Nothing wrong with this! Was worried it might be past its (the downside of) prime based on what I've read of older vintages. But not so here. Definitely not recommended if you don't appreciate an older claret, but for those who do, if the bottle was stored properly, there's still plenty of enjoyment left. Just don't wait too long.
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Deep red-black in color. Offering just a bit of char and tar at opening, this wine softened after 45+ minutes of air into a toasty, deep and tightly wound mix of blackberry, licorice and a hint of smoke. Drink up.
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The wine looks ruby colored. There is heavy sediment in the bottle. The body is medium. The wine has narrow texture. The wine finishes medium. The wine has low acidity.
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Perhaps I waited too long. This bottle started out sort of funky and not so nice, but then after a while in the glass it developed into something quite nice. I'll try the rest of the bottle in a day or two and see if it has developed further.
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This 21 year old wine has grown nicely. I think some earlier reviewers drank it too early. I had to decant this bottle because the cork disintegrated, and that turned out to be a good thing. It is quite delicious and drinking well right now. It is probably on the downslope, but I'll keep a few bottles to see what happens. A very pleasant surprise.
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Solana describes this right. The cab franc really shows...roasted veggies, red plums, red cherries, and earthy aromas and flavors. Medium body and a moderately long finish.
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Decanted half an hour and I don't find the horrible wine so often described in earlier notes. Given that the last few notes seem improved I wonder whether this wine has gone through a very strange evolution. Pure ruby color with little lightening on the edges, the aromas are neither pronounced nor particularly attractive: Roasted vegetables, cumin, and dried plums with a peppery note that tickles the nose. The flavors, however, are much more enjoyable. Round with enough acidity to give form and length, the very Bordelais flavors feature an earthy ripe red cherry with a plush soft center. Roast vegetables show the cab franc personna and an earthy spiciness lifts the flavors and carries them through a moderately long finish. Creamy red cherry fruit goes throughout, giving a soft counterpoint to the more unusual roast vegetable and earthy flavors. A bit of drying tannin finishes the finish. A great wine, no, but neither a woofer. Enjoyable with polenta and a wine sauce ratatouile.
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My notes differ from the other recent tasters. I found this to be fading somewhat but there's a core of deep red fruits and some cedar and tobacco there. It's surely not a dead wine but I really wish I'd tried it a few years ago as I wonder what it was like in it's prime.
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wow. the notes on this wine are hideous. not decanted. pretty green on the nose and palate as might be expected of a wine composed of 45% cab franc (55% cab), but it's not funky green. i'll tell you one thing, i wish i had saved this wine for blind night this coming wednesday, 'cause i've had plenty of old bordeaux from popular labels that match this profile, and are given a pass. it has some murky tannin, and remains semi thick on the palate well into the finish. mild soy and tea + green bean. hardly memorable, but neither is it a piece of crap. at least i find it to be a sound bottle. follow up: this completely fell apart to undrinkable in 2 hours.
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Maybe I'm just getting more tolerant and benevolent in my old age (NOT)! Last time we tried the '94 Viader (2 or 3 years ago), two bottles were poured down the drain. But the wine is quite tasty tonight-nice oak on the nose, color good (no browning) and very pleasant on the palate. Less violet odors than remember from previous botttles. Was the wine just in a 'bad place' previously, or is there a tremendous amount of bottle variation? Still have 5 bottles left....
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US 1994 at its best... (Zurich): Tasted blind: Nose shows flavors of Madeira and ripe berry notes. Nice drinking wine but past its prime. Quite one dimensional and simple...
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Dark purple with shades of red at the perimeter; not much nose in the begining but with time exhibited hints of vanilla, smoke and spice; medium to full body; appeared to be very closed down when first opened and never really evolved even after several hours; tannins dominate the palate; not a very pleasant finish; this wine is probably going downhill.
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Just joined the cellar tracker community and based on your tasting notes felt I'd better check out some of my older cabs. Opened this '94 which was received straight off the boat and maintained in perfect cellerage. Great cork. Whiff of sweet fruit followed the cork. Decanted for 30 minutes. Modest amount of sediment remained in the bottle. Medium ruby color and good clarity with no degradation of color at the rim. Looked youthful. Muted nose and tight at 30 minutes. Opened a little and at 2 hours reminded me of an edgy older average Bordeaux, one dimensional with reasonable mouthfeel but nothing really happening. All the sweetness this wine had was gone. By 3 hours the fruit was overrun by tannins. I have probably not had this wine in 4 years and it is nothing like I remember it. Pretty disappointing!! I have 2 more bottles and can assure you that the next bottle will not languish long before I try it. Drink up.
