At seventeen years of age, this was consistent with, but better than my previous tasting of this wine back in 2011 as the wine has developed in the bottle aging for another decade, "Dark inky purple color - medium-full bodied, complex and concentrated blackberry and black raspberry fruits in a tightly wound core accented by spicy oak on a balanced structured tannin finish."
It's complexity seems to be improved with featured highlights of currant fruits and anise with notes of tobacco, dark mocha chocolate, and hints of cedar on the long finish.
Tonight I rated this 93 points, vs the 92 points from my earlier review. https://unwindwine.blogspot.com/2023/06/chappellet-signature-napa-valley.html
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This wine is still going strong, possible still on the early side. But with some air it does open very nicely, giving up it's savory dark fruit, and hint of something green. Acidity is solid providing a really balanced wine. Fantastic wine with 5+ years left.
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From double magnum. Smell older than it tastes. Fig and black cherry nose, not penetrating. Wonderfully balanced with soft but dense anise and cherry fruit. Even in this format, drink over the next 3-5 years to avoid fruit falling over the edge.
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Really nice nose of dark berry, cassis, licorice, violets and cedar. Soft sweet tannins but still very big and rich fruit (too much?). Drank beautifully with a steak but a touch out of balance. long finish. Drink now and decant for an hour+
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Decanted only to warm from cellar temp as was open right away. 2006, along with 2001, has been one of my favorite vintages for Napa as I've found them well balanced and age worthy, vs the fruit forward disappointing agers from 2002 and 2007. This wine displayed a combination of dark red fruit, plum and blackberry, with resolved tannins, medium minus acidity, and lovely balance and mouthfeel. This has aged quite nicely and really like where it is now. I wouldn't risk going too much longer with this as you may miss the sweet spot.
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The cork had dried out so removing it required the two pronged wine cork. I decanted it for about 20 minutes and it was as wonderful as I remembered 10 years ago when I first had the wine. Well balanced with minimal tannins, smooth. Cherry/plum fruit delightful!
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Garnet. Subdued nose of blackberries and spice. Black fruits, medium body, balanced and smooth with integrated tannins. Medium length finish. Seems to be less concentrated/lush than previous taste a few years ago but still has life ahead.
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It took about an hour to open up and put on weight. Dark savory fruit, kirsch and mint. Does not seem to be showing any signs of decline. enjoy over the next 5 years.
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Still a delightful wine that shows a tad of concentration loss since my last bottle. Not quite as vibrant, but still very full nose, and a great mouthfeel. It’s in a subtle, refined stage, in a good way. I would pare my next bottle with good Italian charcuterie and cheese as apposed to the lead wine with a big rib roast. It’s still has a few good years of drinking window.
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Still in a prime drinking window. Deep garnet with no bricking at the edges. Nose of boysenberry and blackberry with hint of spice. Medium concentration with a pleasing silky texture. Flavors of blackberry, mocha, spice and a hint of anise. Evolved and well contoured tannins. Medium to long finish. Frankly surprised at how youthful this wine is given its age. May not get better with more age but has many years in its prime drinking window.
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Consistent with recent reviews--this wine has held up but is ready to be consumed now. I found a lovely integrated fruit profile that began with just ripe fruit and settled into long tones of bramble, dark berry, leather. The underlying minerality was a plus.
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Benefited from decanting for an hour. Tannins very mild at this point, briar, Blueberry, plum with a lingering palette. No room for improvement, drink up.
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Cooked fruit upon first opening with a clear deficit of acidity. Chilled the bottle for 30 minutes and things seemed to improve thereafter. The oxygen and chill helped the acidity and terroir show a bit more. This should be a $50 bottle, not more, but still enjoyable with a Christmas day standing rib roast. Wish it was better, but it was good enough
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I have not opened one of these bottles since 10/12/13 (how is that possible?). This wine is no longer a baby. Neither is it showing any age. This beautiful, balanced Napa Cab is singing. Tons of varietal character: graphite, cassis, blueberry, minerals. Excellent length. Refreshing acidity. Sweet tannins. Complexity. Purity. Beauty and brains. Love it.
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A little funk and mustiness right after opening, but it blew off in 30 to 60 minutes. No visual signs of age, but it's obviously a mature wine. Various dark fruits and a healthy dollup of baking spices. Medium to full body and a solid finish. Very well balanced at this stage. People who like young fruitbombs won't like it, but I did. Nevertheless, I think that's it's slightly past its paek.
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Nose shows cool herbs, slightly minty. Licorice and a touch of sassafras. Palate is medium+ bodied. Immediate sweetness hits the palate even after 11 years. Very nicely delineated blue fruits and red berries. Behind this is some nice fine grained tannin and a good dose of acidity. Overall, a nice wine but the initial attack is just too sweet for me.
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91-93: very solid outing from Chappellet. This wine may be at or near peak, but there's still ample fruit and acid. Some fine tannins remain, but there are some secondary notes like graphite showing. Finish is short or it would have scored higher.
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Opened and poured an hr. before serving. Paired with sl overcooked filet. Nice bottle. A little too sweet for my taste, and I found that it was dominated by cola notes (also not my taste). BUT, there was still a good deal of complexity, with lots of dark fruit; and tannins were just where they ought to be. I was surprised to see that alcohol was 14.9%. So... overall, balanced and pretty, though not the style I gravitate to. Still, try to find anything for $40 today that comes close! This should be good for another 2 years, but I doubt it will improve.
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Deep Purple. Opened 90 minutes, no decant. Nose with loads of ripe fruit and rich loam. Like velvet on the palate with soft tannins. Blackberry, cherry, pepper, spice. Nice finish.
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This was really drinking well. Probably has the possibility of keeping for a few more years. But don't be be shy about trying one now. I think I paid $45 when it was the current vintage in the store. Great value. Wish I had more.
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Thoroughly enjoyable this time around. What a difference 2 years makes. Medium body, well integrated fruit, still quite alive. And a bargain at the maybe $50 I paid at the time.
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Very nice nose with black cherry, currant, and cream. Nice balance of acids and tannins with a silky mouth feel. Coca-Cola syrup, black cherry, vanilla, and stewed plums on the palate.
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One of about 30 wines at a party, if this wasn't WOTN, it certainly was a strong contender. Dark color. Berries and a hint of plums on the nose. Berries and some black cherries on the palate, along with hints of vanilla and forest floor. Still a little tannic, but extremely well balanced. Fairly rich, with a good finish. As expected (for a Chappellet Cabernet), it's still improving.
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Dark fruit, plum, blackberry and blueberry. Well integrated and smooth tannins. Opened about 2 hours before dinner but not decanted. Had with a grilled t-bone. As good as it was, it seemed short in the finish. Had me thinking I should have opened a zin...
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PnP up front is attack on the nose of black berries and something like dried dark plum jam. Tannins are pretty smooth, but still apparent and slightly drying. Fruit is a mixed bag of dark and hints of red fruit. Decent finish.
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Consistent with a bottle four months ago. Still improving. Textbook Napa Cabernet and given today's ridiculous prices, an outstanding value. $100+ for Plumpjack? No thanks.
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Cherries cherries: high toned maraschino backed up by black, highlighted by aromas of smoke, maybe some iceberg lettuce, and cinnamon. The palate is cinched but eager with separate but equal pillars of strawberry, coffee tones, and popsicle in a base of vanilla extract. I don't see this relaxing enough in time ... and the age looks good on it: catch this at its zenith. -2018
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Sadly my last bottle and my last of Napa 2006 vintage. This was #6 of WS Top 100 in 2009 and deservedly so. Only $60 on release, you can't find these bottles for under $125 now, more in a restaurant. From Pritchard Hill, I do love the Mountain, deep, heavy Napa Cabs and this one was one of my best. Loved it.
A very nice menthol and herb nose. This is a very enjoyable Cabernet IMO. Fruit forward, balanced and silky smooth. The black fruits and vanilla are very prominent in the taste profile. A very good effort....
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Opened about 90 minutes before tasting. As expected, this wine seems to be hitting its stride. Shy nose - smells like a barrel room, with a little charcoal. Mouthwatering black and blue fruits, but not much in the way of secondary flavors. Although it looks viscous in the glass, it's medium bodied at best, but the BIG fruit carries over to a very good finish. Perfectly balanced right now, so I'm tempted to say "drink up". However, this wine has a good ageability track record, and additional time might open up the nose and produce more complexity.
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Decanted for maybe an hour. Never really came into form. Not much to detect on the nose. Some cocoa on the palate but overall the wine didn't reveal much of anything. Dumb phase? Needed more air? Dunno. Wish I had another bottle to revisit in another 3-5 years. Soft tannins made the wine approachable. 86-87.
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Two years since our last bottle and it really hasn't changed much. It is not showing much in terms of secondary flavors or aromas. Mostly darker fruits and a touch of mocha and char. With some air a little structure emerges. I think this in the tweener stage and so I will wait five years or so and hope my last bottle develops some complexity.
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This was my only bottle, so no earlier samples for personal comparison. I found this bottle to be perfectly aged (in my cellar for six years). Bright fruit but no rough edges. Medium body, medium finish. Not very complex, but delicious.
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This wine is rounding into form....vibrant nose...dark berries, a bit of licorice, and some woody essence. The wine is drinkable with just a Venturi pour. Good bright berry fruit, with a great balance. The tannins are soft, giving it a good mouthfeel. Very good.
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Easily the best time for drinking it in the last 2 years. Fruit showing through very nicely, tannins have receded greatly in the last 12 months. Did not need nearly as much decanting to become very drinkable. Widely enjoyed by mostly non-wine drinkers.
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Coravin taste. With a bit of air, this has certainly smoothed out compared to my bottle in August 2011. No signs of the overt heat that I mentioned in my previous TN. Lots of dark fruit still, but this lacks complexity, acidity, and verve for my palate. Little in the way of secondary character (at least of types that I like). These should probably be drunk in the next couple of years. Tasted alongside a Coravin sample of the 2006 St Clement Oroppas, and I much preferred the Oroppas. It had more energy (mainly due to adequate acidity), some forest floor on the nose and some slight herbal notes on the palate to keep it interesting. Another example of how my tastes in Napa Cab do not align with JL of WS. Cabs that I really like (Togni, Corison, Conn Valley) he frequently pans, and vice-versa.
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A dark nose of blackberry, black cherry, cedar, herb, tobacco and spice lead way to a silky medium bodied sweet silky palate with a seamless integration and finishes with dusty tannins on the finish. This wine has improved since I last had it.
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My first bottle of the '06. For once, a wine that delivered exactly what I had expected - seamless integration of dark fruit and plenty of spices. Fairly full body, but not unctuous. Solid finish. Plenty of life ahead of it
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This wine has just never sat right with my palate. Opened for 4 hours and decanted for another 2 this time, to see if the tannins would work their way out. They were softer than usual but the fruit taste remaining was not very compelling. Patience, patience.
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Popped and poured, drank over 2 nights. Plenty of life left here. Was good from the get-go. This is a big, rich Napa cab and a great QPR. Concentrated blueberry/blackberry fruit, well integrated tannins. Smooth texture, long finish. A lot to like here.
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Very dark red color. PNP with aeration out of bottle. Drank 2 glasses over 90 minutes. The nose has some nice dark fruit, cassis, blackberry, a sweet blackberry pie note, spices. The palate is dense and full bodied with a nice core of black fruit, brambly, blackberry, cassis, blackberry liqueur, lots of anise and spice on the medium plus finish. 91+ to 92 pts.
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My last of the '06. This has a lot of power, is quite smokey, a bit one-dimensional, similar to previous notes. The power is impressive, but I tend to seek more finesse, which this is missing.
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A dark nose of blackberry, black cherry, cedar, herb, tobacco and spice lead way to a silky medium bodied sweet palate which finishes with dusty tannins on the finish.
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I normally don't repost on a wine. It's been a little over a year. This wine is velvet tonight. A delight. The midriff is just rippling with juicy black fruit. No overt sense of alcohol. This is apex. This is a luxury. 94
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dark red in color with deep fruit aromas on open. After a 2 hour decant it yields a medium to heavy body with still hefty tannins. I would give this one several more years to mellow out. Plenty of weight to make it to 2018+
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Medium to dark color, expressive nose, tartness giving way to a bit of spice with time, 2 hours, balanced with integrating oak, raspberry mixing with dark fruits to a long full finish.
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Decanted 15 minutes. Dark black plums with some earthiness on the nose. Deep garnet color - not overly extracted and slightly transparent on the rim. Big entre and middle with a slight tail-off on the finish. Not sure this gets better. Drink.
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Decanted 4 hours. Pleasant nose but definitely not a full bodied cab. Light weight, almost watered down characteristic on the palate and monolithic. Acidic and dry finish. Needless to say, very disappointed.
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A nice change of pace for us. Fairly plush and soft in comparison to what we have been drinking lately. Mostly primary flavors and aromas but this is has softened some since the last bottle a couple of years ago. Drinking well now and for a few more years I think.
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The oak was elevated in our last bottle but not so tonight. Consistent with an earlier note. "Cherry, oak, rose petals and a little earth and chocolate all melding well together. Clearly new world and fruit forward but not over the top." It is in peak form.
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The nose is beautiful. Tartness spice dark raspberry blackberry with a hint of liquorice. The taste is a little lighter than expected given the nose but still dark fruit with smooth tannins. Well integrated.
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Light weight when opened, but still with a long finish. After 40 minutes, full bodied, blackberry, brambles, tar and cassis. Long, wonderful finish making the bottle quite memorable.
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Decanted and drank over the next 90 minutes. Aroma is dark berries and a bit of tar and graphite. Taste is a bit lighter than I expected with some blackberry, and pretty enjoyable if not too complex. Still has a somewhat tannic finish. It might need another year or two to shed that, but I'm not sure this will get any better.
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Cassis and asphalt flavors with firm oak and full tannins. Needs a few more years in bottle or a few hours decant. Rather tight now and seems to be at an in between phase and closed down. I enjoyed it more a few years ago when it was more fruit-forward. However, structure is nice and as the tannins soften over the next 3-5 years, this should continue to improve.
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Even better than the bottle I opened last fall. I have kept this wine in the cellar since release. Dark clear garnet. Nose of blackberry, dust, hoisin, and cedar. Ripe juicy palate of blackberry, black cherry, plum, spice, licorice, cedar, and minerals. Pleasant acidity. Sweet tannins. Integrated oak. Nicely balanced wine. Laube with the WS got this one right.
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A classic Cali Cabernet still with the very deep color of a somewhat younger wine. On the palate, a wine of solid structure, good acidity and stout tannins that still needs a lot of air or more cellar time to resolve. Opened up somewhat as the night evolved to reveal classic Cabernet flavors or dark fruits, etc. Will wait a year or more before opening my last bottle.
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Got back to drinking this bottle 2 days later and it was singing. It had completely come into balance and any rough edges were gone. The earthiness and graphite had receded to a supporting role and the wine was delicious and complex. Nice surprize.
