I hate to write such a consensus review, but indeed this wine is deserving of a "good not great" score. The color shows nicely, still a fairly dark purple/red with nice viscosity. Not surprisingly, on the nose you get all fruit: dark red, blueberry compote, blackberry. Tannins are fairly light but present, which give the wine a bit of backbone. But the story ends there. The palate is far less complex than the nose suggest, with some decent beam of fruit enveloped by a lot of oak being the dominant feature. Very little secondary elements going on here, leading me to believe this wine is what it is - good fruit selection but fairly simple and it won't necessarily surprise to the upside though it will be very reliable for this genre. Drank over ~two hours with consistent notes.
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Found this in the back of the cellar. The cork fell apart but wine was ok. Initial taste on opening was a little rough. Old Barnyard And a little musty on the nose. Certainly old Bordeaux style on the first taste. Will surely get better after being open for awhile. Not bad, especially since we purchased at great price of $40 in 2010. Have two left and will share with buddy that loves older wines.
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At it's peak now. Dark brick red with a clear meniscus almost to the rim. Lovely aged cab color. Not a powerful nose- It smells like black currant (cassis), plum, espresso, cedar and game. More rustic than most Napa cabs. It tastes like blackberry, black currant (cassis), dust, cinnamon, tobacco and a nice cedar box quality that adds to the fruit. AThe body is medium/full. The wine has coarse texture almost rustic for a Napa cab with high acidity and a short but balanced finish.
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Decanted for 3 hours. Medium to deep ruby. Nose is coated in dark black and red berries. Pretty well integrated and plush on the palate. A little alcohol on the palate but not over whelming at all. Nice furriness in texture. Lots of dark stewed berries on the palate. Moderate tannins (5.5/10) with a medium plus body. A little alcohol in the light finish too. Might need a little more to blow that off. Drink till 2020.
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This was decanted for 3 hours and I think could still have more.
Clearly lighter than the full Pahlmeyer but a great under $90 wine. Tannins at 6/10 with significant acidity. Rolls together nicely but the finish is light and the alcohol comes through a little too much.
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An outstanding high end 2nd label Napa valley cab from a very very good Napa cab producer. Mature and in a very good drinking window. A very good QPR wine at our price point at this point of maturation. Aerated in glasses w/out a formal decant and this probably could use a short decant to open up. Tannins smooth and well integrated but still very much present - under proper cellaring conditions this wine easily has at least another 2-3 years+ to go, ? ~ 2020. Big wine, very dark purple, very smooth, complex and integrated, good mouth feel and a nice long aftertaste. Delicious nose of dark stone fruit, coffee and a lighter very floral note (? lilac) on the end with a classic mature Napa cab flavir profile of dark fruit, cassis and blueberry with an earthier finish of leather and tobacco. Highly recommend this wine for lovers of Napa cabernets.
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Dark and full-bodied with raspberry, currant, pepper, spice and oak. Showing quite young, except perhaps more integrated than upon release. Undoubtedly new world, but fun to drink.
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Three and a half years after the last note, this remains a rich royal purple. More rapid to open now than when younger and it still is dominated by blackberry, mocha, dark tea, and plum. Contrary to my expectations, the wine has not materially improved over time, and is showing effects of the highly extracted style in that the finish is a bit jammy to my taste.
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After letting the glass open a bit, this wine smells like breakfast with notes of bacon and fresh buttered biscuits. The taste is more like a swisher sweet with a combination of cherry/berry and some tobacco with a nice smooth finish.
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Deep dark red/purple, red rim with a little age. Creamy cassis and blueberries, sweet, a little alcohol, smokey bacon, fennel and dill, a little biscuity, some roses. Smooth, blueberries, green tea, smokey, milk chocolate, low tannin and reasonable acidity, quite purple, some stalkiness, very good length. Bold and fruity, drinking well now.
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Deep dark center, dark red/purple rim with some signs of age. Smokey bacon, cassis, dark cherries, Smooth, sweet, brambles, cherries, quite purple, good acid and tannin still, dried olives, cut grass, a little nutty, drying finish, good length. Better than expected, big and bold, high extract. However, the fruit isn't as bold as expected. Probably drinking as best as can be now. Probably better drunk younger.
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Double decanted one hour before serving. This was a mistake because whatever fruit was left had dissipated. This wine may have been à point some years ago, but now it is past it. I don't remember how this got into my cellar or why it got lost there, but this is a now a characterless wine. If you have any, I suggest you use it for mulled wine. What a pity.
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Bordeaux style wine. Nice balance. Decanted for one hour before drinking. Blackberry, blueberry and oak evident on the palate. Medium to short finish. Nice QPR.
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I rated my previous bottle 84(which was probably generous), this was obviously much better, great mouthfeel, balanced, really enjoyable. Tasted like a Cali cab.
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Initially a little tight, this took an hour to start showing off. This has a big nose of fig cookies, cherry cobbler and blacktop. I like the way it smells. Medium-heavy weighted. Initial flavors of blackberries, tar , cherry tobacco and pie. The flavors persist into the finish where they get swallowed up by alcohol and slightly harsh acids. I say slightly because it's still very drinkable, but the acidity has an edge to it. Also carries some nice dusty, slightly chalky tannin that combines with dark chocolate and dark fruit flavors in the finish. Overall thoughts, I knew going into this I was buying a huge wine. I like the purple potion from now and again. This has some really nice components but the wine isn't fully balanced and can't support the alcohol as it overtakes the wine in the finish. If the acidity and alcohol were a bit more in line, this would be a stunner. I'm finding it a bit better with a slight chill to deaden that alcoholic bite.
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This is just as solid of a second label as you'll find in the US. Great QPR, great integration, and even better balance. Just a very nice wine for a fair price. Paired perfectly with Lamb burgers and grilled onions and Shitake Mushrooms. This wine is never a disappointment.
