This week the wine was consistent with the latter two tasting notes, albeit seven years later, thus understandably showing slight diminution of the fruit and structure as the non-fruit tones of leather, tea and tobacco were starting to be more predominant over the bright black berry and black cherry fruits.
Outstanding bottle. Deep and youthful purple-garnet color, and not yet even fully mature. Lasted well in the glass over several hours. Much better bottle than one about a year ago. Points apply to this wine's quality within the world of 17 year old Washington reds.
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Great showing for a 16 year old WA wine: mostly red fruit with spice, graphite and a bit of old leather. Fully mature with well integrated oak, very Bordeauxish (for a WA wine).
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Surprising over-achiever for our gala Christmas beef wellington dinner - this was more polished than earlier tastings, full bodied, complex, vibrant and expressive with layers of blackberry, black currants and cherry fruits, a layer of spice, black tea and cassis with hints of tar, leather and tobacco on the lingering moderate tannin finish.
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I found the fruit to be moderate upon opening but brighter and more expressive the second day; complex and polished; blackberry, black currants and cherry fruits, and eucalyptus with a layer of spice, black tea and cassis with hints of tar, leather and tobacco on the lingering moderate tannin finish.
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Definitely on the decline, but showing it's pedigree well. Slightly oxidized color, a touch orange around a medium magenta. Clear and present grapeseed across the nose, with flirts of oak, maybe pipe tobacco, and soft leather. Taste started out thin, almost like it was gone, but after being open for 30 minutes started to show the polish of a gently integrated raspberry and cassis wine. Finish is even and balanced, but again a tinge of oxidation. It's time to drink up. Don't decant, it's too fragile. Fell apart after 2 hours open in bottle and our glasses.
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Dark inky color - medium - full bodied - firm black berry and black raspberry fruits are giving way to a tar, leather, cassis and hint of tobacco as this wine is passing its prime.
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This was one great bottle. Fruit was rich and tannins were soft and well integrated. Best of these I've had. Too bad the other bottle we had with it was off.
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Very good, but not great. As I expected, just past it's prime. Still interesting with some hints of dark fruit and cocoa. Starting to become a bit sharp and definately benefited from time being opened.
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A really nice nose of cedar and underbrush was a real highlight. Alas, this moves to a somewhat weak palate of cherry and leather. It's OK but not great.
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Beat the 1999 D2 we also opened at the same party. The cab gave it a bigger berry presence, and it was smoother overall. Still nothing to jump up and down about, but a pleasant enough complement to grilled steak. Probably not getting any better from here - drink up.
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Popped and poured. Initial aromas of wet cardboard and mold but thenm evolving into berry and spice. Out of the four of us, three found the bottle corked and the fourth found the bottle mildly corked, but we soldiered on. There were some notes of red berries and noticeable tannin. All in all this bottle was past its prime and totally disintegrated after 30 minutes. What a shame. Scored as 85 but marking as flawed.
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Upon opening, this wine had a beautiful nose of violets and rich dark fruits. However, the wine initially tasted like sour cherries. It took about 90 minutes in the decanter for this wine to come around and start to show some creamy vanilla notes and dark fruits that complimented the nose. It's still showing some tannins, but they took even longer to be discernable. I think this was past it's prime now, but was still a nice bottle. We only have 1 more left, and we'll drink it soon.
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Decanted and poured. Medium-bodied wine that is dark garnet in color. On the nose, creme de cassis and a touch of pickle barrel. On the palate, creamy, silky cassis, a little herbaceousness, and a long 30-second, vanilla oak finish. Better than expected on the palate, especially in the face of the pickle barrel note.
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Good color and fresh aromas from the glass. Slightly tart and maybe a tad green though. Red fruit coming though. Winebid $10 and worth that but not retail $ for sure. Still rather tannic but not sure its going to get better...
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A weekend in Seaside, OR; 9/30/2006-10/1/2006: Best bottle yet. We were really concerned that we had less than a year to drink these up. After this last bottle, I think there's a couple more good years left in these guys. We love this wine.
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Not drying up at all. This is a mice mid-weight cab blend with plenty of cassis and black cherry to hold for a while yet. Oak is completely integrated. Good drinking.
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Very bold with powerful dark fruit smells. Very smooth upon drinking and very pleasing. We match this up with a 2003 Claret, and was so hard to pick a favorite. Both bottles continued to change. After about 30 mins, fruity smell turned to more of an earthy, with light scent of chocolate. The same was true on taste, dark chocolate with a long, smooth finish.
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Upon opening, this bottle had a very big floral nose. After decanting the floral nose blew off to reveal dark fruits and some spice. Nice mouthfeel, and a very smooth wine all around. We did not notice any sharpness that the last bottle had.This is drinking very well right now, and I can't see these improving any more with time. We drank this next to Matthews 2003 Claret, and they were a nice compliment to each other while one was at maturity and the other very young.
