2009 Delectus Cabernet Sauvignon Boulder Falls

Community Tasting Notes (11) Avg Score: 91.9 points

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  11/17/2019 - mda7 wrote:

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  2/2/2019 - djlevin Likes this wine: 91 Points

  Like other tasting notes on CT, this wine also hit me as odd. To get the first question out of the way, it does not taste hot, even though the label lists 16.7% ABV. Shockingly, the alcohol is well integrated. Upon first pour, this is a high-acid fruit bomb. At 9 years of bottle age a surprise… decant and give it an hour before you drink and you will find the real wine underneath. At first, the nose is almost non-existent, but later reveals itself after a couple of hours. Once it develops, the nose is alcohol, plum, blackberry, black currant and menthol. With time open, this wine becomes well-integrated. The palate starts with blended red & black fruit (like boysenberry compote), but after time it settles down and morphs into the blackberry, plum & black currant you expect. The wine is dry, but the high alcohol content makes it seem somewhat sweet. The mouthfeel starts out soft, but thin and then the tannin shows and the texture begins to fill the mouth – high tannins and high acidity abound. The mid-palate shows immediately after the fruit and is all dark chocolate (without bitterness) that follows to a very long finish. This wine rewards patience. I agree with one of the other CT notes. Much like a Conn Valley Cab. As fruity and bold (perhaps more even), but the tannin is fine-grained and softer. I would be concerned about giving this more time in the bottle. The alcohol is so high, without the big fruit/acid/tannin behind it, the alcohol will likely begin to dominate. It seems to be drinking well now, but is definitely for those who enjoy fruitier, high-alcohol wines.

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  12/11/2017 - jaxpaj wrote: 90 Points

  My first bottle of delectus. Only expectation was that the winery has a good reputation, I have a friend that LOVES it, and I knew Boulder Falls isn't the top wine. Black fruit, mineral, and dry tannins. This reminds me of Andersons Conn Valley. A very unique wine! I wouldn't pay $80, I would think this is a $45-55 bottle.

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  3/28/2017 - Mark1npt wrote: 89 Points

  A funny, challenging wine. This is the 2nd of 2 bottles I've drunk 2-3 years apart. I thought the 1st bottle was an anomaly but now I know better.
  
  Upon opening, this wine is burning back of the throat hot. Alcohol out the wazoo. @20 min in, the alcohol burns off and you have a 15 minute sweet spot of a beautifully balanced wine. All of 15 minutes. After that, black fruit takes over dry tannins abound and some power surfaces. For awhile I thought I wanted a second glass.....a swish in the mouth, a swallow, a tartness and almost sour finish. It's odd but not bad. This is just a strange wine. It's rare I can say that I am glad this is my last bottle, but in the case of my cellar, it makes me smile. This isn't totally bad, but I would not buy it again, hence, neutral.
  
  Addendum...well, as I have spent the last 4 hours single handedly finishing the bottle, I must admit that the chalky mouth puckering tannins have my attention. The finish is quite long and mouth watering. The fruit has gotten better as the night has worn on, but still....I shouldn't have to wait or work this hard or long for this good a wine. Still neutral.

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  9/21/2016 - tomoem wrote: 92 Points

  I was expecting a much better wine and hence these notes ( my notes ) are Challenging. It is big and bold........ and..... Jammy and then ........................... Really dry !
  
  The aromas are all Cab Franc and more Bordeaux like than a big time Napa. The flavors hence, are more Left Bank than Cali Cabernet but they are pleasant and enjoyable. The flavors include pure Cabernet fruit forward blackberry and cassis but they quickly give way to the tannins which are characterized by eucalyptus and complex herbs. This is where my notes are focused because the finish, while it is really long (Plus 1 minute) the lingering flavor of eucalyptus lingers in a bad way.
  
  I would think that this wine needs more time to resolve these balance issues but then I re-taste and go back to the the initial flavors and taste it yet again and think the fruit flavors are more important than these nuanced observations.
  
  Overall this is an unbalanced wine and may likely improve but at $ 80 at WL this should have been better !

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