Very good, but not as fruit driven as previous bottles. Somewhat restrained which makes me wonder if there was a touch of TCA (or maybe it was just me).
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Served in my wine course (gift from A&D). Nose of oak and blackberry, which continues through to the medium to full bodied mouth. A bit of heat on the finish.
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This wine was singing! On the nose, very complex. Leather and chocolate notes, with accents of black cherries and raspberries coming in, along with hints of brown spices and some minerality.
Incredibly balanced with a long finish. Dry with medium plus body and tannins with the right amount of acidity. Decanted for two hours before drinking. Looking forward to seeing how this tastes on day 2.
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A little disappointing- maybe this it just bottle variance... Med-full aroma, loads of sweet black cherry, saccharin on the nose and in the mouth. Simple. Mouth feel is somewhat crunchy, loads of oak, but tannins seem undermined by what feels like a thinning body. Med+ acid, med- tannin, full body, lower glycol feel/richness, lacking. Other bottles have to be showing better, again, chalking this off to a bad/off bottle, it happens... just sucks when it's a bottle you've been sitting on for a decade...
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Maturing very well. Sweet briar nose, and smooth plums and cassis taste, leafy finish. Modest tannin with some supporting acidity. Drink now and for the next 5 years.
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Delicious. 2005 showing brilliantly. Very, very slight briskish color around edges. However, nose, taste, etc, was beautiful, soft, true to varietal blend. All loved this wine. Happy we opened now. Another year or two may not have had the same results.
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I am always impressed by SMV's offerings, and the Elivette hasn't really ever disappointed me. Dirty red bing cherry core. I had a 2003 Elivette probably four years ago, and it was doing well then as well. There were some that remarked that this wine was a little too "new world" but with old world style wines predominantly on the table, yeah I'd say that it definitely was by comparison! Bing cherry core, medicinal. Sweeter caramel and cacao. Finishes actually pretty long for a wine that is 16 years old. Enjoyed this one quite a bit and probably would have finished the rest of the bottle if it wasn't for the fact that there were a few more things on the table. This wine is in a really good spot and I'm not sure how many more years it has here, but I don't think there are many more before it starts to dwindle. I'd say drink this one by 2025 to get these more youthful, chalky notes that are very characteristic of this producer.
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A treat and drinking well. Fruit profile was in a really good aged place. Green pepper on the nose and cocoa on the finish. Acidity still high, tannins moderate, and a clean line of vanilla that hadn't fully settled in. Could definitely age longer, which could smooth out some of the oak/tannin, but the fruit was good now and doesn't need any more time.
Deep dark center, dark red rim with some signs of age. Nose of rose petals, blueberries and varnished wood, some great ripe plum notes, creamy, touch of pirazine. Smooth, good blackcurrant and raspberry up front, milk chocolate, good acidity (more than tannin), alcohol feels a bit more than the stated 14.2%, some hazelnut, excellent length, very intense fruit finish with a touch of greenness. Excellent Elivette, aging well, good now with food, will last another 5+ years with some improvement over the next 2-3 years.
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Bought this wine from the winery in 2019. Deep blackberry color. Smelling pomegranate and dark fruits like cherries. Also some cinnamon and spice, coming in under the wood toast scent. The tannins have softened giving way to a tobacco, earthy, velvety Bordeaux punch. Medium, delicate finish that leaves your mouth wanting more.
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This was somehow removed from inventory as missing, but it turned up... and it was really nice. The cab comes through in this, the sort-of reserve bottling from SMV. Had as one of two bottles on the night, with a steak and chimichurri dinner. This is a bit softer for the blending, but a nicely structured wine with plenty of that Cab character. A nice variation from a full on varietal cab, but make no mistake this is Napa and not Bordeaux. To which I say, good on you.
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Very good with numerous enjoyable characteristics. 81% Cabernet Sauvignon 7% Cabernet Franc 7% Petit Verdot 5% Merlot 14 yrs. 14.2 ABV Spring Mountain Vineyard // Spring Mountain District / Napa Valley • North Coast / California PC ⯁ WVR 8.26 | Somewhat overpriced for what it offers.
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From 375; pnp, gorgeous nose of cedar, tobacco, riper blackberry. Palate matched with resolving tannin, good acid, and excellent balance. In a great spot now for half bottles. I tasted this last week from 750 and was slightly less impressed. Would hold for a few years more.
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Fantastic. Did not decant. It smells like chocolate and blackberry. The wine looks inky colored. The legs are slow. There is moderate sediment in the bottle.
