The 2004 Asterisk is opaque deep garnet with ruby hues. I let this open up for about an hour and drank it over the following hour, allowing the nose to showcase aromas of blackberry, black plum, black cherry, tobacco, rocky earth, truffle, graphite, chocolate, clove, exotic spice, and well-integrated oak. Once in the mouth, the wine displays notes of blackberry, crème de cassis, black raspberry, purple florals, cigar box, smoky volcanic earth, earthy mushroom, black tea leaf, black pepper, coffee grounds, and dark chocolate. This is full-bodied with medium (+) acidity, medium yet still firm tannins, and a medium (+) length finish. Not drinking at all like it’s nearly 16 years old; even with tertiary notes starting to come through there remains a significant backbone of dark fruit. Not a speck of sediment thrown.
Blend of Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot (no tech sheet); 14.5% ABV
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Hard to find much information about this second wine from Sloan online. I'm guessing it's mostly Merlot because of the rubber/grapefruit pulp on the finish that I don't care for. Still the fruit is round and pure and the finish is long. Drinking youthful after 14 years. No rating because it's not my style.
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Chris brought this out to Gale St. Some age showing. Olive, soy, dark blackberries, savory elements. Palate is good but we wanted more complexity and nuance. Leather, black raspberry, dirty horse saddle. Quite tannic. Still needs some integration but, again, showing some age already.
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Deep garnet. Nose of plums, cloves and asian spices. Taste was big but 'ill-defined'-hard to put words on it but it was all cab on steroids-but they were short acting drugs. Drifted away quickly in the mouth.
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Very young - decanted for 4hrs, still tight and wound up. Typical Rutherford profile though, very fine tannin. Total elegance, touch of menthol on the nose, rich cassis and well integrated oak. Don't touch for another 5 years, needs time to really show.
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Left to slow ox for about 2 hours. This has improved quite a bit since i had it 18 months ago. Cassis and bell pepper on the nose. Still shows lots of ripe black fruit on the palate but the wine has developed some complexity and secondary characteristics. Nice notes of anise, dark chocolate and graphite. Long finish with integrated tannins. I found this to be smooth and well balanced and did not get the heat noted by some others. This is extremely good albeit somewhat expensive. May get better with more cellar time.
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after drinking the 2005 I had high expectations for this wine. It was nice, but certainly not as fantastic as the 2005. Decanted for over 3 hours. Kirsch and ripe fruit on the nose. Also some crushed stone and wood. I would much rather have the 2005.
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Decanted for 2 hours, rebottled and followed over about 3 hours. Cassis and ripe plum on the nose which comes across as quite Bordeaux like. Definitely Napa on the palate. Rich and smooth with lots of ripe black fruit. Very primary still with not much in the way of secondary characteristics although there were notes of butterscotch and a hint of tobacco. Great transition through the mid palate to the finish which is quite long with firm but manageable tannins present. There is a little heat with this wine but i did not find it too much of a problem. This is an outstanding wine which is approachable now but should be even better 5 years from now and drink well for 10 years after that. Expensive but worth the money (93+ pts).
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Tough one for me. Definitely a fine wine with deep, dark fruit...loads of cassis and licorice. Enough tannin to cellar for a few more years. Heat from high alcohol killed the finish. Needs more time, I believe.
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First time drinking this wine. Thick, juicy, plum, berries, creme de cassis. Still young and has not developed secondary flavors, so should be interesting to see how this wine develops.
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Deep garnet. Nose of plums and berries with a hint of caramel. Taste taste was rich, plums and berries, a very slight VA component which actually is interesting-I think the caramel is the VA in the mouth-odd but that is what I think. Overall very good-possibly enjoyed better than the Sloan itself.
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pretty and much more forward than its big brother, lots of rich deep berry fruit on the nose. The palate is thick and juicy with blackberry, creme-de-cassis, and a kiss of vanilla, lots of cinnamin on the finish. Very nice wine that won't require the patience of its bigger bother.
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3/21/2021 - WVWine Likes this wine: 96 Points
Very nice bottle from 2004. Decanted and drank over two hours. Dark purple color. Spice and blueberry smells. Long, nice finish.
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4/2/2020 - bensony Likes this wine: 94 Points
The 2004 Asterisk is opaque deep garnet with ruby hues. I let this open up for about an hour and drank it over the following hour, allowing the nose to showcase aromas of blackberry, black plum, black cherry, tobacco, rocky earth, truffle, graphite, chocolate, clove, exotic spice, and well-integrated oak. Once in the mouth, the wine displays notes of blackberry, crème de cassis, black raspberry, purple florals, cigar box, smoky volcanic earth, earthy mushroom, black tea leaf, black pepper, coffee grounds, and dark chocolate. This is full-bodied with medium (+) acidity, medium yet still firm tannins, and a medium (+) length finish. Not drinking at all like it’s nearly 16 years old; even with tertiary notes starting to come through there remains a significant backbone of dark fruit. Not a speck of sediment thrown.
