This is at peak IMO. Nice nose of cassis and slightly faded cedar. On the palate, the tannins are resolved. Some residual oak but still nice cassis and cherries. Slight tobacco note. Showing a moderate amount of complexity. Long finish. Nice showing.
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Beautiful Bottle of wine served with a Delmonico Roast Slow cooked in my smoker. Nice Balance between Acids and Tanins. Wonderful Black Cherry and Cigar flavor. Also Classic Napa Eucalyptus aroma
Wonderful wine
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The wine looks rosy colored. The legs are fast. There is light sediment in the bottle. It smells like blackberry, prune, coffee, black pepper and fur. It tastes like blackberry and prune. The body is light/medium. The wine has silky texture. The wine finishes medium. The wine has medium acidity.
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If you have a bottle you may as well drink it now. This is a great blend, very subtle but still a cab blend and a great red meat wine. It is not, however, opulent not big and full bodied, and by now you can tell it is in its prime and about to peak.
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Magnum. Decanted 1.5 hours. very Bordeux like in many ways. Nose of soy, bbq, leather, smoke, and a little plum. My only regret was the finish, which faded really fast. Drink now. 90
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Double decanted around 1 hour at home and bottle breath for another 2 hours during dinner. Dark inky red but vibrant hue, open nicely for the dinner, exhibit quite a Bordeaux nose with dark fruits, cherry, plum and notes of cigar box. It has a rich entry with ripe plum, cherry and well integrated oak. Medium+ bodied with a firm structure. Medium+ finish and the tannins still firm and grippy. It can definitely go for another 3 to 5 years but I recently checked the local store and their current release is 2007, so no chance for me to revisit it again. A nice wine with pretty good QPR.
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Consistent year in and year out. Smooth silky tannins blend with the dark red fruit for a supple feel and long finish. Complements many a hardy dish because of its relaxed style. Good QPR.
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I remember (in 2007) visiting the Franciscan winery in Napa and having the wine server talk about how they were excited to see what the 06 Magnificat would turn out... Now in 2012, I can tell you: the wine started rather tight, but strong (even after decanting for a solid hour, but by hour two, it really began to flourish. Great, powerful cherry and traces of the (as advertised) vanilla. Super tannic, this wine probably could have had a much longer shelf life. Full bodied, supple, and bursting with flavor (once it opened up). Be patient with it. Went well with our pot roast. Great accompaniment to big meal.
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I liked this much better than I did 6 months ago. The tannin level seems to have mellowed. It's now a very enjoyable drink - with or without food. Cherry, plum vanilla, spice. Nice, long finish. Good balance. Seems to be in the sweet spot now.
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The wine is a deep ruby color. There is cassis, crushed blackberries, dried herbs, cedar, smoke, baking spices, black cherry, and a slight herbal note on the soothing and comforting nose. The nose is not an in your face style like a lot of the current release Bordeaux styled wines coming out of California. I'm not saying that is a positive or a negative, just different, since I like both styles. The wine is medium bodied with fairly solid tannins and very nice acidity. The wine has a nice fruit and savory blend on the palate with a touch of spicy oak peeking through. Decent length on the finish, I just wish it had a touch more length. Once again, a touch of excess oak peeks out on the finish. With some additional cellar time, the excess oak may integrate, but I don't think there is enough fruit to help it hide out.
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If this wine has a medium tannin level as mentioned by a few other reviews, I'd hate to see heavy.... I like the wine - it's got a nice nose of cassis and cherry, with taste of cherry, vanilla and pepper. But I can't drink this without red meat or cheese. Very tannic! If you get past that with food, it does have a nice balance and finish. Here's hoping it mellows more with age, or more cows will die....
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Nice bottle of wine for the price ($25 at the state monopoly store). Classic, if simple, dark fruit, blackberry and cassis, with a touch of oak and sweetness. Nothing stands out, and nothing disappoints other than it probably does not live up to its heritage. Is scoring 89-91.
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Give it time to open and be rewarded. Slightly front balanced with a shot of fruit in the front, but fully integrated after with a great smooth finish. Great Wine for $25!
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Delicious! Deep purple color. Cedar/oak on the nose. Soft cherry with a tobacco finish. Improved over the course of the evening as it got some air and warmed up. Awesome.
