Andrew Cullimore

9.2

No formal notes . Slightly lighter than the others , but still ruby , touch of garnet at the rim. Spicer and rounder red and dark fruits . Finer and more mineral more elegant on the palate . Quite elegant . Refined and elegant , mineral , good balance and acidity . This came across as lighter than the others , though with no lack of definition . Mineral , grafite tinged finish . Showing well this is probably going to have a slightly shorter life than the others , but is great for medium term drinking , over next 5-10 years perhaps . — 10 months ago

Andrew Cullimore

9.0

Medium deep ruby , garnet rim . Lighter cooler fruits , touch of spicy cassis , dry spices , touch of coffee . Lighter, redder fruits on the palate, cranberry and redcurrant with some cassis , quite light and small boned , grafite and tobacco notes . Good acidity , with lighter but still gritty tannins . Ok length . This is quite light but enjoyable now and over the next 5-8 years — 2 years ago

Vanessa

9.4

Here’s a gem from Howell Mountain AVA, Napa Valley!

Dunn Vineyards, Howell Mountain, Cabernet Sauvignon (2013).

It’s a deep ruby wine with subtle garnet influences. The nose and palate offer medium(+) intensity of ripe black cherry, blackcurrant, plum, blackberries, blueberry, creme de cassis, violet, black licorice, anise, cedar, pencil shavings, tobacco, leather, clove, balsamic, olive, peat, vanilla, cardamom, nutmeg…

On the palate, this wine is dry with medium alcohol (13.9%), medium(+) acidity, a medium(+) body, and high tannins that are silky smooth and fine grained. The finish lingers.

It’s absolutely delicious - cheers!! — 2 years ago

with Deked1

Chris England

9.6

This is still my favourite Rioja & vintage at present, worth £80 😍 My 10th try & still a beauty I can’t resist 👍 I exemplifies the pure essence a high quality Rioja 👏

📍 La Rioja Alta Gran Reserva 890 2001

▶️ @lariojaaltasa 🤗

🏵 96 points

🍇 95% Tempranillo, 3% Graciano & 2% Mazuelo

🍷 Garnet ruby w/ brick edge

👃 Smoked oak through mashed earthy cherries covered in vanilla coconut cream, balsamic jam & double caramel choc mocha w/ red liquorice, truffle, prune, date & light spiced herbs #nosetasia

👄 Med body of rich smooth silky creamy dark & red cherry bathed in balsamic goo w/ melted mocha & earthy liquorice

🎯 Long balsamic cherry mocha berry blast w/ a balsamic linger, touch of woody oak & red berry — 7 years ago

Greg Ballington

Co-Founder of Millennial Drinkers Wine Blog

9.0

Deep garnet red with a touch of ruby. Layered nose with cherries, a bit earthy, cedar and dark gravel. Medium tannins (7/10) and medium plus bodied. Power on the palate with dried cherries, forest floor, mushrooms and minerality. Long finish. Drink till 2030. — 8 years ago

with Sean and India

Greg Ballington

Co-Founder of Millennial Drinkers Wine Blog

9.1

Surprise bottle at the end of the tasting. A real treat. Garnet red with medium intensity and quite a bit of sediment. Layered nose with soft blackberries, soft black cherries, and a soft undertone of provenance herbs (lavender). Palate floats right across your tongue with some light red cherries, some toasted wood and a little leather. Still solid moderate tannins (5.5/10) and well integrated with the solid acidity. Medium to light bodied with great structure and texture. Moderate plus finish with a dryness to it. Drink till 2020. — 9 years ago

with Sean and India

Andrew Cullimore

9.2

Medium ruby , quite wide garnet rim, clear and bright . Cassis , blackberry , sous bois , mint , cedar , grafite , good clarity and surprisingly fruit driven still . Good volume on the palate , dark fruits , mint , good acidity and still quite gritty tannins. Saline and grafite tinged finish . Good length . Drinking very well now and over the next 5 years . For 2002 this is showing very well, classic and surprisingly elegant, a really nice surprise! — a year ago

Brenda Terzich-Garland

9.3

What a treat opening this 27 year old Napa Valley Spottswoode Cabernet! A deep purple garnet color with some bricking. Nose - dark fruit and wet forest floor initially standout followed by subtle notes of blueberry dark chocolate, fennel and a touch of tobacco & spearmint. Taste - cherry and dark plum stand out giving it a luscious smooth feel. Well integrated with secondary notes of dark soil, crushed rock, espresso, cedar and a medium finish — 2 years ago