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Drank this as part of a flight with the 04 and 05. This was my favorite. It still has some really nice fruit on the front side, but finishes really nicely with some coffee notes. Sad this was my last bottle!
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First night - very dark and dominated by graffite on the nose and palate. Also cedar and dirty cassis on the nose. Some chocolate on the palate. Hollow midpalate as the bulk of the impact is upon entry. Strong tannic edge. Needs to come together.
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- It's balanced with a medium/full body with a long finish - Classic style with well balanced fruit and acidity and smooth tannins on a long finish. Drinking very well now.
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Cellar Reconstruction Party (Gary's Place): Very dark red/purple color. Decanted for 1 hour. This needed the air time and really progressed nicely developing a deep creme de cassis nose with blackberry, dried herbs, cedarbox and finally an earthy component emerged. The palate is consistent, full body, somewhat firm medium grained tannins that feel they are just hitting they're stride, nice black mountain fruit with layers of depth, spice, dried herbs, cedar, coffee, well integrated oak. This is just hitting peak drinking now. 92+pts. My and group WOTN.
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Chappellet never disappoints. This full bodied wine exhibited notes of casssis, blackberry, vanilla and oak. Tannins were very smooth with a nice med/long finish. This is peaking now.
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Decanted three hours and it was still swelling. Deep, glossy ruby stone color. Nose punching alcohol, black currants, vanilla oak and black tea. A black strap of black fruit, which mirrors the aromas. This seems in it's early drinking window. The tannins should recede and mellow. This has wonderful upside due to the fine balance and concentrated core of mountain fruit. Outstanding. 93
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This wine is just fabulous. I think it is in its sweet spot for sure. The color is deep like blueberry boasting a nose of vanilla, oak, pencil lead and blackberries. The wine attacks the palate up front and fills your mouth mid palate with explosive fruits such as cherry, blueberry and strawberry before lending way to licorice and ending with lovely tannins and a lengthy finish. This wine should be consumed within the next 2 years.
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Much more open than our last bottle. Cherry, oak, rose petals and a little earth and chocolate all melding well together. Clearly new world and fruit forward but not over the top. The best showing so far by a considerable margin.
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Has really started to hit its stride and too bad this was our last bottle. Popped the cork and let breathe in bottle for an hour which allowed the alcohol to burn off. Ripe red berries, blueberries, chocolate and dark spices. Long finish.
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Beautiful aromatics. Floral fruit and earth. On palate, full bodied yet lithe. Great blackberry and cherry fruit with herbs. Nice finish with cherry in the forefront. Decanted 1.5 hours and was in perfect balance for my taste. Tannin and acidity just superb.
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Great wine to have with a filet, wich is what we paired it with. Outstanding bouquet and long lasting finish, with nice tannins and well strucured ruit.
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Christmas Eve with lamb chops. Tasted immediately after decanting. Cherry, oak and restrained. It opened up a bit more after about an hour but was still lean compared to our last bottle. That made it work well with the lamb chops. The bottle variation on this wine, albeit based on a small sample size, has been striking.
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Decanted for 1-2 hours. Aromas of blackberry, cassis and licorice ending with hints of cigar box. Displays complex flavors of dark berries, cherry, fig and mocha. Nice medium to long finish. Ready to drink now.
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My first bottle of the '06 after storing it in the cellar since release. Bottom line: this is excellent juice. Dark garnet. Nose of smoke, vanilla, spice, blackberry, and cassis. Ripe full palate of blackberry, cassis, graphite, cedar, spice, and espresso. Excellent length. Pleasant mountain-top acidity. Sweet tannins. Integrated oak. Drinking well now, but structured to last many more years.
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The wine looks Brick colored. The legs are Slow. It smells like Clove, and Mineral. It tastes like Cherry, Mushroom, and Walnut. The body is Full. The wine has Satin-like texture. The wine finishes Long.
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Soft decant 2 hrs, little on the nose, some blackberry and currant but fairly muted. Taste was a different story. Ripe, dark berries that build. Light zingy acidity in the mid palate, full bodied, velvety, sweet blackberry and currant fruits. Long finish, 45sec+, delicious. Not sure why this wine hasnt been scored better, its in fine state at this point.
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First bottle of this wine that we have opened in three years. The last was a bit disappointing as it fell short of expectations built on a generous review and other's notes. This bottle is much better. Time has worked its magic. It is still not overly complex but it has opened up considerably. Bounteous but not cloying fruit and a nice tannic backbone.
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Rich dark fruit, smooth tannins, with a enough acidity to make the flavors pop. Oak has definitely receded quite a bit. Drinking really well right now. A nice mix between rich ripe fruit and more "old-school" cab.
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Served blind, consumed over two nights. Hard to believe (or not) this was WS's #6 for 2009. At $29, it's a decent value, but ultimately, I find this lacking complexity. Above-average purity of fruit, elegant tannins, average acidity. Maybe in 5 years; maybe in 10? In its favor, an understated elegance; outside the mold of most of today's fruit bombs. 14,9% abv, drink thru 2022
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Put on alot of weight since last bottle. The amount is surprising actually. Quality material. Lush, dark. You can blind it against bigger boys and show some up.
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Agree that the 2006 is starting to reach its time. We drank this bottle at a wine tasting with several outstanding Cabs, and this wine held up well. Dark, ripe fruit with an easy finish. I'm a Chappellet fan, and look forward to several more bottles of this vintage we have in our cellar.
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Excellent but not outstanding. Big mocha, dark fruited cab. Oaky but integrated better on day #2. Some acidity. Slightly sharp tannins on the finish which I didn't like. Overall pleasurable and enough depth to think about while drinking but...
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I'm no expert, but I thought this was more Bordeaux-like than the Bordeaux we tasted it against. Muted fruit, nice dusty tannins, some coffee, some black cherry. Not a ton of secondaries, some forest floor smells and flavors. Went spectacularly well with the NY steaks, grilled fingerling potatoes and Caesar salad (and green beans, which I passed on). In its class, this is a very nice wine, but I wouldn't say it's life-changing. That said, I think it's fine to drink now, and won't improve tremendously.
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Consistent rating to prior review, but took a little more time with it this go around. Served at 65F. Ruby colored, with pale hues all the way to glass edge (4 transitions). Aroma of Plum, mushrooms, green peppers and a bouquet of dusty chalk. Long finish on the nose. Full body wine, with balanced tannins and tartaric acid dominant. In the mouth flavors of green peppers, blackberry, black cherry and black pepper. An outstanding wine. After initial technical review, paired it with filet mignon, corn, and whole wheat couscous and it went excellently. A nice bottle. Probably 2-3 more years on the drinking window.
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Pop 'n pour - drank over 3 hours. Big, bold red with pleasing blackberry, cherry, and tobacco. Oak has integrated since the last bottle I tried in 8/2009. Tannins are still present and noticeable. Overall, a very good wine, but I think this shows some Syrah characteristics and is lacking in Cab varietal aromas and flavors. Seemed a little unfocused as well. I scored this 90 points the last time I tried it, and I found that this showed better with a little age on it, but I'm going to score it 89 now mostly due to my changing tastes.
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Overly round, overly sweet, overly oaked and even a bit hot. No evidence of any evolution. Might as well pay $20 if you feel this is permissible. This is a useful wine for adding those who feel this is 92+ to my ignored note authors.
Drank at dinner with Doug. Steaks off the grill. Luscious blackberry, black cherry, and cassis, with chocolate notes, velvet tannins, subtle but present acidity. Delicious.
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First of my 3 bottles opened. Holy chocolate and vanilla popping out of the glass. Darh fruits, smokiness medium bodied and tannis are present. I did not decant so I think that would help integrate the tannins a bit.
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The 2006 is starting to reach the proper drinking point. I recall the first bottle (2 years ago) being tight, dark and in need of some cellar time. This go around the fruit was ripe, dark and well integrated with the cigar box, tar and smokey compoenents. The finish was long and enjoyable and overall the wine married well with prime filets on the grill. This wine is showing why it garnered such praise and high marks. I expect this wine will continue to improve in the cellar and has at least another 5+ years. Great effort that far exceeded the 2008 pritchard hill I tasted a few weeks back.
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This bottle was very fruit-forward and drinkable. Drank along side a Cakebread Benchland Select which showed more depth and concentration than the Chappallet. This is definitely ready to drink now and I plan to consume my 4 remaining bottles over the next year or two as I don't think this wine has a long life left in it.
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Dark inky purple color - medium-full bodied, complex and concentrated blackberry and black raspberry fruits in a tightly wound core accented by spicy oak on a balanced structured tannin finish. This is actually a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon 76%, Merlot 18%, Malbec 4%, and Petit Verdot 2%.
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This is tasty--cabernet w the slightest evocation of butterscotch--yes, butterscotch, but slight, and overlaid with smooth typical cabernet blackfruits. Lived up to its billing.
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Decanted 1 hour. Lots of blackcurrant on the nose. Quite smooth in the mouth with nice acidity and plenty of tart red and black fuits with blackcurrant and plum at the forefront. Some notes of coffee, leather and earth but overall this still seems quite primary with the fruit in the ascendancy. The fruit intensity persists nicely leading to a 30 second finish with some grippy tannins still in evidence. The tartness of the fruit and acidity made this refreshingly different from a lot of Napa cabs out there in this price range and this wine represents decents value at arounf $45. Should drink very well for quite some time.
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This was my 4th or 5th bottle of this over the last two years. Not much to add to the other notes ou tthere. I just felt like the heat in this wine brought an otherwise fantastic wine down substantially. It's big and tastey, but just disjointed and hot. Maybe another few years will sort it out, but i wouldn't count on it. 87
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Outstanding bottle. Drank after LSU dominated UT and after I dominated some hot wings. Full bodied and chewy and better than first bottle 2 years ago. Wish I had 6 more, which is a problem I will solve soon.
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Decided to pop and pour this time around, but still drank over the course of 2-3 hours; initial alcohol and tannins have softened since last tasted almost 2 years ago; still took time to open up; blueberries and plums aromas and flavors, notes of dark chocolate and cocoa powder
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First of 3 bottles purchased after the WS hype. Upon PnP, this was a hot, disjointed, astringent mess. Decanted for an hour, and it did soften and open up some. Was OK and drinkable overall. Even 3hours after opening, however, there was still noticeable heat and a slight bit of bitterness on the finish. I hope that this was just a bad bottle (cork was in very good shape however) because my experience does not sound at all like that of others here.
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Popped and poured. Needed time to open. Tannins still need to settle in some. Cassis nose. A little dark fruit now with the deep plum and cassis on the palate. Tannins very fine but a little drying. Fairly long finish.
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First tasted this at the winery on Pritchard Hill in '09. Still tight when tasted, but definitely carried a lot of potential. Dark ruby color with aromas of dark berries, tobacco, and pencil lead. The palate was firmly-packed with flavors of plum, currant, cigar box, espresso, anise, liqueur, and a significant amount of aftertaste of French oak in the 30-second finish. Given this character, I initially predicted maturity by 2012, but I was surprised to see it mellow out in 2011. The palate became softer, refreshingly balanced and delicious. However, it didn't gain complexity. Still great. Drink from 2011 to 2016.
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Not quite as good as a year ago. Still nice cassis nose. Tannins still strong. Still nice Napa Cab flavor profile, but a little shutdown on the pallet.
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Decanted for 2 hrs. Aromas of plum, leather, licorice. Tastes a bit tannic early on but then opens up with blackberry, dark fruit and earthy notes. Medium finish.
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Decanted for 45 minutes and drank over the next 2 hours. Had with some grilled beef tenderloin. Deep maroon color. Refined with concentration, structure and elegance all wrapped in one. Primary cabernet flavors with a hint of cigar box and a nice dose of oak. A touch of mocha as well. Tannins mellow after a bit of air. A medium to long finish. A very well made wine at a reasonable price.
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Popped and poured. I enjoy this wine more each time we have it. Flavors seemed to be more integrated in this bottle. Smoky dark berries melded very nicely with chewy tannins, with a moderate finish.
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sim notes side by side with an 07 Regusci. The Chappellet was lighter in body, more elegant and refined with tannins one needed to coax out of the taste. The Regusci was powerful, in your face Cali Cab.
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Holy horned frogs batman this was great wine! Seldom will you find such a well made wine, the fruit shies through the glass, smooth and balanced black fruit shows immediately. Sadly my only bottle a true classic.
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Nice clarity, rich inky-violet coloration with a pleasant intensity on the nose highlighting blackberry, cassis and pencil lead. Flavor is nicely fruit-forward of darker berries, nice structure, and some pucker on the finish with strong tannins. A nicel
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A rich nose of berries and leather. Sweet, rich and concentrated on the palate, but the tannins are soft and open for business. In my opinion, there is too much wood. The finish is surprisingly clipped given the concentration and density of this wine. A very good wine that should satisfy fans of both modern and classic styles.
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Consistent with my 04/2010 notes; actually better. Traditional Cab nose. The tannins are more integrated than a year ago, creating an even smoother, more pliant texture that balances perfectly with the sweet fruit through the mid-palate. Medium+ Finish. An excellent Cabernet at any price level, and at $30, definitely the best QPR of all my 2009 purchases.
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This was beautifully balanced. Drank wonderfully after a one hour decant. Nose of currant, red fruit, and minerals. On the palate, it is very silky smooth, with red and black fruit, mineral, tobacco. Wonderful finish. I really enjoyed it and am glad I have more in the cellar.
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I was very pleased with this wine. I drank with some steak. I know that WS gave it a big score, butbwas still impressed. I used vintuiri and decanter. Ready to drink in 30 or 40 minutes. Nice finish of 7 or 8 seconds.
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Drank with buffalo meatloaf. No decanting, only had the chance to slow-ox in the bottle over a few hours while drinking. This was an enjoyable, easy-going wine with some light fruit flavors that went down easy. However, there was hardly any finish at all, which perhaps is why it was so easy to drink and went down well. Still have one bottle that I'll check on in another year or two. For the price range of this, not a great QPR.
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Very tight upon opening- then decanted 4+ hours. A very dark, almost black, garnet color. Just a little clarity, almost opaque, as it coats the glass. A full array of aromas on the bouquet- currant, mineral-slate, black tea, tobacco, and raspberry. Full bodied, yet airy and gliding on the palate. Seamless flavors that brought to mind blueberry, cassis, currant, raspberry, black tea, tobacco, mineral, coffee, menthol, and peppercorn. Silky and lush through the mid palate, where notes of pencil shavings and cedar surface. Great structure, balance, and refinement. The tannins are still very firm and gripping; but tamed by the lush and ripe fruit. Strong on the finish, with consistent flavors that last between 45 seconds and 1 minute. I'd give this a good long decant, or more years in the bottle. I loved it though, a great wine.
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Took to a dinner party so limited notes. But I will say this was just fully loaded with dark, sweet fruit, and was very layered and textured and had a very long finish. Delicious and I would recommend.