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Three bottles at a restaurant (one replacement for a corked bottle; happens). Popped and poured the first: cassis and black raspberry nose, bright fruit. As one would expect, the last glass was the best. Decanted the next two, which the diners drank side by side, no perceptible bottle variation. A solid, if not a scrumptious, Napa Bordeaux blend. Finishes a bit short and it's a little hollow in the middle, but fairly priced for what it is. An earlier post compared it to a wine-by-the-glass pour: depends what and where you get yours, but I had just come off a by-the-glass Raymond Cab )at more of a bar than a restaurant) that I abandoned after a third of a glass. That is never the case with Franciscan.
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We had the last 2 2006 bottles they had at Chart House in Newport. Deep Garnet in color. We needed a little decanting but opened up quickly. Aromas of Blackberry and cherry flourished as the flavor of blackberry and a hint of pepper filled the palate. Good wine to pair with the NY strip and asparagus. Finish was nice. And the entire dinner party loved it.
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Underwhelmed. Nose was muted out of the gate. The first impression was one of dryness and a hint of funk. Opened up a bit over time, but not much. Tasted like an inexpensive by-the-glass wine.
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Wednesday Night Wine Club is in full effect. And when I say WNWC, I mean, it's Wednesday night. And I'm going to enjoy a great bottle of wine. Not many so-called critics would be bold enough to pair this Meritage with make-shift stir fry. But screw it. I'm no so-called critic. Nor do I know anything about wine except for what I like to drink. Heck, I'd drink this wine with a cardboard sandwich if it meant I could drink the whole thing. Of course, a roast might really set it off. Or maybe I just like roast too. In any case, I gotta thank my Pops for bringing this one into the fold. It made my ordinary Wednesday night into a WNWC night! Salud! 9/10.
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Delicious! Dark purple color. Slow legs. Oak and cedar on the nose. Soft, lush flavors of cherry and blackberry. Has been about 9 months since we last opened one of these, and the time has definitely given it a chance to rise to it's peak!
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Wonderful nose of dark fruit. Full and lush, this was a perfect wine to pair with an herb crusted T-Bone. It didn't need decanting, but was at its peak abou an hour and a half after opening. Definitely a few years left for this one to continue developing.
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Garnet color, minimal legs, dark fruits and cherries on the nose, medium to full body, good moderate tannin on the mid palate, chalk, dusty finish, good blend. old world style.
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Dark garnet color. Very little on the nose, a little dark fruit. Palate reveals an integration of dark and light fruit. Mild oak. Tannins are still present, as is a slightly more acidic presentation. Perhaps a little more time would benefit this pour.
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Deep garnet color. Some jammy fruit early but not sustained. A bit tannic still. Agree with the earlier review about the chalky taste. Examining the glass after drinking there was a light, granular substance coating the bowl. Unclear what it was as this was unlike any sediment I have seen either in older wines or organic, unfiltered wines.
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Popped and poured with grilled pork chops. Aroma of blackberry, plum and tobacco. Taste has plum and coffee. The finish is quite dry, and kind of leaves you hanging on hoping for more length. Still an enjoyable wine, though.
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Saturated garnet appearance. Blackberries, cherries, cassis, plums, cocoa, and sage bouquet. Juicy on entry, followed by mouth-puckering tannins that mask vanilla and pepper spice. Good balance and structure so this should age nicely. Decant.
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Just opened. Chalky to begin with. Lovely nose, berries with a touch of oak. Not as boring as a year ago. Perhaps another year or two will bring more excitement.
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PNP. Drinking beautifully now with potential for another year or two of maturation in the bottle. Nose is full of bright red jammy fruits and blueberries. On the palate, there's red fruits, firm tannins, saw dust, leather, oak, and ample acid to bring it all together. A dry, medium finish.
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Popped and poured. Too tight to taste - nothing but tannins. 85 pts first impression. Will give it 24 hrs. Second day decanted thru vin aerator with great results. Wine is lush but soft and silky, medium body, very round and approachable. Long, long finish.
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Delicious. Not as good as the '05 (which is one of my favorite wines of all time and scored a rare "Delicious!" many times), but still a very decent and enjoyable wine. Deep red color. Thick, but quick, legs. Cherry syrup on the nose. Cherry/cedar/tobacco flavor, a bit watery ( my only real complaint). As others have said, maybe this just needs some more time to develop?
