Not decanted, served in Glassvin stems. This is in its prime drinking window. Has a great balance of dark fruit and some savory/herbal elements. The juicy dark cherry fruit is strong, but the spices and herbs are a nice additional note and provide complexity and depth. Great stuff.
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Marvelous wine that still has legs. Dark purple/brown. Got better with gradual air. Drank half the first night without a decant and, vacuvining after leaving the bottle open a few hours, enjoyed the second half the next night. Silky smooth and balanced with a nice depth. Not overly tannic or heavy. Very nice combination of sophistication and dark fruit forwardness. Oak not noticeable. Probably won’t be good much longer, so enjoy now. Glad I finally opened this special memory from my Walla Walla 2011 trip.
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This is an enjoyable, well balanced wine - but not memorable. There's no record of how much we paid for this, but based on the stated CT value, I would say it's a fair deal.
I would think this vintage is on the decline at this point.
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Lots of fruit and a little oak remaining. But, quite tasty nonetheless after a short decant. This bottle was a gift. Tannins are mature, so not sure how much longer these will keep.
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Last of two bottles. Needs about 30 mins of air to open but then sings the rest of the evening. Even the last few sips left you wanting more from an empty bottle. Excellent Cab.
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Drinking 8 years out is perfect for this wine. All coating mouthfeel that still has gripping tannins that add to the complexity. Blackberry with oak/cedar, cherry. Last one but very good.
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It's taken a leap in a year, going from pretty good to damn good. The black fruits nose is luscious, the mouth watering flavors are deeply satisfying and there's a lingering memory provided by the long, long finish. Probably the best L'Ecole I've had. One left.
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Last bottle, but has grown on me each time. Blackberries, with a little touch of woodiness (?) to it. Nice finish. Served with burgers and with friends during Okla/VCU game.
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Another year has really helped this wine. Mellowing out some of the green pepper and developing the fruit a little more fully. Much better now and into 2016. Good QPR
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PNP, blackberry, cherry, sandalwood and grilled rosemary flavors, that come together and form a long finish. Excellent bottle of wine and drinking very well right now.
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I don't find this wine objectionable except for a slight soapy flavor in the late to mid body. But I do find it holy an interesting and I throughout half of a bottle.
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Wine was balanced with some decent fruit, but overall was not too complex and rather bland. Have two more bottles, so hope this gets better with some time, but fear it has reached its peak. Did give it an hour of breathing before pour.
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We were a bit worried after this came out of the bottle rather dull & one-note. But a few hours later by the last sips, this was shining oh-so-brightly, and at a level few L'ecoles have been at. This is one of the top No. 41 releases I've had the pleasure of meeting.
L'Ecole, like Abeja and Pepper Bridge, to me are the Toyota of Walla Walla Cabs. Each winery has different models, from the no-frills Corolla up to the monster Land Cruiser. Like Toyota, these wineries offer up wines that are dependable, safe, and connect all the dots for a well made wine ... Unfortunately, again like Toyota, these wines have no 'soul' to me.
This L'Ecole offering reminds me of an entry level Toyota Camry. No frills, but not low end. Alcohol scents when first Opened. decant for an hour, big fruit on the nose.. notes of berry and plum, also some spices that I can't recognize. Smooth on the palate, but a bit over-oaked for my taste; I also felt there's a lot of alcohol still.. very young but should develop well.
Tasty, technically correct wine if you like this style ... Good wine, just not a memorable wine on any discernable level.
This is a really solild wine but needs to be decanted for over an hour to be appreciated. The only flaws are that it's a little out of balance (some might argue outright ham handed). The wine looks purple colored with reall slow legs. It smells like black currant (cassis), and raisin. It offers a diverse array of flavors: black currant (cassis), blackberry, blueberry, forest floor, medium toast, tea, and tobacco. The body is full and has a really smooth texture complimented by a long finish. It's a really powerful wine. Cheers!
