Deep cherry nose. Robust, full body. Light oak still lingering. Medium finish. It’s still early days on this. Great foundation, hoping it hits its potential.
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2+ hr decant. Deep red in the decanter. Dense black fruit, tobacco, and cedar. Nice depth and balance with soft tannins and a little acidity. A medium/long finish.
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Second bottle in three days. This one was jammy and extracted-heavy and hot in character - felt like it was going to need a long time to settle down. They were stored in the same rack so not sure what explains the difference.
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Drank after one hour decant. Hedonistic pleasure. Rich and ripe, surprisingly so for a 13 year old wine. Dense black fruits, fine tannins and balanced medium acidity. The finish is medium long but the flavors are still primary: black fruit, cedar and tobacco. A big wine: not sure if it’s over-ripe or has a long life ahead. Very enjoyable.
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Tasted along with the 2013 Tapestry. I got to say these wines were neck and neck. I preferred the De Latour but others actually went the Tapestry. The De Latour for me is your prototypical medium to hign end Napa vab that always delivers. One of my favs. Drink or hold.
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Coravin tasting. Classic GdL Dusty tannins, almost smoky. Oaky aromas and flavors that give way to hints of green pepper. Nice wine that’s beginning to show well.
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Peak of perfection at dinner at T & D's. I had bought several different vintages of Beaulieu at auction and this was by far the best. Deep, ruby red color, nice legs, approachable within minutes after (decantless) pouring. Round, full fruit flavors with nice layered finish. Probably best to drink up soon.
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Filet Mignon Morton’s with SD Really nice on it’s own and with Filet….soft round tannins Smooth some light herbal mix, blueberries but not too sweet….slight coconut from barrel? probably will not improve but stay here into 2030. Solid
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purple, medium/full body, mild aromas of black and blueberry, dark fruits, a bit muted, medium finish with low acid and tannins, disappointing, poor qpr
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Wonderful wine. Beautiful purple color and lots of fruit still showing on the nose and palate. Surprisingly very drinkable out of the bottle, only needing 30 min in the glass. Black currant, black pepper, asphalt and chocolate stand out. Drink now.
Wonderful floral nose. Dark red nearly black in the glass. Good acidity, soft tannins, slightly tart. Dark fruit flavors with a medium finish. While aromatic, finish seems soft.
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Similar to previous notes. Decanted 90 minutes. Dark black color with primarily black fruits. Wonderful Cab nose. Tannins are softer now and the wine is at the perfect place for me. Nice mix of fruit and tannins. I like when wines still have tannic structure. I don’t like when it’s just soft fruit with little structure. I don’t like 15 plus year old Cabs. I like them 7-10 years max. Great wine and I’m glad this was my last bottle. If I had more I would drink in the next12 months but that’s just me.
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Decanted for approximately 2 hours. Purple back hue with glass staining beauty. This wine wine remains big and brooding with lots of dark chocolate, vanilla and baking spice and less oakiness than my last bottle. A great accompaniment to beef tenderloin. This wine is still going strong and should continue to do so for the next 5 years. Drink or hold.
2 1/2 hour decant (mag decanter). Nose: Red fruited and perfumy with floral nuances, juicy fruit gum, gravel and Rutherford dust. Fantastic aromas! Palate: Soft styled w/ cherries and perfect tannins. Acid levels provide the right amount of lift, and the finish is lengthy but elegant. A really classy Cab that is timeless and eschews the modern style per WineGuyDelMar's notes below. Glad to have one more left in the cellar. 92+ points.
Read my previous two notes. Even better than the one we had 11 months ago. Smooth as silk. Layers of flavors. Lots of chocolate, cassis,black and red fruits and a long lingering finish. Just an old stalwart that keeps doing what it’s done year after year. That is delivering an “Old Napa” flavor profile. With everyone now chasing the newest, most expensive, hot dot Cab, I’m fine buying and drinking this. With so many overly sweet and overly extracted fruit bombs, I’m happy to drink this. Give me more please.
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Decanted two hours. This is the ripest BV George I've ever tasted! Intense blueberry liqueur, licorice, firm tannins. More like a Caymus than a BVGdL. Tasty but not the profile I was expecting.
