoals wrote: 90 Points
Must...buy...more...
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5/31/2010 - Frank Murray III wrote:
Tasted more ripe and forward to me this time, as opposed to the last bottle. While the ripeness is present, it does not create a thick or clumsy wine so what I perceived is a more forward wine, with some ripe edges, but enough balance within the palate to make it work. Lots of black fruit and black cherry. Ready to drink.
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5/20/2010 - vinomex wrote: 89 Points
Tasting notes after decanting the wine for two hours. Very pleasant bouquet expressing fig, lavander and prune. On the palate, I had high expectations based on previous CT tasting notes. However, I think the wine while pleasant on the front end, the mid-palate and tail end did not live up to its expectations. There is potential for improvement over the next few years as there is a lot going on with the wine but is not all together there. However, I don't believe the wine lives up to the hype.
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4/25/2010 - hkfoebee wrote:
Another Foley showing that over delivers at its price point. Everything you've come to expect from a Foley cab, merlot and ps blend. yummy!
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4/18/2010 - jcable wrote: 89 Points
Really very good, still young, inky ruby in color, light fruit on the nose but plenty on the palette. Foley graham cracker is there, but faint compared to others. Not tanic at all, smooth medium finish. Great deal @ $30.
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4/7/2010 - hkfoebee wrote:
Darn tasty. What you'd come to expect from Foley. Dark, bold, blueberry, pie-crust vanilla extract concoction. Cab/PS/Merlot blend. Well done and even at $30, a great QPR!
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3/22/2010 - Coupe 60 wrote: 91 Points
Popped and poured and got another rich luscious fruit-a-palooza. This time I think I got both Caramel and Vanilla. soft rounded and delicious. Great QPR and an outstanding wine to just sit and drink...Will rebuy...
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3/21/2010 - brianngibson wrote: 90 Points
Intense inky purple in the glass. Huckleberry, blackberry, vanilla, licorice. A bit too sweet, but very enjoyable and great QPR.
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3/15/2010 - mraabpfg wrote: 90 Points
Very nice cab soft and with subtle fruit not to tannic but a little tight might even be better in a year or 3
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2/20/2010 - budman wrote: 91 Points
Wow! Great QPR!!!!
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2/14/2010 - tkoby11 wrote: 92 Points
The first serious by the bottle 2007 from Napa Valley for me. Everything has been from winery, event and barrel tasting to date. Rock sold wine for the $, great QPR from Napa. Youthful, needs time but with air this is drinking greatly right now.
Color: Dark, seductive rich hues of red and purples flashes
Nose: Some vanilla, blackberry and flowers, a little mocha powder too
Palate: Medium to full bodied. Creme de cassis, blackberry, black cherry, tea, and tobacco create a complex palate, while fresh acidity and semi-firm tannins balance the wine nicely.
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2/11/2010 - Acohen wrote: 91 Points
Great wine and great qpr. Had a wonderful nose and taste of dark fruit and almost stewed fruit as it opened up into softening tannins but still pretty mouthfilling and teethstaining from the PS with a long finish that was a great match with cassoulet and a colder night.
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2/10/2010 - marcw23 wrote: 91 Points
Just as good as the last time I had this. Dark fruit on the nose. Classic big Foley wine, but not overly powerful. Smooth, plush tannins, berries, some oak and mocha. Slightly dry finish. It doesn't get much better than this in the $30-$35 price range.
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1/23/2010 - jcable wrote: 90 Points
Wow, a great wine. Subtle on the nose but lots of fruit and tanins at first, with the tanins softening quickly (15 min) to reveal a nice smooth finish.
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1/22/2010 - patwjr wrote: 92 Points
nice wine, great value, but needs time.
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1/18/2010 - Coupe 60 wrote: 91 Points
1/18/10: Had this wine again on a pop and pour with stuffed veal. Very similar profile to the last time I had it with Fruit for days, but this time instead of caramel, I got Vanilla...Vanilla for days on end...what a fun and tasty wine...one that would probably go better without food and just sipping and smoking a cigar...
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1/13/2010 - whynblog wrote: 91 Points
Very dark purple color. The nose was faint but had hints of toasty oak and red fruit. Flavors of sweet cherry, black currant and smoke. Great QPR at $32.00. More at my blog http://encompasswine.wordpress.com/
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1/3/2010 - sachsen wrote: 92 Points
Still needs time but this is a monster of a wine--in a good way.