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14.5% - Clear, med to deep inky purple / clean, med intensity - blackcurrant, cedar, green bellpepper, spicy - a kiss of oak / dry, med acidity, med to full body, med+ chunky tannin, med+ intensity, med to long length - very dense and needs to breathe. will decant... After an hour in the decanter, some gamey notes appeared and the green bellpepper went away quickly. I love the way the fruit is very ripe without being jammy. This is very well balanced, but I was hoping for a few more layers. (89-90+ with cellaring time to gain in complexity).
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Beautiful Walla Walla Cab. I agree with others, that this wine opens up really nicely after about 2 hours of decanting. It will be fun to see how it evolves in the cellar over the next couple of years -- if I can wait that long!
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The wine looks Crimson colored. The legs are Medium. It smells like Black currant (cassis), Cherry, Oak, Light toast, Vanilla, and Cinnamon. It tastes like Medium Toast, Oak, Lead Pencil, Cherry, Black Pepper, Bell Pepper and Tar. The body is Medium. The wine finishes Medium. I think it can use another year to integrate further.
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Rich, fruit-driven and deftly balanced. Translucent ruby purple color; pretty dark fruit on the nose, especially blackcurrants, with some woody aromatics and forest floor in the background; nice acidity, luscious red and purple fruit flavors, with bitter dark mocha building through the midpalate; chewy tannins, holding through a long, tangy, spicy fruity finish, ending in black and sour cherries. Another delicious Washington cab.
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Decanted 1 hour, drank over 1.5 hours. Pleasant sour cherry nose and palate. Integrated and balanced. Meek tannin. Medium short finish. Well done, maybe young now. Nice alternative to Napa.
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Agree 100% with Gestalted. This wine disappointed me and makes me wonder about the magazine ratings once again. Nothing memorable. I am bringing my other two bottles down to the wine shop to sell. Don't expect much.
Decanted for an hour. Crimson with a little black towards the core. Cherry, cassis, blackberry, pie crust, forest and a little cedar. Not dense or massively concentrated; the tannins are round and there's some evident grip on the long finish. There's gushing cherry and braised meat on the mid-palate. Very cellar friendly and enticing. Drink 2013 - 2018.
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Always been a fan of L'ecole but found this to just run of the mill and fairly boring. Tasted balanced but just didn't do much. Classic cassis, plum and vanilla flavors. No surprises for better or worse.
-- Consumed at at cellar temp: 60°-65° F. Friends don't let friends drink red wine at room temp!
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Took a couple of hours to open up and evolve, initially closed and concerning. After 2 hours, it was very, very nice. Great wash state cab, good balance, big upfront with lots of fruit and also good dark flavors, oak, gravel and leather. Just enought tannins, excellent finish. Drank against the '00 Seavey cab and '08 Two Hands - Some Days are Diamonds cab, this was the favorite of the three.
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12/19/2020 - BRR Likes this wine: 91 Points
Not decanted, served in Glassvin stems. This is in its prime drinking window. Has a great balance of dark fruit and some savory/herbal elements. The juicy dark cherry fruit is strong, but the spices and herbs are a nice additional note and provide complexity and depth. Great stuff.
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12/12/2020 - mjl wrote: 92 Points
Marvelous wine that still has legs. Dark purple/brown. Got better with gradual air. Drank half the first night without a decant and, vacuvining after leaving the bottle open a few hours, enjoyed the second half the next night. Silky smooth and balanced with a nice depth. Not overly tannic or heavy. Very nice combination of sophistication and dark fruit forwardness. Oak not noticeable. Probably won’t be good much longer, so enjoy now. Glad I finally opened this special memory from my Walla Walla 2011 trip.
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11/27/2020 - VinoHunter Likes this wine: 88 Points
Nothing over the top and nothing terrible. Decent.
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3/28/2020 - Intellectual Sasquatch Likes this wine: 90 Points
Benefited from a 1/2 hour decant.
This is an enjoyable, well balanced wine - but not memorable. There's no record of how much we paid for this, but based on the stated CT value, I would say it's a fair deal.
I would think this vintage is on the decline at this point.
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6/21/2019 - Hamersly wrote: 90 Points
From tasting of several vintage Washington Cabs and Syrahs, no detailed notes.