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Just OK. A bit boring. Smell is pleasant but your really gotta dig your nose in there to pick it the scent. Good texture, but fruits are a bit muted for me. Both the nose and taste improved a bit at about the 30 minute mark, but then started its decline after an hour.
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Bottle may have been slightly flawed as I noticed some seapage from the cork down in the cellar, so decided to drink right away. Not going to score due to the seapage, but was actually still fairly strong - in 88 range.
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Agree with Frabjous -- this wine needs a bit more time. Opened the bottle at 7pm and was going to go to bed at 10 with 1/2 the bottle left, decided to have one more glass. Probably going to finish the bottle now. This wine needs to open, at least one hour. I poured first glass through venturi and subsequent glasses, time made a difference. Plum and cherry on the nose with a bit of spice and a nice tannin finish that smoothed out after time.
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Probably too early to crack open one of these, but I gotta see where it’s at, tant pis!
Lots of sweet, dark fruit on the nose. This wine is still pretty packed in, I think it needs some more time to open up. In the meantime, really quite delicious. Dark fruit - plums, a hint of cherry - on the palette, with the finish circumscribed by the grip of the tannins, but peeking out nevertheless.
After breathing for an hour or two, the finish is panning out nicely, with a bit of a musty impression.
On day 2, no fading at all, which would tend to confirm aging potential. Still pretty chewy, so we’ll try another one a bit later; can’t wait!
All in all a very enjoyable quaff!
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This was rather good and reminescent of Bordeaux in its fruit, leather, spice. In fact the fruit could be a little more expressive and it was slightly disappointing on the short finish with drying tannins. Still, the best napa wine I had of the flight.
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One of the better 'Bordeaux' style wines from Cali that I have had. Great nose of terroir upon opening. Dark color with nice dark brick rim. Strong, bold legs. Nose of terroir, black fruit, leather, vanilla and oak. Full bodied on the palate with Oakville pepper and spice. Well balanced with soft integrated tannins and spice. Well worth getting more.
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Deep garnet color. Light floral nose. Overtones of cassis and black cherry on the palate. Not as astringent as other bottles of Magnificat I have consumed. Possibly this relates to the vintage. A nice serviceable bottle of wine.
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Well built in terms of balance of fruit, oak, acidity. But, very tight at this stage. It needs time in the bottle, but I'm not sure it will ever be as expressive as I've come to expect from this wine.
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Very simple napa cab. Well made but the oak and vanilla overpower the fruit character. This is probably due to a subpar 2006 year where the fruit really never popped anyway. Still, very serviceable cab.
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Dark color. Quite firm and tannic and nicely lean compared to so many Cali cabs that are too over the top. Nice dark fruit flavors and went very well with food. This should improve as the tannins soften.
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shared the last sips of this bottle with carole and tom. 24 hours after opening. did not chill overnite. slightly oxidized but still showing nice fruit. this confirms my thoughts that this wine will be best enjoyed over the next few years.
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shared with pat for dinner at III Forks (boca). the wine was shown at the first tuesday of the month tasting. i liked it enough to order a bottle with dinner. the wine was being offered at "1/2 the usual wine list price" at $28, this was below the current retail which ranges from $39 to $50. franciscan is now under the constellation brands umbrella. although this wine was very attractive on first pour, i suspected that it would benefit from additional aeration. a double decant, 30 minutes before eating, had a very positive effect. it served to smooth out some of the rough edges which i believe were coming from the malbec component. i am not sure why this wine is not referred to on the label as "meritage" except that the sales rep states that the 5 grape blend is considered to be typical bordeaux. in any event, the end result is very pleasing and very reminiscent of some of my bordeaux favorites. the wine is young and may not be showing its full potential. however, i don't think that it will put on much weight with additional bottle age. i am thinking that it will be best in 3 to 5 years. even though california meritage commands high prices above the 90 point level, i am not sure that i would part with $50 for this one.
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4/17/2019 - cooker315 wrote: 91 Points
Expectations weren't high, but this exceeded them! Great QPR.
