Still lively and energetic. Solid signs of maturity with remaining exuberance. Lovely wine but not quite old yet. Would guess 3-4 years to go for full maturity.
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With reverse seared ribeye. Decanted for about an hour. Initially thought it might be corked when tasting on open, but after decanting emerged into a wonderful nuanced blend of lilac, vanilla bean, subtle raspberry, barely a hint of tar and black pepper. Remarkable.
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We had the 2013 Groth with home made hamburgers and it was perfect. Pop and pour ready to go right out of the bottle. The nose has lots of dark fruit, leather, and a hint of mint. The palate is medium bodied, rich, not over the top and good fruit. The tannins are nicely integrated, in a good spot right now about 10 years after the vintage first appeared. The finish was a bit short. Overall enjoyed this very much.
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Spicy aromas of vanilla, blueberry, plum and minty evergreen. Broad, generous, ripe plum and cherry with very fine tannins that provide a sensual grip. Impressive length on the finish.
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enjoyed this Cab that seems quite ready to drink now, could also go for several more years. A bit fruit forward but nice structure and acidity, medium tannin, a bit too much oak on the palate for my taste but helped balance the fruit, and some presence of cassis, strawberry, and leather
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Always "fun" to revisit a wine that I originally reviewed over 4 years ago. The biggest change from the original was the balance and resolution of the mature offering.
Slow ox for an hour and consumed over the following two hours. Nose was a little reluctant at first but came around with elements of dark fruits and violets. Rich mouthfeel with good acidity and sufficient tannic structure to last at least five more years in a proper cellar. Flavors included dark cherry, plum, tobacco, cassis and a refined earthiness. Elegant, vibrant and polished. Lengthy, enjoyable finish. Excellent representation of Oakville cabernet.
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Currants and black cherry fruit with finer notes of black licorice, clove, mocha and tobacco. Firm acidity and mouth coating tannins leading to a medium long, vibrant finish.
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I am not sure what was going on with this bottle. I had similar experiences with the 2013 vintage early on, but this bottle was completely shutdown on both day 1 and day 2. I have one more bottle that I will wait on and see...
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PNP. Dark black / red color. Cassis, red currants and tart cherry. More fruit on palate than nose with cassis, black cherry, plum and black licorice on palate. Medium body/acidity/tannins and long finish. Enjoyable. 91-92 range.
Would buy again.
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Deep red color. Black cherry on the nose and in the initial palate. Black fruits, tobacco, and chocolate on the palate, with some pepper and tannins early on. Tannins on the somewhat dry finish. This has aged well and still has plenty of character and body.
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Enjoyed over two days with food and subsequent to the 2012 Groth Reserve. Not as elegant, rich, and demonstrative as the Reserve offering , but nonetheless, for almost half the price of the Reserve, this is excellent. Very Oakville in style and character. Drink through 2028+
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A big and beautiful Cabernet in a real nice place right now. Dark fruits, chocolate, full bodied. Plenty of tannins to give it structure. Nice long finish. No signs of age in color or flavor profile.
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On nose, cassis, blackberry, black cherry and sweet tobacco. Similar flavor profile on palate. Medium+ body, medium acidity, full tannins and long finish. Very enjoyable. I prefer left Bank Bordeaux to Napa now but this was a treat. 93+/- has improved since I last tasted in 11/2017.
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There are times when I wish I could make sense of my selection of wine for dinner, hard as I might, it seems as though I can’t make hide nor hair of that decision, alas, it seems more likely that I just succumb to the complete randomness and whatever strikes my fancy.
Case in point; imagine, a comfortable Sunday evening sitting in front of my TV watching the rain-delayed running of the Daytona 500, you can use whatever event you might find yourself in on any given Sunday evening. Anyway, I had already made the choice of a hamburger for dinner, but not any hamburger, no this one was a little different. In my quest to become more vegetarian (okay, I know that having a hamburger, totally destroys that idea), I went out and bought some Almond Ricotta Cheese (that’s Vegan) to use with an upcoming retry of my Vegan Lasagna. To be safe, I bought about a pound of the stuff, way too much for one dish, so I started to think about how I could improvise other meals.
I did Scrambled Eggs in the morning with the Ricotta (not bad), I have the redo of the Lasagna, but I knew there was still too much remaining. Since I had bought the ground beef, I started thinking about how I could integrate the ricotta. So you know, I opted for stuffed! Some herbs, spices, and sriracha for heat, and a couple of hamburger patties on top of each other and, walah, stuffed burgers. I couldn’t bring myself to take pictures as I used bread and not hamburger buns and the stuffing wasn’t so secure between the beef thus allowing it to leach out. In the interest of brevity, that’s a first, I’ll move on to the wine.
I love my 2013 Napa Cabs and try not to drink them too soon, although, in hindsight, 2013 is now 7 years ago, so it’s not like I’m drinking a wine just released. Anyway, a couple of hours prior to dinner I did the appropriate thing and decanted the wine. Also appropriate, at least for me, I did taste the wine immediately so as to be able to ascertain differences over time (I’m so thoughtful – ladies, keep that in mind in case we meet).