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Had right before a 2006 Araujo Eisele. While I remember being enjoyable, it was eclipsed. I wrote down a score but forgot to take notes. I do remember it could have used a few more years to drink similar to how I remember 2001 drinking, which is my favorite vintage to date.
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This was the best Elivette I've had yet! The 2005 is well integrated, smooth, and very well balanced! At this price range - I expect to be wowed......and yep.....it wowed me!
Deep dark center, red rim with some signs of age. Blackberries and oven roast cherries, green bell pepper, toasty, freshly rubbed leaves. Smooth and little sweet, dark cherries, blackcurrants, plums and bell pepper, chocolate mousse, a little chalky, a touch of citrus, modest tannins and acidity, alcohol in good check, slightly flinty, good long finish of darker red fruits and age (hints of hazelnut). Drinking very well now, but will last for 5 more years, great Spring Mountain fruit, spans the new and old worlds.
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Showing some signs of seepage and age, but still very good, just not as good as some other bottles. Dry with cherry, mocha and oak; very restrained initially even with a 90 minute decant, and even as it opened up it still never really popped through its dry, tannic cloak.
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Dark and polished garnet in color, aromas of black licorice, ripe black fruits, cherries, eucalyptus, and vanilla. The flavor is well balanced, with a bright, freshness- the wine doesn't even seem 10 years old. Flavors of mint, sweet syrupy black fruits, vanilla, and oak, combine to create a full bodied wine. Very well made.
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Black cherry anise eucalyptus with a 1hour decant. Gracious alive it was more than great. Finish very smooth and probably has another 4-5 years of life, maybe more but alas my only bottle.
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A private tasting (Spring Mountain Vineyards, St. Helena, California, USA): A blend of 81% Cabernet-Sauvignon, 7% Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot each and 5% Merlot, 14.2% ABV. Complex and deep nose, layered, velvety, very complete, great length, fleshy but elegant, very classic composition, beautiful blackberries with a hint of beef stew, rose petals, good tannic grip, will easily age another decade.
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Blueberry, black cherry, cedar, toast; full and rich with a penetrating finish; shows great Bordeauxcharacter, but with a CA intensity. A bit dry and still tannic even with a 90 minute decant, this seems destined to last at least another five years.
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Great example of CA cab. Bought it at the winery several years ago, and decided it was ripe to have with grilled NY strip steaks from our local farm. Black fruit, smoke and menthol on the nose. Will easily go another couple of years.
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Decanted for over two hours and could have used more time. Still young, with healthy tannins and a dollop of oak overshadowing the black cherry fruit. This wine has all of the components, but still not coming together fully just yet.
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Inviting menthol, pine and plum nose; a structured wine in Bordeaux style, slightly green and flinty, gunpowder and black cherry with oak apparent on the finish; alcohol was a bit too much the first day but better day 2 & 3.
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Decanted for an hour. Color and taste were rather light upon opening. This darkened and got much richer and deeper with air-time. As Russ, the Somm at Joe's, Chicago, put it, "not a shy wine". Long future ahead
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An elegant, almost Old World style, with slightly reticent aromas of currant, dried herbs, tobacco leaves, and cocoa powder. A bit more expressive on the palate with brighter black fruit flavors, good acidity and a persistent, black cherry filled finish.
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Opened for several hours. Violet color, a little inky, lightening with ruby at the edges. Alluring bouquet- mineral-slate, floral, light spice, cassis & currant. The palate brings a silky feel and a lot of flavor- blackberry, currant, tea, chocolate, black truffle, cocoa, maybe a little cigar box as well. Beautifully textured through the palate, ushering in firm ripe tannins of mineral, spice, and cassis that grip through a minute plus finish. A beautiful wine that approaches transcendent.
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Initially decanted for two hours, nevertheless still young and tight. Deep, deep purple almost black. Shows young, tart cherry and cranberry flavors, but overpowered by oak, alcohol and tannin at this point. After another hour of decanting it blossomed; blackberry, blueberry, earthy has come into balance and is very nice.
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Started out closed, nose wasn't giving much, but opened up revealing chewy tannins, hearty acid, and a full mouthfeel. A little chunky, it had cassis, plum, and vanilla nuances, with sage, green pepper, and some mild brown spice. Drank while punching down the cap!
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5/9/2024 - pdadams66 Likes this wine: 90 Points
Very good, but not as fruit driven as previous bottles. Somewhat restrained which makes me wonder if there was a touch of TCA (or maybe it was just me).