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Previous notes apply however this bottle was MUCH smoother with integrated tannins and velvity mouth feel over oak and mocha and vanilla. Black fruit, tobacco and balanced just right. Very New world Bordeaux in style. A superb wine and drinking exceptionally well now. I'm concerned this is its peak and won't age well beyond this year.
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Popped and poured. Deep, almost inky purple/ruby hue. Delightful nose redolent of fresh blackberries, intense black currant, anise, fresh mint, and hints of cedar. Continues to unfurl with air, the currant and mint notes growing incrementally with every minute. Medium-plus body, quite structured. The flavors on the palate mirror the nose, showing fresh, dark fruits and a huge dose of black currant notes along with hints of tobacco leaf, pen ink, and a touch of earth...marries the herbaceous elements of Cabernet perfectly with fresh, seemingly juicy fruit. Tannins are of the big, chunky 2006 mold but without showing the dominating astringency which was prevalent when last tasted 15 months ago. Long finish. Just wonderful Cabernet, delicious yet complex. Clearly on an upward path of development, this should be rockin' with a few more years in the cellar!
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Delicious. This was opened for about 45mins (but not decanted... just poured in the glass) while I was prepping dinner. So much going on here... something new with each whiff. More red fruits than black with notes of cassis, currant, raspberry, vanilla cream, oak and tobacco. Similar notes on the palate with a hint of mint also... and probably a touch more oak than fruit. Still delicious. I only bought three and have consumed two. Now I'm kicking myself for not getting more. Outstanding
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Absolutely classic Napa Valley Cab expression here. Red-purple color. Terrific bouquet of black currant, black raspberry, tobacco, and earth. In the mouth, rich and concentrated, with beautifully delineated layers of slightly sweet fruit, graphite, tobacco, and minerals. The mouth feel is exceptionally fine, and the balance is exquisite. Long finish. A Napa Cab to be excited about. A
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Noticed the bottle was leaking so I opened it before I had planned to expecting the worst. Nose and taste showed no signs of damage. First glass and a half was really ripe and fruit forward and quite enjoyable. I was unexpectedly called away and had to save the remainder of the bottle for the second night. On night 2, this wine has lost most of its baby fat. Dark earth and black fuits on the palate. Finishes a bit dry. I miss the sweet tannins from the first night.
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Excellent wine but did not do it justice as it followed an '05 Ramey Jericho Canyon and as good as the Chappellet was, and it was damn good, it just could not hold up to the far too recent memory of the Ramey. It was however very nice, a bit less body than I recall from my first bottle but that too may have been due to the bad timing if it following the Ramey Jericho. Very nice fruits, more like red and blue than blue and black which attests for a bit less body (medium to full) and no harshness nor any bitterness from the tannins as found in several of the 2006's when opened too young (which this also was, I admit). A great wine for the price, I would not hesitate to buy more.
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has a nice cedar laced blackberry with good minerality combining with super soft tannins makes this wine very smooth. somewhat one dimensional, but extremely enjoyable.
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Wow, for the price its amazing! Cedar, cassis, granite, pepper. Really long! Bits of well integrated cherry and vanilla. Great backbone and balance. This is the real deal!
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Excellent Cali Cab - opened and let breath for 1 hour; loads of berry and an nice finish; tannins opened up nicely over next 2 hours; went well with grilled delomonicos
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Excellent QPR --- one of the best Napa Cab's I have had at this price level. Traditional Cab nose; ripe fruit yet surprisingly pliant texture, fairly well structured. Medium+ finish.
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San Antonio Wine Geeks (sorry Dave) (Barbaresco): Palate was fading more by this point. Where was the fruit? All I got was vanilla, cedar, and cream with a dry tannic finish. No Rating as I’m assuming I was a flawed taster by this point.
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Definitely requires at minimum 1 hour to breath or decant. Typical Napa Cab with big fruit, vanilla and oak on the nose. Dark fruit, strawberries, currant, black liquorice, chocolate and tobacco on the nose. Big supple legs, dark purple color. Medium mouth feel with some bell pepper initially than integrated tannins and spice. Long lingering spicy finish on the tip of the tongue. Unfortunately there is somewhat of a flat finish and loss of fruit. Still a very nice wine.
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This is great bottle of Cabernet, a nose of Licorice, Menthol, berry, coffee. The taste is a fruit forward sparkle in your mouth, A acidic base with a tannin finish. It will get better and better with time. 94 Drink me
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We had this at a specially prepared 11 course dinner at Nunzio's in Collingswood. The wine was decanted for 45 minutes before serving. I found it to be rich, smooth, with a slightly sweet taste. It certainly fared well along with the Amarone being served.
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Muted aromatics offset by satisfying multi-layered palate of sweet cassis, earth and chocolate. Approachable now but likely to improve over the mid term.
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Same as previous notes, only smoother and fruit seemed more concentrated and finish had more pronounced chewy (though smooth)tannins. Great bottle of wine.
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Notes from memory. Opened an decanted for 8 hours. Beautiful chocolaty nose with some dark cherry notes, and some dust. On the nose it was still very tannic and tight showing some nice fruit. This is a wine that needs time. I won't touch any of my other bottles for at least 2 years. This is going to be a great wine, stock up.
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Great wine for $35. Chappellet and Whitehall Lane are two of the best Cali Cabs for the money. Perfect balance and silky in the mouth. Gotta stock up on more than just a few bottles of this.....
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Pop and pour. Seemed very sweet compared to previous bottles of this. I could not stop thinking of bubble gum every time I drank this. Not sure what to do with my remaining bottles.
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Decanted for 2.5 hours; still probably could have gone another hour or two; drank over the span of 2 hours; it was hot through pretty closed up for the first hour; finally tannins losened their grip and it openned up to cocoa powder, berries and dried herbs; finish was long and (about 45 seconds); still needs more time
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Nose: Rich, a little hot, showing mostly plums, cassis, hint of mint, touch of greens. Palate: Pencil lead, licorice, plums on the attack. Heat develops on the mid-palate, followed by slightly grippy tannins. Long plummy, licorice finish. Quite tasty now but young and hasn't peaked yet.
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Decanted for 3 hours. Layered blue fruits, silky smooth with slight sweet taste on back palate. Could have used more cellar time and should certainly improve with age. Excellent QPR!
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Drank across 3 nights. Each night topping off with Wine Preserve gas, corking and putting back in the cellar at 58 degrees. Each night I drank the glass across 1 to 1.5 hours starting at 58 degrees and allowing the wine to warm to room temperature. First night: 91 pts Tannins are very tight, in your face and up front. There is a massive core of heavy fruit hiding in the background. Black and red fruit tangling through the long concentrated finish showing decent weight on the palate with integrated oak. This needs hours of decanting to break through the tight pronounced tannins. Very hedonistic at this point. Note: Best flavor profile at room temperature. Night two: 94 pts Starting to open up nicely, fruit is more refined and balanced. Tannins have moved to the background, but are still noticeable. Starting to get some Vanilla and cassis subtelties with a more silky mouth feel. Much better than day one. What a difference. Night three: 92+ pts Tannins are still detectable in the background and the fruit has started to mellow. Showing a bit lighter mature style that is more integrated with a slight hint of oxidation coming into play. Overall a great wine and a wonderful 3 night experience for this price point. Best results if drinking in 1 night: decant for 2-4 hours and drink at room temperature. Note: Drank from Riedel Bordeaux glass. – MarkKnap@yahoo.com
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Very, very good Cali Cab...but would not have thought this was a cab by the nose and palate. This had a nose of a very good Aussie Shiraz. Think Lilys Garden style. Deep, dark and complex. Needed about an hour to tone down....but then was explosive in the glass. The tannins are stong...but kept in check. A very good wine that should love some cellar time. 2010 or 2011.
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Tried another bottle hoping to discover the 94 pts from WS. Decanted longer this time,but,although an excellent bottle, it is not yet deserving of such a high rating. Just not the home run I expected.
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Decanted through a vinturi into decanter and it still took quite awhile to open up - 1.5 to 2 hrs.
The nose was great the entire time with lots of dark fruit, spice, cedar/oak. Actually had an almost Chateauneuf-du-Pape-like element of garrigue/herbs after it had been open for an hour or two. Emily noticed chocolate on the nose, but I got it more on the late palate and finish.
Was very closed and tight on the palate when we first opened. Lots of tannins, not a lot of flavor. Tannins were much more moderate after 1.5-2 hrs of decanting. Once it opened up on the palate, it was quite nice and rich with dark fruit, blackberry, and dark chocolate on late palate and finish.
I think it may have had too much oxygen after about 3-4 hrs as it softened up and the tannins seemed to go into hiding somewhat as we were finishing it with dinner.
I would score it in the low 90s once it opened up - 91-92 pts. Not a 94pt wine right now, but it's still a baby.
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just popped right out of the bottle , wonderful nose , big rugged wine tannins, fruits, lots going on in this wine and I am sure it will develop in wonder ways...I am not a California wine person but really enjoyed this
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A very good wine considering it's so young. Lively, pleasant nose, very forward first taste, and an honest finish. Enjoyed with porterhouse steak, stuffed potato, and salad. I will buy this wine again.
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I approached this bottle with more anticipation than most. Commentary from others had led me to elevate my expectations, perhaps too much. It was a bit harsher, thinner and tannic than expected. The fruit was subdued or overpowered by comparison. Don't get me wrong. It was still a good wine. Just not as good as expected. Bottle variation, bad night for my palette, wine too young? Who knows. The only thing that I can say with conviction is that it needs more time and hopefully only that.
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Decanted for 2 hours, consumed over the next hour. Vanilla and oak on the nose with some hints of blackberry and a whiff of cherry, but predominantly a typical california oak and vanilla nose. In the mouth the tannin are bone dry with a lot of dark jammy fruit. Very very TIGHT wine that seems a bit out of wack right now. It should be better in about a year and should be "special" in another 3+ years, but right now I don't think it's worth opening. 91 now, capable of 94+ with some time, IMO.
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Very good second wine. Aromas of plums and some pencil lead. Great mouth feel with more black fruit flavors. Gritty tannins taht will settle with time.
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Drank with brisket and mashed potatoes. Beautiful, very fragrant nose of blueberry and blackberry. On the palate, big dark fruit with some tobacco leaf leading to a finish of prominent tannins. Excellent pairing of the brisket with this delicious wine. Needs a few years for the tannins to integrate and has potential for a much higher score.
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Decanted two hours. Concentrated aromas of blackberry, raspberry, and herbs are apparent. The palate exhibits baked cherry pie, minerals, and hints of spice and smoke to complete the flavor profile. With light to medium weight, smooth texture, and rich tannins, this finishes bright and clean.
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really a lot going on in this. Really nice dark fruits with a chocolate and mocha mid palate and the vanilla laden oak inflluence was spot on. Really young with thick tannins. This wine will be be in a good spot in 3-5 years
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Popped and poured. Deep red/purple hue. Initially, the fruit really shows, with ripe black fruits, black cherry, and black currant on the nose with just a touch of heat. Further aeration reveals additional nuances of vanilla bean and fresh herbs (mint leaf, perhaps). Medium-plus body. Initially tight, the fruit really comes through after 60 minutes, the flavors matching the nose with additional nuances of anise, spice, and toast from the oak. Tannins are slightly astringent and even a bit chewy on finish. Very young, but all of the pieces are there.
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Winery and vineyard tour/tasting. Excellent with ripe black cherry, boysenberry and dark chocolate. Lots of structure, high acidity, but showing refinement even at a young age. Tangy spices and coffee notes coat the tongue on the long finish. This wine will age gracefully for 10+ years.
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At friend's house for gathering. Cheese, raw veggies for appetizers. Strips, spinach, beans for dinner. Wines of the evening included 2003 Terra Valentine Cabernet Wuertle, 2005 Orin Swift The Prisoner, 2007 Jigsaw Pinot Noir, 2001 Beringer Cabernet Private Reserve, and 2006 Chappellet Cabernet Signature. Wine of the night was NO QUESTION Chappellet. Wow! Fantastic finish. Ready to go now. Sure it will only get better. Beringer a stong second, Terra Valentine third and the rest were also-rans.
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Crisp and clear black cherry color, multi- dark berries and spice, velvet mouithfeel, light and loaded with flavor of dark berries, currants, dark cherries, spice, well structured, mid palate tannins, long long finish. WOW!
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Extreamly dark, dense and concentrated. A rich, powerful wine that packs in layers of complex flavors. Focused around ripe black currant, herbs and smoky-toasty oak, but at the end what stands out the most is the finesse. This will only be better in a few years. -JD93+
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Decanted two hours. The nose is still somewhat muted. The flavors of anise, herb, cocoa, wild berry and currant. The finish and tannin structure are impressive with well integrated tannins. The fruit has great concentration. Like Cliff Lede and Chimney Rock this is always a great QPR. This is the best I have tasted from Chappellet.
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New style for the Chappellet folks, you can actually drink this one on release. There's enough tannin to let age well for 10-15 years if you can wait. I splash decanted, then into the Reidel cab glasses. It did improve over the course an hour. I'll buy more.
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Lighter in color than the other cabs at the tasting (2005 ZD, 2005 Larkmead). Straight out of the gate this wine had a beautifully strong cherry and red fruit nose with hints of oak. The palate was supple, smooth, with slight tannins. Overall it was the more nimbler red fruit driven cab of the 3. I did not get a chance to see how this wine progressed over several hours due to the tasting format. IMO this wine is drinking well right now.
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really excellent value for a napa cab. I enjoyed this immensely and feel as if it has another 10 years in it. well built wine with firm tannins and a long finish.
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Very dark purple, very young wine. should probably have decanted longer. However, still an outstanding wine that needs another year or two in the cellar.
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Purple in the glass. Nose of cherry, blackberry and currants. Big wine on the palate, lots of tannins and acidity. Very well balanced and great structure. Really an elegant wine with lots of promise for long term cellaring. I'm excited! Drank this after a '97 Mondavi Oakville. Nice comparison of an old and young wine made in a similar style. (See my review for comparison.)
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This wine opened up dark purple with aromas of dark fruit (cassis, boysenberry, current) along with some spice and herb. Nice texture on the palate and medium bodied but still a bit closed with some tight/dusty tannins. Opened up nicely to softer fruit towards the end of the bottle. Might store this one away for the next couple years.
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It was a long week... a very long week. I was excited to get this wine, so decided to pull the trigger even though I knew it was young. Yeah... mistake. This is very nice wine... once it opens up... and it didn't do that the first night. In fact, I threw the whole decanter in the fridge and tasted the second night, and it was still tannic and closed. This does show a lot of promise, however with notes of blueberry, plum, coffee (espresso), cola and a hint of menthol. Yeah, there's a lot going on here. Its tough to get past the tannins on the palate, but the plum and blueberry really shine. The tannins are harsh... so this needs to sit. So give it a few years to come around, and I don't think it'll have a hard time living up to the WS score. Outstanding
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It was a little tight on opening, but after 30 minutes it opened up very nicely. Very pleasant cabernet. Nose of earth, and dark berry, with hints of oak. The taste was medium to full bodied. Finish was medium.