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9/12/2016 - Loren Sonkin wrote: 90 Points
This is at peak IMO. Nice nose of cassis and slightly faded cedar. On the palate, the tannins are resolved. Some residual oak but still nice cassis and cherries. Slight tobacco note. Showing a moderate amount of complexity. Long finish. Nice showing.
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9/8/2016 - whudock Likes this wine: 89 Points
just past its" peak. time to drink up
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7/20/2016 - guitarguy wrote: 91 Points
Solid and ready to go with oak, blueberry, pepper and chocolate notes. Drink now.
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1/8/2016 - Jkuryak wrote: 87 Points
Good, but I felt like it was missing something. Maybe I needed to let it sit awhile longer.
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1/1/2016 - rwigen wrote: 94 Points
Beautiful Bottle of wine served with a Delmonico Roast Slow cooked in my smoker. Nice Balance between Acids and Tanins. Wonderful Black Cherry and Cigar flavor. Also Classic Napa Eucalyptus aroma
Wonderful wine
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6/13/2015 - whudock Likes this wine: 90 Points
well balanced, fine tannin, fruit still strong. A bit of leather and earth
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5/4/2015 - hpardilla wrote:
Vino Maduro. Past Peek.
The wine looks rosy colored. The legs are fast. There is light sediment in the bottle. It smells like blackberry, prune, coffee, black pepper and fur. It tastes like blackberry and prune. The body is light/medium. The wine has silky texture. The wine finishes medium. The wine has medium acidity.
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2/26/2015 - M. Anthony Lee wrote: flawed
This was the last of 4 bottles. Unfortunately, it was defective. The other three were quite enjoyable, as I remember, and would have rated them a 90.
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11/21/2014 - whudock Likes this wine: 90 Points
still powerful and full of fruit, but now much more mellow. well integrated tannin, some leather, oak and spice. holds up well to a steak.
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10/3/2014 - lslayton@me.com wrote: 90 Points
Full bodied, complex with berry notes, a bit of smokiness andlots of spice
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6/11/2014 - donbaxter Likes this wine: 92 Points
Very nice wine! Very nice noise and taste.
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6/10/2014 - jsanko wrote: 90 Points
Took a little while to open but once it did it really did not disappoint. Lush and fruity with rich Cherry and cassis.
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1/5/2014 - carlsport Likes this wine: 89 Points
90 minute decant. Solid but unspectacular offering just coming off its peak in my opinion. Drink sooner than later.
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12/6/2013 - wmille01 wrote:
Hits above its $13 weight!!
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9/23/2013 - phillyboyP wrote: 90 Points
From Magnum. Previous notes apply. Drink up. 90
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8/18/2013 - rkosd wrote: 89 Points
If you have a bottle you may as well drink it now. This is a great blend, very subtle but still a cab blend and a great red meat wine. It is not, however, opulent not big and full bodied, and by now you can tell it is in its prime and about to peak.
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8/2/2013 - lgermain wrote:
Me and Andrea
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6/16/2013 - kbhiggins wrote: 90 Points
Another nice bottle. Approachable right from the start drank over 2 hours without decanting. Balanced with smooth tannins and very food friendly.
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5/6/2013 - phillyboyP wrote: 90 Points
Magnum. Decanted 1.5 hours. very Bordeux like in many ways. Nose of soy, bbq, leather, smoke, and a little plum. My only regret was the finish, which faded really fast. Drink now. 90
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4/30/2013 - hkm520240 wrote: 91 Points
Double decanted around 1 hour at home and bottle breath for another 2 hours during dinner.
Dark inky red but vibrant hue, open nicely for the dinner, exhibit quite a Bordeaux nose with dark fruits, cherry, plum and notes of cigar box.
It has a rich entry with ripe plum, cherry and well integrated oak. Medium+ bodied with a firm structure. Medium+ finish and the tannins still firm and grippy.
It can definitely go for another 3 to 5 years but I recently checked the local store and their current release is 2007, so no chance for me to revisit it again. A nice wine with pretty good QPR.
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3/11/2013 - jfarley3 wrote: 90 Points
Consistent year in and year out. Smooth silky tannins blend with the dark red fruit for a supple feel and long finish. Complements many a hardy dish because of its relaxed style. Good QPR.
