After eight years, this huge Right Bank style wine still needs a minimum one-hour decant to be at its best. It's worth the wait. Inky, dark purple in color and with newly softened, plush tannins, this crowd pleaser still has plenty of blue and bright red fruits alongside notes of cocoa, vanilla, and spice. It has a medium-length finish and lacks the earthier components of a true Bordeaux. So while it certainly could age longer, I think it's at its peak now and for the next couple of years. Drink up!
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Medium purple in color. Limited nose. Medium bodied. Bright red fruit... cherry, raspberry on the palate with a finish of cola. OK but not a great value at $70 per bottle.
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Nice, interesting blend. Drank side by side with a St Estephe and could not have been much different. Clear, ruby color. Full of fruit and very limited earthy notes. I expect this was the impact of almost 40% merlot. Bright red fruit on the palate with a hint of sweetness on the finish. Medium bodied and medium finish.
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Soft and smooth entry of molasses and black fruit. mid-palate leather and tobacco. A 40 second finish. A really wonderful wine, and what I've come to expect from Lede.
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This has improved a lot since it was first released. Used to be a little disjointed, it's now come together. Opened an hour early, followed over the next four, solid the whole time. No hurry on these.
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Cliff Lede Tasting (Napa): Tasted at Cliff Lede alongside the 2012 Stags Leap, 2013 Stags Leap, and 2012 Beautiful Generation.
Similar to my previous CT notes on this wine in terms of flavor profile, but with even more heightened flavors of mocha, white chocolate, red and black raspberry, and a hint of vanilla bean. A little chalky on the back end, but it was a somewhat welcome contrast to the Merlot-based mocha notes that can sometimes turn a wine a bit flabby. Not the case here; this was singing nicely.
I bumped this up to 93 points, as I didn't experience the hollow mid-palate as I had encountered previously with this wine. Drinks decent now, but I'm sure a decant (which I did not have an opportunity to do) would help even more. Drink now and over the next 3-5 years.
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A rich and modern Merlot-based blend that needs air to start showing its depth. Dark burgundy in color, full in body, nose of blueberry and cedar. Rich tastes of sweet cherry, strawberry, licorice, and vanilla. 15.4% alcohol. The sweetness subsides with air, which makes me think this will be best in a year or so. Blend of 64% Merlot, 21% Cabernet Franc, 9% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 6% Malbec. Decant at least an hour.
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Cliff Lede Tasting (Napa): Tasted at Cliff Lede alongside the 2012 BTK, Beautiful Generation, and Howell Mountain. All wines were double decanted through a Vinturi four hours prior to my tasting.
The 2012 High Fidelity gives off a nose of black licorice, alcohol, and a strong anise smell. It glides across the palate with its Merlot dominated essence; notes of dark plum, black cherry, mocha, and clove. Some faint anise and vanilla bean also emerge.
A little hollow on the mid-palate, where the flavors muddle a bit into softer, rounder characteriatics. The finish fades off and is complicated a bit by a streak of sour red berry fruits (likely the Cabernet Franc) and chalk.
Overall, a pleasant enough wine, but ultimately came off like a mid-level Merlot. Give this wine 6 months or so to work a few things out, and enjoy over the next 3-5 years. I certainly don't see this one as having the capability to age any great length of time.
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Cliff Lede is rapidly becoming one of my favorite winemakers. This is a beautiful Bordeaux style blend from Napa and does not disappoint. Soft tannins and balanced fruit. This wine is still young and needs a few more years in the bottle to unlock its potential, but great stuff.
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12/25/2022 - djinc01 wrote: 91 Points
Silky and rich but still a bit muted imo. Could have held longer
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9/30/2020 - rkww Likes this wine: 91 Points
After eight years, this huge Right Bank style wine still needs a minimum one-hour decant to be at its best. It's worth the wait. Inky, dark purple in color and with newly softened, plush tannins, this crowd pleaser still has plenty of blue and bright red fruits alongside notes of cocoa, vanilla, and spice. It has a medium-length finish and lacks the earthier components of a true Bordeaux. So while it certainly could age longer, I think it's at its peak now and for the next couple of years. Drink up!