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Big tight and tannic when I first opened up. Decanted over the next few hours which really softened it up. Lots of cherry and cola in this wine with some smokey oak and dark berries. I think I will wait a little while until the next bottle. Chappellet has never let me down between their Prichard Hill Cab. and the Great Chardonnay. Good QPR.
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This was great shortly after opening but closed down with a few hours in the decanter. I suggest pop and pour or possibly a more extended decant time. Awesome QPR for Napa Cab.
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Big, rich, and slightly sweet. Dark berries, currant, and plum. Not complex or thought provoking, but really enjoyable -- hard to imagine not liking this.
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Really excellent. Great concentration and structure, big fruit. I had been disappointed with Chappellet for the last few years, but this one won me around.
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I'm a big Chappellet fan and this vintage is no expection. Dark berry fruit, sweet oak/tannins, long finish. Decanted 2+ hours. Outstanding wine - looking forward to trying this in a couple of years.
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6/30/2023 - rmcnees Likes this wine: 93 Points
At seventeen years of age, this was consistent with, but better than my previous tasting of this wine back in 2011 as the wine has developed in the bottle aging for another decade, "Dark inky purple color - medium-full bodied, complex and concentrated blackberry and black raspberry fruits in a tightly wound core accented by spicy oak on a balanced structured tannin finish."
It's complexity seems to be improved with featured highlights of currant fruits and anise with notes of tobacco, dark mocha chocolate, and hints of cedar on the long finish.
Tonight I rated this 93 points, vs the 92 points from my earlier review.
https://unwindwine.blogspot.com/2023/06/chappellet-signature-napa-valley.html
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2/3/2023 - SICILIAN-SOLE Likes this wine: 94 Points
This wine is still going strong, possible still on the early side. But with some air it does open very nicely, giving up it's savory dark fruit, and hint of something green. Acidity is solid providing a really balanced wine. Fantastic wine with 5+ years left.
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12/15/2021 - Michigan Mostberg Likes this wine: 92 Points
From double magnum. Smell older than it tastes. Fig and black cherry nose, not penetrating. Wonderfully balanced with soft but dense anise and cherry fruit. Even in this format, drink over the next 3-5 years to avoid fruit falling over the edge.
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10/24/2021 - Gamecaulk wrote:
Definitely NOT past its prime. This was a splendid, complex, structured wine.
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10/12/2021 - Yagil wrote: 94 Points
Ca. CS (Mu & Mu restaurant, Rehovot): excellent, mature, complex, balanced - drink now
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7/24/2021 - eags25fla wrote: 90 Points
Really nice nose of dark berry, cassis, licorice, violets and cedar. Soft sweet tannins but still very big and rich fruit (too much?). Drank beautifully with a steak but a touch out of balance. long finish. Drink now and decant for an hour+
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3/28/2021 - jeffjohnsonjj@hotmail.com wrote: 91 Points
Rich and full, with a hint of tertiary nuances. Fully ready to drink, I would drink this sooner than later.
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7/15/2020 - vinole wrote: 92 Points
Decanted only to warm from cellar temp as was open right away. 2006, along with 2001, has been one of my favorite vintages for Napa as I've found them well balanced and age worthy, vs the fruit forward disappointing agers from 2002 and 2007. This wine displayed a combination of dark red fruit, plum and blackberry, with resolved tannins, medium minus acidity, and lovely balance and mouthfeel. This has aged quite nicely and really like where it is now. I wouldn't risk going too much longer with this as you may miss the sweet spot.
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5/16/2020 - KiBoo Likes this wine: 94 Points
Drank beautifully. Perfectly balanced and vibrant.
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4/15/2020 - GES777 Likes this wine: 94 Points
The cork had dried out so removing it required the two pronged wine cork. I decanted it for about 20 minutes and it was as wonderful as I remembered 10 years ago when I first had the wine. Well balanced with minimal tannins, smooth. Cherry/plum fruit delightful!
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10/5/2019 - jroberts86 Likes this wine: 91 Points
absolutely lovely. Opened up and had more depth after 40 minutes. Decanted, drank with a friend. Ready now.
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9/9/2019 - mvande21 wrote: 92 Points
Garnet. Subdued nose of blackberries and spice. Black fruits, medium body, balanced and smooth with integrated tannins. Medium length finish. Seems to be less concentrated/lush than previous taste a few years ago but still has life ahead.
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4/15/2019 - SICILIAN-SOLE Likes this wine: 94 Points
It took about an hour to open up and put on weight. Dark savory fruit, kirsch and mint. Does not seem to be showing any signs of decline. enjoy over the next 5 years.
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12/26/2018 - CCestaro wrote: 92 Points
Still a delightful wine that shows a tad of concentration loss since my last bottle. Not quite as vibrant, but still very full nose, and a great mouthfeel. It’s in a subtle, refined stage, in a good way. I would pare my next bottle with good Italian charcuterie and cheese as apposed to the lead wine with a big rib roast. It’s still has a few good years of drinking window.
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12/18/2018 - Doblk wrote: 90 Points
Well reviewed by others.
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12/18/2018 - Ralphk Likes this wine: 92 Points
Agree with the comments of MEATBOMB013. This wine has a long life left.
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12/18/2018 - meatbomb013 Likes this wine: 92 Points
Still in a prime drinking window. Deep garnet with no bricking at the edges. Nose of boysenberry and blackberry with hint of spice. Medium concentration with a pleasing silky texture. Flavors of blackberry, mocha, spice and a hint of anise. Evolved and well contoured tannins. Medium to long finish.
Frankly surprised at how youthful this wine is given its age. May not get better with more age but has many years in its prime drinking window.
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11/24/2018 - jroberts86 Likes this wine: 90 Points
Consistent with recent reviews--this wine has held up but is ready to be consumed now. I found a lovely integrated fruit profile that began with just ripe fruit and settled into long tones of bramble, dark berry, leather. The underlying minerality was a plus.
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11/9/2018 - Thomas B wrote: 90 Points
Benefited from decanting for an hour. Tannins very mild at this point, briar, Blueberry, plum with a lingering palette. No room for improvement, drink up.
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10/27/2018 - JackCMac Likes this wine: 94 Points
Great went quickly
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8/3/2018 - eags25fla wrote: 89 Points
Needed time for tannins to mellow and big Napa fruit to come together. After an hour in decanter was drinking well and perfect with steak
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3/10/2018 - SpoochMan wrote:
Brought to Duje's for party. Didn't even get to sample because there were a lot of good wines.
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3/2/2018 - renor Likes this wine: 93 Points
Delicious
Have 2 left
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12/25/2017 - A6Rover Likes this wine: flawed
Cooked fruit upon first opening with a clear deficit of acidity. Chilled the bottle for 30 minutes and things seemed to improve thereafter. The oxygen and chill helped the acidity and terroir show a bit more. This should be a $50 bottle, not more, but still enjoyable with a Christmas day standing rib roast. Wish it was better, but it was good enough
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11/1/2017 - Wink Likes this wine: 93 Points
I have not opened one of these bottles since 10/12/13 (how is that possible?). This wine is no longer a baby. Neither is it showing any age. This beautiful, balanced Napa Cab is singing. Tons of varietal character: graphite, cassis, blueberry, minerals. Excellent length. Refreshing acidity. Sweet tannins. Complexity. Purity. Beauty and brains. Love it.
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9/2/2017 - johnnyo wrote: 93 Points
Outstanding! Quintessential Napa Cab.
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5/3/2017 - ctjared wrote:
definitely over the hill
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4/28/2017 - Night Train Likes this wine: 91 Points
A little funk and mustiness right after opening, but it blew off in 30 to 60 minutes. No visual signs of age, but it's obviously a mature wine. Various dark fruits and a healthy dollup of baking spices. Medium to full body and a solid finish. Very well balanced at this stage. People who like young fruitbombs won't like it, but I did. Nevertheless, I think that's it's slightly past its paek.
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4/23/2017 - ScottGoodwin wrote: 90 Points
Nose shows cool herbs, slightly minty. Licorice and a touch of sassafras. Palate is medium+ bodied. Immediate sweetness hits the palate even after 11 years. Very nicely delineated blue fruits and red berries. Behind this is some nice fine grained tannin and a good dose of acidity. Overall, a nice wine but the initial attack is just too sweet for me.
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3/12/2017 - ctjared Likes this wine:
Not what I remember, but drinking nicely. Most of the fruit is gone, but its all integrated well now.
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2/19/2017 - BBinSC wrote: 92 Points
91-93: very solid outing from Chappellet. This wine may be at or near peak, but there's still ample fruit and acid. Some fine tannins remain, but there are some secondary notes like graphite showing. Finish is short or it would have scored higher.
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1/7/2017 - Dreddy515 Likes this wine: 92 Points
Excellent but could sit a few more years and possibly be even better
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12/29/2016 - smb22 Likes this wine: 90 Points
Opened and poured an hr. before serving. Paired with sl overcooked filet. Nice bottle. A little too sweet for my taste, and I found that it was dominated by cola notes (also not my taste). BUT, there was still a good deal of complexity, with lots of dark fruit; and tannins were just where they ought to be. I was surprised to see that alcohol was 14.9%. So... overall, balanced and pretty, though not the style I gravitate to. Still, try to find anything for $40 today that comes close! This should be good for another 2 years, but I doubt it will improve.
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11/24/2016 - chifred Likes this wine: 92 Points
Deep Purple. Opened 90 minutes, no decant. Nose with loads of ripe fruit and rich loam. Like velvet on the palate with soft tannins. Blackberry, cherry, pepper, spice. Nice finish.
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9/29/2016 - Philasinger Likes this wine:
This was really drinking well. Probably has the possibility of keeping for a few more years. But don't be be shy about trying one now. I think I paid $45 when it was the current vintage in the store. Great value. Wish I had more.
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8/1/2016 - kcp Likes this wine: 92 Points
Thoroughly enjoyable this time around. What a difference 2 years makes. Medium body, well integrated fruit, still quite alive. And a bargain at the maybe $50 I paid at the time.
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6/25/2016 - Tannic Monster Likes this wine: 91 Points
Very nice nose with black cherry, currant, and cream. Nice balance of acids and tannins with a silky mouth feel. Coca-Cola syrup, black cherry, vanilla, and stewed plums on the palate.
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6/18/2016 - Night Train Likes this wine: 92 Points
One of about 30 wines at a party, if this wasn't WOTN, it certainly was a strong contender. Dark color. Berries and a hint of plums on the nose. Berries and some black cherries on the palate, along with hints of vanilla and forest floor. Still a little tannic, but extremely well balanced. Fairly rich, with a good finish. As expected (for a Chappellet Cabernet), it's still improving.
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5/29/2016 - Redrum Likes this wine: 93 Points
Fully mature but seems to have the stuffing to hold at this level for at least a few more years. In a great spot.
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5/27/2016 - Thomas B wrote: 89 Points
Dark fruit, plum, blackberry and blueberry. Well integrated and smooth tannins.
Opened about 2 hours before dinner but not decanted. Had with a grilled t-bone. As good as it was, it seemed short in the finish. Had me thinking I should have opened a zin...
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5/20/2016 - etc wrote:
PnP up front is attack on the nose of black berries and something like dried dark plum jam. Tannins are pretty smooth, but still apparent and slightly drying. Fruit is a mixed bag of dark and hints of red fruit. Decent finish.
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5/7/2016 - Night Train Likes this wine: 92 Points
Consistent with a bottle four months ago. Still improving. Textbook Napa Cabernet and given today's ridiculous prices, an outstanding value. $100+ for Plumpjack? No thanks.
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5/1/2016 - Sugarb Likes this wine: 92 Points
Best - and last bottle - we have had. Decanted for 3 hours, drank smooth from first sip.
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4/21/2016 - Rollerball wrote: 92 Points
Cherries cherries: high toned maraschino backed up by black, highlighted by aromas of smoke, maybe some iceberg lettuce, and cinnamon. The palate is cinched but eager with separate but equal pillars of strawberry, coffee tones, and popsicle in a base of vanilla extract. I don't see this relaxing enough in time ... and the age looks good on it: catch this at its zenith. -2018
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4/10/2016 - Chris Likes this wine: 96 Points
Sadly my last bottle and my last of Napa 2006 vintage. This was #6 of WS Top 100 in 2009 and deservedly so. Only $60 on release, you can't find these bottles for under $125 now, more in a restaurant. From Pritchard Hill, I do love the Mountain, deep, heavy Napa Cabs and this one was one of my best. Loved it.
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4/9/2016 - casport Likes this wine: 94 Points
Decant it; love it.
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3/27/2016 - CV Griz Fan Likes this wine: 95 Points
A very nice menthol and herb nose. This is a very enjoyable Cabernet IMO. Fruit forward, balanced and
silky smooth. The black fruits and vanilla are very prominent in the taste profile. A very good effort....
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1/24/2016 - roybivens Likes this wine:
Wonderful.
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1/23/2016 - Night Train Likes this wine: 92 Points
Opened about 90 minutes before tasting. As expected, this wine seems to be hitting its stride. Shy nose - smells like a barrel room, with a little charcoal. Mouthwatering black and blue fruits, but not much in the way of secondary flavors. Although it looks viscous in the glass, it's medium bodied at best, but the BIG fruit carries over to a very good finish. Perfectly balanced right now, so I'm tempted to say "drink up". However, this wine has a good ageability track record, and additional time might open up the nose and produce more complexity.
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1/8/2016 - Presidio Wine Bunker wrote: 87 Points
Decanted for maybe an hour. Never really came into form. Not much to detect on the nose. Some cocoa on the palate but overall the wine didn't reveal much of anything. Dumb phase? Needed more air? Dunno. Wish I had another bottle to revisit in another 3-5 years. Soft tannins made the wine approachable. 86-87.
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11/13/2015 - JSolo wrote: 92 Points
Still very good.
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11/4/2015 - ctjared Likes this wine:
so good. silky tannins, long finish.
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10/4/2015 - Skifast Likes this wine: 92 Points
Drank w Laura & Tom
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10/1/2015 - Outplaying wrote:
Two years since our last bottle and it really hasn't changed much. It is not showing much in terms of secondary flavors or aromas. Mostly darker fruits and a touch of mocha and char. With some air a little structure emerges. I think this in the tweener stage and so I will wait five years or so and hope my last bottle develops some complexity.
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9/8/2015 - prism wrote: 92 Points
This was my only bottle, so no earlier samples for personal comparison. I found this bottle to be perfectly aged (in my cellar for six years). Bright fruit but no rough edges. Medium body, medium finish. Not very complex, but delicious.
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9/6/2015 - CCestaro wrote: 93 Points
This wine is rounding into form....vibrant nose...dark berries, a bit of licorice, and some woody essence. The wine is drinkable with just a Venturi pour. Good bright berry fruit, with a great balance. The tannins are soft, giving it a good mouthfeel. Very good.