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1/12/2013 - Zoomin Z Likes this wine: 90 Points
Strong black cherry nose, sweet fruit on the palate, surprisingly heavy tannins even now, but great with our steak. Later, marshmallow on the nose?
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12/6/2012 - jared_a_washburn wrote: 91 Points
I remember (in 2007) visiting the Franciscan winery in Napa and having the wine server talk about how they were excited to see what the 06 Magnificat would turn out... Now in 2012, I can tell you: the wine started rather tight, but strong (even after decanting for a solid hour, but by hour two, it really began to flourish. Great, powerful cherry and traces of the (as advertised) vanilla. Super tannic, this wine probably could have had a much longer shelf life. Full bodied, supple, and bursting with flavor (once it opened up). Be patient with it. Went well with our pot roast. Great accompaniment to big meal.
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12/2/2012 - dboatguy Likes this wine: 91 Points
Celebrated Carols birthday with Brad and Lana
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11/4/2012 - budh wrote: 90 Points
I liked this much better than I did 6 months ago. The tannin level seems to have mellowed. It's now a very enjoyable drink - with or without food. Cherry, plum vanilla, spice. Nice, long finish. Good balance. Seems to be in the sweet spot now.
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10/15/2012 - noni15 wrote: 89 Points
True tannic with medium finish ....too expensive for what you get....I don't think would improve with aging....drink it with meat
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9/9/2012 - cbbrown3 wrote: 90 Points
The wine is a deep ruby color. There is cassis, crushed blackberries, dried herbs, cedar, smoke, baking spices, black cherry, and a slight herbal note on the soothing and comforting nose. The nose is not an in your face style like a lot of the current release Bordeaux styled wines coming out of California. I'm not saying that is a positive or a negative, just different, since I like both styles. The wine is medium bodied with fairly solid tannins and very nice acidity. The wine has a nice fruit and savory blend on the palate with a touch of spicy oak peeking through. Decent length on the finish, I just wish it had a touch more length. Once again, a touch of excess oak peeks out on the finish. With some additional cellar time, the excess oak may integrate, but I don't think there is enough fruit to help it hide out.
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7/18/2012 - dontime wrote:
Nice wine and good value as a state monopoly store "Chairman's". Dark fruit, touch of oak, some vanilla. Pleasant and satisfying. If scoring 88-90.
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7/8/2012 - SoundinBetween wrote: 89 Points
Good, not great for the price.
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5/14/2012 - budh wrote: 88 Points
If this wine has a medium tannin level as mentioned by a few other reviews, I'd hate to see heavy.... I like the wine - it's got a nice nose of cassis and cherry, with taste of cherry, vanilla and pepper. But I can't drink this without red meat or cheese. Very tannic! If you get past that with food, it does have a nice balance and finish. Here's hoping it mellows more with age, or more cows will die....
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5/10/2012 - dontime wrote:
Nice bottle of wine for the price ($25 at the state monopoly store). Classic, if simple, dark fruit, blackberry and cassis, with a touch of oak and sweetness. Nothing stands out, and nothing disappoints other than it probably does not live up to its heritage. Is scoring 89-91.
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3/13/2012 - mmoss wrote: 90 Points
Give it time to open and be rewarded. Slightly front balanced with a shot of fruit in the front, but fully integrated after with a great smooth finish. Great Wine for $25!
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3/11/2012 - Zuperdaave wrote: 95 Points
Delicious! Deep purple color. Cedar/oak on the nose. Soft cherry with a tobacco finish. Improved over the course of the evening as it got some air and warmed up. Awesome.
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3/4/2012 - lgermain wrote: 86 Points
- Crimsom color - Solid wine for the price. Middle of the red, more like a everyday wine.
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2/19/2012 - pdadams66 wrote: 89 Points
Surprisingly good. Intense cassis nose. Good flavor - berries and integrated oak. Good length. Drinks well now.
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2/18/2012 - prism wrote: 88 Points
Three bottles at a restaurant (one replacement for a corked bottle; happens). Popped and poured the first: cassis and black raspberry nose, bright fruit. As one would expect, the last glass was the best. Decanted the next two, which the diners drank side by side, no perceptible bottle variation. A solid, if not a scrumptious, Napa Bordeaux blend. Finishes a bit short and it's a little hollow in the middle, but fairly priced for what it is. An earlier post compared it to a wine-by-the-glass pour: depends what and where you get yours, but I had just come off a by-the-glass Raymond Cab )at more of a bar than a restaurant) that I abandoned after a third of a glass. That is never the case with Franciscan.