First sip and the deep dark fruit was apparent, what also was there was an almost overly dry, almost dusty, taste. I did a geographical study to see how close Groth is to Rutherford as it almost had that “Rutherford Dust” quality. So you know, they are “close,” but not knowing the soils, that could be completely erroneous. The addition of 20% Merlot and aging in French Oak barrels for 22 months with 60% being new I’m sure had something to do with the wine.
A couple of hours in and dinner ready, I could tell that the wine had started its perfumigation. That’s not a word, at least I think not, but it’s a good choice and should be readily understandable, at least it was to me. For those not so inclined, I could tell that the wine’s fruit had begun to show itself and likewise the aromas. Still dark black fruit, but more expressive. The dryness still there as well, but with the integration of the fruit, it was much more pleasurable. Firm tannins provided additional depth and the lingering spice notes took the wine to a long finish. The wine should continue its evolution for many more years as I would expect from such a wine.
I’ll withhold comment about the pairing except to say that “it wasn’t half bad!” Great wine and a pretty good burger, hey, it works in my house. I will also say that Cameron Parry, Groth’s Director of Winegrowing, mentioned that this wine “would be right at home with a big juicy cheeseburger,” I guess my idea wasn’t so bad after all.
Cheers
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Enjoyed at a birthday dinner celebration. This will not disappoint, as pointed out in my June 2018 note, this is a big and powerful Cabernet showing nice balance and integration. Still in development and can be cellared for another 8-10 years. Went great with grilled ribeyes.
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Drank this over 2 days. Better on the first day, not as fruit forward as I was expecting. Good acidity and tannins, overall tasty. But did not stand out to be anything too special or memorable. Good everyday drinker.
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Dense purple and crimson red color but the wine is still very taught and appears young on the palette. Its very oak forward which is muting much else on the nose. Drinking a little hot and tannic.
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Had this against the 2015, which was much better. This one seemed light, no real character. Everyone agreed the 2015 was much better. Will hold the remaining bottles in hope of improvement.
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Very restrained, refined, dry cab. Vanilla and wood on the nose, took some time (at least an hour) to unwind and relax and release some of the better notes. Nice cherry and balsam and maybe a little menthol. Not the lush Napa style- more old world.
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Loved this complex cab. Opens up with toasted oak and vanilla on the nose. Palette combines dark fruits and a subtle smoke with a rich, full mouth feel, silky tannins, and a smooth finish. Would definitely buy it again.
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Seems the majority of the reviews are similar and I am adding one more. Very average and probably disappointing considering the year. Where I differ: I think this one will be better in several years. There's definitely enough there to last but I am unsure if this wine will evolve. Time will tell and it's all part of the fun.
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Great wine and drinking fine at this time. Mild tannins and fruit Very smooth wine. Initial pour was through aerator and was good, but got better as wine opened up. Both my wife and I enjoyed and would recommend to others.
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Very nice wine. Dark fruit—currants, blueberry, black plum. Some “roughness” mid-palate that would suggest coffee or tobacco, but, certainly, none of those flavors. Nice, side-of-the-tongue acid tartness. Firm tannin, but, again, nothing to discourage one from drinking now.
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Overall note from a Groth tasting, presented by the winery at the Yacht Club in Lillydale. The pours were small, but sufficient to understand each wine. 2013 Groth Oakville Cabernet Sauvignonn – This comes across as big and a bit green. This seems quite young, is quite simple, and got me thinking that they better age well to justify the price. Impression - 88 2014 Groth Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon – This is a step up from the regular cabernet. At least there is some interest. Full bodied with spice, dark fruit, earth and chocolate. I still don’t get the price tag though. Impression - 89. 2008 Groth Cabernet Sauvignon – This wine was boring and tired. This wine does not taste like it is meant to age, as it should be singing right now. Impression - 87 2009 Groth Cabernet Sauvignon – A slightly different flavor profile from the 2008, but also dull and tired. I should have asked the presenters if they decanted and how long. This was either over decanted or is not aging well. Impression - 87 2010 Groth Cabernet Sauvignon – Ok, this tastes like an acceptable cabernet. Our discussion at the table was that it just tastes “cabby”, and I would expect more from Napa and this producer. Impression - 88
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Had the 2012 wine once before in 2016. I remember it having more leather but similar fruit notes. Day2 with Venturi pour: nose of distinct black cherry, oak is there but subtle, pepper, plum in the background. Full bodied wine, palate repeats the nose. Finish is strong and pleasantly dry. Spice from initial taste on day 1 has dissipated to subtle. I'd appreciate more from this wine, maybe more leather or more fruit or something. It's obviously from oakville but not any kind of a showstopper. A solid cab for sure but not compelling. Not enough for me to buy again. This wines saving grace is the weight and body and solid finish.