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1/30/2019 - pinoteer Likes this wine: 90 Points
Lots of fruit and a little oak remaining. But, quite tasty nonetheless after a short decant. This bottle was a gift. Tannins are mature, so not sure how much longer these will keep.
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1/6/2019 - ibglowin Likes this wine: 92 Points
Last of two bottles. Needs about 30 mins of air to open but then sings the rest of the evening. Even the last few sips left you wanting more from an empty bottle. Excellent Cab.
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11/17/2018 - cmcclane wrote: 93 Points
Lots of delicious juice with soft tannins.
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8/25/2017 - iamandyc Likes this wine: 90 Points
Improvement in the body and intensity since last bottle otherwise very similar. Great QPR for non-special occasion wine
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8/2/2017 - Leomania Likes this wine: 91 Points
Previous note applies. Drinking very nicely still.
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7/21/2017 - iamandyc wrote: 89 Points
Nice wine but nothing special. A bit thin and hollow mid-palate but good red fruit and supporting tannins/acidity.
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1/7/2017 - redz wrote: 91 Points
nice, medium finish
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11/6/2016 - Mtnmd1 Likes this wine: 91 Points
Continues to improve w age. Still w a few years left
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10/8/2016 - Nbkat8 wrote: 92 Points
Drinking 8 years out is perfect for this wine. All coating mouthfeel that still has gripping tannins that add to the complexity. Blackberry with oak/cedar, cherry. Last one but very good.
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10/3/2016 - Pedroel Likes this wine: 92 Points
It's taken a leap in a year, going from pretty good to damn good. The black fruits nose is luscious, the mouth watering flavors are deeply satisfying and there's a lingering memory provided by the long, long finish. Probably the best L'Ecole I've had. One left.
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9/12/2016 - old Art Likes this wine: 92 Points
Enjoyed this wine lamb chops. Opened an hour, decanted before drinking. This is an excellent example of a very good Washington Cabernet Sauvignon.
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3/20/2016 - gew71walsh wrote: 90 Points
Last bottle, but has grown on me each time. Blackberries, with a little touch of woodiness (?) to it. Nice finish. Served with burgers and with friends during Okla/VCU game.
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2/19/2016 - gew71walsh wrote: 89 Points
Finished the evening after Beringers and Mondavi. This was nice but did not measure up. Blackberries, cherries and a nice finish.
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1/16/2016 - Leomania Likes this wine: 91 Points
Blackberry, black currant, mocha, leather. Black tea tannins, medium acidity. Terrific bottle.
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12/23/2015 - Rick 4 Wine Likes this wine: 90 Points
Another year has really helped this wine. Mellowing out some of the green pepper and developing the fruit a little more fully. Much better now and into 2016. Good QPR
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7/19/2015 - ibglowin Likes this wine: 92 Points
PNP, blackberry, cherry, sandalwood and grilled rosemary flavors, that come together and form a long finish. Excellent bottle of wine and drinking very well right now.
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6/17/2015 - John McCabe wrote: 92 Points
Similar to previous notes. Needs a bit more time. There is a kind of grainy sweetness to this. Pretty interesting.
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6/7/2015 - Mtnmd1 Likes this wine: 90 Points
Enjoyed w burgers on the deck. Dark, moderate fruit Moderate tannins. Medium finish.
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5/20/2015 - Gail and Len wrote: 91 Points
Gail and I both liked this very much.
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4/21/2015 - Janstan Likes this wine: 91 Points
Had 3 Washington Reds and this won and was best with grilled ribeye steak. Blackberry, cassis, mushroom. Still tight - many years ahead for it
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2/18/2015 - Leomania Likes this wine: 91 Points
Catching up on inventory; no real notes taken. Just a "loved it" mention, so there you have it. I definitely did, the bottle was empty much too soon.
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11/21/2014 - Rick 4 Wine Does not like this wine: 86 Points
I don't find this wine objectionable except for a slight soapy flavor in the late to mid body. But I do find it holy an interesting and I throughout half of a bottle.