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Decanted for two hours and consumed over the following three without significant change over the evening. Dark and inky in the glass with aromas of dark fruit, toasted bread and violets. A striking number of flavors were present including black fruits, chocolate, baking spice, caramel, cocoa and rosemary. Rich and brooding with supple and well-integrated tannins. Sophisticated, lush, appealing and polished with a generous, expansive finish. Mature, but with many years of life remaining. Exquisite!
Decanted for almost 2 hours....deep, dark and brooding. Way better than my last bottle which was thin in body. This was more full bodied. Jammy blue and black fruits up front with dark chocolate, cardamom, vanilla and oak on the back end...very well balanced and structured with silky integrated tannins. Finish is medium with lingering yumminess. Drink or hold.
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Dark color, amazing Cab nose. Super extracted, layer upon layer of flavor, soft, silky tannins and a finish that goes on forever. What is there not to like? Tannins are silky but present to carry the wine many more years. There aren’t many Cabs better than this one. Can’t wait to drink my last two bottles. Heavy mouth feel but so smooth. You want this....trust me. Go to Wine Searcher and buy some. NOW !!
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Decanted for 15 minutes. Surprisingly thin. Floral nose but a bit muted on the palate. Could have used at least an hour or more of air time. I've had better bottles of this vintage. Hold.
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No formal notes. A very nice wine... A bit one dimensional on night one, even after a 2 hour decant, largely fruit on both nose and palate. Stored the remainder in bottle under inert gas in the fridge and returned to it on night three, when we found it much improved, with secondary notes of cedar and leather. Bought this a few years ago with a gift card to a local wine shop that was about to expire; don't know that I would pay what it retails for with my own money to acquire another bottle, but we enjoyed it nonetheless.
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Just Wow !! This is in a beautiful place right now. Dark, blackish color. I decanted two hours but 1 is probably enough. Nose is classic CA Cab. Tannins are still present to carry this several more years but unlikely to improve significantly. The Wine is sublime and so velvety smooth. Lots of cocoa here. Reminds me a lot of Larkmead Cabs. Nothing out of balance here. Totally harmonious. Finish goes on forever. We sipping slowly to prolong this immense enjoyment as long as possible. Had it with Rack of Lamb. Perfect. To drink a Cab at this moment of greatness is what all wine enthusiasts live for. One of the best Cabs I’ve had in a while. If you have this Wine I would open one. It is drinking beautifully. Enjoy.
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Loved it. Had to fight my wife for the last glass, be prepared.
Plenty of fruit left and I like the cigar box description others have mentioned. I haven’t had other bottles to compare it to, so can’t comment on evolution.
I suppose not having knowledge about something hasn’t really stopped me from commenting before though. Guess I am feeling calm and quiet today. Must be the wine.
Classic big body Napa red. Bit of a barnyard nose like a southern Rhone. Let it remained decanted for well over 2 hours. Cigar box, smoke, lots of red berry fruit.
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Took this bottle to a wine lovers (retirement) party. Lots of great wines present. This BV was extraordinary. Great nose, perfect balance, long finish. Just made you want to take another sip.
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Medium-full bodied. Moderate tannins. Velvety mouthfeel without being flabby. Blackberry & black cherry coats the mouth. This is ready and I don't imagine it will improve significantly. It's great now. So no regrets about drinking it. Next after 2020 just to see if there's any change.
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I brought this from my personal stash. Loads of Rutherford dust, eucalyptus, rich plums, baking spices, and nuanced vanilla. An exorbitant amount of character, depth, and complexity. This wine has both finesse and backbone. Amazing.
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Excellent. Last tasted 2 years ago. The wine shows well with more layers of flavor than in 2016. Drink now, though it should stand up well for another 4-5 years.
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Nice wine but I'm not nearly as strong as most others. This was a gift when staying in Rutherford House, the hospitality residence for BVs parent company Diageo (Thank You Lewis for the great oppty and memories!) Sampled from both std Reidel's and Somm stems.
Has nice coloring in the stems but doesn't have a great grip. Oak, asphalt on the nose. A bit one-dimensional from std stems, this added a lot of tannin in the Somm stems but lost some of the fruit. Will see if this improves further with air, as this is written 90 mins after opening, but not decanting.
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Robust but lighter bodied '12. Always quality in these and I have no idea if this will improve with age as I consider '12 a younger-drinking vintage. Enjoyable.