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Brought this to a BYOB BBQ place in central Massachusetts. Paired this with brisquet sandwich. It pours a very dark red to almost violet color. Really intense color. On the nose lots of stewed dark fruits, almost like raspberry jam on the nose, no real hint of oak. On the palate this was smooth, rather big tannins that leave your mouth puckering and just sliced through the fatness of the brisquet. Really paired well with a summer BBQ type of meal. However, rather disappointing with the abrupt and unmemorable finish.
This was stored in my cellar around 55 degree and had it at the restaurant around the same temperature (it was transported in a Rabbit wine cooler holder), however, at this low temperature, I felt that it did not live up to its total potential. Once it started to warm up to more room temperature it started to express itself much more. Would have been nice to decant it at room temperature to really bring out the best in this young wine.
I anticipate this wine will improve from a year in the cellar. If you must drink it now, would suggest a minimum of 1 hour decant. Looking forward to how this will do over the next few years.
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It’s been a little over a year since my last bottle. Pretty consistent notes as last time. Nose and flavors are dominated by dark cherry but with significant tannins throughout. A little chalkier than my last bottle and a little more cedar/oak showing itself. Feels more full bodied. Solid Napa wine.
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Darkest ruby in the glass with a nose of toasty oak. On the palate, the wine is medium to full-bodied with the same toasty oak, as well as kirsch, caramel, blackberry jam, truffles and just a hint of mint. It has a lengthy and tannic (but not astringent) finish; so, I would cellar it for no more than 5 years. There's a Graves-like earthiness, which is hard to describe, to the wine. While the alcohol comes in at 14.9%, I wouldn't call this vintage of Groth "hot." Is this as good as the cookie-cutter $200/btl. Napa Cabs that occupy so many wine retailers shelves? No, but I paid less than $40 for this wine and at that price it has an excellent QPR. Then too, I can think of dozens of 90 point Cabs and Bordeaux blends. This is not one of them.
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Had at end of night. Lacked many of the characteristics of great Oakville wines and especially those in 2013. However, there was nothing wrong with this wine. Just easy drinking at the end of the night after a good dinner and other bottle consumed. Would not recommend that much with rich food b/c the food would overpower this moderate/subtle/light wine.
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Dark purple in color. Odd nose at first, but opened up quickly. Ripe red and black fruit, cassis, baking spice, bell pepper, Big chewy tannins. An excellent wine for the money. Offers a lot at the $50 price point. Lingering finish
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Decanted and enjoyed with a chargrilled beef tenderloin steak. This is a big, powerful and structured wine which really showcases the 2013 vintage.
Clear, youthful deep ruby color. Developing aromatics, with medium plus aromas of black currant, blackberry, black plum, black cherry, vanilla oak, a touch of bell pepper, and a healthy dose of dry dusty black earth. Very dry red wine. Pronounced flavors of spicy blackberry, tart black cherry, tangy black plum, creamy mocha, green bell pepper, and dry, crusty black earth. Medium alcohol and very full bodied. Highly structured and powerful with both high tannin and acidity which support a very long persistent finish. An outstanding wine which can be enjoyed now but will likely improve with additional cellaring
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Although a little young still, the wine offered so much more than expected. My wife especially likes the big, powerful chewy cabs and this one filled that bill. Pretty aromatic for a youngster with dark fruits, violets, cassis, wood and earthiness predominate. Plum, dark and red cherry, blackcurrants, mint, white pepper, and hints of toasted caramel flavors encompassed by a big, robust thick mouthfeel. Structured, full-bodied, spicy and dry the wine lingers with a generous, moderately-long finish. This bottle was consumed over a three day period without much change from beginning to end. Limited amount of air, so decanting for a couple of hours should calm the spiciness and reveal a well made, classic Cali cabernet. WE rated this wine 91 points and JS rated it 93 points. Excellent!
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At Park Avenue Spring for Mothers Day Dinner. We pnp'd, dark fruit and mocha on the nose. The palate was dark berries, plums, cigar box, charred meat and a hint of coffee on the long smooth finish.
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Classic Napa nose, with ripe fruit and cedar, perfectly balanced. Big flavors on the palate, with rather prominent tannins but just a touch too much heat. This will keep for at least five years, but is nice now if you want something with tannins to balance out a bold dish (We had it with flank steak with chimichurri.). Not overly extracted like many Napa fruit bombs.
Give it 1-2 hours of air if drinking now. Very nice.
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Definitely good, not great. The 15 minute decant probably wasnt enough to bring out the full flavor. Nice silky blend of vanilla and ripe dark berries. long finish. Glad this was after dinner as it would have been a tad sweet for the early part of the meal for me at least. Its a good california cab in line with the fruity styles.
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Drank over the course of 3 hours. Big wine but not super overripe or extracted like others in the range. Earthy blackberry, cherry chapstick, red currant, cedar, minerals, and chalky cassis. Made to be accessible young with light tannin, soft structure, and mellow acid. Enjoyable but best served as a filler or restaurant wine.
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The nose is there at times, absent at others. When present it's peppery, minty, hint of vanilla maybe, but never truly complex or intriguing.
Typically of a Cal cab, lots and lots of mouth by itself, but I found it wilted with a dark rich sushi grade tuna steak (just caught). Perhaps not enough fat to create the right chemistry....?