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8/24/2014 - Nbkat8 wrote: 90 Points
As I stated before earlier this year, this wine is good but nothing special. Middle of the road Walla Walla cab.
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7/17/2014 - Kevincrouch Likes this wine:
I agree with the other tasters that this was very nice, but not thrilling and certainly not a value. Straight-up plain Jane Walla Walla Cabernet.
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7/11/2014 - topher2411 Likes this wine: 92 Points
Really drinking well right now. This has picked up pleasant mushroomy notes, and overall comes across pretty old world.
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7/11/2014 - John McCabe wrote: 92 Points
Unusual style for a cab. A bit musty and almost salty, big and bold. Almost seems Italian.
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6/8/2014 - patsox wrote: 91 Points
Well balanced and quite flavorful.
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5/10/2014 - gew71walsh wrote: 87 Points
Wine was balanced with some decent fruit, but overall was not too complex and rather bland. Have two more bottles, so hope this gets better with some time, but fear it has reached its peak. Did give it an hour of breathing before pour.
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4/26/2014 - fitchbuck Likes this wine: 92 Points
We were a bit worried after this came out of the bottle rather dull & one-note. But a few hours later by the last sips, this was shining oh-so-brightly, and at a level few L'ecoles have been at. This is one of the top No. 41 releases I've had the pleasure of meeting.
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3/2/2014 - Nbkat8 wrote: 90 Points
This garnered a 93 from WS, maybe it needs to sit a couple more years. Good nonetheless but nothing spectacular. 89-90
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12/30/2013 - SactoWino Likes this wine: 90 Points
Good fruit forward cab. Nothing too complex or memorable, but enjoyable none the less.
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8/16/2013 - f22nickell Likes this wine: 89 Points
L'Ecole, like Abeja and Pepper Bridge, to me are the Toyota of Walla Walla Cabs. Each winery has different models, from the no-frills Corolla up to the monster Land Cruiser. Like Toyota, these wineries offer up wines that are dependable, safe, and connect all the dots for a well made wine ... Unfortunately, again like Toyota, these wines have no 'soul' to me.
This L'Ecole offering reminds me of an entry level Toyota Camry. No frills, but not low end. Alcohol scents when first Opened. decant for an hour, big fruit on the nose.. notes of berry and plum, also some spices that I can't recognize. Smooth on the palate, but a bit over-oaked for my taste; I also felt there's a lot of alcohol still.. very young but should develop well.
Tasty, technically correct wine if you like this style ... Good wine, just not a memorable wine on any discernable level.
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5/10/2013 - What I'm Drinking Now wrote: 91 Points
This is a really solild wine but needs to be decanted for over an hour to be appreciated. The only flaws are that it's a little out of balance (some might argue outright ham handed). The wine looks purple colored with reall slow legs. It smells like black currant (cassis), and raisin. It offers a diverse array of flavors: black currant (cassis), blackberry, blueberry, forest floor, medium toast, tea, and tobacco. The body is full and has a really smooth texture complimented by a long finish. It's a really powerful wine. Cheers!
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3/3/2013 - SiR wrote: 89 Points
14.5% - Clear, med to deep inky purple / clean, med intensity - blackcurrant, cedar, green bellpepper, spicy - a kiss of oak / dry, med acidity, med to full body, med+ chunky tannin, med+ intensity, med to long length - very dense and needs to breathe. will decant...
After an hour in the decanter, some gamey notes appeared and the green bellpepper went away quickly. I love the way the fruit is very ripe without being jammy. This is very well balanced, but I was hoping for a few more layers. (89-90+ with cellaring time to gain in complexity).
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2/24/2013 - krizelle Likes this wine: 92 Points
Beautiful Walla Walla Cab. I agree with others, that this wine opens up really nicely after about 2 hours of decanting. It will be fun to see how it evolves in the cellar over the next couple of years -- if I can wait that long!
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2/2/2013 - colinachapman@msn.com wrote: 93 Points
Another very good cab from Walla Walla. After 2 hours opened up nicely. Perfect pairing with filet mignon seasoned with Herbs de Provence / olive oil.
