PnP. This is a dense and very complex, structured wine that is quite a mouthful to process. Definitely Bordeaux-like! Strongly recommend drinking with a meal and grilled meats might be best. It had medium aromatics with a full body and medium-plus acidity. The aromas and palate were dark-fruited with charcoal and cedar/oak notes.
Some of my guests sensed the Cab Franc, but for me it wasn't a striking presence. If it's most heavily Merlot, this reminds me of heavily structured Washington state merlots that need 10 years at a minimum to be tamed. I think this one easily lasts to 2030 and should go longer. It's a very well made wine!!!
Just searched for the variety composition and the CL release notes put the mix at 58% Merlot, 28% CF, 13% CS and 1% PV. It also notes, "Extended maceration ranging from four to five weeks fine-tuned our tannin profiles, allowing us to perfect mouth feel and wine complexity. The wine was aged in French oak barrels, 90% of which was new, for twenty-one months." That's what's behind the massive structure! Maybe this could last 20 more years!
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Much better now that it is aging. Nicely balanced, full bodied and layered. Red and blue fruit upfront. Notes of tea, herbs and earthy goodness on the back palate. Nicely integrated tannins. Difficult to believe this is Merlot heavy.
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I haven’t seen many reviews of these Cliff Lede blends, which typically must be purchased from the winery. It is my experience that they need a bit of time in the bottle for the alcohol and tannins to settle. Certainly one of the more unevolved 2015s I’ve had. Took about 30 minutes for the alcohol to blow off and for the fruit to push to the front. This is the last vintage, I believe, that is mostly Merlot. The cab franc percentage has steadily increased over the years. The wine is a deep purple, with a nose of black cherries, black pepper and lavender. On the approach the merlot is front and center, with ripe Red fruits, transitioning to the spicy, aromatic cab franc, finishing with silky tannins that coat the mouth. Probably will hit it’s prime drinking window in a year
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Dark ruby black Rich ripe currant and plum, some vanilla flavors Pure Napa, but restrained enough to keep this from becoming a flagrant fruit bomb. Utterly delicious if you like the style Big YFS
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This wine needs a few more years. Upon opening it was very rough and choppy with lots of green pepper in the front palate. We let it rest for a day - it was a bit more rounded, but still tightly wound. We let it rest another day and finally it mellowed and lost the vegetal characteristics. Much more smooth, balanced and well rounded after being open for 48 hours. I’d sure be patient before opening the next bottle.
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Wow....High Fidelity is playing a symphony in my mouth. Beautiful legs...long and slow....great fruit forward flavors and excellent balance. Probably should have laid down for a few years but I had to tatse it. Glad I bought a few.
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9/25/2023 - wine247365 Likes this wine: 92 Points
PnP. This is a dense and very complex, structured wine that is quite a mouthful to process. Definitely Bordeaux-like! Strongly recommend drinking with a meal and grilled meats might be best. It had medium aromatics with a full body and medium-plus acidity. The aromas and palate were dark-fruited with charcoal and cedar/oak notes.
Some of my guests sensed the Cab Franc, but for me it wasn't a striking presence. If it's most heavily Merlot, this reminds me of heavily structured Washington state merlots that need 10 years at a minimum to be tamed. I think this one easily lasts to 2030 and should go longer. It's a very well made wine!!!
Just searched for the variety composition and the CL release notes put the mix at 58% Merlot, 28% CF, 13% CS and 1% PV. It also notes, "Extended maceration ranging from four to five weeks fine-tuned our tannin profiles, allowing us to perfect mouth feel and wine complexity. The wine was aged in French oak barrels, 90% of which was new, for twenty-one months." That's what's behind the massive structure! Maybe this could last 20 more years!
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6/7/2023 - wconnolly Likes this wine: 90 Points
Much better now that it is aging. Nicely balanced, full bodied and layered. Red and blue fruit upfront. Notes of tea, herbs and earthy goodness on the back palate. Nicely integrated tannins. Difficult to believe this is Merlot heavy.
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11/24/2022 - CLKeegan Likes this wine: 94 Points
Excellent wine for the holidays
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8/11/2021 - DavidW529 wrote: 92 Points
Fantastic wine. Opened the first of my allotment.
Lovely dark fruit. Super silky tannins. While not super complex a lovely and approachable wine to enjoy.
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6/13/2021 - Rune Schwartz Likes this wine: 95 Points
Excellent concentration, balance and lenght with Black Current and spices. Thought this was mostly Cab Sauvignon but it turned put to be 58% Merlot.
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9/5/2020 - Franken Berry Likes this wine: 92 Points
I haven’t seen many reviews of these Cliff Lede blends, which typically must be purchased from the winery. It is my experience that they need a bit of time in the bottle for the alcohol and tannins to settle. Certainly one of the more unevolved 2015s I’ve had. Took about 30 minutes for the alcohol to blow off and for the fruit to push to the front. This is the last vintage, I believe, that is mostly Merlot. The cab franc percentage has steadily increased over the years.
The wine is a deep purple, with a nose of black cherries, black pepper and lavender. On the approach the merlot is front and center, with ripe Red fruits, transitioning to the spicy, aromatic cab franc, finishing with silky tannins that coat the mouth.
Probably will hit it’s prime drinking window in a year
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5/16/2020 - Winowhyno Likes this wine: 92 Points
Excellent...wish I had more
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3/23/2020 - Cuellar's Cellar Likes this wine: 91 Points
Drink today. Opening really nicely. Has everything you are looking for black licorice, red currants, tobacco, and settle spices. Cheers
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6/11/2019 - Tylerk wrote: 91 Points
Drinking great now and I think underscored a bit in other reviews- great with an dry-aged strip steak-excellent fruit.
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4/4/2019 - cos65 Likes this wine:
Dark ruby black
Rich ripe currant and plum, some vanilla flavors
Pure Napa, but restrained enough to keep this from becoming a flagrant fruit bomb.
Utterly delicious if you like the style
Big YFS
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3/15/2019 - cos65 Likes this wine:
Deep ruby purple
Bright black cherry flavors
Ripe and too easy to enjoy right now, but enough structure to hold very well.
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11/27/2018 - Chefcar Likes this wine: 88 Points
This wine needs a few more years. Upon opening it was very rough and choppy with lots of green pepper in the front palate. We let it rest for a day - it was a bit more rounded, but still tightly wound. We let it rest another day and finally it mellowed and lost the vegetal characteristics. Much more smooth, balanced and well rounded after being open for 48 hours. I’d sure be patient before opening the next bottle.
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3/7/2018 - Cuellar's Cellar Likes this wine: 91 Points
A overall beautiful wine. Let this rest for 1.5 hours. This shows age quality.
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2/27/2018 - Winowhyno Likes this wine: 92 Points
Wow....High Fidelity is playing a symphony in my mouth. Beautiful legs...long and slow....great fruit forward flavors and excellent balance. Probably should have laid down for a few years but I had to tatse it. Glad I bought a few.
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2/18/2018 - Cuellar's Cellar Likes this wine: 90 Points
good bottle for everyday
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