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Meant to open a Pahlmeyer Prop red and opened this by accident. was not impressed, overly sappy and alcoholic/hot. Was iffy before and after the food but was good with it. Odd, but just didn't have the interest to make it on its own.
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Outstanding bottle of red wine in all aspects. I think this wine should drink well for a few more years although the end of recommended tasting window is now.
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Very nice balanced Bordeaux blend. Medium body for California, good mouthfeel and long finish. Probably at its peak. Had with steak after one hour in decanter and that is probably the best it could show
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Paired perfectly with pork rib roast and roasted garlic potatoes. This wine is awesome. Best red under $75 there is. The 2005 I think is right up there with the proprietary red. From pahlmeyera, the same year. Highly recommend this wine.
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Decanted 1 hour and rebottled. Pleasant but sudbued nose of blackberry with some herbs and spice. Smooth and medium plus body on the palate with black and red fuits. However, the fruit seemed unfocused, bland and quite grapey. The wine did pick up on the pleasant 30 second finish with notes of pepper and spice on the back end. Although it is decent wine I found this to be very disappointing.
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Dark fruits. Lovely soft tannins. More integrated than some higher end cabs, by which I mean not as structured and layered, but worked well with menus of both steak and a very spicy fish (mon chong jade fish a la Roy's Restaurants).
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Nose: Currant, licorice, blackberry, mint, violets, almost creamy fruit. Palate: soft tannins, currant, blackberry, alcohol noticeable on the finish. A fairly one-dimensional wine, but it's very round and extremely enjoyable to drink. Drink now IMO.
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Very dark fruits, oak, spice and some pepper - reminded me of an Australian shiraz rather than a bordeaux blend. Medium body with plenty of structure and firm tannins. Has a slightly brambly, chewy character that is both unusual and enjoyable. Medium to long, fruity and slightly acidic finish - but also very drying. Overall quite enjoyable on the palate, but the dry aftertaste is a bit too pronounced.
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Huge, soft, currant on the nose and the palate. Not much in the way of tannins or acidity though. Tasty now, but doesn't seem to have much aging potential.
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Very nice, big Cali red with bright ,forward dark fruit, some black pepper and a med finish. This is a full bodied wine that was much better on day two. The 15.2% alcohol was much more noticeable on the first day but seemed to mellow out on the second day. This is a very nice wine if you are a fan of big bold California cabernets.
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Medium-full bodied. Nice red and black fruit. Round and soft, but still lush in many respects. Noticeable oaky-spiciness contributing some complexity and a mocha/cocoa like note to the mid-palate. Nice tannic structure, but could have more acidity and less alcohol. This was un-corked for a good 8 hours prior to tasting.
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Young but much more approachable than a year ago. Still too young to open for my taste and while this should become an intense, interesting fine wine in 7 - 10 years it was really nice to drink tonight. Popped, poured and began to open within 15 minutes. No longer have to chew through the barrel to find the deep, rich, dark roasted fruit, and the tannins have relaxed.
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Impressively and unexpectedly, this wine outperformed the '07 Pahlmeyer Pinot tonight. Much more tannic and structured than the pinot (as you would expect), but also more outright enjoyable. Dark fruits with a smooth and rich mouth-feel...delicious!
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Royal purple. Rich, young and tight on opening but after an hour or so opening to blackberry, mocha, dark tea, and plum. Less expressive on the nose than on the finish. My guess is it needs another 3-5 years in the bottle. Hard to call a $50 bottle wine a value.
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Dark fruits and tannic grip up front, but quickly faded into nothing. Picked up this bottle on sale at a small retailer, once open I began to wonder about provenance since I have had this wine from my personal cellar within the last year and showed much better.
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Decanted for 2 hours. This can still lie down for a number of years. Even after 2 hours this still had an edge to it so I won't open more bottles for at least a year. (Assuming it will soften over time but given it is the second label it may soften and become too thin so will have to watch it carefully) Clearly not as complex as the Pahlmeyer Red. Nice chocolate and good moderate to strong tannins. Definite fruit forward but not overpowering at all - just a young, high end average Napa Cab.
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This bottle was given the vinturi treatment and then, nearly 2 hours in the decanter and although that allowed the aromatics to really shine, there was this underlying, weird acidity that leads me to conclude that either, I just don't like their style or this wine was not that well made. Either way, I'm not sold on this producer; particularly at their price point.
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Would not purchase again. Almost boring and slightly out of balance. Pulled from cellar and consumed watching Game 7. Deep purple to the edge. Aromas of black olive, tar, and subtle black fruit notes. Medium bodied, overly acidic. Finishes clean yet too acidic. Vacant tart mid and no fruit. By the way, Vujacic is the worst.
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Blackish red. Black fruits, licorice, eucalyptus,and slight sulphur. Decent balance and weight. Fruit overpowers acid and tannins with nice finish. a good wine,but still too expensive ...Not a deal spend money else where...
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This was my birthday present wine. The was lots of hype and anticipation of hearing this bottle was available. We were not disappointed. Not even close to the heavy duty, big Napa wine I expected, this was relatively light and elegant, and very complete. The complexities start with the nose where we have a combination of spicy earthiness, dark and red fruits, followed with cola and licorice. The palate has intense, but at the same time delicate blueberry, cassis, and plum. There is a smokey but throttled oak element. All balanced and smooth, pretty medium bodied. Fruit and lead pencil finish. It got better in the glass.
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Decanted for one hour. Definitely a good Cabernet for the price. However it still feels heavy on the alcohol to me. Better to wait another 3-4 years before drinking
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This tasting was proof-positive that you REALLY need to give these wines time to air out and open up. Not until after vinturi-ing and then, another 2+ hours in the decanter (add to that, when accompanying a rich, well-marinated piece of meat) did this wine show its true colors. Quite frankly, at the price point and even considering its full potential, I don't think I have the patience for this wine. That said, it's unquestionably well made and perhaps meant not-to-touch for 10 years after vintage release. I'd be abundantly curious to try out that theory and drink one of these in 2015.