I don't know,... I'm just frustrated with California at the moment. I thought Groth would pick me up; but it didn't.
Bottom line: if you're after big fruit, full mouth, fine -- this'll do it for you; but if you want elegance, nuance, development and the intrigue that inevitably and instictively accompanies development, nah....
No knock on Groth; it's what's coming out of the present Golden State formula. But, hey: it's selling.
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Decanted for 1 hour and served with grilled NY strips. Dark red/black color. Currants, cassis, black cherry & oak/dill on nose. On palate, similar flavor profile ex. Oak. Medium body, medium+ acidity, strong tannins (fine with food) and long finish. Older school CA Cab - I really enjoyed but will let remaining bottles sit for 3+ years before re-trying. 91 today with room for improvement with bottle time. Was better on night 2 supporting thesis of letting this sit for a while.
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A bit more open than the '12 vintage. A nice clear ruby color, not too dark, bright and juicy balanced young fruit. Well done, still so young. Will develop nicely down the road.
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I found this cabernet to be outstanding. Very smooth and soft on the front end. It exhibited a superb balance of fruit with a level of oak that I found toxic (in a great way). The finish was dry with a delicate linger of oak. This wine will put a smile on your face. Business dinner last Saturday in Indy subsidized price was $62 per bottle, a great value! Our party consumed 7 bottles. We seemed unable to get enough.
Rich deep maroon. Caramel plums, blackberry, slightly mealy texture, weighty. Needs substantial food not to overpower palate. Medium long. From the list, Perry's Austin.
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This is drinking well now - but could use a 1-2 hour decant. Huge aroma, tannins still have a bite but mellows after some air! I'll be adding several to the cellar once I can find a decent price for it!
Served at the company's onc forum. The first glass I drank was disappointing - simple with tight tannins. Coming back to this later in the evening after dinner - much improved. Perhaps that bottle was open for some time? Complex dark fruit and soft yet present tannins. First glass - 88, second glass - 92
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12/4/2023 - Ridavids Likes this wine: 92 Points
Still lively and energetic. Solid signs of maturity with remaining exuberance. Lovely wine but not quite old yet. Would guess 3-4 years to go for full maturity.
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7/16/2023 - DizzyOneCheck Likes this wine: 92 Points
With reverse seared ribeye. Decanted for about an hour. Initially thought it might be corked when tasting on open, but after decanting emerged into a wonderful nuanced blend of lilac, vanilla bean, subtle raspberry, barely a hint of tar and black pepper. Remarkable.
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7/15/2023 - pgrzesik Likes this wine: 90 Points
We had the 2013 Groth with home made hamburgers and it was perfect. Pop and pour ready to go right out of the bottle. The nose has lots of dark fruit, leather, and a hint of mint. The palate is medium bodied, rich, not over the top and good fruit. The tannins are nicely integrated, in a good spot right now about 10 years after the vintage first appeared. The finish was a bit short. Overall enjoyed this very much.
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1/19/2023 - DavidWong168 Likes this wine: 91 Points
Spicy aromas of vanilla, blueberry, plum and minty evergreen. Broad, generous, ripe plum and cherry with very fine tannins that provide a sensual grip. Impressive length on the finish.
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12/26/2022 - cacastine Likes this wine: 90 Points
enjoyed this Cab that seems quite ready to drink now, could also go for several more years. A bit fruit forward but nice structure and acidity, medium tannin, a bit too much oak on the palate for my taste but helped balance the fruit, and some presence of cassis, strawberry, and leather
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11/23/2022 - Tahlequahdave1972 Likes this wine: 92 Points
Always "fun" to revisit a wine that I originally reviewed over 4 years ago. The biggest change from the original was the balance and resolution of the mature offering.
Slow ox for an hour and consumed over the following two hours. Nose was a little reluctant at first but came around with elements of dark fruits and violets. Rich mouthfeel with good acidity and sufficient tannic structure to last at least five more years in a proper cellar. Flavors included dark cherry, plum, tobacco, cassis and a refined earthiness. Elegant, vibrant and polished. Lengthy, enjoyable finish. Excellent representation of Oakville cabernet.
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9/17/2022 - ElJefeTX Likes this wine: 91 Points
Currants and black cherry fruit with finer notes of black licorice, clove, mocha and tobacco. Firm acidity and mouth coating tannins leading to a medium long, vibrant finish.
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8/5/2022 - Gkautry wrote: 87 Points
Disappointed in this one. Thin and very fruit forward. Not bad, just not what I was hoping for.
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2/18/2022 - Seantmurphy73 Likes this wine: 92 Points
Great wine, softened with time
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12/8/2021 - Jverhoef Likes this wine: 90 Points
Bold yet smooth. Great on chilly night before dinner sipping and with seafood risotto .
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10/21/2021 - Thebigbaby Does not like this wine:
I am not sure what was going on with this bottle. I had similar experiences with the 2013 vintage early on, but this bottle was completely shutdown on both day 1 and day 2. I have one more bottle that I will wait on and see...