with Leslie, Karin and 1 other

Tom Garland

9.5

1 hour decant (decent chunky/fine sediment). A monumental dark garnet color. On the nose: not big, but beautiful notes of black cherry, cassis, smoked meat, toasty oak, slight menthol. Taste: smooth, creamy, concentrated and intense full body wine with dark plum, cassis, dark chocolate, minerals, and a long peppery espresso finish. YUM! could drink this all night, but the bottle is half gone and its still early Sat night. — 4 years ago

with Brenda

GabWine

9.4

Color : Red
Wine estate : Tenuta San Guido
Designation : Bolgheri
Name : Sassicaia
Country : Italy
Vivino : 5/5
Note : Opening of this Magnum 2002 that had not moved from its individual wooden case in special. Always so many emotions to take out such a wine and please the family. Perfect time to open it and we are on a silky red robe blood with shards garnet. The typical nose of Sassicaia with flavors of black fruits, pepper, copper and cigar. Once in the mouth, the aromas explode and the final is long, greedy, structured and elegant. Excellent.
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Ouverture de ce Magnum 2002 qui n’avait pas bougé de sa caisse individuelle en bois. Toujours autant d’émotions à sortir un tel vin et faire plaisir la famille. Moment parfait pour l’ouvrir et nous sommes sur une robe soyeuse rouge sang avec des éclats grenats. Le nez typique du Sassicaia avec des saveurs de fruits noirs, poivre, cuivre et cigar. Une fois en bouche, les arômes explosent et le final est long, gourmand, structuré et élégant. Excellent.
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👍🏻Vivino, FB : GabWine | IG : gabriel_dvl 🥂 — 7 years ago

Chris England

9.2

Quick review as drinking w/ friends 😉 Not the best VCC I've had but still a decent aged drop 😎 @ £113

🍷 Garnet red w/ brown

👃 Rose petal perfumed mushrooms in a damp cellar filled w/ earthy soggy leaves through stewed plum, dark cocoa & smoked soft oak

👄 Med creamy smooth body of sweet blackcurrant & earthy plum in mocha

🎯 Med+ plummy mocha — 9 years ago

Natalie Wurst Harris

8.9

Smooth way drinking. Not too heavy! — 10 years ago

with Dave and P

Scott Kahn

9.4

Deep garnet in color and sous bois on the nose. Integrated black fruit, cedar, and graphite on the palette. Absolute and and pure “yuminess” to complement truffle fries in duck fat and a NY strip! — a year ago

Ericsson

9.7

What a wine! Perfect garnet color. Smells of clean stables, roses, dry orange peel, herbs and stone. The wine softly coats the palate with vibrant red fruit and a symphony of acidity and balance that just envelope. Amazing wine. — a year ago

Shane Walker

9.3

Clear, deep garnet,almost black in colour. Clean, pronounced fruits. Dry, high acidity and tannins in nice balance. Full bodied with chocolate and mocha flavours. Long finish. Outstanding value. — 3 years ago

with Michele and

Kimberly Anderson

9.3

Dark garnet in color. Heady scents of bay leaf, red plum, and tobacco. Mid-palate of dark chocolate, raspberry, and a hint of graphite. Long, plush finish — 6 years ago

with Chad

Kimberly Anderson

9.2

A bit cloudy. Light garnet@in color, but huge in flavor! Bright cherry, spice, leather. Amazing — 7 years ago

with Chad

Chris England

9.2

1️⃣9️⃣8️⃣3️⃣

🗞 Anorexia, 1st mouse, MS Word
🎵 Every Breath You Take, Billie Jean, Let’s Dance, Down Under
🎥 Flashdance, Return of the Jedi, Trading Places
🗣 Go ahead, make my day
🌍 4.64B (🇨🇳 1B)

Yum @ £160 but a year past it’s prime

🍷 Garnet bricked cherry

👃 Soggy smokey leaves, mushroom & earth in faded blackberry & fermented cherry w/ leather, prune & liquorice

👄 Med body of tart cherry & smooth blackberry w/ an earthy dry twang in med acidity & creamy mocha tone

🎯 Med dry red berry/cherry & blackberry — 8 years ago

Kevin McGarry

9.0

Fuller bodied. Great match for poultry. From high altitude Sonoma vineyards. Petaluma gap. Lots of cherries and spice. — 10 years ago

Madeline Puckette

9.0

look: pale ruby red core with slightly garnet rim.  medium viscosity.

smell: medium intensity aromas of roasted red bell pepper, allepo pepper flake, raspberry sauce, roasted jalapeno.  overall, sweet and ripe fruit smells followed by slight iron-like gravel note.

taste: medium + acidity, nearly high acidity, medium - tannin, flavors of smoked tomato, sour cherry, ending with a note of sweet dried/roasted pepper.  

profile: flavor is 'bursty' and drops out quickly and then hangs in a very subtle low way on the palate.  
purchased with Somm Select. honestly, it could have cellared a few more years. — 11 years ago