Dark purple color. Sweet and ripe nose, including sweet black cherry, raspberry, cassis, menthol, coffee, and a little bit of heat. In the mouth, heavier and less acidity than the 2004. It's a bit tight at this point, but IMO this wine will be better than the 2003 vintage. Good Cab. A
------------------------------ "All men will hate you because of me, but he who stands firm to the end will be saved." Matthew 10:22
Posts: 1728 | Location: Illinois | Registered: Jun 29, 2005
Originally posted by Berno: Tasted next to the 2004 vintage.
Dark purple color. Sweet and ripe nose, including sweet black cherry, raspberry, cassis, menthol, coffee, and a little bit of heat. In the mouth, heavier and less acidity than the 2004. It's a bit tight at this point, but IMO this wine will be better than the 2003 vintage. Good Cab. A
Absolutely spot on review IMO. This is tight, even after a couple hours, and isn't nearly as expressive (yet) as previous vintages. But it will be fantastic...
There is a very prominent chocolate/coffee/malt note to this wine....
______________________________________ I'm throwin' rocks tonight. Mark it, Dude.
Posts: 2480 | Location: San Luis Obispo, CA | Registered: Mar 21, 2007
So it's good, but is it $65 good when the '03 was $35 good? I just have a hard time spending this kind of money on a bottle when the year over year price increases are so ludicrous... I guess it's my own personal boycott.
----------------------------- Up to the age of forty eating is beneficial. After forty, wine. The Talmud, 200BC
Posts: 434 | Location: NJ | Registered: Nov 22, 2006
Originally posted by CaliCab: So it's good, but is it $65 good when the '03 was $35 good? I just have a hard time spending this kind of money on a bottle when the year over year price increases are so ludicrous... I guess it's my own personal boycott.
The way I look at it is - if I take my $65 elsewhere and buy a different wine - can I get as good a quality or better? If not - buy the wine regardless of what it cost last night/month/year.
Originally posted by CaliCab: So it's good, but is it $65 good when the '03 was $35 good? I just have a hard time spending this kind of money on a bottle when the year over year price increases are so ludicrous... I guess it's my own personal boycott.
Yes, it is $65 good. It is incredibly spectacular for $50 at Costco though.
I would pay $65 easy, and I will, as I want a few more.
Posts: 1840 | Location: Anaheim Hills, CA | Registered: Nov 18, 2007
Originally posted by CaliCab: So it's good, but is it $65 good when the '03 was $35 good? I just have a hard time spending this kind of money on a bottle when the year over year price increases are so ludicrous... I guess it's my own personal boycott.
I guess maybe you're just partial to calicab, calicab?
Posts: 498 | Location: Los Angeles, CA | Registered: Oct 01, 2006
Actually, no. Long story short, It was cali cabs that initially gave me the bug, but now it seems I'm partial to just about everything but Cali cabs and the like...
You can;t really be a Cali Cab head when you balk at a $65 bottle!!!
----------------------------- Up to the age of forty eating is beneficial. After forty, wine. The Talmud, 200BC
Posts: 434 | Location: NJ | Registered: Nov 22, 2006
Wow, has the Don Melchor gotten that impressive over the years? Back in the 80's I used to buy this wine for under $10. and I thought it was a nice everyday wine! Even taking into account inflation, $65.00 seems a bit much unless it's a whole different wine. I suspect $65.00 could buy more. Tom
Posts: 39 | Location: NYC | Registered: Mar 19, 2008
Originally posted by Thom23: Wow, has the Don Melchor gotten that impressive over the years? Back in the 80's I used to buy this wine for under $10. and I thought it was a nice everyday wine! Even taking into account inflation, $65.00 seems a bit much unless it's a whole different wine. I suspect $65.00 could buy more. Tom
Maybe 65 could buy more. But not much more. This is definitely a wine that is worth the price. Especially when you can find it at most places for 55 and at Costco for 50. But, as stated before, I think this is also worth 65.
Posts: 250 | Location: Los Angeles | Registered: Dec 07, 2007
Originally posted by Yonster24: [QUOTE]Originally posted by Thom23: Wow, has the Don Melchor gotten that impressive over the years? Back in the 80's I used to buy this wine for under $10. and I thought it was a nice everyday wine! Even taking into account inflation, $65.00 seems a bit much unless it's a whole different wine. I suspect $65.00 could buy more. Tom[/QUOTE Maybe 65 could buy more. But not much more. This is definitely a wine that is worth the price. Especially when you can find it at most places for 55 and at Costco for 50. But, as stated before, I think this is also worth 65.
] Even in its infancy, it's worth $65.
------------------------------ "All men will hate you because of me, but he who stands firm to the end will be saved." Matthew 10:22
Posts: 1728 | Location: Illinois | Registered: Jun 29, 2005
This is getting a little pricey. I have always enjoyed this wine, but the 05 will probably be the last DM that I buy. I only bit because Nebraska was only allocated a few cases, and Lincoln was only allocated 12 bottles.
...Been dazed and confused for so long, it aint true...
Posts: 1473 | Location: Lincoln NE | Registered: Jul 14, 2006
Originally posted by jnastynebr: This is getting a little pricey. I have always enjoyed this wine, but the 05 will probably be the last DM that I buy. I only bit because Nebraska was only allocated a few cases, and Lincoln was only allocated 12 bottles.
Yeah, we didn't get much in Utah either; $63.66 plus tax per bottle.
Posts: 2519 | Location: Utah | Registered: Jan 15, 2008
Popped and poured last night. Nose of dark fruit, coffee, oil, tobacco, earth. In the mouth very plush, rich wine with much smoother and well integrated tannins than I expected at this point. Very dark brooding fruit that hasn't come to the forefront quite yet but is there. Dark chocolate, earth, mocha and coffee flavors were all very persistent. Drank over about 2 hours. I'm very impressed! If I had to score I'd say 95+ WOW!
Posts: 260 | Location: Arizona | Registered: Aug 07, 2008
Yes, I have had the '03 as well. While I personally thought it too was a very good wine in my humble opinion from what I tasted the other night it pales in depth compared to the '05. I'd have to say the '05 at this stage is drinking much better than the '03 ever did in my experience with it.
I have also tried every vintage of this dating back to 1998 and would put the '05 at the top of the class.
Posts: 260 | Location: Arizona | Registered: Aug 07, 2008
I hosted a blind tasting on Saturday night of 05 cabs. This wine came in last place overall out of the six bottles in both the 1st round (pop and pour) and the 2nd round (1-2hours after being opened and decanted). Some people liked it in the 1st round (I think it got one 2nd place finish). In the 2nd round, its highest rankling was 4th out of six.
For me, the tobacco was too overpowering and I was surprised to see it was this particular wine once they were revealed. It was better the 2nd day, but I'd give it 87pts at best...
Posts: 234 | Location: Portland, OR | Registered: Feb 18, 2004
[/QUOTE] For me, the tobacco was too overpowering and I was surprised to see it was this particular wine once they were revealed. It was better the 2nd day, but I'd give it 87pts at best...[/QUOTE]
I really love the tobacco, oil, coffee flavors hence the reason I score it so high, just really my style of wine.
Just curious as well, what 05's were you drinking this against, that could have a very large bearing on the perception of this wine depending on what you were comparing it to.
Posts: 260 | Location: Arizona | Registered: Aug 07, 2008