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9/14/2021 - CWilliam wrote:
PNP. Dark black / red color. Cassis, red currants and tart cherry. More fruit on palate than nose with cassis, black cherry, plum and black licorice on palate. Medium body/acidity/tannins and long finish. Enjoyable. 91-92 range.
Would buy again.
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1/24/2021 - SyrahForth310 Likes this wine: 90 Points
Deep red color.
Black cherry on the nose and in the initial palate. Black fruits, tobacco, and chocolate on the palate, with some pepper and tannins early on.
Tannins on the somewhat dry finish.
This has aged well and still has plenty of character and body.
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12/30/2020 - wmccone54 wrote:
Enjoyed over two days with food and subsequent to the 2012 Groth Reserve. Not as elegant, rich, and demonstrative as the Reserve offering , but nonetheless, for almost half the price of the Reserve, this is excellent. Very Oakville in style and character. Drink through 2028+
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9/5/2020 - sean7711 Likes this wine: 91 Points
Steadily improving, has settled into a nice place. No formal notes but starting to find its stride. Drank over two nights, better on night 2
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6/21/2020 - gatormikenews Likes this wine: 93 Points
Soft tannins. Lots of secondary notes. Has aged nicely. Great on day 1, better on day 2. Wish I had a few more.
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4/27/2020 - KTelaak_Buffalo Likes this wine: 94 Points
A big and beautiful Cabernet in a real nice place right now. Dark fruits, chocolate, full bodied. Plenty of tannins to give it structure. Nice long finish. No signs of age in color or flavor profile.
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3/15/2020 - CWilliam wrote: 93 Points
PNP.
Black/red color. No apparent sediment.
On nose, cassis, blackberry, black cherry and sweet tobacco. Similar flavor profile on palate. Medium+ body, medium acidity, full tannins and long finish. Very enjoyable. I prefer left Bank Bordeaux to Napa now but this was a treat. 93+/- has improved since I last tasted in 11/2017.
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2/28/2020 - Hi.its.Don.4.Wine Likes this wine: 92 Points
There are times when I wish I could make sense of my selection of wine for dinner, hard as I might, it seems as though I can’t make hide nor hair of that decision, alas, it seems more likely that I just succumb to the complete randomness and whatever strikes my fancy.
Case in point; imagine, a comfortable Sunday evening sitting in front of my TV watching the rain-delayed running of the Daytona 500, you can use whatever event you might find yourself in on any given Sunday evening. Anyway, I had already made the choice of a hamburger for dinner, but not any hamburger, no this one was a little different. In my quest to become more vegetarian (okay, I know that having a hamburger, totally destroys that idea), I went out and bought some Almond Ricotta Cheese (that’s Vegan) to use with an upcoming retry of my Vegan Lasagna. To be safe, I bought about a pound of the stuff, way too much for one dish, so I started to think about how I could improvise other meals.
I did Scrambled Eggs in the morning with the Ricotta (not bad), I have the redo of the Lasagna, but I knew there was still too much remaining. Since I had bought the ground beef, I started thinking about how I could integrate the ricotta. So you know, I opted for stuffed! Some herbs, spices, and sriracha for heat, and a couple of hamburger patties on top of each other and, walah, stuffed burgers. I couldn’t bring myself to take pictures as I used bread and not hamburger buns and the stuffing wasn’t so secure between the beef thus allowing it to leach out. In the interest of brevity, that’s a first, I’ll move on to the wine.
I love my 2013 Napa Cabs and try not to drink them too soon, although, in hindsight, 2013 is now 7 years ago, so it’s not like I’m drinking a wine just released. Anyway, a couple of hours prior to dinner I did the appropriate thing and decanted the wine. Also appropriate, at least for me, I did taste the wine immediately so as to be able to ascertain differences over time (I’m so thoughtful – ladies, keep that in mind in case we meet).
First sip and the deep dark fruit was apparent, what also was there was an almost overly dry, almost dusty, taste. I did a geographical study to see how close Groth is to Rutherford as it almost had that “Rutherford Dust” quality. So you know, they are “close,” but not knowing the soils, that could be completely erroneous. The addition of 20% Merlot and aging in French Oak barrels for 22 months with 60% being new I’m sure had something to do with the wine.
A couple of hours in and dinner ready, I could tell that the wine had started its perfumigation. That’s not a word, at least I think not, but it’s a good choice and should be readily understandable, at least it was to me. For those not so inclined, I could tell that the wine’s fruit had begun to show itself and likewise the aromas. Still dark black fruit, but more expressive. The dryness still there as well, but with the integration of the fruit, it was much more pleasurable. Firm tannins provided additional depth and the lingering spice notes took the wine to a long finish. The wine should continue its evolution for many more years as I would expect from such a wine.
I’ll withhold comment about the pairing except to say that “it wasn’t half bad!” Great wine and a pretty good burger, hey, it works in my house. I will also say that Cameron Parry, Groth’s Director of Winegrowing, mentioned that this wine “would be right at home with a big juicy cheeseburger,” I guess my idea wasn’t so bad after all.
