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| Drinking Windows and Values |
| Community Tasting History |
| Community Tasting Notes (average 89.9 pts. and median of 90 pts. in 82 notes) - hiding notes with no text | | | Tasted by Goofienewfy on 2/27/2022 & rated 87 points: On this downside but not down for the count. This is a classic cab and this 2002 bottle is what got me into wine in 2007. Not happy that Hess now adds in Malbec. Just not the same. (1259 views) | | | Tasted by tsdv on 1/2/2022 & rated 89 points: Very good, big, dark mountain cabernet. This could have gone another ten years. Huge round concentrated fruit still there, with some complex age. 10 years ago this had rough edges, now smoother but still very masculine. Didn't rate higher because my preference is for more elegance, not power. But did like it. (1312 views) | | | Tasted by WineGuyX on 3/26/2020 & rated 92 points: Still fresh on the nose. Loaded with black currant, new oak, mint and a bit of creme de cassis. Medium-bodied, this has good density and the structure of quality mountain fruit. Absolutely perfectly mature, this is a joy to drink and will last several more years. 92 (1911 views) | | | Tasted by ArizonaWineGuy on 5/18/2019 & rated 88 points: Brick red color, showing very little age around the edges. Not a big nose, but what is there is classic Cabernet fruit. Smooth and supple on the attack, quite dry, with firm velvety tannins embracing the tongue. Classic Cabernet fruit persists through to the lingering finish, but the wine doesn’t really evolve much. Certainly not dead, yet, but on the downside of its life. Quite nice still, but not the same showing as in the past. (2215 views) | | | Tasted by La Cave d'Argent on 4/9/2019 & rated 92 points: I will paraphrase Mark Twain by saying that reports of this wine's death have been greatly exaggerated. From a bottle purchased upon release and cellared in pristine fashion, this particular specimen is aging gracefully. Deep red/garnet and teeming with black fruit, it adds notes of tree bark, allspice, cardamom, menthol and tobacco. Medium-to-full-bodied, freshly acidic and with nicely integrated alcohol (14.5%), it weaves in some attractive notes of oak and still has enough silky tannins to buttress the structure. The middle palate is impressively dense and the finish is equally impressive with respect to its length. Those holding well-cellared bottles of this wine will be pleasantly surprised by the amount of fruit that this 17-year-old wine retains. Decant it off of its substantial sediment and give it at least two hours of aeration. Drink now-2023. (2351 views) | | | Tasted by flowers on 2/22/2018 & rated 88 points: This bottle has been in a wine fridge, and still tasted good. But was a little dead. Past it's prime. I think we waited a couple years too long.
If you still have this vintage... I say drink! (2445 views) | | | Tasted by ArizonaWineGuy on 3/14/2017 & rated 90 points: Given this wine was supposed to have been "best drink" in 2013, this was fabulous right now. (3200 views) | | | Tasted by WineGuyX on 5/29/2016 & rated 92 points: Still a youthful medium-dark ruby. Wonderful aroma full of sweet black currant fruit, Christmas cake and campfire. Full bodied and oh so delicious! Perfectly mature, this is still loaded with sweet fruit (black currants) and plenty of tannin and fresh acidity. Best now, this should easily last another 2-3 years in tip-top condition and drink until 2023+ 92 df 9.4 (3245 views) | | | Tasted by JavaMonkey on 1/6/2015 & rated 91 points: Medium ruby red color. Nose has cherry, strawberry, toast. This aged very nicely. Medium bodied, but it developed a really nice character. Lots of secondary notes on the palate, hints of cedar and tobacco. Turned into a very handsome wine. (4131 views) | | | Tasted by wineismylife on 10/23/2014 & rated 89 points: WIML89
Tasted non blind.
Dark garnet to purple color in the glass, clear looking throughout. Nose of varnish, currants, black raspberries and black cherries. Flavors of currants, plums and black raspberries. Medium acidity, firm tannin, full bodied. Drink now with air. (4326 views) | | | Tasted by jsporkin on 7/31/2013 & rated 87 points: This wine had definitely peaked, but still shows signs of life. (4223 views) | | | Tasted by jdinkin1 on 3/4/2013 & rated 89 points: Dark fruit on the nose but faded after bring opened for 1/2 hour. Dark fruit, smokey with smooth but prevalent tannins. Acid comes out on medium finish v. (3860 views) | | | Tasted by Oakwine on 2/12/2013: - Garnet color. It's lacking fruit. Leathery texture with a medium finish - Probably a little past prime. Fruits definitely subdued with tannins nicely softened. Would have liked to tasted 18 months ago but still enjoyed. (3434 views) | | | Tasted by mijnamfauk on 1/3/2013 & rated 91 points: Surprised..still delicious..some tannins. but I never decant a wine older than 6 years...rather just let it slowly reveal itself over a nice dinner in the bottle...decanting can, I find, destroy an old wine before it can be consumed at one sitting.
