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Spottswoode

19 notes Sort by: Vintage - Name - Rating

2016
88
With an intriguing orange note to the lemongrass, honeydew and grapefruit, the wine is fresh, sweet, round and ready to go.

With an intriguing orange note to the lemongrass, honeydew and grapefruit, the wine is fresh, sweet, round and ready to go.

2,867 Views   Tasted
2015
98
Inky in color, the lusciously textured, rich, deep, opulent, full-bodied wine coats your palate with waves of sweet, dark, juicy fruit without overwhelming it. The black cherries, chocolate, licorice, blackberry, boysenberry and vanilla in the finish really stay with you. If you dig ripe, exuberant, Napa fruit, you can easily drink it today. Else, age it for 5-7 years or more for further development. The wine was made from a blend of 90% Cabernet Sauvignon, 7% Cabernet Franc and 3% Petit Verdot .

Inky in color, the lusciously textured, rich, deep, opulent, full-bodied wine coats your palate with waves of sweet, dark, juicy fruit without overwhelming it. The black cherries, chocolate, licorice, blackberry, boysenberry and vanilla in the finish really stay with you. If you dig ripe, exuberant, Napa fruit, you can easily drink it today. Else, age it for 5-7 years or more for further development. The wine was made from a blend of 90% Cabernet Sauvignon, 7% Cabernet Franc and 3% Petit Verdot .

7,480 Views   Tasted
2014
89
Medium bodied and light on its feet, this classically styled wine focuses on the freshness on the fruit, with added nuances of cocoa and dusty tannins in the finish. This is ready for consumption.

Medium bodied and light on its feet, this classically styled wine focuses on the freshness on the fruit, with added nuances of cocoa and dusty tannins in the finish. This is ready for consumption.

3,188 Views   Tasted
2014
96
Just a super wine, with layers of ripe, fresh, sweet, juicy, dark red and black fruits. Luscious in texture, but still able to retain and balance and the right amount of acidity, the wine feels, tastes and smells great! It should age nicely in the cellar.

Just a super wine, with layers of ripe, fresh, sweet, juicy, dark red and black fruits. Luscious in texture, but still able to retain and balance and the right amount of acidity, the wine feels, tastes and smells great! It should age nicely in the cellar.

7,102 Views   Tasted
2013
90
Fresh, bright crisp, piquant grapefruit, lemon peel and rocky, tastes and textures show through here. Acidic, fresh and refreshing, the wine cuts a nice, straight path on your palate.

Fresh, bright crisp, piquant grapefruit, lemon peel and rocky, tastes and textures show through here. Acidic, fresh and refreshing, the wine cuts a nice, straight path on your palate.

4,813 Views   Tasted
2012
95
Stylish, polished, lush and fresh, the wine has an earthy, smoke filled personality with additional nuances of licorice and sweet, ripe, blackberries. Forward with round tannins, this should drink well young and as other vintages have proved, age quite nicely.

Stylish, polished, lush and fresh, the wine has an earthy, smoke filled personality with additional nuances of licorice and sweet, ripe, blackberries. Forward with round tannins, this should drink well young and as other vintages have proved, age quite nicely.

6,214 Views   Tasted
2012
87
Forward, early drinking, medium bodied, fresh wine, with a dark cherry personality that is meant for easy drinking pleasure.

Forward, early drinking, medium bodied, fresh wine, with a dark cherry personality that is meant for easy drinking pleasure.

2,754 Views   Tasted
2011
91
From a blend of 65% Sauvignon Blanc and 35% Sauvignon Musque. This could be the first time Semillon was not included in the blend. Honeydew melon, grapefruit, citrus and stone scents open to a fresh, bright, sweet, citrus filled finish

From a blend of 65% Sauvignon Blanc and 35% Sauvignon Musque. This could be the first time Semillon was not included in the blend. Honeydew melon, grapefruit, citrus and stone scents open to a fresh, bright, sweet, citrus filled finish

2,935 Views   Tasted
2010
98
Inky in color, dense, rich and concentrated, the wine coats your mouth with layer after layer of polished, velvety, sweet, perfectly ripe black and blue fruits with licorice. The lush, supple finish really leaves an impression.

Inky in color, dense, rich and concentrated, the wine coats your mouth with layer after layer of polished, velvety, sweet, perfectly ripe black and blue fruits with licorice. The lush, supple finish really leaves an impression.

