Pop and pour. Opened up after a half-hour and continued to improve as we drank for a total of 90 minutes. This is Cliff Lede's Merlot-heavy blend. It's showing beautifully right now. With air, velvety tannins, milk chocolate cherry, black pepper, graphite, Italian herbs. Really good effort and no signs of fading. Probably near peak with at least five years to go.
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I really enjoy this blend from day one to day three. It is still powerful with (in my option) 5 more years left. In the style of Saint Emilion, dark berry fruit, spice, dark chocolate and terrior. It had a 60 second finish.
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Great bottle. I’d drink this sooner rather than later. Opened up nicely after about an hour in the decanter.
From their website, they can describe it better than I can.
“Dense aromas of persimmon, pomegranate, clove, nutmeg, lotus flower and allspice evolve in multiple layers. A mouth divided between roses and oolong tea, builds generously into a rich seas of Sabra, dusty gravel, and sweet black tea. Plush and generous, this wine truly defines elegance. This vintage is a blend of 50% Merlot, 30% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Cabernet Franc, 5% Malbec, and 5% Petit Verdot.”
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Enjoyed this bottle over a few days. Right bank Bordeaux blend, shows a bit harsh and foursquare to my taste, especially for the price of $75 USD. Serious dark fruits, with dark chocolate, espresso, black currant, and green pepper, showing some heat on the thick and chewy finish. Drink now through 2026+.
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Still holding on but wouldn’t wait any longer. Very rich, ripe fruit with low tannin and low acidity. The Stag’s Leap fruit is evident here and while pleasant and flavorful, drops off fairly quickly. Nice bottle of wine. Drink up!
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Drinking very well right now. A right-bank effort from one of my favorite Napa producers, this wine is supposedly 50% Merlot, which normally produces a very unpleasant bitter finish on my palate. This one had only a hint of Baker's chocolate on the end and I enjoyed the juice quite a bit. It's perfumed, balanced and medium bodied.
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Good example of a New World take on a Right Bank Bordeaux. The merlot pops in classic flavors of chocolate, vanilla and sweet red fruits. There's a bouquet of moist tobacco and some cedar, with all of the baking spices that you would put with vanilla. Really good taste. Drinks well by itself, but would undoubtedly be versatile enough to pair with a number of different foods. It's quite full right now, and I don't see it falling off anytime in the next few years I have a couple of bottles of the '08, and given the (negative?) comments of some in the CT community, I'm interested see how the later vintage tastes.
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This was one of the best new world merlots I've had and it still seems young and should develop further. Lush and velvety upon entry with baking spices, vanilla and chocolate edge. Concentrated but not sweet or flabby as there is ample structure (especially tannins) to handle the fruit. It's a bit hot but not offensive. Long finish and strong nose of black fruits and floral notes.
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This was nice, but didn't blow my socks off. Decanted and ate with a good steak. Nice pairing...wine tasted good two days later. Will be interesting to see how it ages.
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Very dark and concentrated. The Merlot definitely takes center stage in this blend, with loads of cocoa and coffee flavors. Long finish. My only criticism is that a touch of heat is noticeable, but more on the nose than on the palate.
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Deep ruby color leads to a smokey nose of currant and blackberry. The full body fruit forward body abounds in black fruit and vanilla all wrapped in velvet. Firm finish lasts 35 seconds. A hedonistic delight now and I expect to improve and become more nuanced with time.
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9/14/2020 - Quiet Lion Likes this wine: 93 Points
Pop and pour. Opened up after a half-hour and continued to improve as we drank for a total of 90 minutes. This is Cliff Lede's Merlot-heavy blend. It's showing beautifully right now. With air, velvety tannins, milk chocolate cherry, black pepper, graphite, Italian herbs. Really good effort and no signs of fading. Probably near peak with at least five years to go.
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6/21/2020 - tc from santee Likes this wine: 94 Points
I really enjoy this blend from day one to day three. It is still powerful with (in my option) 5 more years left. In the style of Saint Emilion, dark berry fruit, spice, dark chocolate and terrior. It had a 60 second finish.
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5/29/2020 - Mdb1982 Likes this wine: 93 Points
Great bottle. I’d drink this sooner rather than later. Opened up nicely after about an hour in the decanter.
From their website, they can describe it better than I can.
“Dense aromas of persimmon, pomegranate, clove, nutmeg, lotus flower and allspice evolve in multiple layers. A mouth divided between roses and oolong tea, builds generously into a rich seas of Sabra, dusty gravel, and sweet black tea. Plush and generous, this wine truly defines elegance. This vintage is a blend of 50% Merlot, 30% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Cabernet Franc, 5% Malbec, and 5% Petit Verdot.”
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11/10/2019 - drrobvino wrote: 89 Points
Enjoyed this bottle over a few days.