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9/3/2015 - SC OLY Likes this wine: 93 Points
This wine has improved over time. The berry flavors are very distinguished. A really nice California Cab.
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8/13/2015 - Sugarb Likes this wine: 93 Points
Easily the best time for drinking it in the last 2 years. Fruit showing through very nicely, tannins have receded greatly in the last 12 months. Did not need nearly as much decanting to become very drinkable. Widely enjoyed by mostly non-wine drinkers.
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6/3/2015 - SpoochMan Likes this wine: 91 Points
Brought to Jude's for BBQ. No detailed notes but it went quickly. Very solid cab.
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5/25/2015 - SpoochMan wrote: 88 Points
Coravin taste. With a bit of air, this has certainly smoothed out compared to my bottle in August 2011. No signs of the overt heat that I mentioned in my previous TN. Lots of dark fruit still, but this lacks complexity, acidity, and verve for my palate. Little in the way of secondary character (at least of types that I like). These should probably be drunk in the next couple of years. Tasted alongside a Coravin sample of the 2006 St Clement Oroppas, and I much preferred the Oroppas. It had more energy (mainly due to adequate acidity), some forest floor on the nose and some slight herbal notes on the palate to keep it interesting. Another example of how my tastes in Napa Cab do not align with JL of WS. Cabs that I really like (Togni, Corison, Conn Valley) he frequently pans, and vice-versa.
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5/14/2015 - ctjared Likes this wine:
Not as great as it used to be.
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3/25/2015 - Donjcorleone Likes this wine: 93 Points
A dark nose of blackberry, black cherry, cedar, herb, tobacco and spice lead way to a silky medium bodied sweet silky palate with a seamless integration and finishes with dusty tannins on the finish. This wine has improved since I last had it.
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2/8/2015 - ersmith wrote: 93 Points
Great pairing with a grilled sirloin this evening
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1/18/2015 - Rollerball wrote: 93 Points
Delightful structure, delicious sophisticated fruit, long lovely finish. Really seems to be on the upswing.
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1/2/2015 - sterin wrote: 95 Points
Absolutely singing tonight. Tremendous wine. This was my favorite bottle of 2013, and the bottle tonight was just as good. Wish I had more.
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10/11/2014 - Night Train Likes this wine: 92 Points
My first bottle of the '06. For once, a wine that delivered exactly what I had expected - seamless integration of dark fruit and plenty of spices. Fairly full body, but not unctuous. Solid finish. Plenty of life ahead of it
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9/7/2014 - Rollerball wrote: 90 Points
Lush integration of dark fruit and vanillin oak.
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8/28/2014 - Sugarb Does not like this wine: 86 Points
This wine has just never sat right with my palate. Opened for 4 hours and decanted for another 2 this time, to see if the tannins would work their way out. They were softer than usual but the fruit taste remaining was not very compelling. Patience, patience.
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8/14/2014 - The Wine Write wrote: 92 Points
Popped and poured, drank over 2 nights. Plenty of life left here. Was good from the get-go. This is a big, rich Napa cab and a great QPR. Concentrated blueberry/blackberry fruit, well integrated tannins. Smooth texture, long finish. A lot to like here.
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8/1/2014 - rocknroller wrote: 92 Points
Very dark red color. PNP with aeration out of bottle. Drank 2 glasses over 90 minutes. The nose has some nice dark fruit, cassis, blackberry, a sweet blackberry pie note, spices. The palate is dense and full bodied with a nice core of black fruit, brambly, blackberry, cassis, blackberry liqueur, lots of anise and spice on the medium plus finish. 91+ to 92 pts.
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7/14/2014 - Calhounmi wrote: 90 Points
Fan of Chappellet normally, but this 06 was especially good. Fruit forward and jammy but smooth mature mouth and medium finish. Drink this now!
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6/8/2014 - ctjared Likes this wine:
beautiful dark fruit and a kong finish. drinking very well
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6/7/2014 - BordeauxMN Likes this wine: 92 Points
1 hour decant. This was delicious. Every year I think that this is one of the best QPR Napa Cabs that you can buy. Luckily I have 5 more bottles left.
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5/31/2014 - John McCabe wrote: 93 Points
My last of the '06. This has a lot of power, is quite smokey, a bit one-dimensional, similar to previous notes. The power is impressive, but I tend to seek more finesse, which this is missing.
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5/16/2014 - Donjcorleone Likes this wine: 92 Points
A dark nose of blackberry, black cherry, cedar, herb, tobacco and spice lead way to a silky medium bodied sweet palate which finishes with dusty tannins on the finish.
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4/7/2014 - jimmyrice14 wrote: 94 Points
So sorry to see the last '06 go...on to the '07s and I am hoping for just a solid a vintage.
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4/6/2014 - Rollerball wrote: 91 Points
Outstanding weight, presense, and complexity. Ultimately leaves you longing for a little more excitement.
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3/20/2014 - swade wrote: 94 Points
I normally don't repost on a wine. It's been a little over a year. This wine is velvet tonight. A delight. The midriff is just rippling with juicy black fruit. No overt sense of alcohol. This is apex. This is a luxury. 94
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2/2/2014 - Chris Likes this wine: 91 Points
dark red in color with deep fruit aromas on open. After a 2 hour decant it yields a medium to heavy body with still hefty tannins. I would give this one several more years to mellow out. Plenty of weight to make it to 2018+
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12/26/2013 - Old Course 72 wrote: 91 Points
Medium to dark color, expressive nose, tartness giving way to a bit of spice with time, 2 hours, balanced with integrating oak, raspberry mixing with dark fruits to a long full finish.
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12/23/2013 - Rollerball wrote: 91 Points
Has taken on wonderful fruit weight and density to complement it's oak-driven structure.
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12/10/2013 - tantotinto wrote: 92 Points
Consistent with my last note and this is our last bottle. It has been a good run.
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11/29/2013 - Taylor56 wrote:
Decanted 15 minutes. Dark black plums with some earthiness on the nose. Deep garnet color - not overly extracted and slightly transparent on the rim. Big entre and middle with a slight tail-off on the finish. Not sure this gets better. Drink.
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11/28/2013 - SC OLY Likes this wine: 93 Points
A little unusual, but served with Thanksgiving. Something about the great berry flavors that complimented the heavy meal. Wonderful Cab.
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11/23/2013 - Jobu wrote: 95 Points
Outstanding. Blackberry, cherry, a hint of anise, and oak. We'll balanced and silky smooth. Long delicious finish.
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11/4/2013 - Flappas Cellars Likes this wine: 92 Points
Very good! decanted for more than an hour. enjoyed it with Chimichurri steak and leek risotto. drinking very well right now.
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10/27/2013 - oenophilemoose wrote: 88 Points
Decanted 4 hours. Pleasant nose but definitely not a full bodied cab. Light weight, almost watered down characteristic on the palate and monolithic. Acidic and dry finish. Needless to say, very disappointed.
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10/12/2013 - Wink Likes this wine: 93 Points
Nothing to add to my 7/5/13 note. Delicious. Powerful and balanced. Ripe and refreshing. Youthful but approachable.
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10/1/2013 - Outplaying wrote:
A nice change of pace for us. Fairly plush and soft in comparison to what we have been drinking lately. Mostly primary flavors and aromas but this is has softened some since the last bottle a couple of years ago. Drinking well now and for a few more years I think.
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9/24/2013 - tantotinto wrote: 92 Points
The oak was elevated in our last bottle but not so tonight. Consistent with an earlier note. "Cherry, oak, rose petals and a little earth and chocolate all melding well together. Clearly new world and fruit forward but not over the top." It is in peak form.
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9/22/2013 - Bill Johnson Likes this wine: 93 Points
The nose is beautiful. Tartness spice dark raspberry blackberry with a hint of liquorice. The taste is a little lighter than expected given the nose but still dark fruit with smooth tannins. Well integrated.
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9/21/2013 - ctjared wrote:
Drinking very well. Better then I remember
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9/7/2013 - WinePlanner wrote: 93 Points
Light weight when opened, but still with a long finish. After 40 minutes, full bodied, blackberry, brambles, tar and cassis. Long, wonderful finish making the bottle quite memorable.
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8/9/2013 - bvwino Likes this wine: 93 Points
P&P. Drinking really well. Tannins nicely integrated.
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7/13/2013 - Wine Sparty wrote: 90 Points
Decanted and drank over the next 90 minutes. Aroma is dark berries and a bit of tar and graphite. Taste is a bit lighter than I expected with some blackberry, and pretty enjoyable if not too complex. Still has a somewhat tannic finish. It might need another year or two to shed that, but I'm not sure this will get any better.
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7/12/2013 - Surfdoc wrote: 90 Points
Cassis and asphalt flavors with firm oak and full tannins. Needs a few more years in bottle or a few hours decant. Rather tight now and seems to be at an in between phase and closed down. I enjoyed it more a few years ago when it was more fruit-forward. However, structure is nice and as the tannins soften over the next 3-5 years, this should continue to improve.
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7/5/2013 - Wink Likes this wine: 94 Points
Even better than the bottle I opened last fall. I have kept this wine in the cellar since release. Dark clear garnet. Nose of blackberry, dust, hoisin, and cedar. Ripe juicy palate of blackberry, black cherry, plum, spice, licorice, cedar, and minerals. Pleasant acidity. Sweet tannins. Integrated oak. Nicely balanced wine. Laube with the WS got this one right.
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7/4/2013 - ewsds wrote: 89 Points
A classic Cali Cabernet still with the very deep color of a somewhat younger wine. On the palate, a wine of solid structure, good acidity and stout tannins that still needs a lot of air or more cellar time to resolve. Opened up somewhat as the night evolved to reveal classic Cabernet flavors or dark fruits, etc. Will wait a year or more before opening my last bottle.
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6/10/2013 - iamandyc Likes this wine: 92 Points
Got back to drinking this bottle 2 days later and it was singing. It had completely come into balance and any rough edges were gone. The earthiness and graphite had receded to a supporting role and the wine was delicious and complex. Nice surprize.
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6/7/2013 - Vetluver Likes this wine: 93 Points
Drank this as part of a flight with the 04 and 05. This was my favorite. It still has some really nice fruit on the front side, but finishes really nicely with some coffee notes. Sad this was my last bottle!
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6/6/2013 - iamandyc wrote: 89 Points
First night - very dark and dominated by graffite on the nose and palate. Also cedar and dirty cassis on the nose. Some chocolate on the palate. Hollow midpalate as the bulk of the impact is upon entry. Strong tannic edge. Needs to come together.
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6/2/2013 - danielbleier Likes this wine: 94 Points
fantastic wine...deep dark fruit flavors, leather, spice, and fine tannins. Certainly at its peak.
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4/30/2013 - Gfritzh wrote: 93 Points
- It's balanced with a medium/full body with a long finish - Classic style with well balanced fruit and acidity and smooth tannins on a long finish. Drinking very well now.
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4/27/2013 - isdblm@lsu.edu Likes this wine:
Drinking just beautifully. Go if you have it.
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4/27/2013 - Napacablover wrote: 92 Points
Ripe and juicy cab!
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4/20/2013 - rocknroller wrote: 92 Points
Cellar Reconstruction Party (Gary's Place): Very dark red/purple color. Decanted for 1 hour. This needed the air time and really progressed nicely developing a deep creme de cassis nose with blackberry, dried herbs, cedarbox and finally an earthy component emerged. The palate is consistent, full body, somewhat firm medium grained tannins that feel they are just hitting they're stride, nice black mountain fruit with layers of depth, spice, dried herbs, cedar, coffee, well integrated oak. This is just hitting peak drinking now. 92+pts. My and group WOTN.
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3/29/2013 - meatbomb013 Likes this wine: 92 Points
Notes for this bottle are very similar to the last bottle that I had. Fabulous wine for the price. Still going strong and will last for years to come.
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3/24/2013 - rougeamore Likes this wine: 93 Points
Chappellet never disappoints. This full bodied wine exhibited notes of casssis, blackberry, vanilla and oak. Tannins were very smooth with a nice med/long finish. This is peaking now.
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3/14/2013 - tantotinto wrote: 91 Points
Consistent with previous note with the exception of a bit more oak.
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3/13/2013 - swade wrote: 93 Points
Decanted three hours and it was still swelling. Deep, glossy ruby stone color. Nose punching alcohol, black currants, vanilla oak and black tea. A black strap of black fruit, which mirrors the aromas. This seems in it's early drinking window. The tannins should recede and mellow. This has wonderful upside due to the fine balance and concentrated core of mountain fruit. Outstanding. 93
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3/13/2013 - Wine Nut wrote: 93 Points
This wine is just fabulous. I think it is in its sweet spot for sure. The color is deep like blueberry boasting a nose of vanilla, oak, pencil lead and blackberries. The wine attacks the palate up front and fills your mouth mid palate with explosive fruits such as cherry, blueberry and strawberry before lending way to licorice and ending with lovely tannins and a lengthy finish. This wine should be consumed within the next 2 years.
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1/10/2013 - tantotinto wrote: 92 Points
Much more open than our last bottle. Cherry, oak, rose petals and a little earth and chocolate all melding well together. Clearly new world and fruit forward but not over the top. The best showing so far by a considerable margin.
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12/27/2012 - jwolf99 Likes this wine: 93 Points
Has really started to hit its stride and too bad this was our last bottle. Popped the cork and let breathe in bottle for an hour which allowed the alcohol to burn off. Ripe red berries, blueberries, chocolate and dark spices. Long finish.
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12/26/2012 - kcsteve Likes this wine: 94 Points
Beautiful aromatics. Floral fruit and earth. On palate, full bodied yet lithe. Great blackberry and cherry fruit with herbs. Nice finish with cherry in the forefront. Decanted 1.5 hours and was in perfect balance for my taste. Tannin and acidity just superb.
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12/25/2012 - Tonythefish Likes this wine: 93 Points
Great wine to have with a filet, wich is what we paired it with. Outstanding bouquet and long lasting finish, with nice tannins and well strucured ruit.
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12/25/2012 - rougeamore Likes this wine: 91 Points
Dark berries, notes of smoke with firm but smooth tannins. Medium aftertaste. Ready now.
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12/24/2012 - tantotinto wrote: 90 Points
Christmas Eve with lamb chops. Tasted immediately after decanting. Cherry, oak and restrained. It opened up a bit more after about an hour but was still lean compared to our last bottle. That made it work well with the lamb chops. The bottle variation on this wine, albeit based on a small sample size, has been striking.
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12/21/2012 - JHuckle wrote: 91 Points
Drink up now!
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12/1/2012 - nogohawk wrote: 95 Points
Drank after 96 Mondavi Reserve
A bit bigger can age yet
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11/29/2012 - rougeamore Likes this wine: 92 Points
Decanted for 1-2 hours. Aromas of blackberry, cassis and licorice ending with hints of cigar box. Displays complex flavors of dark berries, cherry, fig and mocha. Nice medium to long finish. Ready to drink now.