I will hold my last two bottles, one for 2014 and the last one for 2015. (2901 views) | | | Tasted by Mkond1 on 5/20/2012 & rated 96 points: Jammy, smooth, great legs, cherry, great finish, good balance, a little light on tannins (2941 views) | | | Tasted by hoops92 on 5/13/2012 & rated 91 points: Surprisingly good. Typical Napa Cab flavors. In good balance - tannins have faded significantly. Suspect this one has less than a year to go. (2610 views) | | | Tasted by Fredpug on 3/29/2012 & rated 91 points: Really nice bottle, Thought it would past prime but still full of dark berry, smooth mouth feel, lingering finish but tannins fading (2570 views) | | | Tasted by Pops94303 on 12/25/2011 & rated 90 points: A surprisingly good wine after decanting. My past Hess Collection bottles had failed after about 10 years, and this one is no different -- it's quite good at the moment, but it will probably completely flatten out in the next year or so. Decanted for 30 minutes, tried it, but it hadn't opened up. Improved over the next hour. Tannins are gone. (2894 views) | | | Tasted by ArizonaWineGuy on 11/29/2011 & rated 89 points: Nicely drinking cab, especially with this evening's grilled ribeye. A tad youthful still, with firm tannins and lush Cabernet fruit. (2937 views) | | | Tasted by WineKnurd on 11/8/2011 & rated 95 points: As promised from my 2008 note, last bottle opened 3 years later, with my buddy Stuart who was privy to the first bottle back in 08. Decanted for roughly 30 minutes before tasting. Nose of red currants and juicy red plums backed with hints of earth and cedar. The palate shows expressive notes of black currants, raspberries, creamy oak vanilla, and black pepper, combined with complex hints of bell pepper, cedar, pecan shells, mocha and caramel. Great depth and development, each sip brings out a different undertone and unveils the complexity of this wine.
Really impressed with how the wine has mellowed, these past years in the cellar dropped alot of tannin and now the mouthfeel is much, much smoother. Still has good weight on the palate and firm structure; the only difference I note from the loss of tannins is the length on the finish, which isn't a necessarily bad thing. Age has also allowed the wine to develop more complexity and I would love to see how this wine continues to develop (but unfortunately no more bottles left).
Overall Rating- A. (3517 views) | | | Tasted by timmyc on 3/2/2011 & rated 90 points: Now mature and drinking really well. Lovely wine with poise, balance and finesse. (3403 views) | | | Tasted by jmh st louis on 11/28/2010 & rated 91 points: currant, plum and veeder tobacco (3697 views) | | | Tasted by samer on 10/5/2010 & rated 89 points: a very standard Napa cab..at 8 yrs, perfect time to be drinking...light plum and currants balanced with some dirt and tobacco. (3936 views) | | | Tasted by danstrings on 9/23/2010 & rated 90 points: LS Thomas and gang - A good, meaty, tarry Napa cab that pleased the German contingent in town. Showing signs of development but still young -- some mushroom/forest floor swirling in and out, but loads of chocolatey fruit. (3984 views) | | | Tasted by samer on 8/14/2010 & rated 90 points: Some at the table felt this cab beat the Ch de Sales 98 from Bordeaux...hard to tell, but the Hess did feel a little lighter and less like a Cabernet, so it went better with the soft shell crab dish. (4037 views) | | | Only displaying the 25 most recent notes - click to see all notes for this wine... |
| The Hess Collection Producer websiteCabernet SauvignonCabernet Sauvignon is probably the most famous red wine grape variety on Earth. It is rivaled in this regard only by its Bordeaux stablemate Merlot, and its opposite number in Burgundy, Pinot Noir. From its origins in Bordeaux, Cabernet has successfully spread to almost every winegrowing country in the world. It is now the key grape variety in many first-rate New World wine regions, most notably Napa Valley, Coonawarra and Maipo Valley. Wherever they come from, Cabernet Sauvignon wines always seem to demonstrate a handful of common character traits: deep color, good tannin structure, moderate acidity and aromas of blackcurrant, tomato leaf, dark spices and cedarwood.
Used as frequently in blends as in varietal wines, Cabernet Sauvignon has a large number of common blending partners. Apart from the obvious Merlot and Cabernet Franc, the most prevalent of these are Malbec, Petit Verdot and Carmenere (the ingredients of a classic Bordeaux Blend), Shiraz (in Australia's favorite blend) and in Spain and South America, a Cabernet – Tempranillo blend is now commonplace. Even the bold Tannat-based wines of Madiran are now generally softened with Cabernet SauvignonUSAAmerican wine has been produced since the 1500s, with the first widespread production beginning in New Mexico in 1628. Today, wine production is undertaken in all fifty states, with California producing 84% of all U.S. wine. The continent of North America is home to several native species of grape, including Vitis labrusca, Vitis riparia, Vitis rotundifolia, and Vitis vulpina, but the wine-making industry is based almost entirely on the cultivation of the European Vitis vinifera, which was introduced by European settlers. With more than 1,100,000 acres (4,500 km2) under vine, the United States is the fourth-largest wine producing country in the world, after Italy, Spain, and France.California2021 vintage: "Unlike almost all other areas of the state, the Russian River Valley had higher than normal crops in 2021, which has made for a wine of greater generosity and fruit forwardness than some of its stablemates." - Morgan Twain-Peterson Napa Valley Napa Valley Wineries and Wine (Napa Valley Vintners)Mt. Veeder Mt. Veeder (Appellation America) |
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