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Abundant dark fruit, hints of licorice and dark tar. Very enveloping in its flavor profile, perhaps one dimensional. Overly smooth if that's a problem? Lacking in structure and rigidity. I think the wine is missing something for the price point, however it is very easy to drink, and I dont know a single person who wouldnt enjoy drinking it. Simply better, more well rounded wines out there at this price point.
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A beautiful California Cabernet. Deep ruby color, opaque center, ruby rim. Nose has well defined varietal Cabernet, lead pencil, dark fruits, baking spice, and a fresh, clean refined presence. On the palate, the wine delivers warm, fresh and saturated cab flavors, ripe fruit, savor and spice, and a cleansing, lingering finish. This is a refined but well structured cab with good breed, finesse, but showing some power. Very tasty.
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Wow! Textbook aromas of paperback, followed by a mild reduction of salted barrier reef. This cab really scorched the palate like bare eyes to an eclipse. The ripe fruitiness and hint of bedrock would make Fred Flintstone slap his momma. While the finish and legs on this beauty were so long and succulent that Tina Turner would turn butch just to get a taste. I would have to say for the price, you can't beat it.
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Garnet colored, not terribly clear. Vanilla and red fruits on the nose. Highly extracted raspberry notes. Dark chocolate-covered cherries in the finish. The notes are consistent throughout the whole flavor profile.
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Just a lovely terrific Cabernet Sauvignon. Like every bottle I've had, this has a dark and rich aroma with a taste of dark fruit. Tannins are there, but the wine is very smooth and exceptionally balanced. From my first bottle of this year's ago, this has always been one of all time favorites and this bottle/vintage didn't disappoint.
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Beautiful nose of dark fruit, sweet oak and eucalyptus. Great balance with some minerality and soft tannins. Quite polished for a young wine, drinking well.
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Outstanding wine with beautiful aramos of black currant (cassis), fig and oak. On the palate blackberry, plum, toast, cedar and stoniness. Full bodied with leathery texture and long finish.
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This is a nice and structured mid echelon Napa Cabernet. Uncorked and let sit in the decanter for 1 hour. Very shy nose of cherry, menthol, and blackberry paste. Medium fullness on the palate with a recurring theme of cherry skin, cassis, toasted caramel, and blackberry. Moderate tannin with a non descript finish. Good vinification but nothing new or noteworthy here. Very pleasant drink but lacks definition and excitement in this crowded price range.
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This cassis-driven wine has good mouthfeel and decent finish. It's a good wine, but lacking in complexity. A simple and delicious wine, I just don't understand the higher ratings others have given this wine. Perhaps it's still a little young. I have several more bottles and will re-taste in another couple of years.
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Deep ruby to purple in color. Blackberry, cassis, black cherry, cedar, and hints of earth on the nose. Somewhat elegant and restrained on the palate with nicely textured tannins and good acidity. 93% Cabernet Sauvignon, 4% Petit Verdot, and 3% Malbec.
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Always have been a fan of BV...drank a lot of their wines when I first started in the early 90's...but kind of left them in the 2000's. Found these 12 GdL on sale for $59 so that seems like a killer jumping in point! Well...this would be pleasing even double the price! Dark inky blackberry color....shy nose at first....dusty cherry spice, anise, graphite powder, liqueured berries. Nice full bodied mouthfeel...yet not too sweet or goopy....young but well balanced....liqueured berries and currants...dusty and powdery oak barrel tannins(Rutherford baby!), charcoal and lead pencil, dried cherry, tobacco.....smooth and quite accessible...yet with solid structure to age. Maybe a 30yr wine? Not like the old days...but the good news is there is pleasure NOW, and maybe more to come. And at that price point...makes it even better!! ;-)
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A little young out of the gate. Decanted for over an hour. This wine is very approachable. Dark jammy fruits up fro not with some vanilla, casis and spices rounding it off. Very enjoyable.
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We had this after a 2006 Bryant so it was unfair to score this. It does need time to settle down or at least a 2nd day drinking wine. Again my taste buds were off from the Bryant as it was thick, rich, and quite massive. I do want to be careful not to unfairly make any comments on this wine that aren't just. It was still enjoyable but the alcohol was present. I believe this should be opened, decanted and drank on the second day.
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Second GdL we have tried. Only other was the 2001 and this was a lot more enjoyable. Ruby red appearance. Nose was coated with red cherries with a slight rubber undertone. The palate was attacked with red fruits and berries. Solid acidity carries through. Slight undertones of earthiness, savoriness and slight anise. Moderate tannins (6.5/10) and moderate body. Long finish lingers with a red cherry finish. Can definitely tell that this is a baby and will do well over the next ten or so years. It can use that time to fully integrate and develop. Drink now till 2026.