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10/31/2012 - InflationHedge wrote: 91 Points
Happy Halloween!
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10/6/2012 - Wink wrote: 93 Points
My first bottle of the '06 after storing it in the cellar since release. Bottom line: this is excellent juice. Dark garnet. Nose of smoke, vanilla, spice, blackberry, and cassis. Ripe full palate of blackberry, cassis, graphite, cedar, spice, and espresso. Excellent length. Pleasant mountain-top acidity. Sweet tannins. Integrated oak. Drinking well now, but structured to last many more years.
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10/5/2012 - mclancy10006 Likes this wine: 90 Points
The wine looks Brick colored. The legs are Slow. It smells like Clove, and Mineral. It tastes like Cherry, Mushroom, and Walnut. The body is Full. The wine has Satin-like texture. The wine finishes Long.
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10/4/2012 - Kdog wrote: 93 Points
Soft decant 2 hrs, little on the nose, some blackberry and currant but fairly muted. Taste was a different story. Ripe, dark berries that build. Light zingy acidity in the mid palate, full bodied, velvety, sweet blackberry and currant fruits. Long finish, 45sec+, delicious. Not sure why this wine hasnt been scored better, its in fine state at this point.
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9/27/2012 - tantotinto wrote: 90 Points
First bottle of this wine that we have opened in three years. The last was a bit disappointing as it fell short of expectations built on a generous review and other's notes. This bottle is much better. Time has worked its magic. It is still not overly complex but it has opened up considerably. Bounteous but not cloying fruit and a nice tannic backbone.
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9/17/2012 - Zonk wrote: 93 Points
Rich dark fruit, smooth tannins, with a enough acidity to make the flavors pop. Oak has definitely receded quite a bit. Drinking really well right now. A nice mix between rich ripe fruit and more "old-school" cab.
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9/17/2012 - DTWOB Likes this wine: 94 Points
This bottle is READY NOW!!
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9/7/2012 - Tim Heaton wrote:
Served blind, consumed over two nights. Hard to believe (or not) this was WS's #6 for 2009. At $29, it's a decent value, but ultimately, I find this lacking complexity. Above-average purity of fruit, elegant tannins, average acidity. Maybe in 5 years; maybe in 10? In its favor, an understated elegance; outside the mold of most of today's fruit bombs. 14,9% abv, drink thru 2022
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9/5/2012 - ledwards wrote: 92 Points
Put on alot of weight since last bottle. The amount is surprising actually. Quality material. Lush, dark. You can blind it against bigger boys and show some up.
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8/28/2012 - jgoerke wrote: 92 Points
Agree that the 2006 is starting to reach its time. We drank this bottle at a wine tasting with several outstanding Cabs, and this wine held up well. Dark, ripe fruit with an easy finish. I'm a Chappellet fan, and look forward to several more bottles of this vintage we have in our cellar.
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8/11/2012 - iamandyc wrote: 89 Points
Excellent but not outstanding. Big mocha, dark fruited cab. Oaky but integrated better on day #2. Some acidity. Slightly sharp tannins on the finish which I didn't like. Overall pleasurable and enough depth to think about while drinking but...
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8/7/2012 - John McCabe wrote: 90 Points
This one felt a bit stiff and one dimensional to begin with. It opened up a bit after decanting but still felt a bit uninspired.
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8/5/2012 - Napacablover wrote: 92 Points
Great nose! Was not quite as good on the palate but still an enjoyablel wine for the money.
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7/22/2012 - Not647f wrote: 89 Points
I'm no expert, but I thought this was more Bordeaux-like than the Bordeaux we tasted it against. Muted fruit, nice dusty tannins, some coffee, some black cherry. Not a ton of secondaries, some forest floor smells and flavors. Went spectacularly well with the NY steaks, grilled fingerling potatoes and Caesar salad (and green beans, which I passed on). In its class, this is a very nice wine, but I wouldn't say it's life-changing. That said, I think it's fine to drink now, and won't improve tremendously.
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7/17/2012 - sterin wrote:
Not drinking well now...wait.
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6/27/2012 - JSolo wrote: 88 Points
Alcohol was very noticeable. Will try decanting next bottle. Needs more time in cellar?
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6/25/2012 - ScubaSommelier wrote: 91 Points
Consistent rating to prior review, but took a little more time with it this go around. Served at 65F. Ruby colored, with pale hues all the way to glass edge (4 transitions). Aroma of Plum, mushrooms, green peppers and a bouquet of dusty chalk. Long finish on the nose. Full body wine, with balanced tannins and tartaric acid dominant. In the mouth flavors of green peppers, blackberry, black cherry and black pepper. An outstanding wine. After initial technical review, paired it with filet mignon, corn, and whole wheat couscous and it went excellently. A nice bottle. Probably 2-3 more years on the drinking window.
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4/19/2012 - rougeamore wrote: 91 Points
Aromas more muted than before. Wonder flavors of blackberries, cedar, strawberry and plum. Finely textured velvety tannins and a long finish.
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3/30/2012 - PIntag wrote: 89 Points
Pop 'n pour - drank over 3 hours. Big, bold red with pleasing blackberry, cherry, and tobacco. Oak has integrated since the last bottle I tried in 8/2009. Tannins are still present and noticeable. Overall, a very good wine, but I think this shows some Syrah characteristics and is lacking in Cab varietal aromas and flavors. Seemed a little unfocused as well. I scored this 90 points the last time I tried it, and I found that this showed better with a little age on it, but I'm going to score it 89 now mostly due to my changing tastes.
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3/17/2012 - ianinvirginia wrote: 86 Points
Overly round, overly sweet, overly oaked and even a bit hot. No evidence of any evolution. Might as well pay $20 if you feel this is permissible. This is a useful wine for adding those who feel this is 92+ to my ignored note authors.
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3/16/2012 - The Vinsider wrote: 92 Points
Drank at dinner with Doug. Steaks off the grill. Luscious blackberry, black cherry, and cassis, with chocolate notes, velvet tannins, subtle but present acidity. Delicious.
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3/5/2012 - pedwards wrote:
First of my 3 bottles opened. Holy chocolate and vanilla popping out of the glass. Darh fruits, smokiness medium bodied and tannis are present. I did not decant so I think that would help integrate the tannins a bit.
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3/4/2012 - joeroth wrote: 89 Points
Opened 2 hours before drinking then decanted. Nice smooth drink. Nothing overly remarkable though. Can't see how it was WS top 100?
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2/26/2012 - 46and2 wrote: 93 Points
The 2006 is starting to reach the proper drinking point. I recall the first bottle (2 years ago) being tight, dark and in need of some cellar time. This go around the fruit was ripe, dark and well integrated with the cigar box, tar and smokey compoenents. The finish was long and enjoyable and overall the wine married well with prime filets on the grill. This wine is showing why it garnered such praise and high marks. I expect this wine will continue to improve in the cellar and has at least another 5+ years. Great effort that far exceeded the 2008 pritchard hill I tasted a few weeks back.
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2/17/2012 - rougeamore wrote: 91 Points
Aroma of bright cherries,raspberry. Velvety tannins, oak, and mocha. Lomb finish. Really nice and ready to drink now
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2/12/2012 - Napacablover wrote: 92 Points
This bottle was very fruit-forward and drinkable. Drank along side a Cakebread Benchland Select which showed more depth and concentration than the Chappallet. This is definitely ready to drink now and I plan to consume my 4 remaining bottles over the next year or two as I don't think this wine has a long life left in it.
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1/29/2012 - jonysan Likes this wine: 91 Points
Drank over a couple of days. Dark berries, fig paste, licorice with a touch of smokiness. Nicely integrated tannins. Drinking well now.
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1/27/2012 - mbenz wrote: 94 Points
Delightful. Popped and poured. Showed very well. Vibrant fruit. 45 second plus finish. No hard edges. Wonderful! Doubt it will get any better.
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1/21/2012 - WI WineLover wrote: 91 Points
Vertical Tasting with the 2005...this was not the winner, but close. Great color, balance and finish. Decanted for 2 hours
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12/25/2011 - jmbara wrote: 91 Points
Had this with a simple roast beef - a delicious combination. Deep color. Very smooth mouthfeel (low tannins).
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12/25/2011 - 2Travel wrote: 92 Points
Drinking well, but not the WS 94HR that we had hoped for.
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12/25/2011 - AEROSMITH wrote: 90 Points
still has some time to grow
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12/23/2011 - rmcnees Likes this wine: 92 Points
Dark inky purple color - medium-full bodied, complex and concentrated blackberry and black raspberry fruits in a tightly wound core accented by spicy oak on a balanced structured tannin finish. This is actually a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon 76%, Merlot 18%, Malbec 4%, and Petit Verdot 2%.
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12/21/2011 - Venezia wrote:
Decanted for 2 hrs. Good tannin backbone. Dark fruits, berry, dark cherry.
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12/16/2011 - isdblm@lsu.edu wrote: 94 Points
This is tasty--cabernet w the slightest evocation of butterscotch--yes, butterscotch, but slight, and overlaid with smooth typical cabernet blackfruits. Lived up to its billing.
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12/13/2011 - Yamadori wrote: 90 Points
Decanted 1 hour. Lots of blackcurrant on the nose. Quite smooth in the mouth with nice acidity and plenty of tart red and black fuits with blackcurrant and plum at the forefront. Some notes of coffee, leather and earth but overall this still seems quite primary with the fruit in the ascendancy. The fruit intensity persists nicely leading to a 30 second finish with some grippy tannins still in evidence. The tartness of the fruit and acidity made this refreshingly different from a lot of Napa cabs out there in this price range and this wine represents decents value at arounf $45. Should drink very well for quite some time.
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12/10/2011 - CdP in NYC wrote: 87 Points
This was my 4th or 5th bottle of this over the last two years. Not much to add to the other notes ou tthere. I just felt like the heat in this wine brought an otherwise fantastic wine down substantially. It's big and tastey, but just disjointed and hot. Maybe another few years will sort it out, but i wouldn't count on it. 87
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11/30/2011 - THA wrote: 89 Points
See notes from 2/18/2011. Same notes; but lower rating this time.
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11/13/2011 - Cantina Hill's wrote: 91 Points
currants, med minus oak, leather, green pepper, med minus acid, tanins are mellowing but med plus.
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11/8/2011 - Castle Peak wrote: 92 Points
Solid California Cab. Popped and let it breathe for a couple hours. Last bottle out of a six pack from several years ago.
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10/29/2011 - spretzer wrote: 91 Points
solid, full bodied with a little bite left, but it went headed to head with the Darouish 05 and it was no contest, enjoyed with Barb abd Andres. 4-0
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10/16/2011 - DonSolo69 wrote: 93 Points
Outstanding bottle. Drank after LSU dominated UT and after I dominated some hot wings. Full bodied and chewy and better than first bottle 2 years ago. Wish I had 6 more, which is a problem I will solve soon.
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9/10/2011 - jwolf99 wrote: 92 Points
Decided to pop and pour this time around, but still drank over the course of 2-3 hours; initial alcohol and tannins have softened since last tasted almost 2 years ago; still took time to open up; blueberries and plums aromas and flavors, notes of dark chocolate and cocoa powder
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8/27/2011 - winopops3 wrote: 90 Points
Nice dark fruit, tobacco notes, decent finish. Nice wine.
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8/14/2011 - SpoochMan Does not like this wine: 86 Points
First of 3 bottles purchased after the WS hype. Upon PnP, this was a hot, disjointed, astringent mess. Decanted for an hour, and it did soften and open up some. Was OK and drinkable overall. Even 3hours after opening, however, there was still noticeable heat and a slight bit of bitterness on the finish. I hope that this was just a bad bottle (cork was in very good shape however) because my experience does not sound at all like that of others here.
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8/6/2011 - The Wine Sherpa wrote: 95 Points
Just a Great cab. For the money, you can't find a much better cab. My second bottle and drinks the same.
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8/6/2011 - 2Travel wrote: 92 Points
Popped and poured. Needed time to open. Tannins still need to settle in some. Cassis nose. A little dark fruit now with the deep plum and cassis on the palate. Tannins very fine but a little drying. Fairly long finish.
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7/31/2011 - wineshaman wrote: 89 Points
Great nose, currant/cassis, violets, dark chocolate. Palate was closed and subdued.
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7/28/2011 - revanness wrote: 90 Points
With a 2 hour decant. Medium tannins and finish.
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7/25/2011 - scottmlew wrote: 95 Points
Same notes as before and even better. Great wine!
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6/30/2011 - Life At Your Leisure 🍷 Likes this wine: 93 Points
First tasted this at the winery on Pritchard Hill in '09. Still tight when tasted, but definitely carried a lot of potential. Dark ruby color with aromas of dark berries, tobacco, and pencil lead. The palate was firmly-packed with flavors of plum, currant, cigar box, espresso, anise, liqueur, and a significant amount of aftertaste of French oak in the 30-second finish. Given this character, I initially predicted maturity by 2012, but I was surprised to see it mellow out in 2011. The palate became softer, refreshingly balanced and delicious. However, it didn't gain complexity. Still great. Drink from 2011 to 2016.
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6/25/2011 - 2Travel wrote: 92 Points
Not quite as good as a year ago. Still nice cassis nose. Tannins still strong. Still nice Napa Cab flavor profile, but a little shutdown on the pallet.
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6/12/2011 - Outplaying wrote:
Chappellet Vertical 2000-2008 (The Twelves, West Grove PA): My notes are pretty limited but I wrote that this was most complex of this flight. Not as hot as the other wines. Really good and my favorite of the flight.
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6/10/2011 - ctjared wrote:
Excellent. Drank with leviathan and chimney rock at a tasting. All excellent sneak different
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6/9/2011 - rougeamore wrote: 91 Points
Decanted for 2 hrs. Aromas of plum, leather, licorice. Tastes a bit tannic early on but then opens up with blackberry, dark fruit and earthy notes. Medium finish.
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6/6/2011 - DTWOB Likes this wine: 93 Points
Drinking quite nice!
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5/30/2011 - meatbomb013 wrote: 93 Points
Decanted for 45 minutes and drank over the next 2 hours. Had with some grilled beef tenderloin. Deep maroon color. Refined with concentration, structure and elegance all wrapped in one. Primary cabernet flavors with a hint of cigar box and a nice dose of oak. A touch of mocha as well. Tannins mellow after a bit of air. A medium to long finish. A very well made wine at a reasonable price.
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4/26/2011 - WinstonWolfe wrote: 88 Points
Beautiful nose of smoke and dark berries. The palate was more restrained but the oak was too prominent. There was some bitterness on the finish too.
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4/26/2011 - scottmlew wrote: 93 Points
Popped and poured. I enjoy this wine more each time we have it. Flavors seemed to be more integrated in this bottle. Smoky dark berries melded very nicely with chewy tannins, with a moderate finish.
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4/21/2011 - DTWOB Likes this wine: 91 Points
sim notes side by side with an 07 Regusci. The Chappellet was lighter in body, more elegant and refined with tannins one needed to coax out of the taste. The Regusci was powerful, in your face Cali Cab.