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2/16/2012 - Furry Goat wrote:
Dark fruits, slight oak and pepper. Silky with a medium tannins and a nice finish. Great with steak and asparagus!
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1/22/2012 - DJSeiler wrote: 89 Points
We had the last 2 2006 bottles they had at Chart House in Newport. Deep Garnet in color. We needed a little decanting but opened up quickly. Aromas of Blackberry and cherry flourished as the flavor of blackberry and a hint of pepper filled the palate. Good wine to pair with the NY strip and asparagus. Finish was nice. And the entire dinner party loved it.
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1/16/2012 - The Vinsider wrote: 85 Points
Underwhelmed. Nose was muted out of the gate. The first impression was one of dryness and a hint of funk. Opened up a bit over time, but not much. Tasted like an inexpensive by-the-glass wine.
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12/26/2011 - carlsport wrote: 89 Points
Drank at Wolflicks. Solid wine, showing tannins, dark red fruit, and some coffee hints.
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11/30/2011 - Puz7 wrote:
Wednesday Night Wine Club is in full effect. And when I say WNWC, I mean, it's Wednesday night. And I'm going to enjoy a great bottle of wine. Not many so-called critics would be bold enough to pair this Meritage with make-shift stir fry. But screw it. I'm no so-called critic. Nor do I know anything about wine except for what I like to drink. Heck, I'd drink this wine with a cardboard sandwich if it meant I could drink the whole thing. Of course, a roast might really set it off. Or maybe I just like roast too. In any case, I gotta thank my Pops for bringing this one into the fold. It made my ordinary Wednesday night into a WNWC night! Salud! 9/10.
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11/29/2011 - tboydsto wrote: 90 Points
Yum
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11/27/2011 - Zuperdaave wrote: 95 Points
Delicious! Dark purple color. Slow legs. Oak and cedar on the nose. Soft, lush flavors of cherry and blackberry. Has been about 9 months since we last opened one of these, and the time has definitely given it a chance to rise to it's peak!
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11/26/2011 - Frabjous wrote:
Warmed up out of the cellar standing up for 3 or 4 hours, then popped and let breath in the bottle.
Good bordeaux blend. Tasty but not extraordinary. Nice fruit on the nose and palate with mild tannins framing everything
89-90
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11/23/2011 - LordByron wrote: 92 Points
Lovely big wine; great tannins; long finish on one's palate; has several more years to cellar, but tasting great right now
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11/8/2011 - Porchino wrote: 88 Points
Too many tannins just not good
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10/30/2011 - whudock wrote: 89 Points
Still too young.
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10/13/2011 - grayfont wrote: 87 Points
Westwood CC October Wine Tasting (Westwood CC, Vienna VA): solid cab, dark fruit flavors a bit overshadowed by the existence of very strong tannins; mouth-puckering and dry.
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10/2/2011 - kbhiggins wrote: 90 Points
Wonderful nose of dark fruit. Full and lush, this was a perfect wine to pair with an herb crusted T-Bone. It didn't need decanting, but was at its peak abou an hour and a half after opening. Definitely a few years left for this one to continue developing.
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9/22/2011 - BeaverBob Likes this wine: 89 Points
Garnet color, minimal legs, dark fruits and cherries on the nose, medium to full body, good moderate tannin on the mid palate, chalk, dusty finish, good blend. old world style.
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9/8/2011 - DonWinspear wrote: 87 Points
Dark garnet color. Very little on the nose, a little dark fruit. Palate reveals an integration of dark and light fruit. Mild oak. Tannins are still present, as is a slightly more acidic presentation. Perhaps a little more time would benefit this pour.
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9/3/2011 - wconnolly wrote: 82 Points
Deep garnet color. Some jammy fruit early but not sustained. A bit tannic still. Agree with the earlier review about the chalky taste. Examining the glass after drinking there was a light, granular substance coating the bowl. Unclear what it was as this was unlike any sediment I have seen either in older wines or organic, unfiltered wines.
