2014 MacDonald Cabernet Sauvignon

Community Tasting Notes (80) Avg Score: 96.3 points

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  2/22/2024 - acyso wrote: 93 Points

  (Not a) birthday dinner (Hinsdale, IL): Definitely a bit of an underdog as far as MacDonald goes. It's a bit muted and doesn't have the fruited intensity as the 2012 (a few years ago) and the 2019 (tonight). Very dark, black fruit. Leathery tannins and the sunlit fruit of Napa. For me, what is incredible about the estate is that it espouses all the good things about modernist wine, without any of the bad things. Brilliant stuff.

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  1/28/2024 - UMRich Likes this wine: 98 Points

  Sad that it's the last of my 3. Decanted only 30 minutes, but kept blossoming as the night went on. Recommend at least 2 hour decant. Amazing with a filet in veal demiglace sauce and on its own after dinner. Each pour better than the last. No hurry to drink up, but fantastic now

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  10/29/2023 - tcarter Likes this wine: 97 Points

  Ojai Food + Wine Festival; 10/26/2023-10/29/2023 (Ojai Valley Inn): Spectacular wine. Everything you expect from a MacDonald wine. Just great. IMO, drank best about 1-2 hours into decanting and wasn't showing quite as well after about 5 hours in decanter--but make no mistake, it was still drinking fine!

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  10/29/2023 - Bobbusch Likes this wine: 95 Points

  Popped and poured. This wine has changed since my last bottle at the first of the year. There seemed to be more vibrancy to the fruit in the wine. As the wine evolved over dinner, it continued to shine with dark plum flavors and a nice undertone of vanilla . I have several more bottles, so will check in again in about 6 months.

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  10/25/2023 - Wine Warrior 1 Likes this wine: 96 Points

  VHR, Carter-Beckstoffer, & MacDonald head to head all 2014's. All three sourced from grapes within about 400 yards of each other. 3 vastly different styles. VHR showed the elegant side of wine. Bruce bucked the fruit bomb trend and thus has has become a favorite of mine. VHR was restrained but not hollow. Peschon has great talent at this.
  Carter was a more aggressive version of VHR. Showed the best of the 3, at this time, with its balance of power and flavor. Nils has much to be proud of with this effort.
  MacDonald is a sleeping giant. I feel it was opened 10 years early. Very approachable but you know its best days are well ahead. I believe in 10 years MacDonald will be the best followed by VHR and then Carter. You will love all these wines now and in the future. Salut!!

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