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I do enjoy the fruit and French style restrained balance in this wine. While being a classic NApa it has a little of the French restraint. High strong tannins at 8/10 with a rounded feel even though it is very young.
Light nose
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Takes 30 minutes to open. Ruby red. Drank with steak, potatoes. You can see the quality by the filtered clarity. Great nose after 1 hour. Red currents. Cherry and strawberry mix. There are wines you drink that say quality and don't let me be left for tomorrow. This is one of those wines. Fully integrated. I would say this will have more integration over the next 5 years. Good for least another 20. Wow. This bottle was finished cause it was that good.
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3/28/2024 - Rusdry wrote: 94 Points
Deep cherry nose. Robust, full body. Light oak still lingering. Medium finish. It’s still early days on this. Great foundation, hoping it hits its potential.
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12/31/2023 - Mr. Slate Likes this wine: 92 Points
2+ hr decant. Deep red in the decanter. Dense black fruit, tobacco, and cedar. Nice depth and balance with soft tannins and a little acidity. A medium/long finish.
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12/31/2023 - SacAxeman Likes this wine: 93 Points
Decanted 2 hrs, highly recommended, served New years eve w prime rib. The bomb….
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11/4/2023 - FlyPig Likes this wine: 96 Points
Drink
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8/13/2023 - vinorsk wrote:
Second bottle in three days. This one was jammy and extracted-heavy and hot in character - felt like it was going to need a long time to settle down. They were stored in the same rack so not sure what explains the difference.
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8/8/2023 - vinorsk Likes this wine: 91 Points
Drank after one hour decant. Hedonistic pleasure. Rich and ripe, surprisingly so for a 13 year old wine. Dense black fruits, fine tannins and balanced medium acidity. The finish is medium long but the flavors are still primary: black fruit, cedar and tobacco. A big wine: not sure if it’s over-ripe or has a long life ahead. Very enjoyable.
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7/2/2023 - Bodyfxr wrote: 94 Points
Tasted along with the 2013 Tapestry. I got to say these wines were neck and neck. I preferred the De Latour but others actually went the Tapestry. The De Latour for me is your prototypical medium to hign end Napa vab that always delivers. One of my favs. Drink or hold.
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2/14/2023 - pdxwinefan wrote:
Coravin tasting. Classic GdL Dusty tannins, almost smoky. Oaky aromas and flavors that give way to hints of green pepper. Nice wine that’s beginning to show well.
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12/29/2022 - GhostofBill Likes this wine: 92 Points
Peak of perfection at dinner at T & D's. I had bought several different vintages of Beaulieu at auction and this was by far the best. Deep, ruby red color, nice legs, approachable within minutes after (decantless) pouring. Round, full fruit flavors with nice layered finish. Probably best to drink up soon.
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12/18/2022 - JoeDwine Likes this wine: 93 Points
Filet Mignon Morton’s with SD
Really nice on it’s own and with Filet….soft round tannins
Smooth some light herbal mix, blueberries but not too sweet….slight coconut from barrel?
probably will not improve but stay here into 2030.
Solid
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12/10/2022 - EdKz@comcast.net wrote: 90 Points
purple, medium/full body, mild aromas of black and blueberry, dark fruits, a bit muted, medium finish with low acid and tannins, disappointing, poor qpr
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12/2/2022 - ccbradley Likes this wine: 94 Points
Still decent fruit on the nose. Finish was a bit mellow. Drink me if you have ‘em.
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6/29/2022 - Jkyriacou Likes this wine: 93 Points
Wonderful wine. Beautiful purple color and lots of fruit still showing on the nose and palate. Surprisingly very drinkable out of the bottle, only needing 30 min in the glass. Black currant, black pepper, asphalt and chocolate stand out. Drink now.
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1/21/2022 - Tym4wine Likes this wine: 90 Points
Wonderful floral nose. Dark red nearly black in the glass. Good acidity, soft tannins, slightly tart. Dark fruit flavors with a medium finish. While aromatic, finish seems soft.