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2/16/2024 - juffer Likes this wine: 89 Points
Served in my wine course (gift from A&D). Nose of oak and blackberry, which continues through to the medium to full bodied mouth. A bit of heat on the finish.
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2/15/2024 - MXL Likes this wine: 90 Points
This vintage has fallen off, still good but not exceptional. Fruit and backbone both waning. Still one of my favorite wineries.
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10/6/2022 - Brentin wrote:
Trina & Steve Fowlks
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9/2/2022 - wine_atl Likes this wine: 95 Points
Deep garnet color in the glass.
This wine was singing! On the nose, very complex. Leather and chocolate notes, with accents of black cherries and raspberries coming in, along with hints of brown spices and some minerality.
Incredibly balanced with a long finish. Dry with medium plus body and tannins with the right amount of acidity. Decanted for two hours before drinking. Looking forward to seeing how this tastes on day 2.
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5/16/2022 - HandmadeHomemade wrote:
A little disappointing- maybe this it just bottle variance... Med-full aroma, loads of sweet black cherry, saccharin on the nose and in the mouth. Simple. Mouth feel is somewhat crunchy, loads of oak, but tannins seem undermined by what feels like a thinning body. Med+ acid, med- tannin, full body, lower glycol feel/richness, lacking. Other bottles have to be showing better, again, chalking this off to a bad/off bottle, it happens... just sucks when it's a bottle you've been sitting on for a decade...
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9/5/2021 - pdadams66 Likes this wine: 91 Points
Maturing very well. Sweet briar nose, and smooth plums and cassis taste, leafy finish. Modest tannin with some supporting acidity. Drink now and for the next 5 years.
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6/1/2021 - pdadams66 Likes this wine: 90 Points
At Solbar with Randy and Peter. Drinking well, mature but some years left. The weather (heat) probably reduced the enjoyment somewhat.
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5/15/2021 - Trish22 Likes this wine: 95 Points
Delicious. 2005 showing brilliantly. Very, very slight briskish color around edges. However, nose, taste, etc, was beautiful, soft, true to varietal blend. All loved this wine. Happy we opened now. Another year or two may not have had the same results.
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5/11/2021 - mflesh wrote: 93 Points
I am always impressed by SMV's offerings, and the Elivette hasn't really ever disappointed me. Dirty red bing cherry core. I had a 2003 Elivette probably four years ago, and it was doing well then as well. There were some that remarked that this wine was a little too "new world" but with old world style wines predominantly on the table, yeah I'd say that it definitely was by comparison! Bing cherry core, medicinal. Sweeter caramel and cacao. Finishes actually pretty long for a wine that is 16 years old. Enjoyed this one quite a bit and probably would have finished the rest of the bottle if it wasn't for the fact that there were a few more things on the table. This wine is in a really good spot and I'm not sure how many more years it has here, but I don't think there are many more before it starts to dwindle. I'd say drink this one by 2025 to get these more youthful, chalky notes that are very characteristic of this producer.
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2/15/2021 - Tannic Monster wrote:
Ever so slightly corked but nonetheless drinkable somehow. This would be a very good wine if not for the funkiness on the front end.
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11/1/2020 - Château de Farmer Likes this wine: 93 Points
A treat and drinking well. Fruit profile was in a really good aged place. Green pepper on the nose and cocoa on the finish. Acidity still high, tannins moderate, and a clean line of vanilla that hadn't fully settled in. Could definitely age longer, which could smooth out some of the oak/tannin, but the fruit was good now and doesn't need any more time.
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8/15/2020 - pdadams66 Likes this wine: 91 Points
Deep dark center, dark red rim with some signs of age.
Nose of rose petals, blueberries and varnished wood, some great ripe plum notes, creamy, touch of pirazine.
Smooth, good blackcurrant and raspberry up front, milk chocolate, good acidity (more than tannin), alcohol feels a bit more than the stated 14.2%, some hazelnut, excellent length, very intense fruit finish with a touch of greenness.
Excellent Elivette, aging well, good now with food, will last another 5+ years with some improvement over the next 2-3 years.
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5/24/2020 - AaronMaxwell Likes this wine: 92 Points
Decanted for 3.5 hours. Still drinks a bit too hot.
Ripe cherries, earthy, chocolate, and tons of tannin.
Delicious and complex, but slightly imbalanced with just a tad too high acidity.