Right bank Bordeaux blend, shows a bit harsh and foursquare to my taste, especially for the price of $75 USD.
Serious dark fruits, with dark chocolate, espresso, black currant, and green pepper, showing some heat on the thick and chewy finish.
Drink now through 2026+.
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11/5/2018 - Winegeek83 Likes this wine: 90 Points
Still holding on but wouldn’t wait any longer. Very rich, ripe fruit with low tannin and low acidity. The Stag’s Leap fruit is evident here and while pleasant and flavorful, drops off fairly quickly. Nice bottle of wine. Drink up!
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10/19/2016 - Quiet Lion Likes this wine: 92 Points
Drinking very well right now. A right-bank effort from one of my favorite Napa producers, this wine is supposedly 50% Merlot, which normally produces a very unpleasant bitter finish on my palate. This one had only a hint of Baker's chocolate on the end and I enjoyed the juice quite a bit. It's perfumed, balanced and medium bodied.
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4/21/2016 - Corrie Likes this wine: 93 Points
Well balanced right now, would not wait longer.
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10/10/2015 - kennyd Likes this wine: 91 Points
Pretty consistent with last bottle, slightly down.
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8/29/2013 - kennyd Likes this wine: 92 Points
Good example of a New World take on a Right Bank Bordeaux. The merlot pops in classic flavors of chocolate, vanilla and sweet red fruits. There's a bouquet of moist tobacco and some cedar, with all of the baking spices that you would put with vanilla. Really good taste. Drinks well by itself, but would undoubtedly be versatile enough to pair with a number of different foods. It's quite full right now, and I don't see it falling off anytime in the next few years I have a couple of bottles of the '08, and given the (negative?) comments of some in the CT community, I'm interested see how the later vintage tastes.
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6/3/2013 - thurwich wrote: 91 Points
Nice wine great with steak. Aged well and will continue to improve
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5/28/2013 - ejca Likes this wine:
Enjoyed, will hold second bottle for a year or two. Much better than the 08 we tried the night before.
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8/10/2012 - JJA wrote: 91 Points
WOTN
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4/22/2012 - KeithSurg wrote: 89 Points
Poured through vinturi. Smoother and drinking better already than when tasted previously.
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4/8/2012 - iamandyc wrote: 92 Points
This was one of the best new world merlots I've had and it still seems young and should develop further. Lush and velvety upon entry with baking spices, vanilla and chocolate edge. Concentrated but not sweet or flabby as there is ample structure (especially tannins) to handle the fruit. It's a bit hot but not offensive. Long finish and strong nose of black fruits and floral notes.
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3/8/2012 - Tom Warden wrote: 89 Points
This was nice, but didn't blow my socks off. Decanted and ate with a good steak. Nice pairing...wine tasted good two days later. Will be interesting to see how it ages.
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12/22/2011 - ewasowicz wrote: 90 Points
Nose: raisins and blackberries
Taste: cassis, light oak, dark fruit
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12/17/2011 - winosis3 wrote: 91 Points
beautiful ruby color; smooth bit of sediment
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11/29/2011 - kgh wrote: 90 Points
Nice concentration and overall structure, just lacking complexity of flavors to make it outstanding. Still, a very good red wine.
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8/16/2011 - Richard Levine wrote: 91 Points
Dark fruit, initially brooding and closed, as it sat in the glass it opened delightfully.
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8/13/2011 - KeithSurg wrote: 88 Points
Big wine that's still tight and tannic. Has potential, will wait on other bottles.
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6/18/2011 - East of Napa wrote: 91 Points
very nice wine with a smooth finish and lots of flavor
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6/4/2011 - DOH! wrote: 93 Points
Delicious. Hint of vanilla.
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12/7/2010 - kgh wrote: 89 Points
Very tight and closed down at first, improved with some time in glass. Red fruit and soft velvety texture.
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10/18/2010 - jcrotinger wrote:
Gave one bottle to Geoff and Barbara.
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10/18/2010 - jcrotinger wrote:
Gave bottle to Geoff and Barbara.
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7/13/2010 - rdsboca wrote: 92 Points
NIce spicy entry, smooth rounded tannins, deep ruby color, baking spice, cherry, cinnamon.
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2/26/2010 - elamasters wrote: 91 Points
Very dark and concentrated. The Merlot definitely takes center stage in this blend, with loads of cocoa and coffee flavors. Long finish. My only criticism is that a touch of heat is noticeable, but more on the nose than on the palate.
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2/22/2010 - flashvictor wrote: 94 Points
Deep ruby color leads to a smokey nose of currant and blackberry. The full body fruit forward body abounds in black fruit and vanilla all wrapped in velvet. Firm finish lasts 35 seconds. A hedonistic delight now and I expect to improve and become more nuanced with time.
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