Cheers
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2/21/2020 - wmccone54 wrote: 92 Points
Enjoyed at a birthday dinner celebration. This will not disappoint, as pointed out in my June 2018 note, this is a big and powerful Cabernet showing nice balance and integration. Still in development and can be cellared for another 8-10 years. Went great with grilled ribeyes.
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1/26/2020 - Deepdrop Likes this wine: 92 Points
Huge improvement since I tasted this a year ago. In a nice place right now. Just starting to show some secondary flavors.
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12/3/2019 - pgrzesik Likes this wine: 89 Points
Drank this over 2 days. Better on the first day, not as fruit forward as I was expecting. Good acidity and tannins, overall tasty. But did not stand out to be anything too special or memorable. Good everyday drinker.
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9/1/2019 - nrjessup Likes this wine: 90 Points
Dense purple and crimson red color but the wine is still very taught and appears young on the palette. Its very oak forward which is muting much else on the nose. Drinking a little hot and tannic.
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8/31/2019 - sean7711 Likes this wine: 89 Points
Had this against the 2015, which was much better. This one seemed light, no real character. Everyone agreed the 2015 was much better. Will hold the remaining bottles in hope of improvement.
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7/25/2019 - MylesVino wrote:
Decent, but a little fruity and sharp
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5/24/2019 - lundmc Likes this wine: 90 Points
Very restrained, refined, dry cab. Vanilla and wood on the nose, took some time (at least an hour) to unwind and relax and release some of the better notes. Nice cherry and balsam and maybe a little menthol. Not the lush Napa style- more old world.
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4/19/2019 - feinwine Likes this wine: 93 Points
Loved this complex cab. Opens up with toasted oak and vanilla on the nose. Palette combines dark fruits and a subtle smoke with a rich, full mouth feel, silky tannins, and a smooth finish. Would definitely buy it again.
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3/20/2019 - Winowhyno Likes this wine: 90 Points
Needs at least 45 minutes decant to reach potential. very balanced, dry, fruit forward Cab.
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1/22/2019 - Deepdrop wrote: 90 Points
Seems the majority of the reviews are similar and I am adding one more. Very average and probably disappointing considering the year. Where I differ: I think this one will be better in several years. There's definitely enough there to last but I am unsure if this wine will evolve. Time will tell and it's all part of the fun.
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12/30/2018 - Deatzin Likes this wine: 90 Points
Great wine and drinking fine at this time. Mild tannins and fruit Very smooth wine. Initial pour was through aerator and was good, but got better as wine opened up. Both my wife and I enjoyed and would recommend to others.
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12/1/2018 - cblinstrub Likes this wine: 90 Points
Better bottle this time. Last may have been flawed. Lots of coffee and dark fruit.
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11/10/2018 - dlstrauss wrote: 89 Points
Disappointing
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11/3/2018 - EMark Likes this wine:
Very nice wine. Dark fruit—currants, blueberry, black plum. Some “roughness” mid-palate that would suggest coffee or tobacco, but, certainly, none of those flavors. Nice, side-of-the-tongue acid tartness. Firm tannin, but, again, nothing to discourage one from drinking now.
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9/29/2018 - cblinstrub Does not like this wine: 86 Points
Red fruit. No stricture no depth no acidity. For a 2013 really disappointing.
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9/15/2018 - galewskj wrote:
Overall note from a Groth tasting, presented by the winery at the Yacht Club in Lillydale. The pours were small, but sufficient to understand each wine.
2013 Groth Oakville Cabernet Sauvignonn – This comes across as big and a bit green. This seems quite young, is quite simple, and got me thinking that they better age well to justify the price. Impression - 88
2014 Groth Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon – This is a step up from the regular cabernet. At least there is some interest. Full bodied with spice, dark fruit, earth and chocolate. I still don’t get the price tag though. Impression - 89.
2008 Groth Cabernet Sauvignon – This wine was boring and tired. This wine does not taste like it is meant to age, as it should be singing right now. Impression - 87
2009 Groth Cabernet Sauvignon – A slightly different flavor profile from the 2008, but also dull and tired. I should have asked the presenters if they decanted and how long. This was either over decanted or is not aging well. Impression - 87
2010 Groth Cabernet Sauvignon – Ok, this tastes like an acceptable cabernet. Our discussion at the table was that it just tastes “cabby”, and I would expect more from Napa and this producer. Impression - 88
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8/25/2018 - Newbieonekanobi Likes this wine: 89 Points
Had the 2012 wine once before in 2016. I remember it having more leather but similar fruit notes. Day2 with Venturi pour: nose of distinct black cherry, oak is there but subtle, pepper, plum in the background. Full bodied wine, palate repeats the nose. Finish is strong and pleasantly dry. Spice from initial taste on day 1 has dissipated to subtle. I'd appreciate more from this wine, maybe more leather or more fruit or something. It's obviously from oakville but not any kind of a showstopper. A solid cab for sure but not compelling. Not enough for me to buy again. This wines saving grace is the weight and body and solid finish.