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1/3/2010 - dhammer53 wrote: 91 Points
WooHoo. Glad I have another bottle for the future. Sweetish and a bit hot on opening. The heat wore off quickly. I thought this was full bodied and smooth. I tasted chocolate and mocha/mint. No improvement at 2 hours... it was still delicious. I'll wait at least a year to drink my other bottle.
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12/28/2009 - Coupe 60 wrote: 92 Points
popped and poured at Del Frisco's and had with a bone in ribeye...This wine was nothing short of terrific especially at the price. Big wine, with big fruit - 43% Cabernet Sauvignon, 35% Petite Sirah, 22% Merlot - (the PS, really shines through) dark fruit, cassis, with a caramel component as well. Velvetty mouthfeel, and a long finsih with sweet soft tannins...one of the most tasty wines I have had all year....will search some out and pick some up...
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12/23/2009 - Joelene wrote: 88 Points
Fruit without personality, gets better with air, but generally disappointing, zinish at first. One dimensional.
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12/9/2009 - dferreir wrote: 90 Points
SOLID!
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12/5/2009 - Frank Murray III wrote:
First of 3. At the price of 32 bucks, I actually bought more of this than the petite this year. Tasting tonight for the first time, dark color and some new oak, the kind that is mocha-like, cocoa powder noted. The palate shows some of the same mocha/chocolate edges, but with the cab and petite playing back and forth with tobacco and black cherry notes from the cab and the juicy blackberry and spice from the petite, perhaps even some plum that I would attribute to the merlot. I will agree with others that have noted the wine is not big boned like other Foley bottlings (i.e. the Foley Petites) but more medium weighted and gentle with dark notes. For the price, with the wood and fruit notes mixing, it works for me.
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12/2/2009 - marcw23 wrote: 91 Points
Dark fruit on the nose. Classic big Foley wine, but not overly powerful. Smooth, plush tannins, berries, some oak and mocha. Slightly dry finish. It doesn't get much better than this in the $30-$35 price range.
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11/26/2009 - Cray316 wrote: 91 Points
Good wine, no formal notes...
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11/23/2009 - jwebtx wrote:
Signature Foley profile in a $30 package. Not complex or long on the finish, but it is tasty. Its like a sneak peak at the flagship wines. B+
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11/21/2009 - Harry Cantrell wrote: 91 Points
Garnet. Just had to open one. It was his claret, only slightly lighter all around. Nose was Robert Foley, but not so in your face. Taste was where the light became more evident. Nice, nothing out of place, just trailed off the tongue a little too soon. Very good for the price.
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11/3/2009 - ToddR911 wrote: 92 Points
Had this at a wine tasting tonight. Nice blend with an attractive nose and a smooth finish. This was the overall winner of the selections, beating out more expensive offerings from Pride and Caymus.
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10/31/2009 - amateurwino wrote: 87 Points
Very pretty aromatics. Palate is sweet and smooth, but a bit generic. 86-87
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10/27/2009 - drgrape wrote: 92 Points
The Griffin is a smooth full flavor wine for $31. The nose wa very inviting, color was a deep purple, the flavor was full bodied and a toch of oak. Every sip was better than the preceding.
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10/26/2009 - davidandrose wrote: 89 Points
Opened but not decanted 2 hours prior to drinking at a restaurant; this needed another 90+ mins to begin coming together. Not a bad wine but the different varietals didn't seem to completely come together for some time.
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10/24/2009 - 6831 wrote: 88 Points
Nicely balanced but overall a bit dull. Simple flavors of red berry, cassis and oak. Decent finish.
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10/24/2009 - Nanda wrote: 89 Points
Nice chocolaty, cocoa nose. Palate is medium rich with red fruit, vanilla and mocha notes. Nicely balanced. A bit simple. Kind of a mini-Pride Merlot.
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9/28/2009 - SJ_Sharkie wrote: 91 Points
Very nice blend. Though it drank well right now, and that it would be optimal within a year.
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9/27/2009 - MJTed wrote: 91 Points
Very solid $30-ish Napa red. Signature B Foley blue fruit/mocha notes and early-drinking pleasure. Decent grip and complexity.
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9/18/2009 - SJ_Sharkie wrote: 91 Points
Flavorful blend, very good right now. Optimal in a year.
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9/7/2009 - MJTed wrote: 90 Points
Big, juicy and acidic. Strong PS spice (pepper/cinnamon) complements core of black cherry and licorice. Modest oak and definitely would not mistake for a cab despite high % of CS and Merlot.
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