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The nose is full of rich caramel that reminds me of Christmas candy all wrapped around a big ripe strawberry. The wine leads off on the palate with gentle apple peels evolving toward strawberry fruit soaked in blackberry juice. Apple flavors play into the finish, and tannins get dusty and firm to become just slightly grippy on the finish. 89+
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Forward nose of strawberry jam and darker scents. Smells delicious. Strong palate, medium weight, nice acidity throughout and approachable tannins. A bit thin on the transition the finish as a alcoholic kick takes over temporarily. Other than that, the flavors here are delicious. This is a nice wine overall, without the heat on the finish this would be a 90+ wine for me. Nice length finish as well, tapers off nicely.
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Absolutely a fantastic high end Napa second label cab enjoyed for dinner with Kim and good friends at Josh's on Union Square in downtown Hickory NC earlier this evening. Highly recommend this and what a great QPR wine at my price point. Immediately after coming home I have put in an order with my source for another case of this wine even before writing this tasting note - initial purchase done earlier this afternoon as part of a mixed case Pahlmeyer sale at the Wine Vault in the University area of Charlotte NC. Opened and poured at the restaurant, probably first pour aerating in glasses about 30 minutes prior to consumption, would definitely recommend decanting this if possible. Big, inky black, full bodied and good mouth feel, reasonably balanced but with more age or a decant do expect further improvement in balance, oaky backbone with well controlled tannins. Easily another 5+ years cellaring left. Nose bold and of dark fruit, burnt oak and cassis, primary flavors of black stone fruit, cassis, tar, oak and a hint of green pepper with more black pepper and tobacco developing later on the palate. Great wine, looking forward to periodically trying the remaining thre bottles and now hoping for an additional case.
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Black fruit on the nose. High intensity aromas of blackberry, plum, deli meat and hints of green pepper. Nice high acidity on the palate with moderate tannins. Taste confirms the nose. Good wine. A bit too expensive.
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A lot of dark fruit on the nose, predominantly cassis. Noticed some dark cherries on the palate which was also very tannic. This wine needs some time to open up.
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50+5+10+15+5 Course tannins, hints of cassis, cocoa, charcoal, smoke, very hot finish with vanilla and green bean. Not sure this is going to improve with age, but I'll keep my last bottle for another year to see what happens. A real disappointment.
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Port-like and over-the-top - especially when very unfairly paired with a good St Julien on the same night. Lots of fruit, almost no tannins. Hedonistic.
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Tasted on January 2, 2010 Nose of blueberry and strawberry. Taste was jammy with hints of rasberry and blueberry. High viscosity and thick legs. Opened up a bit harsh but on day 2 without decanting was very good. I would suggest decanting for 1 hour on intitial opening.
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I found this wine to be pretty damn good for a Cali Cab/blend under $40. Good fruit, nice nose just a hint of oak and decent balance, with nothing overpowering. I think a little more time open and or cellaring would do it more justice. Had this with prime rib and rocked...
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This wine is very drinkable right now, it is not a "Blockbuster California Cab" and I don't think it was meant to be a big, bold wine. Nevertheless, it is very enjoyable now; I think that it will age well for another seven to ten years.
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This wine was brought to a double-blind tasting of anything that the tasters wanted to bring. I could not get home in time to raid my personal cellar, so I went to the nearby wine shop to make my purchase of this wine. The take-home message about this wine is that it is simply not ready for prime-time consumption. Opaque purple in color, it shows moderately intense but very primary aromas of cassis, cloves and (unfortunately) grape vine stems. Full-bodied on the palate, with medium acidity, huge ripe tannins and flavors mirroring the nose. Medium finish. Hopefully the steminess will dissipate...if not this wine is in trouble. Drink 1/11-12/16.
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Huge, thick, syrupy wine. 8 of us rushed through it, so it was hard to determine the finer elements of the wine. Definitely needed more time in the bottle or a very lengthy decant.
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Opened up to a very strong and bold fruit nose that is reminiscent of Napa Valley wines. This didn't need much time to mature as it started big and bright with modest tannins that rounded out the fruit taste. A nice finish that paired extremely well w/our ribeye.
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Day 1: First impression "wow, that's dark". Very deep purple. The nose had some nice notes of dark semi-sweet fruit. The alcohol is very palpable though. This wine is very, very young. Only some light fruit on the palate, medium-body, but the acidity and alcohol are most prevalent. There is some tannic grip present, but not too much, which leads me to feel it's well balanced with the amount of fruit on the palate. Day 2: The tannin really smoothed out and the fruit was more playful on the palate. The finish lingers pretty long today, but the alcohol really burns your nostrils. The tannin is still present, and I really think this stuff will do well with some time in the cellar. I have 5 left, and will try to do one every 12 - 18 months. Good wine, capable of 93+ points. Buy it up if you can find a good deal. If you open now, give it the longest decant possible - at least 12 hours.
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Purchased as a glass at Wood Tavern, Oakland. Perfumed nose of dark black fruit with some chocolate. On the palate: solid dark core of black fruit with strong notes of Malbec; low in acidity with a dry and somewhat sweet finish. Good.
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Nice big wine. I think it's a bit pricey with respect to the market these days, but not at all disappointing. Very rich and extracted fruit, inviting nose, great mouth-feel, and good length and finish. I may even buy another.
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Fruit and tannins are ripe and well integrated, but the acidity and alcohol are out of balance and leaves for a sharp unpleasant finish-------unacceptable at this price point. Might calm down with some time but right now its only an 87. Tasted side by side with a '02 Sbragia Rancho Del Oso.
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Nice wine, red fruit and integrated oak. a little green on the palate. tasted dilute compared to the pahlmeyer, and the finish, while there, was a bit watery.