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8/24/2018 - pgrzesik Likes this wine: 89 Points
Brought this to a BYOB BBQ place in central Massachusetts. Paired this with brisquet sandwich. It pours a very dark red to almost violet color. Really intense color. On the nose lots of stewed dark fruits, almost like raspberry jam on the nose, no real hint of oak. On the palate this was smooth, rather big tannins that leave your mouth puckering and just sliced through the fatness of the brisquet. Really paired well with a summer BBQ type of meal. However, rather disappointing with the abrupt and unmemorable finish.
This was stored in my cellar around 55 degree and had it at the restaurant around the same temperature (it was transported in a Rabbit wine cooler holder), however, at this low temperature, I felt that it did not live up to its total potential. Once it started to warm up to more room temperature it started to express itself much more. Would have been nice to decant it at room temperature to really bring out the best in this young wine.
I anticipate this wine will improve from a year in the cellar. If you must drink it now, would suggest a minimum of 1 hour decant. Looking forward to how this will do over the next few years.
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7/28/2018 - RockyII Likes this wine: 91 Points
It’s been a little over a year since my last bottle. Pretty consistent notes as last time. Nose and flavors are dominated by dark cherry but with significant tannins throughout. A little chalkier than my last bottle and a little more cedar/oak showing itself. Feels more full bodied. Solid Napa wine.
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7/4/2018 - Dagalaifus Likes this wine: 93 Points
Darkest ruby in the glass with a nose of toasty oak. On the palate, the wine is medium to full-bodied with the same toasty oak, as well as kirsch, caramel, blackberry jam, truffles and just a hint of mint. It has a lengthy and tannic (but not astringent) finish; so, I would cellar it for no more than 5 years. There's a Graves-like earthiness, which is hard to describe, to the wine. While the alcohol comes in at 14.9%, I wouldn't call this vintage of Groth "hot." Is this as good as the cookie-cutter $200/btl. Napa Cabs that occupy so many wine retailers shelves? No, but I paid less than $40 for this wine and at that price it has an excellent QPR. Then too, I can think of dozens of 90 point Cabs and Bordeaux blends. This is not one of them.
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7/4/2018 - napasoutherner Likes this wine: 90 Points
Had at end of night. Lacked many of the characteristics of great Oakville wines and especially those in 2013. However, there was nothing wrong with this wine. Just easy drinking at the end of the night after a good dinner and other bottle consumed. Would not recommend that much with rich food b/c the food would overpower this moderate/subtle/light wine.
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7/2/2018 - napersmiths wrote:
Added erroneously
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6/30/2018 - Twitch12 wrote: 92 Points
Dark purple in color. Odd nose at first, but opened up quickly. Ripe red and black fruit, cassis, baking spice, bell pepper, Big chewy tannins. An excellent wine for the money. Offers a lot at the $50 price point. Lingering finish
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6/16/2018 - wmccone54 wrote: 92 Points
Decanted and enjoyed with a chargrilled beef tenderloin steak. This is a big, powerful and structured wine which really showcases the 2013 vintage.
Clear, youthful deep ruby color. Developing aromatics, with medium plus aromas of black currant, blackberry, black plum, black cherry, vanilla oak, a touch of bell pepper, and a healthy dose of dry dusty black earth. Very dry red wine. Pronounced flavors of spicy blackberry, tart black cherry, tangy black plum, creamy mocha, green bell pepper, and dry, crusty black earth. Medium alcohol and very full bodied. Highly structured and powerful with both high tannin and acidity which support a very long persistent finish. An outstanding wine which can be enjoyed now but will likely improve with additional cellaring
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6/15/2018 - Tahlequahdave1972 Likes this wine: 92 Points
Although a little young still, the wine offered so much more than expected. My wife especially likes the big, powerful chewy cabs and this one filled that bill. Pretty aromatic for a youngster with dark fruits, violets, cassis, wood and earthiness predominate. Plum, dark and red cherry, blackcurrants, mint, white pepper, and hints of toasted caramel flavors encompassed by a big, robust thick mouthfeel. Structured, full-bodied, spicy and dry the wine lingers with a generous, moderately-long finish. This bottle was consumed over a three day period without much change from beginning to end. Limited amount of air, so decanting for a couple of hours should calm the spiciness and reveal a well made, classic Cali cabernet. WE rated this wine 91 points and JS rated it 93 points. Excellent!
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5/13/2018 - markcic Likes this wine: 90 Points
At Park Avenue Spring for Mothers Day Dinner. We pnp'd, dark fruit and mocha on the nose. The palate was dark berries, plums, cigar box, charred meat and a hint of coffee on the long smooth finish.
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4/29/2018 - kkleg Likes this wine: 91 Points
Classic Napa nose, with ripe fruit and cedar, perfectly balanced. Big flavors on the palate, with rather prominent tannins but just a touch too much heat. This will keep for at least five years, but is nice now if you want something with tannins to balance out a bold dish (We had it with flank steak with chimichurri.). Not overly extracted like many Napa fruit bombs.