5,350 Views   Tasted
2009
94
Aged in 69% new, French oak for 20 months, the wine is produced from a blend of 95% Cabernet Sauvignon, 4% Cabernet Franc and 1% Petit Verdot. Forest floor, truffle, cassis, blackberry and wet earth aromas open to a fresh, luxurious style of Cabernet Sauvignon. The wine offers a juicy, mouthful of bitter chocolate, cassis, spice and black cherry on the palate.

Aged in 69% new, French oak for 20 months, the wine is produced from a blend of 95% Cabernet Sauvignon, 4% Cabernet Franc and 1% Petit Verdot. Forest floor, truffle, cassis, blackberry and wet earth aromas open to a fresh, luxurious style of Cabernet Sauvignon. The wine offers a juicy, mouthful of bitter chocolate, cassis, spice and black cherry on the palate.

5,976 Views   Tasted
Spottswoode is on fire lately! 2009 is no exception with its showy nose packed with truffles, chocolate, licorice and black and blue fruits. Silky, soft and plush in texture, the wine finishes with an expansive, fresh, polished, black cherry finish.

Spottswoode is on fire lately! 2009 is no exception with its showy nose packed with truffles, chocolate, licorice and black and blue fruits. Silky, soft and plush in texture, the wine finishes with an expansive, fresh, polished, black cherry finish.

6,111 Views   Tasted
2008
93
Medium/full bodied and on the elegant, refined side of the style range, there is good freshness, purity of fruit and smoky, earthy blackberries to please the palate. But the same level of refinement and plush, polished fruits found in the best vintages is not present.

Medium/full bodied and on the elegant, refined side of the style range, there is good freshness, purity of fruit and smoky, earthy blackberries to please the palate. But the same level of refinement and plush, polished fruits found in the best vintages is not present.

4,177 Views   Tasted
2007
98
Inky in color, the perfume explodes with smoke, boysenberry, caramel, blackberry, chocolate, spice, blueberry and plum. This beautiful expression of California Cabernet Sauvignon coats your mouth, teeth, gums and palate with layers of perfectly ripe, luscious, soft, pure fruit. Thick, rich, harmonious and opulent, there is not a hard edge in the seamless finish. Drink it or age it, this is what California does best.

Inky in color, the perfume explodes with smoke, boysenberry, caramel, blackberry, chocolate, spice, blueberry and plum. This beautiful expression of California Cabernet Sauvignon coats your mouth, teeth, gums and palate with layers of perfectly ripe, luscious, soft, pure fruit. Thick, rich, harmonious and opulent, there is not a hard edge in the seamless finish. Drink it or age it, this is what California does best.

8,115 Views   Tasted
From a blend of 97% Cabernet Sauvignon and 3% Cabernet Franc, this sublime California Cabernet Sauvignon pops with aromas of fresh blueberries, blackberry jam, earth, spice with coffee bean and vanilla. While concentrated with multiple layers of ripe fruit, this is not over the top. Everything is in balance. With opulent, rich textures and a long, fresh, deep, ripe, rich, dark berry finish, this the best wine I've tasted from Spottswoode. Based on still having vintages from 1994 forward in my cellar, this should age and improve for at least 20 years.

From a blend of 97% Cabernet Sauvignon and 3% Cabernet Franc, this sublime California Cabernet Sauvignon pops with aromas of fresh blueberries, blackberry jam, earth, spice with coffee bean and vanilla. While concentrated with multiple layers of ripe fruit, this is not over the top. Everything is in balance. With opulent, rich textures and a long, fresh, deep, ripe, rich, dark berry finish, this the best wine I've tasted from Spottswoode. Based on still having vintages from 1994 forward in my cellar, this should age and improve for at least 20 years.

8,283 Views   Tasted
2006
93
Powerful, full bodied and concentrated with ripe, chewy, juicy, chewy Cabernet fruit, the wine offers ample licorice, cassis, smoke, espresso bean, blackberry, vanilla and earthy notes along with opulent, round textures and a deep, polished, ripe, dark fruit filled finish.

Powerful, full bodied and concentrated with ripe, chewy, juicy, chewy Cabernet fruit, the wine offers ample licorice, cassis, smoke, espresso bean, blackberry, vanilla and earthy notes along with opulent, round textures and a deep, polished, ripe, dark fruit filled finish.