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1/1/2022 - WineGuyDelMar Likes this wine: 94 Points
Similar to previous notes. Decanted 90 minutes. Dark black color with primarily black fruits. Wonderful Cab nose. Tannins are softer now and the wine is at the perfect place for me. Nice mix of fruit and tannins. I like when wines still have tannic structure. I don’t like when it’s just soft fruit with little structure. I don’t like 15 plus year old Cabs. I like them 7-10 years max. Great wine and I’m glad this was my last bottle. If I had more I would drink in the next12 months but that’s just me.
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12/25/2021 - Bodyfxr wrote: 94 Points
See previous note.
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12/25/2021 - Bodyfxr wrote: 94 Points
Decanted for approximately 2 hours. Purple back hue with glass staining beauty. This wine wine remains big and brooding with lots of dark chocolate, vanilla and baking spice and less oakiness than my last bottle. A great accompaniment to beef tenderloin. This wine is still going strong and should continue to do so for the next 5 years. Drink or hold.
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10/23/2021 - mmesser Likes this wine:
I wish I had more!
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10/22/2021 - Mattshank wrote: 92 Points
2 1/2 hour decant (mag decanter). Nose: Red fruited and perfumy with floral nuances, juicy fruit gum, gravel and Rutherford dust. Fantastic aromas! Palate: Soft styled w/ cherries and perfect tannins. Acid levels provide the right amount of lift, and the finish is lengthy but elegant. A really classy Cab that is timeless and eschews the modern style per WineGuyDelMar's notes below. Glad to have one more left in the cellar. 92+ points.
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8/20/2021 - WineGuyDelMar Likes this wine: 95 Points
Read my previous two notes. Even better than the one we had 11 months ago. Smooth as silk. Layers of flavors. Lots of chocolate, cassis,black and red fruits and a long lingering finish. Just an old stalwart that keeps doing what it’s done year after year. That is delivering an “Old Napa” flavor profile. With everyone now chasing the newest, most expensive, hot dot Cab, I’m fine buying and drinking this. With so many overly sweet and overly extracted fruit bombs, I’m happy to drink this. Give me more please.
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3/8/2021 - Quiet Lion wrote: 92 Points
Decanted two hours. This is the ripest BV George I've ever tasted! Intense blueberry liqueur, licorice, firm tannins. More like a Caymus than a BVGdL. Tasty but not the profile I was expecting.
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3/7/2021 - SPerez72 wrote: 93 Points
I concur with the last few comments. It is drinking beautifully NOW. Glad I have 5 bottles left!!!
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2/25/2021 - CashUSM16 Likes this wine: 94 Points
Drinking perfectly right now.
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12/25/2020 - Rasmussenbrent wrote: 93 Points
Very smooth and ready to drink!
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12/19/2020 - Tahlequahdave1972 Likes this wine: 94 Points
Decanted for two hours and consumed over the following three without significant change over the evening. Dark and inky in the glass with aromas of dark fruit, toasted bread and violets. A striking number of flavors were present including black fruits, chocolate, baking spice, caramel, cocoa and rosemary. Rich and brooding with supple and well-integrated tannins. Sophisticated, lush, appealing and polished with a generous, expansive finish. Mature, but with many years of life remaining. Exquisite!
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11/26/2020 - Bodyfxr wrote: 94 Points
Decanted for almost 2 hours....deep, dark and brooding. Way better than my last bottle which was thin in body. This was more full bodied. Jammy blue and black fruits up front with dark chocolate, cardamom, vanilla and oak on the back end...very well balanced and structured with silky integrated tannins. Finish is medium with lingering yumminess. Drink or hold.
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9/19/2020 - Rieger wrote: 95 Points
Amazing wine. Big, still has good fruit beautiful finish without desert dry tannin. Drinking very well, wish we had more!
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9/14/2020 - WineGuyDelMar Likes this wine: 95 Points
Dark color, amazing Cab nose. Super extracted, layer upon layer of flavor, soft, silky tannins and a finish that goes on forever. What is there not to like? Tannins are silky but present to carry the wine many more years. There aren’t many Cabs better than this one. Can’t wait to drink my last two bottles. Heavy mouth feel but so smooth. You want this....trust me. Go to Wine Searcher and buy some. NOW !!
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9/6/2020 - Bodyfxr wrote: 91 Points
Decanted for 15 minutes. Surprisingly thin. Floral nose but a bit muted on the palate. Could have used at least an hour or more of air time. I've had better bottles of this vintage. Hold.