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Plum herb vanilla aromatics . Soft, ripe hints of herbs reemerge, green but balanced by fruits blk currant, soil, backgrnd ripe tannin, med length hints of choc on finish.
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Saturday Night Blind Wine Tasting (mainly Merlots/Cabs) (at home in the cellar): A beautiful stong berry (cassis) aroma.This wine needs to lie down for a few years as it is very young and a little harsh - not as full bodied as I maybe expected. Good strong tannins - I am suprized my scoring was so high as (with the scoring sheet) I thought it was closer to a 91. A good long finish.
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This was tasted after the 2002 Montelena Estate and it did not disappoint. A bit bigger and richer than the former, if not more structured and elegant. Great Napa Cab for those who like the fresh modern style, but not so big that it dominates the palate.
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11/25/2021 - tdurst Likes this wine: 92 Points
This wine is quite good to my taste. Smooth and robust without being overpowering. Too bad it is gone!
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5/13/2021 - hrazdiiv wrote: 90 Points
I hate to write such a consensus review, but indeed this wine is deserving of a "good not great" score. The color shows nicely, still a fairly dark purple/red with nice viscosity. Not surprisingly, on the nose you get all fruit: dark red, blueberry compote, blackberry. Tannins are fairly light but present, which give the wine a bit of backbone. But the story ends there. The palate is far less complex than the nose suggest, with some decent beam of fruit enveloped by a lot of oak being the dominant feature. Very little secondary elements going on here, leading me to believe this wine is what it is - good fruit selection but fairly simple and it won't necessarily surprise to the upside though it will be very reliable for this genre. Drank over ~two hours with consistent notes.
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12/30/2020 - johnnylaw1222 Likes this wine: 90 Points
Full bodied. Sweet red fruit, low acidity, mellowed tannins that are still present. Drinking fine, but not super interesting.
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8/3/2020 - East of Napa wrote: 90 Points
Found this in the back of the cellar. The cork fell apart but wine was ok. Initial taste on opening was a little rough. Old Barnyard And a little musty on the nose. Certainly old Bordeaux style on the first taste. Will surely get better after being open for awhile. Not bad, especially since we purchased at great price of $40 in 2010. Have two left and will share with buddy that loves older wines.
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8/24/2018 - hosscrow wrote: 91 Points
At it's peak now. Dark brick red with a clear meniscus almost to the rim. Lovely aged cab color. Not a powerful nose-
It smells like black currant (cassis), plum, espresso, cedar and game. More rustic than most Napa cabs. It tastes like blackberry, black currant (cassis), dust, cinnamon, tobacco and a nice cedar box quality that adds to the fruit. AThe body is medium/full. The wine has coarse texture almost rustic for a Napa cab with high acidity and a short but balanced finish.
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7/2/2017 - EvanRose Likes this wine: 90 Points
Better nose than taste. Subtle earthiness followed by black fruit, an olafactory delight. On the palate, a little bland
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3/19/2017 - cmmatthews Likes this wine: 91 Points
Still drinking very well.
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11/6/2016 - cmmatthews Likes this wine: 91 Points
Second bottle of this vintage. Needs a 2-3 hour decant but shows well. Doesn't keep well to the next day so drink up.
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10/30/2016 - Millennial Drinkers wrote: 90 Points
Decanted for 3 hours. Medium to deep ruby. Nose is coated in dark black and red berries. Pretty well integrated and plush on the palate. A little alcohol on the palate but not over whelming at all. Nice furriness in texture. Lots of dark stewed berries on the palate. Moderate tannins (5.5/10) with a medium plus body. A little alcohol in the light finish too. Might need a little more to blow that off. Drink till 2020.
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10/30/2016 - cab blends wrote: 91 Points
Light cassis nose that tells you I am a Napa Cab.
This was decanted for 3 hours and I think could still have more.
Clearly lighter than the full Pahlmeyer but a great under $90 wine. Tannins at 6/10 with significant acidity. Rolls together nicely but the finish is light and the alcohol comes through a little too much.
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9/22/2016 - ikkaariainen wrote: 93 Points
An outstanding high end 2nd label Napa valley cab from a very very good Napa cab producer. Mature and in a very good drinking window. A very good QPR wine at our price point at this point of maturation. Aerated in glasses w/out a formal decant and this probably could use a short decant to open up. Tannins smooth and well integrated but still very much present - under proper cellaring conditions this wine easily has at least another 2-3 years+ to go, ? ~ 2020. Big wine, very dark purple, very smooth, complex and integrated, good mouth feel and a nice long aftertaste. Delicious nose of dark stone fruit, coffee and a lighter very floral note (? lilac) on the end with a classic mature Napa cab flavir profile of dark fruit, cassis and blueberry with an earthier finish of leather and tobacco. Highly recommend this wine for lovers of Napa cabernets.
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8/6/2016 - Bowmanifesto wrote: 88 Points
Very good red shared with Jesse.
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4/16/2016 - Wineandsports Likes this wine: 91 Points
At its peak. Lovely coordinated flavors. No one dominant characteristic. Just a really nice bottle
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1/23/2016 - cmmatthews Likes this wine: 91 Points
Really nice fruit with just a hint of age. Still fresh and should go for some time.
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9/8/2015 - michigan dogs Likes this wine: 91 Points
still drinking very well and may have passed it's peak but definitely has some time left.
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7/10/2015 - VinoDiver Likes this wine: 90 Points
Drinking very well and didn't see any reason this shouldn't continue to hold.
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6/16/2015 - Mtn Cellar wrote: 93 Points
Smooth, raspberry, highly recommend this 10 year old wine.
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4/8/2015 - gmbdds wrote: 91 Points
Dark and full-bodied with raspberry, currant, pepper, spice and oak. Showing quite young, except perhaps more integrated than upon release. Undoubtedly new world, but fun to drink.