Blend of Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot (no tech sheet); 14.5% ABV
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12/9/2018 - Quiet Lion Does not like this wine:
Hard to find much information about this second wine from Sloan online. I'm guessing it's mostly Merlot because of the rubber/grapefruit pulp on the finish that I don't care for. Still the fruit is round and pure and the finish is long. Drinking youthful after 14 years. No rating because it's not my style.
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10/29/2014 - beezer6 wrote: 92 Points
Chris brought this out to Gale St.
Some age showing. Olive, soy, dark blackberries, savory elements.
Palate is good but we wanted more complexity and nuance.
Leather, black raspberry, dirty horse saddle. Quite tannic.
Still needs some integration but, again, showing some age already.
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2/16/2014 - Harry Cantrell Likes this wine: 91 Points
Deep garnet. Nose of plums, cloves and asian spices. Taste was big but 'ill-defined'-hard to put words on it but it was all cab on steroids-but they were short acting drugs. Drifted away quickly in the mouth.
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1/18/2014 - MondovinoCA Likes this wine: 94 Points
Very young - decanted for 4hrs, still tight and wound up. Typical Rutherford profile though, very fine tannin. Total elegance, touch of menthol on the nose, rich cassis and well integrated oak. Don't touch for another 5 years, needs time to really show.
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1/26/2013 - Yamadori wrote: 94 Points
Left to slow ox for about 2 hours. This has improved quite a bit since i had it 18 months ago. Cassis and bell pepper on the nose. Still shows lots of ripe black fruit on the palate but the wine has developed some complexity and secondary characteristics. Nice notes of anise, dark chocolate and graphite. Long finish with integrated tannins. I found this to be smooth and well balanced and did not get the heat noted by some others. This is extremely good albeit somewhat expensive. May get better with more cellar time.
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1/18/2012 - sayward wrote: 91 Points
after drinking the 2005 I had high expectations for this wine. It was nice, but certainly not as fantastic as the 2005. Decanted for over 3 hours. Kirsch and ripe fruit on the nose. Also some crushed stone and wood. I would much rather have the 2005.
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7/15/2011 - Yamadori wrote: 93 Points
Decanted for 2 hours, rebottled and followed over about 3 hours. Cassis and ripe plum on the nose which comes across as quite Bordeaux like. Definitely Napa on the palate. Rich and smooth with lots of ripe black fruit. Very primary still with not much in the way of secondary characteristics although there were notes of butterscotch and a hint of tobacco. Great transition through the mid palate to the finish which is quite long with firm but manageable tannins present. There is a little heat with this wine but i did not find it too much of a problem. This is an outstanding wine which is approachable now but should be even better 5 years from now and drink well for 10 years after that. Expensive but worth the money (93+ pts).
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6/29/2011 - Pete North wrote: 92 Points
Tough one for me. Definitely a fine wine with deep, dark fruit...loads of cassis and licorice. Enough tannin to cellar for a few more years. Heat from high alcohol killed the finish. Needs more time, I believe.
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8/8/2010 - chetlee wrote: 93 Points
First time drinking this wine. Thick, juicy, plum, berries, creme de cassis. Still young and has not developed secondary flavors, so should be interesting to see how this wine develops.
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1/2/2010 - GZ3 wrote: 92 Points
This bottle seemed more tannic than last. Will decant next bottle for a few hours.
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12/19/2009 - GZ3 wrote: 95 Points
87 out of the bottle. but after an hour of air, was stunning.
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11/7/2009 - Harry Cantrell wrote: 94 Points
Deep garnet. Nose of plums and berries with a hint of caramel. Taste taste was rich, plums and berries, a very slight VA component which actually is interesting-I think the caramel is the VA in the mouth-odd but that is what I think. Overall very good-possibly enjoyed better than the Sloan itself.
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7/18/2009 - WVWine wrote: 94 Points
Opend and poured right away. Very dark wine. Smells of licorice immediately. Some hints of vanilla. After an hour or so, smells of spice.
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4/30/2009 - mmyette wrote: 93 Points
pretty and much more forward than its big brother, lots of rich deep berry fruit on the nose. The palate is thick and juicy with blackberry, creme-de-cassis, and a kiss of vanilla, lots of cinnamin on the finish. Very nice wine that won't require the patience of its bigger bother.
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