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4/24/2020 - AaronMaxwell Likes this wine: 91 Points
Bought this wine from the winery in 2019. Deep blackberry color. Smelling pomegranate and dark fruits like cherries. Also some cinnamon and spice, coming in under the wood toast scent. The tannins have softened giving way to a tobacco, earthy, velvety Bordeaux punch. Medium, delicate finish that leaves your mouth wanting more.
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3/15/2020 - alaxs Likes this wine: 94 Points
Superb. Very well developed; huge bouquet still. Decanted for 2 hours prior, which opened up aromas nicely. A great wine.
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12/30/2019 - pdadams66 Likes this wine: 91 Points
At Ad Hoc with Randy and Alice. As before. Aging well, drinks well now.
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11/17/2019 - Not647f wrote:
This was somehow removed from inventory as missing, but it turned up... and it was really nice. The cab comes through in this, the sort-of reserve bottling from SMV. Had as one of two bottles on the night, with a steak and chimichurri dinner. This is a bit softer for the blending, but a nicely structured wine with plenty of that Cab character. A nice variation from a full on varietal cab, but make no mistake this is Napa and not Bordeaux. To which I say, good on you.
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9/1/2019 - fmiskolc Likes this wine: 93 Points
Very good with numerous enjoyable characteristics.
81% Cabernet Sauvignon 7% Cabernet Franc 7% Petit Verdot 5% Merlot 14 yrs. 14.2 ABV
Spring Mountain Vineyard // Spring Mountain District / Napa Valley • North Coast / California
PC ⯁ WVR 8.26 | Somewhat overpriced for what it offers.
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12/9/2018 - sjp1323 wrote: 93 Points
Decanted an hour. Drinking extremely well now.
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9/7/2018 - Big Juicy Red Likes this wine:
Decanted for about an hour. Big wine, round, very soft tannins, hints of spice. Still some fruit left, but mostly mid-palette. Delicious. Long finish.
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7/10/2018 - Vinophiliac559 wrote: 92 Points
From 375; pnp, gorgeous nose of cedar, tobacco, riper blackberry. Palate matched with resolving tannin, good acid, and excellent balance. In a great spot now for half bottles. I tasted this last week from 750 and was slightly less impressed. Would hold for a few years more.
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5/26/2018 - Mike's wine cellar wrote:
Cored today. Drinking very well. Can easily go another year or two.
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5/20/2018 - cpainter75 wrote: 93 Points
Fantastic. Did not decant. It smells like chocolate and blackberry. The wine looks inky colored. The legs are slow. There is moderate sediment in the bottle.
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4/15/2018 - JEP007 Likes this wine: 94 Points
Had right before a 2006 Araujo Eisele. While I remember being enjoyable, it was eclipsed. I wrote down a score but forgot to take notes. I do remember it could have used a few more years to drink similar to how I remember 2001 drinking, which is my favorite vintage to date.
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10/28/2017 - Colorado3G Likes this wine: 94 Points
This was the best Elivette I've had yet! The 2005 is well integrated, smooth, and very well balanced! At this price range - I expect to be wowed......and yep.....it wowed me!
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7/24/2017 - rloyot wrote:
Takes a while to open - pretty funky until it blows off - then very big
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4/8/2017 - pdadams66 Likes this wine: 91 Points
Deep dark center, red rim with some signs of age.
Blackberries and oven roast cherries, green bell pepper, toasty, freshly rubbed leaves.
Smooth and little sweet, dark cherries, blackcurrants, plums and bell pepper, chocolate mousse, a little chalky, a touch of citrus, modest tannins and acidity, alcohol in good check, slightly flinty, good long finish of darker red fruits and age (hints of hazelnut).
Drinking very well now, but will last for 5 more years, great Spring Mountain fruit, spans the new and old worlds.
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5/9/2016 - ciesel wrote: 86 Points
Fruit forward, but never really came together for me. Seems disjointed.
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4/14/2016 - mmrosen Likes this wine: 91 Points
Balance tannins, tabaco and spices, nice nose
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3/19/2016 - winejnky wrote: 90 Points
Showing some signs of seepage and age, but still very good, just not as good as some other bottles. Dry with cherry, mocha and oak; very restrained initially even with a 90 minute decant, and even as it opened up it still never really popped through its dry, tannic cloak.
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1/14/2016 - GatorJD Likes this wine:
Well balanced
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9/27/2015 - winejnky wrote: 92 Points
Sumptuous, showing black cherry, blackberry, menthol and sandalwood. Medium body, still fairly tannic and dry, with a rich, full finish.
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9/8/2015 - HandmadeHomemade Likes this wine: 94 Points
Decanted 2hrs prior to service.