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12/15/2014 - Wineandsports Likes this wine: 89 Points
Overpowering fruit and tannins initially. Smoothed out a bit after some time in the glass. Still young. Too hot. Hope it has enough depth to age b
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6/1/2014 - smphelps wrote: 89 Points
Three and a half years after the last note, this remains a rich royal purple. More rapid to open now than when younger and it still is dominated by blackberry, mocha, dark tea, and plum. Contrary to my expectations, the wine has not materially improved over time, and is showing effects of the highly extracted style in that the finish is a bit jammy to my taste.
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4/14/2014 - Bottledrainer Likes this wine: 92 Points
After letting the glass open a bit, this wine smells like breakfast with notes of bacon and fresh buttered biscuits. The taste is more like a swisher sweet with a combination of cherry/berry and some tobacco with a nice smooth finish.
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3/28/2014 - pdadams66 Likes this wine: 89 Points
Deep dark red/purple, red rim with a little age.
Creamy cassis and blueberries, sweet, a little alcohol, smokey bacon, fennel and dill, a little biscuity, some roses.
Smooth, blueberries, green tea, smokey, milk chocolate, low tannin and reasonable acidity, quite purple, some stalkiness, very good length.
Bold and fruity, drinking well now.
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2/28/2014 - pdadams66 Likes this wine: 88 Points
Deep dark center, dark red/purple rim with some signs of age.
Smokey bacon, cassis, dark cherries,
Smooth, sweet, brambles, cherries, quite purple, good acid and tannin still, dried olives, cut grass, a little nutty, drying finish, good length.
Better than expected, big and bold, high extract. However, the fruit isn't as bold as expected. Probably drinking as best as can be now. Probably better drunk younger.
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1/28/2014 - Bowmanifesto wrote: 89 Points
Quality: Excellent. Price: Expensive for what it is. Cellar Verdict: Drink up. Enjoyable now. Value Verdict: Not so much.
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1/25/2014 - creek55 Likes this wine: 91 Points
I thought the bottle might be getting beyond its drinking window but I was wrong. The bottle was very nice. Great taste and beautiful rich color.
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12/24/2013 - Winestein wrote: 79 Points
Double decanted one hour before serving. This was a mistake because whatever fruit was left had dissipated. This wine may have been à point some years ago, but now it is past it. I don't remember how this got into my cellar or why it got lost there, but this is a now a characterless wine. If you have any, I suggest you use it for mulled wine. What a pity.
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10/12/2013 - SeaSmoke wrote: 89 Points
Bordeaux style wine. Nice balance. Decanted for one hour before drinking. Blackberry, blueberry and oak evident on the palate. Medium to short finish. Nice QPR.
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9/2/2013 - creek55 Likes this wine: 92 Points
This bordeaux blend continues to age nicely.
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7/16/2013 - Foodievines Likes this wine: 89 Points
Nice color and aromas. Clove, blueberry, and toasted oak. I little bit of heat made this wine a sub 90 pt wine for me. Nice overall.
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6/19/2013 - michigan dogs Likes this wine: 91 Points
I rated my previous bottle 84(which was probably generous), this was obviously much better, great mouthfeel, balanced, really enjoyable. Tasted like a Cali cab.
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4/28/2013 - gripNsip wrote: 85 Points
Initially a little tight, this took an hour to start showing off. This has a big nose of fig cookies, cherry cobbler and blacktop. I like the way it smells. Medium-heavy weighted. Initial flavors of blackberries, tar , cherry tobacco and pie. The flavors persist into the finish where they get swallowed up by alcohol and slightly harsh acids. I say slightly because it's still very drinkable, but the acidity has an edge to it. Also carries some nice dusty, slightly chalky tannin that combines with dark chocolate and dark fruit flavors in the finish. Overall thoughts, I knew going into this I was buying a huge wine. I like the purple potion from now and again. This has some really nice components but the wine isn't fully balanced and can't support the alcohol as it overtakes the wine in the finish. If the acidity and alcohol were a bit more in line, this would be a stunner. I'm finding it a bit better with a slight chill to deaden that alcoholic bite.
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4/3/2013 - PASimon wrote: 91 Points
This is just as solid of a second label as you'll find in the US. Great QPR, great integration, and even better balance. Just a very nice wine for a fair price. Paired perfectly with Lamb burgers and grilled onions and Shitake Mushrooms. This wine is never a disappointment.
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3/31/2013 - Flemboy Likes this wine: 91 Points
Started off Easter with this one. Very nice nose, still great fruit and well structured.
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3/13/2013 - Venturifan wrote:
Not memorable...
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12/9/2012 - rmmorford wrote:
very good wine I liked it very much
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10/8/2012 - drycab wrote:
Meant to open a Pahlmeyer Prop red and opened this by accident. was not impressed, overly sappy and alcoholic/hot. Was iffy before and after the food but was good with it. Odd, but just didn't have the interest to make it on its own.
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9/10/2012 - creek55 wrote: 92 Points
Outstanding bottle of red wine in all aspects. I think this wine should drink well for a few more years although the end of recommended tasting window is now.
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9/3/2012 - VinoDiver wrote: 90 Points
Outstanding wine with good fruit and structure. Drinking well now, but see no reason this won't go at least a few more years.
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9/2/2012 - ddingley wrote: 91 Points
Very nice balanced Bordeaux blend. Medium body for California, good mouthfeel and long finish. Probably at its peak. Had with steak after one hour in decanter and that is probably the best it could show
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8/2/2012 - blockboy wrote: 92 Points
Nose black currants, tar, tobacco
Taste blackberries, soft tannins, good mout hfeel, long finish
Wish I had bought more
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3/24/2012 - creek55 wrote: 92 Points
Excellent bottle of wine. Great color and taste. It got better as the night progressed.
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2/20/2012 - xboomer wrote: 91 Points
I like it. Give it a chance to open up.