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8/30/2011 - Wine Sparty wrote: 89 Points
Popped and poured with grilled pork chops. Aroma of blackberry, plum and tobacco. Taste has plum and coffee. The finish is quite dry, and kind of leaves you hanging on hoping for more length. Still an enjoyable wine, though.
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8/26/2011 - Chodge1980 wrote: 90 Points
Very nice!
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8/23/2011 - Frabjous wrote: 89 Points
Improving with age, wait a year to drink next bottle
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8/22/2011 - benny wrote: 90 Points
Nothing wrong but not special at all. A california blend.
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8/20/2011 - Baron Slick wrote: 90 Points
Saturated garnet appearance. Blackberries, cherries, cassis, plums, cocoa, and sage bouquet. Juicy on entry, followed by mouth-puckering tannins that mask vanilla and pepper spice. Good balance and structure so this should age nicely. Decant.
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8/18/2011 - mmitchell118 wrote: 90 Points
One of the best
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6/10/2011 - szangov wrote: 89 Points
Just opened. Chalky to begin with. Lovely nose, berries with a touch of oak. Not as boring as a year ago. Perhaps another year or two will bring more excitement.
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5/28/2011 - Frabjous Likes this wine: 90 Points
Consistant with prior note
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5/26/2011 - Sparty1983 wrote: 90 Points
Always a very solid wine - nicely balanced!
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5/23/2011 - Stevecci wrote: 90 Points
PNP. Drinking beautifully now with potential for another year or two of maturation in the bottle. Nose is full of bright red jammy fruits and blueberries. On the palate, there's red fruits, firm tannins, saw dust, leather, oak, and ample acid to bring it all together. A dry, medium finish.
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3/31/2011 - DTWOB Likes this wine: 90 Points
Popped and poured. Too tight to taste - nothing but tannins. 85 pts first impression. Will give it 24 hrs. Second day decanted thru vin aerator with great results. Wine is lush but soft and silky, medium body, very round and approachable. Long, long finish.
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3/23/2011 - Prattcellars wrote:
Nice. With Ken, Jean, Donna & Joe.
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3/20/2011 - Zuperdaave wrote: 90 Points
Delicious. Not as good as the '05 (which is one of my favorite wines of all time and scored a rare "Delicious!" many times), but still a very decent and enjoyable wine. Deep red color. Thick, but quick, legs. Cherry syrup on the nose. Cherry/cedar/tobacco flavor, a bit watery ( my only real complaint). As others have said, maybe this just needs some more time to develop?
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3/19/2011 - overserved wrote: 90 Points
Berries, chocolate, Chalky. A favorite.
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3/10/2011 - Darcyswines wrote: 85 Points
Drank w v 3/9/11 in Philly. 95$!
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3/9/2011 - Darcyswines wrote:
Love it.
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3/6/2011 - Decanthor wrote: 84 Points
Just OK. A bit boring. Smell is pleasant but your really gotta dig your nose in there to pick it the scent. Good texture, but fruits are a bit muted for me. Both the nose and taste improved a bit at about the 30 minute mark, but then started its decline after an hour.
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2/20/2011 - carlsport wrote:
Bottle may have been slightly flawed as I noticed some seapage from the cork down in the cellar, so decided to drink right away. Not going to score due to the seapage, but was actually still fairly strong - in 88 range.
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2/3/2011 - Cowdoctor wrote: 90 Points
Agree with Frabjous -- this wine needs a bit more time. Opened the bottle at 7pm and was going to go to bed at 10 with 1/2 the bottle left, decided to have one more glass. Probably going to finish the bottle now. This wine needs to open, at least one hour. I poured first glass through venturi and subsequent glasses, time made a difference. Plum and cherry on the nose with a bit of spice and a nice tannin finish that smoothed out after time.
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1/29/2011 - Frabjous wrote: 90 Points
Probably too early to crack open one of these, but I gotta see where it’s at, tant pis!
Lots of sweet, dark fruit on the nose. This wine is still pretty packed in, I think it needs some more time to open up. In the meantime, really quite delicious. Dark fruit - plums, a hint of cherry - on the palette, with the finish circumscribed by the grip of the tannins, but peeking out nevertheless.
After breathing for an hour or two, the finish is panning out nicely, with a bit of a musty impression.