5,224 Views   Tasted
2005
95
From 95% Cabernet Sauvignon and 5% Cabernet Franc, this rich, ripe, delicious wine pops with luscious blackberry, blueberry and black cherries, fresh brewed coffee and earth. Rich in texture, long, fresh, supple and clean, drink it or age it. Either way, this is a great style of Napa Cabernet Sauvignon wine.

From 95% Cabernet Sauvignon and 5% Cabernet Franc, this rich, ripe, delicious wine pops with luscious blackberry, blueberry and black cherries, fresh brewed coffee and earth. Rich in texture, long, fresh, supple and clean, drink it or age it. Either way, this is a great style of Napa Cabernet Sauvignon wine.

4,726 Views   Tasted
2002
96
Inky dark in color, scents of chocolate covered boysenberries, coffee, truffle, licorice and blueberry waft from the glass. Opulent, intense, concentrated and deep, this California Cabernet Sauvignon wine is packed and stacked with pure, ripe, juicy, sweet, fresh, jammy dark berries and chocolate, in the hedonistic finish. This is drinking perfectly today. There is no reason to wait on popping a bottle.

Inky dark in color, scents of chocolate covered boysenberries, coffee, truffle, licorice and blueberry waft from the glass. Opulent, intense, concentrated and deep, this California Cabernet Sauvignon wine is packed and stacked with pure, ripe, juicy, sweet, fresh, jammy dark berries and chocolate, in the hedonistic finish. This is drinking perfectly today. There is no reason to wait on popping a bottle.

5,925 Views   Tasted
1997
91
Faded from its glory years, the wine straddles the fence between the classic old school, Napa styled wines and those produced in the modern age. With an earthy, dusty, olive and tobacco tint to the sweet cherries and licorice, there is a softness to the wine, but the fruit is only going to fade from here.

Faded from its glory years, the wine straddles the fence between the classic old school, Napa styled wines and those produced in the modern age. With an earthy, dusty, olive and tobacco tint to the sweet cherries and licorice, there is a softness to the wine, but the fruit is only going to fade from here.

3,017 Views   Tasted
Light on the nose, with serious effort, tobacco, cassis, spice and earthy notes could be found. Soft in texture, this fully mature wine ends with a round, plummy finish. I imagine this has started to fade and lost its fruit.

Light on the nose, with serious effort, tobacco, cassis, spice and earthy notes could be found. Soft in texture, this fully mature wine ends with a round, plummy finish. I imagine this has started to fade and lost its fruit.

3,621 Views   Tasted
1994
91
The first bottle was drying out. Having had this wine several times, (as I’m lucky to have some in my cellar) that clearly was not a correct bottle. The second bottle was an entirely different wine, although it was also starting to dry out. But fortunately, it was not nearly as advanced. Showing the bright, red side of the style range, along with earthy, tobacco, cherry and cedar wood notes. The wine seems to have exchanged its soft, polished personality for some austerity in the finish. I’d drink this sooner than later.

The first bottle was drying out. Having had this wine several times, (as I’m lucky to have some in my cellar) that clearly was not a correct bottle. The second bottle was an entirely different wine, although it was also starting to dry out. But fortunately, it was not nearly as advanced. Showing the bright, red side of the style range, along with earthy, tobacco, cherry and cedar wood notes. The wine seems to have exchanged its soft, polished personality for some austerity in the finish. I’d drink this sooner than later.

4,022 Views   Tasted
It's lush with a backbone. The style, texture, ripeness and ABV levels remind me of a Bordeaux.

It's lush with a backbone. The style, texture, ripeness and ABV levels remind me of a Bordeaux.

2,636 Views   Tasted
1990
92
A solid example of a mature, full-bodied, classic California Cabernet with ample notes of blackberry, black currants, tobacco, spice, earth and cigar box. Round textured and filled with fruit in the finish, there is no need for decanting, or further development.

A solid example of a mature, full-bodied, classic California Cabernet with ample notes of blackberry, black currants, tobacco, spice, earth and cigar box. Round textured and filled with fruit in the finish, there is no need for decanting, or further development.

3,436 Views   Tasted
1986
90
Typical, classic, charming California Cabernet Sauvignon that would do well in a blind tasting with Bordeaux requires consumption before it drops its fruit and charm.

Typical, classic, charming California Cabernet Sauvignon that would do well in a blind tasting with Bordeaux requires consumption before it drops its fruit and charm.

4,740 Views   Tasted