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3/19/2011 - yeti575rider wrote: 91 Points
Well made and enjoyable cab with Bordeaux leanings. On the darker blackberry side of things. Nice additional earthy notes.
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3/11/2011 - Pinot Evil wrote: 95 Points
Holy horned frogs batman this was great wine! Seldom will you find such a well made wine, the fruit shies through the glass, smooth and balanced black fruit shows immediately. Sadly my only bottle a true classic.
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3/6/2011 - iradub wrote: 92 Points
decanted for 1 hour, stunning
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2/25/2011 - DTWOB Likes this wine: 92 Points
Needed a little time to open. Popped, aerated into a decanter and two hours later it was wonderful.
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2/23/2011 - ms808 wrote: 90 Points
Still tart and acidic. There was a nice balance of fruit and layers of complexity. Maybe too young?
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2/19/2011 - nycebo wrote: 87 Points
Nice clarity, rich inky-violet coloration with a pleasant intensity on the nose highlighting blackberry, cassis and pencil lead. Flavor is nicely fruit-forward of darker berries, nice structure, and some pucker on the finish with strong tannins. A nicel
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2/18/2011 - THA wrote: 91 Points
A rich nose of berries and leather. Sweet, rich and concentrated on the palate, but the tannins are soft and open for business. In my opinion, there is too much wood. The finish is surprisingly clipped given the concentration and density of this wine. A very good wine that should satisfy fans of both modern and classic styles.
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2/13/2011 - pc1981 wrote: 92 Points
Consistent with my 04/2010 notes; actually better. Traditional Cab nose. The tannins are more integrated than a year ago, creating an even smoother, more pliant texture that balances perfectly with the sweet fruit through the mid-palate. Medium+ Finish. An excellent Cabernet at any price level, and at $30, definitely the best QPR of all my 2009 purchases.
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2/6/2011 - dk0s0v3c wrote: 93 Points
This was beautifully balanced. Drank wonderfully after a one hour decant. Nose of currant, red fruit, and minerals. On the palate, it is very silky smooth, with red and black fruit, mineral, tobacco. Wonderful finish. I really enjoyed it and am glad I have more in the cellar.
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2/4/2011 - The Wine Sherpa wrote: 93 Points
I was very pleased with this wine. I drank with some steak. I know that WS gave it a big score, butbwas still impressed. I used vintuiri and decanter. Ready to drink in 30 or 40 minutes. Nice finish of 7 or 8 seconds.
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1/25/2011 - andrewdodd86 Likes this wine: 94 Points
1/25/12 2006 Chappellet Napa Valley Holy crap good stuff
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1/21/2011 - Wine Sparty wrote: 88 Points
Drank with buffalo meatloaf. No decanting, only had the chance to slow-ox in the bottle over a few hours while drinking. This was an enjoyable, easy-going wine with some light fruit flavors that went down easy. However, there was hardly any finish at all, which perhaps is why it was so easy to drink and went down well. Still have one bottle that I'll check on in another year or two. For the price range of this, not a great QPR.
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12/25/2010 - MattMauldin wrote: 94 Points
Very tight upon opening- then decanted 4+ hours. A very dark, almost black, garnet color. Just a little clarity, almost opaque, as it coats the glass. A full array of aromas on the bouquet- currant, mineral-slate, black tea, tobacco, and raspberry. Full bodied, yet airy and gliding on the palate. Seamless flavors that brought to mind blueberry, cassis, currant, raspberry, black tea, tobacco, mineral, coffee, menthol, and peppercorn. Silky and lush through the mid palate, where notes of pencil shavings and cedar surface. Great structure, balance, and refinement. The tannins are still very firm and gripping; but tamed by the lush and ripe fruit. Strong on the finish, with consistent flavors that last between 45 seconds and 1 minute. I'd give this a good long decant, or more years in the bottle. I loved it though, a great wine.
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12/12/2010 - BSpdx wrote: 93 Points
Took to a dinner party so limited notes. But I will say this was just fully loaded with dark, sweet fruit, and was very layered and textured and had a very long finish. Delicious and I would recommend.
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12/9/2010 - djreme wrote:
Everything as advertised. Very full bodied wine. First of 6 bottles that should get better with time.
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11/22/2010 - OldSpec Likes this wine: 92 Points
Fragrant nose, nice sweetness on the palate, well integrated tannins. An excellent Napa Cab.
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11/19/2010 - BillyT wrote: 92 Points
Previous notes apply however this bottle was MUCH smoother with integrated tannins and velvity mouth feel over oak and mocha and vanilla. Black fruit, tobacco and balanced just right. Very New world Bordeaux in style. A superb wine and drinking exceptionally well now. I'm concerned this is its peak and won't age well beyond this year.
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11/15/2010 - cmclean wrote: 92 Points
Dark, deep, soft. Really nice.
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11/14/2010 - 1H2oMan wrote: 90 Points
Very Good
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11/10/2010 - *Vine* wrote:
Popped and poured. Deep, almost inky purple/ruby hue. Delightful nose redolent of fresh blackberries, intense black currant, anise, fresh mint, and hints of cedar. Continues to unfurl with air, the currant and mint notes growing incrementally with every minute. Medium-plus body, quite structured. The flavors on the palate mirror the nose, showing fresh, dark fruits and a huge dose of black currant notes along with hints of tobacco leaf, pen ink, and a touch of earth...marries the herbaceous elements of Cabernet perfectly with fresh, seemingly juicy fruit. Tannins are of the big, chunky 2006 mold but without showing the dominating astringency which was prevalent when last tasted 15 months ago. Long finish. Just wonderful Cabernet, delicious yet complex.
Clearly on an upward path of development, this should be rockin' with a few more years in the cellar!
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11/8/2010 - mwagner7700 wrote:
Delicious. This was opened for about 45mins (but not decanted... just poured in the glass) while I was prepping dinner. So much going on here... something new with each whiff. More red fruits than black with notes of cassis, currant, raspberry, vanilla cream, oak and tobacco. Similar notes on the palate with a hint of mint also... and probably a touch more oak than fruit. Still delicious. I only bought three and have consumed two. Now I'm kicking myself for not getting more. Outstanding
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10/30/2010 - gutt22 wrote:
Absolutely classic Napa Valley Cab expression here. Red-purple color. Terrific bouquet of black currant, black raspberry, tobacco, and earth. In the mouth, rich and concentrated, with beautifully delineated layers of slightly sweet fruit, graphite, tobacco, and minerals. The mouth feel is exceptionally fine, and the balance is exquisite. Long finish. A Napa Cab to be excited about. A
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10/23/2010 - cookie7 wrote:
Noticed the bottle was leaking so I opened it before I had planned to expecting the worst. Nose and taste showed no signs of damage. First glass and a half was really ripe and fruit forward and quite enjoyable. I was unexpectedly called away and had to save the remainder of the bottle for the second night. On night 2, this wine has lost most of its baby fat. Dark earth and black fuits on the palate. Finishes a bit dry. I miss the sweet tannins from the first night.
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10/15/2010 - kingboo wrote: 86 Points
Good, but not much depth. Rather disappointed, given the so called professional reviews.
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10/1/2010 - jamesr wrote: 95 Points
Outstanding wine. Great nose and better taste!
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9/13/2010 - calicabnut Likes this wine: 93 Points
Excellent wine but did not do it justice as it followed an '05 Ramey Jericho Canyon and as good as the Chappellet was, and it was damn good, it just could not hold up to the far too recent memory of the Ramey. It was however very nice, a bit less body than I recall from my first bottle but that too may have been due to the bad timing if it following the Ramey Jericho. Very nice fruits, more like red and blue than blue and black which attests for a bit less body (medium to full) and no harshness nor any bitterness from the tannins as found in several of the 2006's when opened too young (which this also was, I admit). A great wine for the price, I would not hesitate to buy more.
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9/12/2010 - communion wrote: 91 Points
Very dark fruit (molasses) with light cream, vanilla and oak riding a few levels beneath.
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9/6/2010 - ggtirevite wrote: 91 Points
Great body, nice tannins.
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8/29/2010 - jcbrand wrote: 92 Points
Love this as always. Great QPR (as I tasted it along a 2004 Caymus Special Select).
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8/17/2010 - mmrmag wrote: 92 Points
10-hour decant.
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7/31/2010 - brewmanc wrote: 89 Points
nice, well rounded, nothing special
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7/30/2010 - brewmanc wrote: 90 Points
well rounded, nothing special
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7/23/2010 - seejanecook wrote: 86 Points
not very impressed. blackberry, currants, barely any tannins.
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6/28/2010 - Gargamel wrote: 94 Points
has a nice cedar laced blackberry with good minerality combining with super soft tannins makes this wine very smooth. somewhat one dimensional, but extremely enjoyable.
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6/23/2010 - Zonk wrote: 92 Points
No formal notes. lots of cherries. Bit of oaky vanilla. 3 Hour decant definitely helped.
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6/15/2010 - jcbrand wrote: 92 Points
This is a solid Napa cab that will not let you down.
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6/6/2010 - ptelgenh wrote: 92 Points
Big extracted ripe berries with mild tannins.
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5/22/2010 - GivensDotson wrote:
Frank and Ellen's party (won the competition)
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5/15/2010 - 2Travel wrote: 95 Points
Wow, for the price its amazing! Cedar, cassis, granite, pepper. Really long! Bits of well integrated cherry and vanilla. Great backbone and balance. This is the real deal!
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5/1/2010 - nogohawk wrote: 93 Points
Excellent Cali Cab - opened and let breath for 1 hour; loads of berry and an nice finish; tannins opened up nicely over next 2 hours; went well with grilled delomonicos
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4/28/2010 - acctgdweeb001 wrote: 85 Points
Did not care for it. Seemed very out of balance too much oak and spice not enough fruit.
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4/24/2010 - pc1981 wrote:
Excellent QPR --- one of the best Napa Cab's I have had at this price level. Traditional Cab nose; ripe fruit yet surprisingly pliant texture, fairly well structured. Medium+ finish.
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4/16/2010 - Nutty08 wrote:
San Antonio Wine Geeks (sorry Dave) (Barbaresco): Palate was fading more by this point. Where was the fruit? All I got was vanilla, cedar, and cream with a dry tannic finish. No Rating as I’m assuming I was a flawed taster by this point.
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4/16/2010 - BillyT wrote: 91 Points
Definitely requires at minimum 1 hour to breath or decant. Typical Napa Cab with big fruit, vanilla and oak on the nose. Dark fruit, strawberries, currant, black liquorice, chocolate and tobacco on the nose. Big supple legs, dark purple color. Medium mouth feel with some bell pepper initially than integrated tannins and spice. Long lingering spicy finish on the tip of the tongue. Unfortunately there is somewhat of a flat finish and loss of fruit. Still a very nice wine.
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4/14/2010 - Surfdoc wrote: 92 Points
Dark purple color. Nicely structured with ripe dark fruit balanced by well integrated tannins.
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4/3/2010 - OregonWineGeeks Likes this wine: 94 Points
This is great bottle of Cabernet, a nose of Licorice, Menthol, berry, coffee. The taste is a fruit forward sparkle in your mouth, A acidic base with a tannin finish. It will get better and better with time. 94 Drink me
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3/24/2010 - kod wrote: 96 Points
We had this at a specially prepared 11 course dinner at Nunzio's in Collingswood. The wine was decanted for 45 minutes before serving. I found it to be rich, smooth, with a slightly sweet taste. It certainly fared well along with the Amarone being served.
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3/22/2010 - texaswino wrote: 93 Points
multi layered, deep dark fruit, earthy, fine tannins. yummy
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3/21/2010 - elbosco wrote: 92 Points
Muted aromatics offset by satisfying multi-layered palate of sweet cassis, earth and chocolate. Approachable now but likely to improve over the mid term.
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3/16/2010 - scottmlew wrote: 91 Points
Same as previous notes, only smoother and fruit seemed more concentrated and finish had more pronounced chewy (though smooth)tannins. Great bottle of wine.
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3/16/2010 - scottmlew wrote: 90 Points
Lots of grape fruit on the nose, rich dark berries, slight earthiness and some sweetness on the long finish.
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3/11/2010 - ptelgenh wrote: 93 Points
Big, dense and ripe. Ripe cherries and black currants with sage and oak. Made to drink young
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3/6/2010 - jorgerunfast wrote: 92 Points
Notes from memory. Opened an decanted for 8 hours. Beautiful chocolaty nose with some dark cherry notes, and some dust. On the nose it was still very tannic and tight showing some nice fruit. This is a wine that needs time. I won't touch any of my other bottles for at least 2 years. This is going to be a great wine, stock up.
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3/6/2010 - CooGAR wrote: 91 Points
Great wine for $35. Chappellet and Whitehall Lane are two of the best Cali Cabs for the money. Perfect balance and silky in the mouth. Gotta stock up on more than just a few bottles of this.....
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2/18/2010 - DTWOB Likes this wine: 91 Points
A little less intense than the last bottle
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2/6/2010 - Outplaying wrote:
Hangin' out in a blizzard (Brett and Carols, Landenberg, PA): An awesome $40 cab. I think WS got this one right.
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1/31/2010 - SMG wrote: 91 Points
Pop and pour. Seemed very sweet compared to previous bottles of this. I could not stop thinking of bubble gum every time I drank this. Not sure what to do with my remaining bottles.
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1/29/2010 - jwolf99 wrote: 92 Points
Decanted for 2.5 hours; still probably could have gone another hour or two; drank over the span of 2 hours; it was hot through pretty closed up for the first hour; finally tannins losened their grip and it openned up to cocoa powder, berries and dried herbs; finish was long and (about 45 seconds); still needs more time
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1/23/2010 - gunpwdr wrote: 92 Points
Nose: Rich, a little hot, showing mostly plums, cassis, hint of mint, touch of greens. Palate: Pencil lead, licorice, plums on the attack. Heat develops on the mid-palate, followed by slightly grippy tannins. Long plummy, licorice finish. Quite tasty now but young and hasn't peaked yet.
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1/8/2010 - RLP wrote:
Enjoyable, but wouldn't buy it again.
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12/26/2009 - raydawgone wrote: 91 Points
Decanted for 3 hours. Layered blue fruits, silky smooth with slight sweet taste on back palate. Could have used more cellar time and should certainly improve with age. Excellent QPR!