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8/2/2020 - Steven DiFiore Likes this wine: 93 Points
Excellent vintage of this iconic wine. Drinking beautifully now.
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5/24/2020 - NicdA Likes this wine: 93 Points
Amazingly smooth. Smoky and leathery on nose. Peppercorn spice.
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4/19/2020 - Steven DiFiore Likes this wine: 93 Points
Excellent old world style.
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4/12/2020 - Chateaunole-du-Pape wrote: 90 Points
No formal notes. A very nice wine... A bit one dimensional on night one, even after a 2 hour decant, largely fruit on both nose and palate. Stored the remainder in bottle under inert gas in the fridge and returned to it on night three, when we found it much improved, with secondary notes of cedar and leather. Bought this a few years ago with a gift card to a local wine shop that was about to expire; don't know that I would pay what it retails for with my own money to acquire another bottle, but we enjoyed it nonetheless.
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4/4/2020 - WineGuyDelMar Likes this wine: 94 Points
Just Wow !! This is in a beautiful place right now. Dark, blackish color. I decanted two hours but 1 is probably enough. Nose is classic CA Cab. Tannins are still present to carry this several more years but unlikely to improve significantly. The Wine is sublime and so velvety smooth. Lots of cocoa here. Reminds me a lot of Larkmead Cabs. Nothing out of balance here. Totally harmonious. Finish goes on forever. We sipping slowly to prolong this immense enjoyment as long as possible. Had it with Rack of Lamb. Perfect. To drink a Cab at this moment of greatness is what all wine enthusiasts live for. One of the best Cabs I’ve had in a while. If you have this Wine I would open one. It is drinking beautifully. Enjoy.
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3/29/2020 - mischwine wrote: 93 Points
simply a beautiful representation of Nap Cab!
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1/25/2020 - Tym4wine Likes this wine: 91 Points
Gritty tannins. Lovely finish. The Cabernet really stands out. Made for the long haul and drinking great now.
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1/24/2020 - BigBoy_Sonoma Likes this wine: 92 Points
Black fruit, blue fruit, spice, herbal notes, cedar, Smokey oak, finishes with some acidity. A-
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1/12/2020 - Mountster27 Likes this wine: 93 Points
Loved it. Had to fight my wife for the last glass, be prepared.
Plenty of fruit left and I like the cigar box description others have mentioned. I haven’t had other bottles to compare it to, so can’t comment on evolution.
I suppose not having knowledge about something hasn’t really stopped me from commenting before though. Guess I am feeling calm and quiet today. Must be the wine.
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11/21/2019 - Toddlepique wrote:
Could have been affected by hot house temperatures in 2017 but think we bought the wine fridge prior to hot temps.
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8/31/2019 - Kingdoberman wrote: 93 Points
Classic big body Napa red. Bit of a barnyard nose like a southern Rhone. Let it remained decanted for well over 2 hours. Cigar box, smoke, lots of red berry fruit.
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7/27/2019 - adon Likes this wine: 94 Points
Took this bottle to a wine lovers (retirement) party. Lots of great wines present. This BV was extraordinary. Great nose, perfect balance, long finish. Just made you want to take another sip.
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7/13/2019 - Robwild wrote: 92 Points
Full bodied
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6/4/2019 - garygailkrivan Likes this wine: 94 Points
This is tasting very nice but tannins are still a little over the top. This needs to be forgotten about for a few more years.
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4/2/2019 - WineCPA wrote: 93 Points
Medium-full bodied. Moderate tannins. Velvety mouthfeel without being flabby. Blackberry & black cherry coats the mouth. This is ready and I don't imagine it will improve significantly. It's great now. So no regrets about drinking it. Next after 2020 just to see if there's any change.
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2/27/2019 - jstrovel@gmail.com Likes this wine: 92 Points
cigar box kind of taste to me. Very long lasting on the palate. Has years left but is good now.
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2/6/2019 - Ryan.Vento Likes this wine: 98 Points
Final wine club before the birth of Baby V 😎
I brought this from my personal stash. Loads of Rutherford dust, eucalyptus, rich plums, baking spices, and nuanced vanilla. An exorbitant amount of character, depth, and complexity. This wine has both finesse and backbone. Amazing.
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1/19/2019 - 1lpellicia Likes this wine: 91 Points
Long finish, strong forward tobacco and locorice
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12/31/2018 - wboyd wrote: 93 Points
Excellent. Last tasted 2 years ago. The wine shows well with more layers of flavor than in 2016. Drink now, though it should stand up well for another 4-5 years.