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2/11/2012 - michigan dogs wrote: 84 Points
maybe it's past it's prime, nothing special, flavor lacking
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2/10/2012 - GA_Seattle Likes this wine:
Doug & Linda's party
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2/2/2012 - Bottledrainer wrote: 92 Points
Muted aroma, good fruit up front, structure is still prevalent, Great balance, fantastic finish.
4+13+17+8+50=92
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12/25/2011 - 2PinotsInAPod wrote: 92 Points
Paired perfectly with pork rib roast and roasted garlic potatoes. This wine is awesome. Best red under $75 there is. The 2005 I think is right up there with the proprietary red. From pahlmeyera, the same year. Highly recommend this wine.
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12/20/2011 - Yamadori wrote: 86 Points
Decanted 1 hour and rebottled. Pleasant but sudbued nose of blackberry with some herbs and spice. Smooth and medium plus body on the palate with black and red fuits. However, the fruit seemed unfocused, bland and quite grapey. The wine did pick up on the pleasant 30 second finish with notes of pepper and spice on the back end. Although it is decent wine I found this to be very disappointing.
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10/30/2011 - Higreen wrote: 91 Points
Dark fruits. Lovely soft tannins. More integrated than some higher end cabs, by which I mean not as structured and layered, but worked well with menus of both steak and a very spicy fish (mon chong jade fish a la Roy's Restaurants).
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9/13/2011 - team-blackburn wrote: 85 Points
Did not live up to expectations, I have had much better at half the price.
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4/4/2011 - cbkamp wrote: 92 Points
Nose: Currant, licorice, blackberry, mint, violets, almost creamy fruit. Palate: soft tannins, currant, blackberry, alcohol noticeable on the finish. A fairly one-dimensional wine, but it's very round and extremely enjoyable to drink. Drink now IMO.
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3/4/2011 - rickspicks wrote: 91 Points
Very dark fruits, oak, spice and some pepper - reminded me of an Australian shiraz rather than a bordeaux blend. Medium body with plenty of structure and firm tannins. Has a slightly brambly, chewy character that is both unusual and enjoyable. Medium to long, fruity and slightly acidic finish - but also very drying. Overall quite enjoyable on the palate, but the dry aftertaste is a bit too pronounced.
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3/1/2011 - GolferChris wrote: 93 Points
Still Has big bold tannins. Deep dark fruit with big mouthfeel and long finish. New world Napa Bordeaux blend.
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2/12/2011 - stevenjstein Likes this wine: 90 Points
Huge, soft, currant on the nose and the palate. Not much in the way of tannins or acidity though. Tasty now, but doesn't seem to have much aging potential.
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2/4/2011 - gmbdds wrote: 91 Points
Decanted. Soft, round and approachable after thirty minutes. Blackberry and currant notes, good structure and a rich finish.
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1/16/2011 - mmcdds wrote: 91 Points
Very nice, big Cali red with bright ,forward dark fruit, some black pepper and a med finish. This is a full bodied wine that was much better on day two. The 15.2% alcohol was much more noticeable on the first day but seemed to mellow out on the second day. This is a very nice wine if you are a fan of big bold California cabernets.
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1/14/2011 - PVTerroir wrote: 90 Points
Medium-full bodied. Nice red and black fruit. Round and soft, but still lush in many respects. Noticeable oaky-spiciness contributing some complexity and a mocha/cocoa like note to the mid-palate. Nice tannic structure, but could have more acidity and less alcohol. This was un-corked for a good 8 hours prior to tasting.
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11/20/2010 - punter wrote: 90 Points
Young but much more approachable than a year ago. Still too young to open for my taste and while this should become an intense, interesting fine wine in 7 - 10 years it was really nice to drink tonight. Popped, poured and began to open within 15 minutes. No longer have to chew through the barrel to find the deep, rich, dark roasted fruit, and the tannins have relaxed.
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11/19/2010 - Philly NQ King wrote: 92 Points
Impressively and unexpectedly, this wine outperformed the '07 Pahlmeyer Pinot tonight. Much more tannic and structured than the pinot (as you would expect), but also more outright enjoyable. Dark fruits with a smooth and rich mouth-feel...delicious!
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11/15/2010 - TrojanMike wrote: 92 Points
A great fruit forward but balanced wine
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11/8/2010 - jrbearden wrote: 91 Points
Cherry nose. Well balanced. Oak, mocha, and hint of spice. Smooth finish.
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10/26/2010 - smphelps wrote: 90 Points
Royal purple. Rich, young and tight on opening but after an hour or so opening to blackberry, mocha, dark tea, and plum. Less expressive on the nose than on the finish. My guess is it needs another 3-5 years in the bottle. Hard to call a $50 bottle wine a value.
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10/21/2010 - GA_Seattle wrote: 85 Points
Dark fruits and tannic grip up front, but quickly faded into nothing. Picked up this bottle on sale at a small retailer, once open I began to wonder about provenance since I have had this wine from my personal cellar within the last year and showed much better.
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8/14/2010 - cab blends Likes this wine: 91 Points
Decanted for 2 hours. This can still lie down for a number of years. Even after 2 hours this still had an edge to it so I won't open more bottles for at least a year. (Assuming it will soften over time but given it is the second label it may soften and become too thin so will have to watch it carefully) Clearly not as complex as the Pahlmeyer Red. Nice chocolate and good moderate to strong tannins. Definite fruit forward but not overpowering at all - just a young, high end average Napa Cab.
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7/13/2010 - golfwine wrote: 88 Points
This bottle was given the vinturi treatment and then, nearly 2 hours in the decanter and although that allowed the aromatics to really shine, there was this underlying, weird acidity that leads me to conclude that either, I just don't like their style or this wine was not that well made. Either way, I'm not sold on this producer; particularly at their price point.
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7/9/2010 - jcbrand wrote: 88 Points
I expected more here... Extracted but lacking any dimension.