Dark and polished garnet in color, aromas of black licorice, ripe black fruits, cherries, eucalyptus, and vanilla. The flavor is well balanced, with a bright, freshness- the wine doesn't even seem 10 years old. Flavors of mint, sweet syrupy black fruits, vanilla, and oak, combine to create a full bodied wine. Very well made.
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8/20/2015 - xuaeinw wrote: 94 Points
Great wine. Drink or hold. Really opened up after a half hour.
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6/6/2015 - MXL wrote: 93 Points
Black cherry anise eucalyptus with a 1hour decant. Gracious alive it was more than great. Finish very smooth and probably has another 4-5 years of life, maybe more but alas my only bottle.
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4/8/2015 - Xavier Auerbach wrote: 94 Points
A private tasting (Spring Mountain Vineyards, St. Helena, California, USA): A blend of 81% Cabernet-Sauvignon, 7% Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot each and 5% Merlot, 14.2% ABV. Complex and deep nose, layered, velvety, very complete, great length, fleshy but elegant, very classic composition, beautiful blackberries with a hint of beef stew, rose petals, good tannic grip, will easily age another decade.
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1/11/2015 - winejnky wrote: 93 Points
Blueberry, black cherry, cedar, toast; full and rich with a penetrating finish; shows great Bordeauxcharacter, but with a CA intensity. A bit dry and still tannic even with a 90 minute decant, this seems destined to last at least another five years.
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5/18/2014 - Trolson wrote: 90 Points
Very hood wine though not worth price of $125.
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6/28/2013 - Anthony Chinn wrote: 91 Points
Very merlot-ish but witout sharp pepper. Dark, black cherry fruit and medium body. Aged has helped put this wine in balance from last bottle tried.
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5/27/2013 - Its5o'clockSomewhere Likes this wine: 95 Points
Great example of CA cab. Bought it at the winery several years ago, and decided it was ripe to have with grilled NY strip steaks from our local farm. Black fruit, smoke and menthol on the nose. Will easily go another couple of years.
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2/9/2013 - winejnky wrote: 92 Points
Decanted for over two hours and could have used more time. Still young, with healthy tannins and a dollop of oak overshadowing the black cherry fruit. This wine has all of the components, but still not coming together fully just yet.
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11/7/2012 - winejnky wrote: 91 Points
Inviting menthol, pine and plum nose; a structured wine in Bordeaux style, slightly green and flinty, gunpowder and black cherry with oak apparent on the finish; alcohol was a bit too much the first day but better day 2 & 3.
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9/25/2012 - rricher wrote: 92 Points
Wish I had more! Excellent and still developing. Classic California Cab.
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7/6/2011 - grapist wrote: 92 Points
Decanted for an hour. Color and taste were rather light upon opening. This darkened and got much richer and deeper with air-time. As Russ, the Somm at Joe's, Chicago, put it, "not a shy wine". Long future ahead
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4/8/2011 - CultCabKing wrote: 92 Points
2011 Gold Medal. Very, very nice.
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3/13/2011 - wino_tim wrote: 92 Points
An elegant, almost Old World style, with slightly reticent aromas of currant, dried herbs, tobacco leaves, and cocoa powder. A bit more expressive on the palate with brighter black fruit flavors, good acidity and a persistent, black cherry filled finish.
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1/19/2011 - MattMauldin wrote: 94 Points
Opened for several hours. Violet color, a little inky, lightening with ruby at the edges. Alluring bouquet- mineral-slate, floral, light spice, cassis & currant. The palate brings a silky feel and a lot of flavor- blackberry, currant, tea, chocolate, black truffle, cocoa, maybe a little cigar box as well. Beautifully textured through the palate, ushering in firm ripe tannins of mineral, spice, and cassis that grip through a minute plus finish. A beautiful wine that approaches transcendent.
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10/10/2010 - winejnky wrote: 93 Points
Initially decanted for two hours, nevertheless still young and tight. Deep, deep purple almost black. Shows young, tart cherry and cranberry flavors, but overpowered by oak, alcohol and tannin at this point. After another hour of decanting it blossomed; blackberry, blueberry, earthy has come into balance and is very nice.
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10/16/2009 - mmyette wrote: 90 Points
Started out closed, nose wasn't giving much, but opened up revealing chewy tannins, hearty acid, and a full mouthfeel. A little chunky, it had cassis, plum, and vanilla nuances, with sage, green pepper, and some mild brown spice. Drank while punching down the cap!
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