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12/8/2018 - Nicolispicoli Likes this wine: 94 Points
This was incredibly smooth. We decanted at a restaurant for about an hour. Wish we had more.
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10/14/2018 - davidandrose Likes this wine: 90 Points
Nice wine but I'm not nearly as strong as most others. This was a gift when staying in Rutherford House, the hospitality residence for BVs parent company Diageo (Thank You Lewis for the great oppty and memories!) Sampled from both std Reidel's and Somm stems.
Has nice coloring in the stems but doesn't have a great grip. Oak, asphalt on the nose. A bit one-dimensional from std stems, this added a lot of tannin in the Somm stems but lost some of the fruit. Will see if this improves further with air, as this is written 90 mins after opening, but not decanting.
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9/5/2018 - ev3rthesame Likes this wine: 93 Points
Delicious well balanced and soft tannins. All wines from the No. 1 ranch are absolutely delicious.
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7/28/2018 - mischwine wrote: 93 Points
Another...beautiful, elegant Napa Cab!!
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6/17/2018 - Quiet Lion Likes this wine: 93 Points
Robust but lighter bodied '12. Always quality in these and I have no idea if this will improve with age as I consider '12 a younger-drinking vintage. Enjoyable.
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2/12/2018 - J.S wrote: 92 Points
Abundant dark fruit, hints of licorice and dark tar. Very enveloping in its flavor profile, perhaps one dimensional. Overly smooth if that's a problem? Lacking in structure and rigidity. I think the wine is missing something for the price point, however it is very easy to drink, and I dont know a single person who wouldnt enjoy drinking it. Simply better, more well rounded wines out there at this price point.
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1/1/2018 - Helenachuck Likes this wine: 94 Points
A beautiful California Cabernet. Deep ruby color, opaque center, ruby rim. Nose has well defined varietal Cabernet, lead pencil, dark fruits, baking spice, and a fresh, clean refined presence. On the palate, the wine delivers warm, fresh and saturated cab flavors, ripe fruit, savor and spice, and a cleansing, lingering finish. This is a refined but well structured cab with good breed, finesse, but showing some power. Very tasty.
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10/11/2017 - SKHof Likes this wine: 94 Points
Great
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10/7/2017 - bradfriedlander Likes this wine: 89 Points
It was exactly what we expected. Did not have time to let it breathe as much as it should have.
Big, juicy, fruit forward, and tar on the finish. Very drinkable.
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8/26/2017 - CantGetEnough Likes this wine:
Wow! Textbook aromas of paperback, followed by a mild reduction of salted barrier reef. This cab really scorched the palate like bare eyes to an eclipse. The ripe fruitiness and hint of bedrock would make Fred Flintstone slap his momma. While the finish and legs on this beauty were so long and succulent that Tina Turner would turn butch just to get a taste. I would have to say for the price, you can't beat it.
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7/8/2017 - Ratpack Likes this wine: 94 Points
Incredible! Drinking very well.
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6/30/2017 - TexasBob Likes this wine: 92 Points
Garnet colored, not terribly clear. Vanilla and red fruits on the nose. Highly extracted raspberry notes. Dark chocolate-covered cherries in the finish. The notes are consistent throughout the whole flavor profile.
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6/27/2017 - mats13 wrote: 93 Points
Ready to drink now and a long happy life ahead of it - dark red fruits abound, satisfying finish.
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5/20/2017 - kevrob822 Likes this wine: 92 Points
Just a lovely terrific Cabernet Sauvignon. Like every bottle I've had, this has a dark and rich aroma with a taste of dark fruit. Tannins are there, but the wine is very smooth and exceptionally balanced. From my first bottle of this year's ago, this has always been one of all time favorites and this bottle/vintage didn't disappoint.
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4/26/2017 - KeithSurg wrote: 93 Points
Beautiful nose of dark fruit, sweet oak and eucalyptus. Great balance with some minerality and soft tannins. Quite polished for a young wine, drinking well.
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3/4/2017 - Twopawsup Likes this wine: 95 Points
Outstanding wine with beautiful aramos of black currant (cassis), fig and oak. On the palate blackberry, plum, toast, cedar and stoniness. Full bodied with leathery texture and long finish.