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12/23/2019 - cos65 Likes this wine:
Deep ruby black
Slightly bitter black cherry flavors with a hint of sweet tobacco and vanilla.
Very tasty but perhaps better with 5 years or more
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11/1/2019 - Contentmands wrote: 92 Points
Good wine. Enjoyed it with a filet from Bobs. Big. Would be even better in 10 years
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3/17/2019 - wconnolly Likes this wine: 88 Points
Medium purple in color. Limited nose. Medium bodied. Bright red fruit... cherry, raspberry on the palate with a finish of cola. OK but not a great value at $70 per bottle.
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11/22/2017 - wconnolly Likes this wine: 89 Points
Nice, interesting blend. Drank side by side with a St Estephe and could not have been much different. Clear, ruby color. Full of fruit and very limited earthy notes. I expect this was the impact of almost 40% merlot. Bright red fruit on the palate with a hint of sweetness on the finish. Medium bodied and medium finish.
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8/12/2017 - YankeeRobio Likes this wine: 95 Points
Soft and smooth entry of molasses and black fruit. mid-palate leather and tobacco. A 40 second finish. A really wonderful wine, and what I've come to expect from Lede.
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1/9/2017 - Coachron13 Likes this wine: 91 Points
This has improved a lot since it was first released. Used to be a little disjointed, it's now come together. Opened an hour early, followed over the next four, solid the whole time. No hurry on these.
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2/12/2016 - csimm wrote: 93 Points
Cliff Lede Tasting (Napa): Tasted at Cliff Lede alongside the 2012 Stags Leap, 2013 Stags Leap, and 2012 Beautiful Generation.
Similar to my previous CT notes on this wine in terms of flavor profile, but with even more heightened flavors of mocha, white chocolate, red and black raspberry, and a hint of vanilla bean. A little chalky on the back end, but it was a somewhat welcome contrast to the Merlot-based mocha notes that can sometimes turn a wine a bit flabby. Not the case here; this was singing nicely.
I bumped this up to 93 points, as I didn't experience the hollow mid-palate as I had encountered previously with this wine. Drinks decent now, but I'm sure a decant (which I did not have an opportunity to do) would help even more. Drink now and over the next 3-5 years.
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2/5/2016 - msuwine Likes this wine: 92 Points
A rich and modern Merlot-based blend that needs air to start showing its depth. Dark burgundy in color, full in body, nose of blueberry and cedar. Rich tastes of sweet cherry, strawberry, licorice, and vanilla. 15.4% alcohol. The sweetness subsides with air, which makes me think this will be best in a year or so. Blend of 64% Merlot, 21% Cabernet Franc, 9% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 6% Malbec. Decant at least an hour.
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1/10/2016 - nm10 Likes this wine: 91 Points
At the winery. Needs another couple years. Nice fruit up front, and then progresses to spicey cloves and pepper. I think has room to improve.
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1/3/2016 - BeachBum_73 wrote: 92 Points
- Purple color - Needs to lay down for another year.
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11/21/2015 - csimm wrote: 91 Points
Cliff Lede Tasting (Napa): Tasted at Cliff Lede alongside the 2012 BTK, Beautiful Generation, and Howell Mountain. All wines were double decanted through a Vinturi four hours prior to my tasting.
The 2012 High Fidelity gives off a nose of black licorice, alcohol, and a strong anise smell. It glides across the palate with its Merlot dominated essence; notes of dark plum, black cherry, mocha, and clove. Some faint anise and vanilla bean also emerge.
A little hollow on the mid-palate, where the flavors muddle a bit into softer, rounder characteriatics. The finish fades off and is complicated a bit by a streak of sour red berry fruits (likely the Cabernet Franc) and chalk.
Overall, a pleasant enough wine, but ultimately came off like a mid-level Merlot. Give this wine 6 months or so to work a few things out, and enjoy over the next 3-5 years. I certainly don't see this one as having the capability to age any great length of time.
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5/26/2015 - The Wine Sherpa Likes this wine: 93 Points
Cliff Lede is rapidly becoming one of my favorite winemakers. This is a beautiful Bordeaux style blend from Napa and does not disappoint. Soft tannins and balanced fruit. This wine is still young and needs a few more years in the bottle to unlock its potential, but great stuff.
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