A heady, rich blend, lush yet textured. Dark in color and redolent of blackberry, black cherry, spice, chocolate, coffee and herbs. A tangy finish and powdery tannins add interest at the end, which finishes long.
— J.M.
(12/31/2003)
Rich and soft, this Cab hails from a great vineyard in Rutherford. It’s dry, but tastes as sweet as a blackberry, chocolate and caramel pastry. The alcohol is high, yet balance and harmony characterize the mouthfeel. Drink now–2011.
— S.H.
(9/1/2009)
Superripe in the modern style, with blackberry, cherry, chocolate, anise, bacon and cedar flavors that are dry and complex. However, excessively high alcohol of 16.1% gives the wine a soft, glyceriney sweetness and heat that detract.
— S.H.
(9/1/2009)
Dark from beginning to end, from aromas of espresso and bitter chocolate to a finish of black pepper and earth. In between there’s roasted plummy fruit tinged with leafy tobacco and herb notes.
— W.E.
(11/1/2001)
Dark, rich and as softly chewy as a chocolate, blackberry, roasted almond and vanilla power bar, wrapped into thick but easy tannins. The alcohol is 16.5%.
— S.H.
(9/1/2009)
Starts off fruity and rich, with thick, jammy cherry, blackberry and chocolate flavors that coat the palate. Feels soft and round in the mouth, like liquid velvet. Yet there’s an herbal note that strikes midway and lasts into the finish, where the wine turns astringent with green tannins.
— S.H.
(5/1/2004)
Dark, rich and syrupy, a big, thick wine filled with blackberry and cherry flavors. As sweetly ripe as it tastes, the wine is fully dry, with rich tannins. Acids are low, though, making for a flabby mouthfeel.
— S.H.
(5/1/2004)
A schizy wine, with cherry aromas joined to weedy, stalky ones. Drinks thin in fruity flavor, although there’s a core of cherry and an overlay of smoky oak. Drink now.
— S.H.
(6/1/2004)