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12/31/2016 - drdan8 Likes this wine: 90 Points
This is a nice and structured mid echelon Napa Cabernet. Uncorked and let sit in the decanter for 1 hour. Very shy nose of cherry, menthol, and blackberry paste. Medium fullness on the palate with a recurring theme of cherry skin, cassis, toasted caramel, and blackberry. Moderate tannin with a non descript finish. Good vinification but nothing new or noteworthy here. Very pleasant drink but lacks definition and excitement in this crowded price range.
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12/26/2016 - wboyd wrote: 89 Points
This cassis-driven wine has good mouthfeel and decent finish. It's a good wine, but lacking in complexity. A simple and delicious wine, I just don't understand the higher ratings others have given this wine. Perhaps it's still a little young. I have several more bottles and will re-taste in another couple of years.
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12/11/2016 - SKHof Likes this wine: 90 Points
Seems way too young to drink yet. Flavors not yet developed. Needs to wait , then will no doubt mature as it is supposed to.
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10/19/2016 - ashikoh Likes this wine: 94 Points
Deep ruby to purple in color. Blackberry, cassis, black cherry, cedar, and hints of earth on the nose. Somewhat elegant and restrained on the palate with nicely textured tannins and good acidity. 93% Cabernet Sauvignon, 4% Petit Verdot, and 3% Malbec.
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9/6/2016 - Iceman611 wrote: 92 Points
At this stage in development the wine is juicy and structured but needs bottle age to develop complexity.
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8/18/2016 - Ben Christiansen wrote:
Darn thats good cabernet. With tension on the palate too.
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7/21/2016 - Mrbuzz Likes this wine: 94 Points
Always have been a fan of BV...drank a lot of their wines when I first started in the early 90's...but kind of left them in the 2000's. Found these 12 GdL on sale for $59 so that seems like a killer jumping in point! Well...this would be pleasing even double the price! Dark inky blackberry color....shy nose at first....dusty cherry spice, anise, graphite powder, liqueured berries. Nice full bodied mouthfeel...yet not too sweet or goopy....young but well balanced....liqueured berries and currants...dusty and powdery oak barrel tannins(Rutherford baby!), charcoal and lead pencil, dried cherry, tobacco.....smooth and quite accessible...yet with solid structure to age. Maybe a 30yr wine? Not like the old days...but the good news is there is pleasure NOW, and maybe more to come. And at that price point...makes it even better!! ;-)
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5/8/2016 - Bodyfxr wrote: 93 Points
A little young out of the gate. Decanted for over an hour. This wine is very approachable. Dark jammy fruits up fro not with some vanilla, casis and spices rounding it off. Very enjoyable.
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5/7/2016 - floridawinedrkr Likes this wine:
We had this after a 2006 Bryant so it was unfair to score this. It does need time to settle down or at least a 2nd day drinking wine. Again my taste buds were off from the Bryant as it was thick, rich, and quite massive. I do want to be careful not to unfairly make any comments on this wine that aren't just. It was still enjoyable but the alcohol was present. I believe this should be opened, decanted and drank on the second day.
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4/28/2016 - Millennial Drinkers wrote: 91 Points
Second GdL we have tried. Only other was the 2001 and this was a lot more enjoyable. Ruby red appearance. Nose was coated with red cherries with a slight rubber undertone. The palate was attacked with red fruits and berries. Solid acidity carries through. Slight undertones of earthiness, savoriness and slight anise. Moderate tannins (6.5/10) and moderate body. Long finish lingers with a red cherry finish. Can definitely tell that this is a baby and will do well over the next ten or so years. It can use that time to fully integrate and develop. Drink now till 2026.
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4/27/2016 - cab blends Likes this wine: 92 Points
This was a restaurant pop n pour.
I do enjoy the fruit and French style restrained balance in this wine. While being a classic NApa it has a little of the French restraint. High strong tannins at 8/10 with a rounded feel even though it is very young.
Light nose
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9/19/2015 - Jphowarth wrote: 95 Points
Takes 30 minutes to open. Ruby red. Drank with steak, potatoes. You can see the quality by the filtered clarity. Great nose after 1 hour. Red currents. Cherry and strawberry mix. There are wines you drink that say quality and don't let me be left for tomorrow. This is one of those wines. Fully integrated. I would say this will have more integration over the next 5 years. Good for least another 20. Wow. This bottle was finished cause it was that good.
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