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Nose of dark fruits, but not nearly the amount of dark fruit flavor as the nose promised. Very good mouthfeel from this wine, with a sharpness right at the finish. A very good bottle of wine, but could have been even better if that sharp finish/aftertaste wasn't there.
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I was pleased with this wine. Dark in color, just starting to throw some fine sediment. A little hot, but not too bad. Rich flavors of blackberry, currant, black cherry, and mocha. Shows a touch of an aged element. Still some biting tannin. Should be ready in 2 years or so.
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9/21/2018 - rmcnees wrote: 88 Points
This week the wine was consistent with the latter two tasting notes, albeit seven years later, thus understandably showing slight diminution of the fruit and structure as the non-fruit tones of leather, tea and tobacco were starting to be more predominant over the bright black berry and black cherry fruits.
https://unwindwine.blogspot.com/2018/09/matthews-yakima-vally-red-wine-red.html
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12/4/2016 - Neecies Likes this wine: 98 Points
Outstanding bottle. Deep and youthful purple-garnet color, and not yet even fully mature. Lasted well in the glass over several hours. Much better bottle than one about a year ago. Points apply to this wine's quality within the world of 17 year old Washington reds.
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12/28/2015 - Neecies Likes this wine:
Great showing for a 16 year old WA wine: mostly red fruit with spice, graphite and a bit of old leather. Fully mature with well integrated oak, very Bordeauxish (for a WA wine).
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12/5/2012 - Rieslingfan Does not like this wine: 75 Points
Wood, wood and more wood. Build a bridge out of it, but do not try to drink it.
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12/25/2011 - rmcnees wrote: 90 Points
Surprising over-achiever for our gala Christmas beef wellington dinner - this was more polished than earlier tastings, full bodied, complex, vibrant and expressive with layers of blackberry, black currants and cherry fruits, a layer of spice, black tea and cassis with hints of tar, leather and tobacco on the lingering moderate tannin finish.
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9/21/2011 - rmcnees wrote: 88 Points
I found the fruit to be moderate upon opening but brighter and more expressive the second day; complex and polished; blackberry, black currants and cherry fruits, and eucalyptus with a layer of spice, black tea and cassis with hints of tar, leather and tobacco on the lingering moderate tannin finish.
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9/9/2011 - FLI wrote: 91 Points
Very nice flavors and aromas of cab franc supporting the dominant cab. Well integrated tannins. Last bottle leaves me with a smile.
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7/15/2011 - JasonG wrote: 91 Points
Definitely on the decline, but showing it's pedigree well. Slightly oxidized color, a touch orange around a medium magenta. Clear and present grapeseed across the nose, with flirts of oak, maybe pipe tobacco, and soft leather. Taste started out thin, almost like it was gone, but after being open for 30 minutes started to show the polish of a gently integrated raspberry and cassis wine. Finish is even and balanced, but again a tinge of oxidation. It's time to drink up. Don't decant, it's too fragile. Fell apart after 2 hours open in bottle and our glasses.
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2/13/2011 - sithinfiltrator wrote: 91 Points
Lisa 91, Vic 90.
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2/12/2011 - rmcnees wrote: 88 Points
Dark inky color - medium - full bodied - firm black berry and black raspberry fruits are giving way to a tar, leather, cassis and hint of tobacco as this wine is passing its prime.
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2/5/2011 - FLI wrote: flawed
Compared to another bottle opened side by side, this was a bit rough and tannic - the fruit had faded. Bad cork, I suspect.
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2/5/2011 - FLI wrote: 89 Points
This was one great bottle. Fruit was rich and tannins were soft and well integrated. Best of these I've had. Too bad the other bottle we had with it was off.
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1/1/2011 - bvanbower wrote: 89 Points
Finally had enough help to drink this 9L and it was drinking beautifully!
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8/8/2010 - FLI wrote: 86 Points
I think this has peaked. Not as good as it used to be.
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7/16/2010 - cnr128 wrote: 87 Points
Very good, but not great. As I expected, just past it's prime. Still interesting with some hints of dark fruit and cocoa. Starting to become a bit sharp and definately benefited from time being opened.
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6/16/2010 - Eric wrote:
A really nice nose of cedar and underbrush was a real highlight. Alas, this moves to a somewhat weak palate of cherry and leather. It's OK but not great.
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11/6/2009 - Night Train wrote: 87 Points
Good, dark color. Cassis nose. Medium body, with cassis, coffee, and a little tobacco. Decent finish. Probably past its prime - time to drink up.
