Winery - Staglin
* Expert NoteJanuary 12, 2012
An oaky wine that does its best to achieve depth and complexity, but it doesn’t overcome the vintage’s shortcomings. The oak contributes smoke, vanilla, char and sweet tannins, yet below are diluted blackberry flavors that turn herbal. The tannins are astringent.
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* Expert NoteJanuary 12, 2012
What a wonderfully rewarding wine. So delicious and elegant it dazzles, staying firm throughout, and getting even better through the finish. It’s sweetly, opulently ripe, showing a panoply of red and black cherry and mocha flavors wrapped into ripe, dusty, fine tannins. Defines classic Rutherford. Decant if you drink now, or hold through 2020.
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* Expert NoteJanuary 12, 2012
A big wine, rather ponderous now in the size and forwardness of its fruit and the volume of mainly new French oak. The fruit is massive, suggesting black and red sour cherry candy, with oak influences of smoky char and pencil shavings, and complex notes of minerals and sweet violet flowers. But it all needs time to come together. Tasted in a large flight of 2007 Rutherford Cabernets and Bordeaux blends, this was easily the star. Really hard to exaggerate the wine’s beauty and elegance. Best 2013–2019, at least.
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* Expert NoteJanuary 12, 2012
An anise note adds dimension to an already attractive lime, toast, melon and buttery bouquet. With beautiful balance, subtle peach, nut and crème brûlée flavors come together in a very attractive palate. This is as lithe and balanced as a ballerina on pointe. This Rutherford treat has a long, warm and smoky-caramel flavored finish.
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* Expert NoteJanuary 12, 2012
Here’s a young, strong, vigorous wine that needs cellar time. It’s absolutely dry, and hits the palate with numbing tannins. But the blackberry, cassis and cedar flavors are intense and concentrated. Earns its high score by the wonderful combination of elegance and potency. Hold until after 2015.
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* Expert NoteJanuary 12, 2012
Exotic, with tropical fruit, orange, peach, white flower, roasted marshmallow and spice flavors. Doesn’t really taste like Chardonnay, more like Roussanne. The structure is a bit soft, but it’s an interesting wine.
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* Expert NoteJanuary 12, 2012
Lots of briary, currant and blueberry flavors in this soft, appealing wine, with feathery tannins that melt on the finish. It’s oaky, too. As tasty as it is, it loses a few points for the simple structure and lack of intensity.
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* Expert NoteJanuary 12, 2012
Starts with an extraordinarily complex, refined aroma, detailed and inviting in cassis, tobacco, anise, cocoa and smoky oak. In the mouth, there’s fantastic depth and complexity. The wine is rich, profound, a star even in its Rutherford stable of thoroughbreds. It has enormous power, with finely ground, sweet tannins. Absolutely gorgeous now, with the stuffing and balance for improvement. Drink now–2017.
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* Expert NoteJanuary 12, 2012
One of the best Rutherford wines of the vintage. Dramatically concentrated, everything’s on steroids, but controlled and beautiful. Very ripe and plush, oaky and young, fabulously expressive. Flavors are of black currants, sweet cherries, vanilla, smoke. A perfect expression of youthful brilliance and ageworthiness.
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* Expert NoteJanuary 12, 2012
Black in color, glyceriney. Massive, deep, tremendous. Some will find it overpowering in New World extraction, but it’s a real beauty in that style. Explodes in black currants, chocolate and new oak, almost overripe, with suggestions of raisins. Almost dessert-like, but stays dry and elegant. Defines modern Napa Valley cult Cabernet Sauvignon.
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