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Dinner at home served with flank steak. Ruby-purple color with no bricking. Somewhat muted nose of violet and plum. Not nearly as aromatic as I remember it from several years ago. Palate was balanced, smooth, dark fruit and cassis. I don't think this will get any better, and its probably time to drink up.
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Wine Group Christmas Party Tasting Event (Richmond, VA): Semi-translucent dark raspberry. No bricking on the edges and the color certainly does not reveal the wine's age. The nose was plummy and closed and several folks thought it was slightly corked. The mid-palate was more plums with little complexity which carried over to the finish with an added subtle touch of dark chocolate. Tannins were resloved and any oak was fully integrated but the wine was a huge disappointment as it was very one dimensional and the nose was shut down. I have one bottle left which I will drink very soon and hope this showing was a result of being corked.
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Dinner at home of grilled ahi. Medium ruby color. Somewhat reserved nose of cherries, tobacco and violets. On the palate, a velverty mouthfeel yields cassis, cherries and well-integrated oak. Tannins are hardly noticable, and wine has a very mature profile -- time to drink these up. Wine evolved quickly though 3+ hours of decanting and is not what it was upon opening, reforcing the urgency for near-term consumption.
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7/7/2022 - haqofeta Likes this wine:
Nothing wrong with this! Was worried it might be past its (the downside of) prime based on what I've read of older vintages. But not so here. Definitely not recommended if you don't appreciate an older claret, but for those who do, if the bottle was stored properly, there's still plenty of enjoyment left. Just don't wait too long.
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1/18/2020 - larrybbaldwin Likes this wine: 90 Points
Surprisingly delicious. Still rich with mild tannins.
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12/16/2019 - Lord of the Bottles wrote: flawed
1994 California Cabernet Blind Tasting (Michelangelo Hotel, New York): Flawed.
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12/8/2019 - Winedad53 wrote: 90 Points
Deep red-black in color. Offering just a bit of char and tar at opening, this wine softened after 45+ minutes of air into a toasty, deep and tightly wound mix of blackberry, licorice and a hint of smoke. Drink up.
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6/10/2019 - hcjoyce wrote: 88 Points
The wine looks ruby colored. There is heavy sediment in the bottle.
The body is medium. The wine has narrow texture. The wine finishes medium. The wine has low acidity.
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12/6/2018 - SkyCellar Likes this wine: 90 Points
Perhaps I waited too long. This bottle started out sort of funky and not so nice, but then after a while in the glass it developed into something quite nice. I'll try the rest of the bottle in a day or two and see if it has developed further.
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12/31/2016 - Scarlet Fire wrote:
Has turned
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12/28/2016 - WineGuyX wrote: 84 Points
Some roasted/baked cherry and spice, but this wine is past its prime. Still has a supple texture and is not at all unpleasant. 84
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11/8/2015 - Whodeyinsea wrote:
Past peak
Decant for 2-hrs. Just not my thing, but better on the second night.
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11/8/2015 - SkyCellar Likes this wine: 91 Points
This 21 year old wine has grown nicely. I think some earlier reviewers drank it too early. I had to decant this bottle because the cork disintegrated, and that turned out to be a good thing. It is quite delicious and drinking well right now. It is probably on the downslope, but I'll keep a few bottles to see what happens. A very pleasant surprise.
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1/9/2014 - Leoville_2012 Likes this wine: 93 Points
in a wonderful place right now. Drink over the next 3 yrs
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12/9/2012 - Bgrahamdc wrote: 76 Points
Past
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10/7/2012 - DarinC wrote: 87 Points
Solana describes this right. The cab franc really shows...roasted veggies, red plums, red cherries, and earthy aromas and flavors. Medium body and a moderately long finish.
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4/18/2012 - solana wrote: 90 Points
Decanted half an hour and I don't find the horrible wine so often described in earlier notes. Given that the last few notes seem improved I wonder whether this wine has gone through a very strange evolution. Pure ruby color with little lightening on the edges, the aromas are neither pronounced nor particularly attractive: Roasted vegetables, cumin, and dried plums with a peppery note that tickles the nose. The flavors, however, are much more enjoyable. Round with enough acidity to give form and length, the very Bordelais flavors feature an earthy ripe red cherry with a plush soft center. Roast vegetables show the cab franc personna and an earthy spiciness lifts the flavors and carries them through a moderately long finish. Creamy red cherry fruit goes throughout, giving a soft counterpoint to the more unusual roast vegetable and earthy flavors. A bit of drying tannin finishes the finish. A great wine, no, but neither a woofer. Enjoyable with polenta and a wine sauce ratatouile.
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12/7/2011 - redforlife wrote: 88 Points
My notes differ from the other recent tasters. I found this to be fading somewhat but there's a core of deep red fruits and some cedar and tobacco there. It's surely not a dead wine but I really wish I'd tried it a few years ago as I wonder what it was like in it's prime.