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11/12/2009 - TEKinsider wrote: 93 Points
Drank across 3 nights. Each night topping off with Wine Preserve gas, corking and putting back in the cellar at 58 degrees. Each night I drank the glass across 1 to 1.5 hours starting at 58 degrees and allowing the wine to warm to room temperature. First night: 91 pts Tannins are very tight, in your face and up front. There is a massive core of heavy fruit hiding in the background. Black and red fruit tangling through the long concentrated finish showing decent weight on the palate with integrated oak. This needs hours of decanting to break through the tight pronounced tannins. Very hedonistic at this point. Note: Best flavor profile at room temperature. Night two: 94 pts Starting to open up nicely, fruit is more refined and balanced. Tannins have moved to the background, but are still noticeable. Starting to get some Vanilla and cassis subtelties with a more silky mouth feel. Much better than day one. What a difference. Night three: 92+ pts Tannins are still detectable in the background and the fruit has started to mellow. Showing a bit lighter mature style that is more integrated with a slight hint of oxidation coming into play. Overall a great wine and a wonderful 3 night experience for this price point. Best results if drinking in 1 night: decant for 2-4 hours and drink at room temperature. Note: Drank from Riedel Bordeaux glass. – MarkKnap@yahoo.com
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11/7/2009 - bigdogflow wrote: 93 Points
Popped and poured. Very dark color. Taste had blackberry, dark cherry and some currant. Wonderful finish. Great quality for $40.
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11/7/2009 - J-Sho wrote: 92 Points
See last note. Only difference was tannins were softening and opening up a bit.
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11/1/2009 - jwolf99 wrote: 92 Points
popped and poured; raisins and currants; should have been decanted; had with bbq steak
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10/31/2009 - SMG wrote: 93 Points
Decanted for three hours and really showed best at about four hours.
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10/25/2009 - BSteffes wrote: 93 Points
Very, very good Cali Cab...but would not have thought this was a cab by the nose and palate. This had a nose of a very good Aussie Shiraz. Think Lilys Garden style. Deep, dark and complex. Needed about an hour to tone down....but then was explosive in the glass. The tannins are stong...but kept in check. A very good wine that should love some cellar time. 2010 or 2011.
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10/25/2009 - dirtyharry wrote: 91 Points
Tried another bottle hoping to discover the 94 pts from WS. Decanted longer this time,but,although an excellent bottle, it is not yet deserving of such a high rating. Just not the home run I expected.
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10/22/2009 - geneswine wrote: 93 Points
Very nice medium bodied. All in perfect balance. Maybe not a long term hold, but will be great for at least 5 years.
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10/18/2009 - Sijan wrote: 91 Points
Decanted through a vinturi into decanter and it still took quite awhile to open up - 1.5 to 2 hrs.
The nose was great the entire time with lots of dark fruit, spice, cedar/oak. Actually had an almost Chateauneuf-du-Pape-like element of garrigue/herbs after it had been open for an hour or two. Emily noticed chocolate on the nose, but I got it more on the late palate and finish.
Was very closed and tight on the palate when we first opened. Lots of tannins, not a lot of flavor. Tannins were much more moderate after 1.5-2 hrs of decanting. Once it opened up on the palate, it was quite nice and rich with dark fruit, blackberry, and dark chocolate on late palate and finish.
I think it may have had too much oxygen after about 3-4 hrs as it softened up and the tannins seemed to go into hiding somewhat as we were finishing it with dinner.
I would score it in the low 90s once it opened up - 91-92 pts. Not a 94pt wine right now, but it's still a baby.
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10/17/2009 - Rick-again wrote: 91 Points
just popped right out of the bottle , wonderful nose , big rugged wine tannins, fruits, lots going on in this wine and I am sure it will develop in wonder ways...I am not a California wine person but really enjoyed this
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10/7/2009 - peeks13 wrote: 91 Points
A Night of Classic Cabernet (9/23/2009) (Wine Discount Center Barrington): Best of the $30-$50 Napa cabs at the tasting. A real winner.
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9/13/2009 - franco rosso wrote: 90 Points
A very good wine considering it's so young. Lively, pleasant nose, very forward first taste, and an honest finish. Enjoyed with porterhouse steak, stuffed potato, and salad. I will buy this wine again.
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9/8/2009 - tantotinto wrote: 88 Points
I approached this bottle with more anticipation than most. Commentary from others had led me to elevate my expectations, perhaps too much. It was a bit harsher, thinner and tannic than expected. The fruit was subdued or overpowered by comparison. Don't get me wrong. It was still a good wine. Just not as good as expected. Bottle variation, bad night for my palette, wine too young? Who knows. The only thing that I can say with conviction is that it needs more time and hopefully only that.
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9/7/2009 - jorgerunfast wrote: 91 Points
Decanted for 2 hours, consumed over the next hour. Vanilla and oak on the nose with some hints of blackberry and a whiff of cherry, but predominantly a typical california oak and vanilla nose. In the mouth the tannin are bone dry with a lot of dark jammy fruit. Very very TIGHT wine that seems a bit out of wack right now. It should be better in about a year and should be "special" in another 3+ years, but right now I don't think it's worth opening. 91 now, capable of 94+ with some time, IMO.
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9/6/2009 - dbitting wrote: 90 Points
Nice, full bodied cab.
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9/6/2009 - mbenz wrote: 91 Points
smooth Napa cab. Great for the price point
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8/28/2009 - scottmlew wrote: 87 Points
Nice concentrated smokey fruit, some graphite and smooth tannins on the finish.
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8/24/2009 - WineForRob wrote: 92 Points
Very good second wine. Aromas of plums and some pencil lead. Great mouth feel with more black fruit flavors. Gritty tannins taht will settle with time.
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8/23/2009 - ksde wrote: 92 Points
A rich full palate assault. Great balance of tastes and bouquet. Long finish with significant but smooth tannins.
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8/22/2009 - PIntag wrote: 90 Points
Drank with brisket and mashed potatoes. Beautiful, very fragrant nose of blueberry and blackberry. On the palate, big dark fruit with some tobacco leaf leading to a finish of prominent tannins. Excellent pairing of the brisket with this delicious wine. Needs a few years for the tannins to integrate and has potential for a much higher score.
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8/16/2009 - Yack Man wrote: 91 Points
Very nice Cab for the money - buy this on while you can 90+ and will get better!
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8/15/2009 - scott davis wrote: 90 Points
Decanted two hours. Concentrated aromas of blackberry, raspberry, and herbs are apparent. The palate exhibits baked cherry pie, minerals, and hints of spice and smoke to complete the flavor profile. With light to medium weight, smooth texture, and rich tannins, this finishes bright and clean.
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8/11/2009 - slippytoad wrote: 94 Points
Decadent and rich, a great Lush cab!
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7/24/2009 - duffer8008 wrote: 92 Points
This wine really makes me think about the future. Great potential.
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7/21/2009 - zimmy07 wrote: 91 Points
really a lot going on in this. Really nice dark fruits with a chocolate and mocha mid palate and the vanilla laden oak inflluence was spot on. Really young with thick tannins. This wine will be be in a good spot in 3-5 years
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7/19/2009 - *Vine* wrote: 92 Points
Popped and poured. Deep red/purple hue. Initially, the fruit really shows, with ripe black fruits, black cherry, and black currant on the nose with just a touch of heat. Further aeration reveals additional nuances of vanilla bean and fresh herbs (mint leaf, perhaps). Medium-plus body. Initially tight, the fruit really comes through after 60 minutes, the flavors matching the nose with additional nuances of anise, spice, and toast from the oak. Tannins are slightly astringent and even a bit chewy on finish. Very young, but all of the pieces are there.
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7/11/2009 - GA_Seattle wrote: 93 Points
Winery and vineyard tour/tasting. Excellent with ripe black cherry, boysenberry and dark chocolate. Lots of structure, high acidity, but showing refinement even at a young age. Tangy spices and coffee notes coat the tongue on the long finish. This wine will age gracefully for 10+ years.
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7/11/2009 - BigPoppaMD wrote: 96 Points
At friend's house for gathering. Cheese, raw veggies for appetizers. Strips, spinach, beans for dinner. Wines of the evening included 2003 Terra Valentine Cabernet Wuertle, 2005 Orin Swift The Prisoner, 2007 Jigsaw Pinot Noir, 2001 Beringer Cabernet Private Reserve, and 2006 Chappellet Cabernet Signature. Wine of the night was NO QUESTION Chappellet. Wow! Fantastic finish. Ready to go now. Sure it will only get better. Beringer a stong second, Terra Valentine third and the rest were also-rans.
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7/10/2009 - communion wrote: 92 Points
Excellent. Rich and creamy. Fruit forward, but not overbearing based on good pairing.
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7/9/2009 - DTWOB Likes this wine: 93 Points
Crisp and clear black cherry color, multi- dark berries and spice, velvet mouithfeel, light and loaded with flavor of dark berries, currants, dark cherries, spice, well structured, mid palate tannins, long long finish. WOW!
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7/5/2009 - mreinitz wrote: 91 Points
Consistent with my previous note.
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7/4/2009 - InternationalWineReport wrote: 93 Points
Extreamly dark, dense and concentrated. A rich, powerful wine that packs in layers of complex flavors. Focused around ripe black currant, herbs and smoky-toasty oak, but at the end what stands out the most is the finesse. This will only be better in a few years. -JD93+
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7/3/2009 - matthen wrote: 92 Points
Decanted two hours. The nose is still somewhat muted. The flavors of anise, herb, cocoa, wild berry and currant. The finish and tannin structure are impressive with well integrated tannins. The fruit has great concentration. Like Cliff Lede and Chimney Rock this is always a great QPR. This is the best I have tasted from Chappellet.
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7/3/2009 - Drankthewholebottle wrote: 92 Points
New style for the Chappellet folks, you can actually drink this one on release. There's enough tannin to let age well for 10-15 years if you can wait. I splash decanted, then into the Reidel cab glasses. It did improve over the course an hour. I'll buy more.
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7/1/2009 - Wonder wrote: 93 Points
this is excellent; only bought 4 need to get a case
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6/29/2009 - ptelgenh wrote: 90 Points
very dense. great mouthfeel. needs a little time to integrate. Great QPR
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6/21/2009 - Bchimenti wrote: 89 Points
Good but may need to age a bit. Heavy Tannins.
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6/16/2009 - goofy Yno wrote: 88 Points
cherry, red fruit nose. more red fruits in the mouth, touch of heat, simple.
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6/12/2009 - SoCal wrote:
Lighter in color than the other cabs at the tasting (2005 ZD, 2005 Larkmead). Straight out of the gate this wine had a beautifully strong cherry and red fruit nose with hints of oak. The palate was supple, smooth, with slight tannins. Overall it was the more nimbler red fruit driven cab of the 3. I did not get a chance to see how this wine progressed over several hours due to the tasting format. IMO this wine is drinking well right now.
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6/9/2009 - fighton wrote: 93 Points
really excellent value for a napa cab. I enjoyed this immensely and feel as if it has another 10 years in it. well built wine with firm tannins and a long finish.
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6/4/2009 - THA wrote:
Agree with AlexHop. The wine is big, but lacks any remarkable structure or complexity. Very good, but unmemorable.
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6/3/2009 - AlexHop wrote: 90 Points
Should be nice but I wonder if it's going through a dumb phase. Massive but not showing much nose or complexity right now.
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6/1/2009 - uncdebo wrote: 93 Points
Wonderfully balanced
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5/31/2009 - dirtyharry wrote: 91 Points
Very dark purple, very young wine. should probably have decanted longer. However, still an outstanding wine that needs another year or two in the cellar.
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5/31/2009 - mik3p0p3 wrote: 92 Points
Purple in the glass. Nose of cherry, blackberry and currants. Big wine on the palate, lots of tannins and acidity. Very well balanced and great structure. Really an elegant wine with lots of promise for long term cellaring. I'm excited! Drank this after a '97 Mondavi Oakville. Nice comparison of an old and young wine made in a similar style. (See my review for comparison.)
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5/29/2009 - jcbrand wrote: 92 Points
Big structured typical CA cabernet that we've all grown to love. I love this stuff...
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5/29/2009 - J-Sho wrote: 92 Points
This wine opened up dark purple with aromas of dark fruit (cassis, boysenberry, current) along with some spice and herb. Nice texture on the palate and medium bodied but still a bit closed with some tight/dusty tannins. Opened up nicely to softer fruit towards the end of the bottle. Might store this one away for the next couple years.
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5/25/2009 - mwagner7700 wrote:
It was a long week... a very long week. I was excited to get this wine, so decided to pull the trigger even though I knew it was young. Yeah... mistake. This is very nice wine... once it opens up... and it didn't do that the first night. In fact, I threw the whole decanter in the fridge and tasted the second night, and it was still tannic and closed. This does show a lot of promise, however with notes of blueberry, plum, coffee (espresso), cola and a hint of menthol. Yeah, there's a lot going on here. Its tough to get past the tannins on the palate, but the plum and blueberry really shine. The tannins are harsh... so this needs to sit. So give it a few years to come around, and I don't think it'll have a hard time living up to the WS score. Outstanding
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5/24/2009 - ScubaSommelier wrote: 91 Points
A little young, but shows promise. Currants and velvet.
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5/23/2009 - dpohlman wrote: 93 Points
It was a little tight on opening, but after 30 minutes it opened up very nicely. Very pleasant cabernet. Nose of earth, and dark berry, with hints of oak. The taste was medium to full bodied. Finish was medium.
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5/21/2009 - moonmanvegas wrote: 93 Points
Big tight and tannic when I first opened up. Decanted over the next few hours which really softened it up. Lots of cherry and cola in this wine with some smokey oak and dark berries. I think I will wait a little while until the next bottle. Chappellet has never let me down between their Prichard Hill Cab. and the Great Chardonnay. Good QPR.
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5/9/2009 - jcbrand wrote: 93 Points
There's a lot going on here, very good stuff. This overpowered the 2007 Prisoner we had a taste off with.
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5/8/2009 - T-Mac wrote: 93 Points
This was great shortly after opening but closed down with a few hours in the decanter. I suggest pop and pour or possibly a more extended decant time. Awesome QPR for Napa Cab.
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5/4/2009 - ptelgenh wrote: 93 Points
Dense and rich with ripe cherries and menthol. Heavy tannins reflecting its youth. I love this wine, and can't wait to the journey with 5 more to go.
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5/3/2009 - mreinitz wrote: 91 Points
Big, rich, and slightly sweet. Dark berries, currant, and plum. Not complex or thought provoking, but really enjoyable -- hard to imagine not liking this.
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5/3/2009 - John McCabe wrote: 93 Points
Really excellent. Great concentration and structure, big fruit. I had been disappointed with Chappellet for the last few years, but this one won me around.
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4/29/2009 - LPskeleton wrote: 89 Points
consumed at trade tasting, no note taken
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3/21/2009 - LSKIII wrote: 90 Points
I'm a big Chappellet fan and this vintage is no expection. Dark berry fruit, sweet oak/tannins, long finish. Decanted 2+ hours. Outstanding wine - looking forward to trying this in a couple of years.
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3/14/2009 - Rollerball wrote: 88 Points
Not much on the nose. Enjoyable impressions of milk chocolate and oaky cherry. A well-made wine.
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2/10/2009 - Frijole wrote:
dark plum red, little clarity, ruby hue
Nose: cherry, earth, touch oak, almond, touch coffee
Pal: blackberries, chalk, juniper, clove, coffee
Feel: full, savory, tannic
Finish: long
TC8
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