On day 2, no fading at all, which would tend to confirm aging potential. Still pretty chewy, so we’ll try another one a bit later; can’t wait!
All in all a very enjoyable quaff!
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1/26/2011 - Zo65 wrote: 88 Points
Just ok; decent nose. Medium body. A bit dissappointing.
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1/23/2011 - whudock wrote: 91 Points
quite dense and jammy with lots of bramble, earth and spice. This needs to sit a while longer, but will continue to grow in excellence.
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1/10/2011 - Hazeo wrote: 90 Points
This was rather good and reminescent of Bordeaux in its fruit, leather, spice. In fact the fruit could be a little more expressive and it was slightly disappointing on the short finish with drying tannins. Still, the best napa wine I had of the flight.
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1/8/2011 - BillyT wrote: 92 Points
One of the better 'Bordeaux' style wines from Cali that I have had. Great nose of terroir upon opening. Dark color with nice dark brick rim. Strong, bold legs. Nose of terroir, black fruit, leather, vanilla and oak. Full bodied on the palate with Oakville pepper and spice. Well balanced with soft integrated tannins and spice. Well worth getting more.
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1/3/2011 - Djl531 wrote: 89 Points
Well worth the price. Smooth and just light enough for any meal.
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12/31/2010 - BTEMEN wrote: 90 Points
Last bottle of the evening consumed. Good follow up to some highly rated California Cabs.
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12/25/2010 - Zo65 wrote: 89 Points
Pretty nose ; average mid-palate, brief finish. Good not great.
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12/22/2010 - wconnolly wrote: 88 Points
Deep garnet color. Light floral nose. Overtones of cassis and black cherry on the palate. Not as astringent as other bottles of Magnificat I have consumed. Possibly this relates to the vintage. A nice serviceable bottle of wine.
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12/16/2010 - Ben Christiansen wrote:
Very hard right now.
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12/13/2010 - ewqcsl wrote: 89 Points
Well built in terms of balance of fruit, oak, acidity. But, very tight at this stage. It needs time in the bottle, but I'm not sure it will ever be as expressive as I've come to expect from this wine.
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11/25/2010 - rxlaw95 wrote: 88 Points
Very simple napa cab. Well made but the oak and vanilla overpower the fruit character. This is probably due to a subpar 2006 year where the fruit really never popped anyway. Still, very serviceable cab.
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10/30/2010 - dboatguy Likes this wine: 92 Points
Excellent Red - very smooth tannins with long nice finish. Will get more.
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9/18/2010 - dream wrote: 88 Points
Dark color. Quite firm and tannic and nicely lean compared to so many Cali cabs that are too over the top. Nice dark fruit flavors and went very well with food. This should improve as the tannins soften.
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8/4/2010 - bacchus wrote: 90 Points
shared the last sips of this bottle with carole and tom. 24 hours after opening. did not chill overnite. slightly oxidized but still showing nice fruit. this confirms my thoughts that this wine will be best enjoyed over the next few years.
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8/3/2010 - bacchus wrote: 92 Points
shared with pat for dinner at III Forks (boca). the wine was shown at the first tuesday of the month tasting. i liked it enough to order a bottle with dinner. the wine was being offered at "1/2 the usual wine list price" at $28, this was below the current retail which ranges from $39 to $50. franciscan is now under the constellation brands umbrella. although this wine was very attractive on first pour, i suspected that it would benefit from additional aeration. a double decant, 30 minutes before eating, had a very positive effect. it served to smooth out some of the rough edges which i believe were coming from the malbec component. i am not sure why this wine is not referred to on the label as "meritage" except that the sales rep states that the 5 grape blend is considered to be typical bordeaux. in any event, the end result is very pleasing and very reminiscent of some of my bordeaux favorites. the wine is young and may not be showing its full potential. however, i don't think that it will put on much weight with additional bottle age. i am thinking that it will be best in 3 to 5 years. even though california meritage commands high prices above the 90 point level, i am not sure that i would part with $50 for this one.
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3/15/2010 - Amerique wrote: 93 Points
Delicious sweet black cherry fruit with toasty oak and vanillin flavors, excellent structure, nice finish
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10/18/2009 - mesavery wrote: 92 Points
Wonderfully balanced, with rich cherry overtones.
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