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7/16/2011 - WVWine wrote: 88 Points
Tasted more like an older Bordeaux. Pleasant bottle, just never developed into something special.
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9/19/2010 - jeff nowak wrote: 86 Points
wow. the notes on this wine are hideous. not decanted. pretty green on the nose and palate as might be expected of a wine composed of 45% cab franc (55% cab), but it's not funky green. i'll tell you one thing, i wish i had saved this wine for blind night this coming wednesday, 'cause i've had plenty of old bordeaux from popular labels that match this profile, and are given a pass. it has some murky tannin, and remains semi thick on the palate well into the finish. mild soy and tea + green bean. hardly memorable, but neither is it a piece of crap. at least i find it to be a sound bottle. follow up: this completely fell apart to undrinkable in 2 hours.
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6/10/2010 - bobbubbabs wrote: 90 Points
Maybe I'm just getting more tolerant and benevolent in my old age (NOT)! Last time we tried the '94 Viader (2 or 3 years ago), two bottles were poured down the drain. But the wine is quite tasty tonight-nice oak on the nose, color good (no browning) and very pleasant on the palate. Less violet odors than remember from previous botttles. Was the wine just in a 'bad place' previously, or is there a tremendous amount of bottle variation? Still have 5 bottles left....
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4/20/2010 - petitblanc wrote: 82 Points
Showing only the very earthy and funky side of the Cabernet Franc. Not particularly pleasant.
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3/13/2009 - Keith Levenberg wrote: flawed
Cooked.
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2/18/2009 - Keith Levenberg wrote: flawed
Cooked.
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2/6/2009 - Wine_lvr wrote: 91 Points
US 1994 at its best... (Zurich): Tasted blind: Nose shows flavors of Madeira and ripe berry notes. Nice drinking wine but past its prime. Quite one dimensional and simple...
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4/12/2008 - Jaco2112 wrote: 82 Points
Just not much there.
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3/22/2008 - knelsfk wrote: 82 Points
Dark purple with shades of red at the perimeter; not much nose in the begining but with time exhibited hints of vanilla, smoke and spice; medium to full body; appeared to be very closed down when first opened and never really evolved even after several hours; tannins dominate the palate; not a very pleasant finish; this wine is probably going downhill.
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3/5/2008 - Dr.Scott wrote: 83 Points
Just joined the cellar tracker community and based on your tasting notes felt I'd better check out some of my older cabs. Opened this '94 which was received straight off the boat and maintained in perfect cellerage. Great cork. Whiff of sweet fruit followed the cork. Decanted for 30 minutes. Modest amount of sediment remained in the bottle. Medium ruby color and good clarity with no degradation of color at the rim. Looked youthful. Muted nose and tight at 30 minutes. Opened a little and at 2 hours reminded me of an edgy older average Bordeaux, one dimensional with reasonable mouthfeel but nothing really happening. All the sweetness this wine had was gone. By 3 hours the fruit was overrun by tannins. I have probably not had this wine in 4 years and it is nothing like I remember it. Pretty disappointing!! I have 2 more bottles and can assure you that the next bottle will not languish long before I try it. Drink up.
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12/21/2006 - RussW wrote: flawed
Corked!!
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2/9/2006 - tmay wrote: 90 Points
Chocolate, tobacco and plums. Smooth with a nice medium finish.
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1/18/2006 - JoeB wrote: 89 Points
Dinner at home served with flank steak. Ruby-purple color with no bricking. Somewhat muted nose of violet and plum. Not nearly as aromatic as I remember it from several years ago. Palate was balanced, smooth, dark fruit and cassis. I don't think this will get any better, and its probably time to drink up.
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5/7/2005 - Lowine wrote: flawed
Corked!
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12/4/2004 - RussW wrote:
Wine Group Christmas Party Tasting Event (Richmond, VA): Semi-translucent dark raspberry. No bricking on the edges and the color certainly does not reveal the wine's age. The nose was plummy and closed and several folks thought it was slightly corked. The mid-palate was more plums with little complexity which carried over to the finish with an added subtle touch of dark chocolate. Tannins were resloved and any oak was fully integrated but the wine was a huge disappointment as it was very one dimensional and the nose was shut down. I have one bottle left which I will drink very soon and hope this showing was a result of being corked.
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10/31/2004 - KevinS wrote: 90 Points
Dinner at home of grilled ahi. Medium ruby color. Somewhat reserved nose of cherries, tobacco and violets. On the palate, a velverty mouthfeel yields cassis, cherries and well-integrated oak. Tannins are hardly noticable, and wine has a very mature profile -- time to drink these up. Wine evolved quickly though 3+ hours of decanting and is not what it was upon opening, reforcing the urgency for near-term consumption.
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