Give it 1-2 hours of air if drinking now. Very nice.
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4/13/2018 - Ben Christiansen wrote:
Shows '13 with some ripe fruit on it. Meaning riper than Groth normally is which shows '13. And that works it out. Structure, power,
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4/1/2018 - clingst Does not like this wine:
The alcohol was too overpowering. Harsh finish. ��
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3/23/2018 - TKinFtW wrote: 90 Points
Liked it!
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2/20/2018 - seanman Likes this wine:
Definitely good, not great. The 15 minute decant probably wasnt enough to bring out the full flavor. Nice silky blend of vanilla and ripe dark berries. long finish.
Glad this was after dinner as it would have been a tad sweet for the early part of the meal for me at least. Its a good california cab in line with the fruity styles.
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2/13/2018 - Burgundy Al wrote: 89 Points
Cassis, plum, black cherry, anise and mint with some sweet background notes. Perhaps still a bit oaky, but close to very good harmony overall.
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2/1/2018 - Stevenwsims Likes this wine: 92 Points
Tannic. Med fruit
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1/29/2018 - MAXIMUM SATISFACTION wrote: 90 Points
Drank over the course of 3 hours. Big wine but not super overripe or extracted like others in the range. Earthy blackberry, cherry chapstick, red currant, cedar, minerals, and chalky cassis. Made to be accessible young with light tannin, soft structure, and mellow acid. Enjoyable but best served as a filler or restaurant wine.
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12/29/2017 - Jmf17 wrote: 88 Points
The nose is there at times, absent at others. When present it's peppery, minty, hint of vanilla maybe, but never truly complex or intriguing.
Typically of a Cal cab, lots and lots of mouth by itself, but I found it wilted with a dark rich sushi grade tuna steak (just caught). Perhaps not enough fat to create the right chemistry....?
I don't know,... I'm just frustrated with California at the moment. I thought Groth would pick me up; but it didn't.
Bottom line: if you're after big fruit, full mouth, fine -- this'll do it for you; but if you want elegance, nuance, development and the intrigue that inevitably and instictively accompanies development, nah....
No knock on Groth; it's what's coming out of the present Golden State formula. But, hey: it's selling.
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11/28/2017 - CWilliam wrote: 91 Points
Decanted for 1 hour and served with grilled NY strips. Dark red/black color. Currants, cassis, black cherry & oak/dill on nose. On palate, similar flavor profile ex. Oak. Medium body, medium+ acidity, strong tannins (fine with food) and long finish. Older school CA Cab - I really enjoyed but will let remaining bottles sit for 3+ years before re-trying. 91 today with room for improvement with bottle time. Was better on night 2 supporting thesis of letting this sit for a while.
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10/8/2017 - BigBoy_Sonoma Likes this wine: 91 Points
Dark fruit, cassis, charcoal, cedar, tobacco, acidity, nice length on the finish. A-
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9/25/2017 - wineotim Likes this wine: 92 Points
A bit more open than the '12 vintage. A nice clear ruby color, not too dark, bright and juicy balanced young fruit. Well done, still so young. Will develop nicely down the road.
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9/14/2017 - Gallagher enjoys Wine Likes this wine: 93 Points
I found this cabernet to be outstanding. Very smooth and soft on the front end. It exhibited a superb balance of fruit with a level of oak that I found toxic (in a great way). The finish was dry with a delicate linger of oak. This wine will put a smile on your face. Business dinner last Saturday in Indy subsidized price was $62 per bottle, a great value! Our party consumed 7 bottles. We seemed unable to get enough.
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9/5/2017 - smphelps wrote: 88 Points
Rich deep maroon. Caramel plums, blackberry, slightly mealy texture, weighty. Needs substantial food not to overpower palate. Medium long. From the list, Perry's Austin.
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8/3/2017 - Colorado3G Likes this wine: 92 Points
This is drinking well now - but could use a 1-2 hour decant. Huge aroma, tannins still have a bite but mellows after some air! I'll be adding several to the cellar once I can find a decent price for it!
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6/2/2017 - sean7711 Likes this wine: 90 Points
First of six bottles so wanted to check in on it. PnP with pizza at a local BYOB. Very good showing, continued to evolve as we drank it. Recommended!
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5/16/2017 - eschaefer Likes this wine: 91 Points
Seductive texture. Medium to full body. Cassis, black cherry leather and chocolate. Good balance. Restrained oak. Nice drink. Recommended
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1/25/2017 - GoBlue2002 Likes this wine: 91 Points
Served at the company's onc forum.
The first glass I drank was disappointing - simple with tight tannins. Coming back to this later in the evening after dinner - much improved. Perhaps that bottle was open for some time?
Complex dark fruit and soft yet present tannins.
First glass - 88, second glass - 92
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9/30/2016 - Gestalted Does not like this wine: 87 Points
Ugh. Just not up to standards for Napa, Oakville for that matter. Earthy fruit with a bit sharpness to the finish. No bueno.
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8/30/2016 - SumCellar wrote: 88 Points
Low acidity. Little complexity.
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