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6/19/2010 - East of Napa wrote: 89 Points
Not bad, Probably needs to decant first. Give another try. great purchase
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6/17/2010 - Prolonging the Magic wrote: 84 Points
Would not purchase again. Almost boring and slightly out of balance. Pulled from cellar and consumed watching Game 7. Deep purple to the edge. Aromas of black olive, tar, and subtle black fruit notes. Medium bodied, overly acidic. Finishes clean yet too acidic. Vacant tart mid and no fruit. By the way, Vujacic is the worst.
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6/6/2010 - cns wrote: 91 Points
Solid effort. Not as complex and interesting as the Pahlmeyer Red, but a very worthy second label. Definitely a great value!
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5/30/2010 - Beachrooster Likes this wine: 90 Points
Blackish red. Black fruits, licorice, eucalyptus,and slight sulphur. Decent balance and weight. Fruit overpowers acid and tannins with nice finish. a good wine,but still too expensive ...Not a deal spend money else where...
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5/16/2010 - Drankthewholebottle wrote: 91 Points
This was a good one.
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4/13/2010 - Mike Kopanski wrote: 91 Points
This was my birthday present wine. The was lots of hype and anticipation of hearing this bottle was available. We were not disappointed. Not even close to the heavy duty, big Napa wine I expected, this was relatively light and elegant, and very complete. The complexities start with the nose where we have a combination of spicy earthiness, dark and red fruits, followed with cola and licorice. The palate has intense, but at the same time delicate blueberry, cassis, and plum. There is a smokey but throttled oak element. All balanced and smooth, pretty medium bodied. Fruit and lead pencil finish. It got better in the glass.
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4/5/2010 - Melanielynn wrote: 91 Points
Smooth
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3/29/2010 - Flav333 Likes this wine: 91 Points
Boom. Kicked butt. I'm out of bottles
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3/10/2010 - Valleyof7winds wrote: 79 Points
Decanted for one hour. Definitely a good Cabernet for the price. However it still feels heavy on the alcohol to me. Better to wait another 3-4 years before drinking
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3/6/2010 - golfwine wrote: 88 Points
This tasting was proof-positive that you REALLY need to give these wines time to air out and open up. Not until after vinturi-ing and then, another 2+ hours in the decanter (add to that, when accompanying a rich, well-marinated piece of meat) did this wine show its true colors. Quite frankly, at the price point and even considering its full potential, I don't think I have the patience for this wine. That said, it's unquestionably well made and perhaps meant not-to-touch for 10 years after vintage release. I'd be abundantly curious to try out that theory and drink one of these in 2015.
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3/3/2010 - subtlet wrote: 89 Points
The nose is full of rich caramel that reminds me of Christmas candy all wrapped around a big ripe strawberry. The wine leads off on the palate with gentle apple peels evolving toward strawberry fruit soaked in blackberry juice. Apple flavors play into the finish, and tannins get dusty and firm to become just slightly grippy on the finish. 89+
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3/3/2010 - gripNsip wrote: 89 Points
Forward nose of strawberry jam and darker scents. Smells delicious. Strong palate, medium weight, nice acidity throughout and approachable tannins. A bit thin on the transition the finish as a alcoholic kick takes over temporarily. Other than that, the flavors here are delicious. This is a nice wine overall, without the heat on the finish this would be a 90+ wine for me. Nice length finish as well, tapers off nicely.
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2/25/2010 - 1800kidney wrote: 90 Points
the "little brother"...rich even elegant california Cab/merlot/franc/verdot/ even a bit of Malbec in there..
A lot going on, really quite enjoyable
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2/5/2010 - ikkaariainen wrote: 92 Points
Absolutely a fantastic high end Napa second label cab enjoyed for dinner with Kim and good friends at Josh's on Union Square in downtown Hickory NC earlier this evening. Highly recommend this and what a great QPR wine at my price point. Immediately after coming home I have put in an order with my source for another case of this wine even before writing this tasting note - initial purchase done earlier this afternoon as part of a mixed case Pahlmeyer sale at the Wine Vault in the University area of Charlotte NC. Opened and poured at the restaurant, probably first pour aerating in glasses about 30 minutes prior to consumption, would definitely recommend decanting this if possible. Big, inky black, full bodied and good mouth feel, reasonably balanced but with more age or a decant do expect further improvement in balance, oaky backbone with well controlled tannins. Easily another 5+ years cellaring left. Nose bold and of dark fruit, burnt oak and cassis, primary flavors of black stone fruit, cassis, tar, oak and a hint of green pepper with more black pepper and tobacco developing later on the palate. Great wine, looking forward to periodically trying the remaining thre bottles and now hoping for an additional case.
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1/29/2010 - Dapz wrote: 91 Points
Black fruit on the nose. High intensity aromas of blackberry, plum, deli meat and hints of green pepper. Nice high acidity on the palate with moderate tannins. Taste confirms the nose. Good wine. A bit too expensive.
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1/13/2010 - Minkey wrote: 89 Points
A lot of dark fruit on the nose, predominantly cassis. Noticed some dark cherries on the palate which was also very tannic. This wine needs some time to open up.
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1/9/2010 - annerk wrote: 85 Points
50+5+10+15+5 Course tannins, hints of cassis, cocoa, charcoal, smoke, very hot finish with vanilla and green bean. Not sure this is going to improve with age, but I'll keep my last bottle for another year to see what happens. A real disappointment.
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1/2/2010 - Chasse_spleen wrote: 88 Points
Port-like and over-the-top - especially when very unfairly paired with a good St Julien on the same night. Lots of fruit, almost no tannins. Hedonistic.
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1/2/2010 - willfab60 wrote: 93 Points
Tasted on January 2, 2010 Nose of blueberry and strawberry. Taste was jammy with hints of rasberry and blueberry. High viscosity and thick legs. Opened up a bit harsh but on day 2 without decanting was very good. I would suggest decanting for 1 hour on intitial opening.