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1/13/2013 - pickhardt wrote: 88 Points
Very good, but not great cabernet. Nice fruit, OK complexity, OK finish.
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12/15/2012 - bkrup Likes this wine: 90 Points
The wine looks Crimson colored. The legs are Medium. It smells like Black currant (cassis), Cherry, Oak, Light toast, Vanilla, and Cinnamon. It tastes like Medium Toast, Oak, Lead Pencil, Cherry, Black Pepper, Bell Pepper and Tar. The body is Medium. The wine finishes Medium. I think it can use another year to integrate further.
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11/25/2012 - slippytoad wrote: 86 Points
Quite flabby astringent fruit, not together at all. Disappointing.
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11/12/2012 - John McCabe wrote: 92 Points
Very nice; a bit chalky, well structured, good length in the finish. Will benefit from a few more years.
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11/4/2012 - 95Retriever wrote: 93 Points
Wow, such a great bottle of wine.
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8/13/2012 - wahoo70 wrote: 91 Points
Rich, fruit-driven and deftly balanced. Translucent ruby purple color; pretty dark fruit on the nose, especially blackcurrants, with some woody aromatics and forest floor in the background; nice acidity, luscious red and purple fruit flavors, with bitter dark mocha building through the midpalate; chewy tannins, holding through a long, tangy, spicy fruity finish, ending in black and sour cherries. Another delicious Washington cab.
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6/17/2012 - miadelt Likes this wine: 91 Points
Really enjoyed this wine. So much going on for the price.
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4/26/2012 - Empirate wrote: 89 Points
Decanted 1 hour, drank over 1.5 hours. Pleasant sour cherry nose and palate. Integrated and balanced. Meek tannin. Medium short finish. Well done, maybe young now. Nice alternative to Napa.
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4/24/2012 - spretzer wrote: 89 Points
solid, fine but A 94 we will see
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3/24/2012 - lewisrise wrote: 90 Points
Nose of tar, pencil lead, and burnt blackberry. Black fruits, chocolate, and a hint of cedar on the finish. Decent cab.
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2/10/2012 - Mgarfin wrote: 88 Points
Agree 100% with Gestalted. This wine disappointed me and makes me wonder about the magazine ratings once again. Nothing memorable. I am bringing my other two bottles down to the wine shop to sell. Don't expect much.
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2/5/2012 - Matt Scott wrote: 92 Points
In Wailea...
Decanted for an hour. Crimson with a little black towards the core. Cherry, cassis, blackberry, pie crust, forest and a little cedar. Not dense or massively concentrated; the tannins are round and there's some evident grip on the long finish. There's gushing cherry and braised meat on the mid-palate. Very cellar friendly and enticing. Drink 2013 - 2018.
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2/3/2012 - miadelt Likes this wine: 91 Points
Good balance between a Napa cab and a Bordeaux. I want to see how this wine develops with some age.
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1/9/2012 - winelover1 wrote: 90 Points
Really beautiful wine. Great fruit right out of the bottle. Need more of this..
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12/19/2011 - Gestalted wrote: 89 Points
Always been a fan of L'ecole but found this to just run of the mill and fairly boring. Tasted balanced but just didn't do much. Classic cassis, plum and vanilla flavors. No surprises for better or worse.
--
Consumed at at cellar temp: 60°-65° F. Friends don't let friends drink red wine at room temp!
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12/13/2011 - slippytoad wrote: 90 Points
Too young right now as expected. Got better the second day. Slightly lighter than the average napa cab.
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11/20/2011 - Ckwinter wrote: 92 Points
Great! Need to buy more
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10/24/2011 - Black Pearl wrote: 93 Points
Took a couple of hours to open up and evolve, initially closed and concerning. After 2 hours, it was very, very nice. Great wash state cab, good balance, big upfront with lots of fruit and also good dark flavors, oak, gravel and leather. Just enought tannins, excellent finish. Drank against the '00 Seavey cab and '08 Two Hands - Some Days are Diamonds cab, this was the favorite of the three.
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