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8/2/2009 - FLI wrote: 87 Points
Beat the 1999 D2 we also opened at the same party. The cab gave it a bigger berry presence, and it was smoother overall. Still nothing to jump up and down about, but a pleasant enough complement to grilled steak. Probably not getting any better from here - drink up.
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4/6/2009 - rwstorer wrote: flawed
Popped and poured. Initial aromas of wet cardboard and mold but thenm evolving into berry and spice. Out of the four of us, three found the bottle corked and the fourth found the bottle mildly corked, but we soldiered on. There were some notes of red berries and noticeable tannin. All in all this bottle was past its prime and totally disintegrated after 30 minutes. What a shame. Scored as 85 but marking as flawed.
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3/1/2009 - Easter Everywhere wrote: 78 Points
Drinkable but a bit firm w/a slight dirty streak, iodine?
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2/22/2008 - last chance wrote: 88 Points
Upon opening, this wine had a beautiful nose of violets and rich dark fruits. However, the wine initially tasted like sour cherries. It took about 90 minutes in the decanter for this wine to come around and start to show some creamy vanilla notes and dark fruits that complimented the nose. It's still showing some tannins, but they took even longer to be discernable. I think this was past it's prime now, but was still a nice bottle. We only have 1 more left, and we'll drink it soon.
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1/18/2007 - DFC wrote: 89 Points
Decanted and poured. Medium-bodied wine that is dark garnet in color. On the nose, creme de cassis and a touch of pickle barrel. On the palate, creamy, silky cassis, a little herbaceousness, and a long 30-second, vanilla oak finish. Better than expected on the palate, especially in the face of the pickle barrel note.
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12/29/2006 - last chance wrote: 90 Points
New Year's Eve at Seaside, OR; 12/29/2006-1/1/2007: This still has a lot of life left in it. Good dark fruit flavors, and an improving mouthfeel. Love this wine.
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11/4/2006 - last chance wrote: 90 Points
Dark fruit, mocha, and some spice. Good mouthfeel. Really enjoy pulling these corks.
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10/30/2006 - Ekoostik wrote: 87 Points
Good color and fresh aromas from the glass. Slightly tart and maybe a tad green though. Red fruit coming though. Winebid $10 and worth that but not retail $ for sure. Still rather tannic but not sure its going to get better...
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10/1/2006 - last chance wrote: 91 Points
A weekend in Seaside, OR; 9/30/2006-10/1/2006: Best bottle yet. We were really concerned that we had less than a year to drink these up. After this last bottle, I think there's a couple more good years left in these guys. We love this wine.
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9/26/2006 - Rieslingfan wrote: 89 Points
Not drying up at all. This is a mice mid-weight cab blend with plenty of cassis and black cherry to hold for a while yet. Oak is completely integrated. Good drinking.
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7/31/2006 - Rico Suave wrote: 90 Points
Very bold with powerful dark fruit smells. Very smooth upon drinking and very pleasing. We match this up with a 2003 Claret, and was so hard to pick a favorite. Both bottles continued to change. After about 30 mins, fruity smell turned to more of an earthy, with light scent of chocolate. The same was true on taste, dark chocolate with a long, smooth finish.
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7/29/2006 - last chance wrote: 90 Points
Upon opening, this bottle had a very big floral nose. After decanting the floral nose blew off to reveal dark fruits and some spice. Nice mouthfeel, and a very smooth wine all around. We did not notice any sharpness that the last bottle had.This is drinking very well right now, and I can't see these improving any more with time. We drank this next to Matthews 2003 Claret, and they were a nice compliment to each other while one was at maturity and the other very young.
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6/17/2006 - last chance wrote: 89 Points
Nose of dark fruits, but not nearly the amount of dark fruit flavor as the nose promised. Very good mouthfeel from this wine, with a sharpness right at the finish. A very good bottle of wine, but could have been even better if that sharp finish/aftertaste wasn't there.
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5/6/2006 - ricovino wrote: 91 Points
Tanins softening, still dark fruits with adequate length and grip
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2/26/2006 - ScottG wrote: 85 Points
Tasted over the hill. Last bottle sang in comparison, this was drying up and disjointed.
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4/3/2005 - lorenzo wrote: 87 Points
Passport to Woodinville '05: Picking up gamey notes and wood on the nose.
Blackberries, cherries and chocolate on the palate.
Fine tannic finish.
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6/25/2004 - ScottG wrote: 90 Points
I was pleased with this wine. Dark in color, just starting to throw some fine sediment. A little hot, but not too bad. Rich flavors of blackberry, currant, black cherry, and mocha. Shows a touch of an aged element. Still some biting tannin. Should be ready in 2 years or so.
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4/11/2003 - Jason wrote: 86 Points
Deep color. Toasty nose with blackberry. More toast and blackberry in the taste. Short. 86 pts.
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