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12/29/2009 - DBell65 wrote: 91 Points
I found this wine to be pretty damn good for a Cali Cab/blend under $40. Good fruit, nice nose just a hint of oak and decent balance, with nothing overpowering. I think a little more time open and or cellaring would do it more justice. Had this with prime rib and rocked...
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10/28/2009 - vpoms wrote: 91 Points
This wine is very drinkable right now, it is not a "Blockbuster California Cab" and I don't think it was meant to be a big, bold wine. Nevertheless, it is very enjoyable now; I think that it will age well for another seven to ten years.
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10/17/2009 - Monkeymind wrote: 95 Points
Fantastic
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9/18/2009 - La Cave d'Argent wrote: 87 Points
This wine was brought to a double-blind tasting of anything that the tasters wanted to bring. I could not get home in time to raid my personal cellar, so I went to the nearby wine shop to make my purchase of this wine. The take-home message about this wine is that it is simply not ready for prime-time consumption. Opaque purple in color, it shows moderately intense but very primary aromas of cassis, cloves and (unfortunately) grape vine stems. Full-bodied on the palate, with medium acidity, huge ripe tannins and flavors mirroring the nose. Medium finish. Hopefully the steminess will dissipate...if not this wine is in trouble. Drink 1/11-12/16.
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9/13/2009 - winoj wrote: 92 Points
Fantastic cab, not too fruity, full palate and moderate in oak.
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9/12/2009 - rpenn77 wrote: 91 Points
Much better than the last time I tried it.
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8/20/2009 - ptelgenh wrote: 90 Points
beautiful dark purple color. well integrated fruit, alcohol, with mediumtannins. Did not decant and it's ready to drink now.
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8/3/2009 - hammie1234 wrote: 91 Points
Huge, thick, syrupy wine. 8 of us rushed through it, so it was hard to determine the finer elements of the wine. Definitely needed more time in the bottle or a very lengthy decant.
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7/28/2009 - chuckille wrote: 92 Points
Opened up to a very strong and bold fruit nose that is reminiscent of Napa Valley wines. This didn't need much time to mature as it started big and bright with modest tannins that rounded out the fruit taste. A nice finish that paired extremely well w/our ribeye.
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6/16/2009 - jorgerunfast wrote: 90 Points
Day 1: First impression "wow, that's dark". Very deep purple. The nose had some nice notes of dark semi-sweet fruit. The alcohol is very palpable though. This wine is very, very young. Only some light fruit on the palate, medium-body, but the acidity and alcohol are most prevalent. There is some tannic grip present, but not too much, which leads me to feel it's well balanced with the amount of fruit on the palate.
Day 2: The tannin really smoothed out and the fruit was more playful on the palate. The finish lingers pretty long today, but the alcohol really burns your nostrils. The tannin is still present, and I really think this stuff will do well with some time in the cellar. I have 5 left, and will try to do one every 12 - 18 months. Good wine, capable of 93+ points. Buy it up if you can find a good deal. If you open now, give it the longest decant possible - at least 12 hours.
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5/12/2009 - tanglenet wrote:
Purchased as a glass at Wood Tavern, Oakland. Perfumed nose of dark black fruit with some chocolate. On the palate: solid dark core of black fruit with strong notes of Malbec; low in acidity with a dry and somewhat sweet finish. Good.
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5/9/2009 - Drankthewholebottle wrote: 91 Points
Nice big wine. I think it's a bit pricey with respect to the market these days, but not at all disappointing. Very rich and extracted fruit, inviting nose, great mouth-feel, and good length and finish. I may even buy another.
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3/27/2009 - Hazeo wrote: 87 Points
Also not a big fan of this. Has good dark fruit but very ripe and has a bit of a harsh edge in the middle.
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3/26/2009 - wineotim wrote: 87 Points
Fruit and tannins are ripe and well integrated, but the acidity and alcohol are out of balance and leaves for a sharp unpleasant finish-------unacceptable at this price point. Might calm down with some time but right now its only an 87. Tasted side by side with a '02 Sbragia Rancho Del Oso.
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3/2/2009 - ews3 wrote: 88 Points
Nice wine, red fruit and integrated oak. a little green on the palate. tasted dilute compared to the pahlmeyer, and the finish, while there, was a bit watery.
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2/7/2009 - Garfield wrote: 92 Points
Showed well at the tasting. Groups #2, my #2. Ripe red and black fruit framed by still muscular tannin structure.
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1/11/2009 - LPskeleton wrote: 91 Points
Plum herb vanilla aromatics . Soft, ripe hints of herbs reemerge, green but balanced by fruits blk currant, soil, backgrnd ripe tannin, med length hints of choc on finish.
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11/1/2008 - rpenn77 wrote: 91 Points
Slightly tannic, black current notes. Medium finish. I will hold onto my other 2 bottles for a while.
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10/25/2008 - cab blends wrote: 93 Points
Saturday Night Blind Wine Tasting (mainly Merlots/Cabs) (at home in the cellar): A beautiful stong berry (cassis) aroma.This wine needs to lie down for a few years as it is very young and a little harsh - not as full bodied as I maybe expected. Good strong tannins - I am suprized my scoring was so high as (with the scoring sheet) I thought it was closer to a 91. A good long finish.
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6/14/2008 - mmurry wrote: 88 Points
Popular Varieties from Little Known Places (Farpointe Cellar): The nose had raspberry, black currant, and vanilla. The palate had raspberry, spice, black currant, and a vanilla finish.
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5/26/2008 - mangell wrote: 91 Points
No detailed notes taken,but it was excellent! Well structured, even though its a bit on the extracted side.
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3/26/2008 - Giladog wrote: 93 Points
This was tasted after the 2002 Montelena Estate and it did not disappoint. A bit bigger and richer than the former, if not more structured and elegant. Great Napa Cab for those who like the fresh modern style, but not so big that it dominates the palate.
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