Wine Spectator Top 100 |
Most Exciting Wines of 2001 |
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| Wine Spectator Top 100 |
Most Exciting Wines of 2000 |
|
 |
 |
|
Wine Spectator Top 100 |
Most Exciting Wines of 2001 |
|
| Wine Spectator Top 100 |
Most Exciting Wines of 2000 |
|
|
Reviews |
2004 REVIEWS
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2004 VIADER |
| Good deep ruby-red. Understated but precise aromas of dark berries, graphite and sweet oak. Then sweet, lush and soft, with a texture of liquid silk. Flavors of black and red cherry complicated by licorice. Finishes with very fin, suave tannins and lovely length. A distinctly feminine style of wine. Proprietor Delia Viader describes the 2004 vintage as elegant and supple, even soft, while 2003, she says has more punch, and shows more obvious tannins and alcohol. 92 points. |
2004 VIADER “V” |
| Good red-ruby color. Blackberry and licorice on the nose. In the mouth, this comes across as juicy and firm-edged following the estate wine, less silky and more brisk. Perfumed notes of orange peel, jasmine and licorice add interest. Finishes with very firm tannins. It must be noted that my sample was almost entirely petit verdot, as the cabernet had not yet been blended in. 90 points |
2004 VIADER Syrah |
| Good ruby-red. Pure, ripe aromas of raspberry, black cherry and flowers. Suppler and sweeter than the 2003, with intriguing hints of smoke, earth and game adding flavor interest. This has lovely purity of fruit. The crop level was under a ton an acre, says Viader. 89 points. |
2004 DARE Cabernet Franc |
| Good ruby-red. Spicy, ripe, highly aromatic nose combines bitter cherry and blackberry. Silky, sweet and feminine, with a fresh flavor of blackberry. This possesses good fat as well as firm underlying structure. Finishes with broad tannins and a suggestion of nutty oak. In the style of a St. Emilion. Offers very good potential. 90 points. |
2004 DARE Tempranillo |
| Dark red. Medicinal cherry, spices and smoky oak on the nose. Sweet, moderately dense and ripe, with a flavor of bitter cherry framed by harmonious acidity. This seems riper than the 2003 version. Finishes with dusty tannins that build with air. Very easy to drink. 88 points. |
 Wolfgang Weber |
2004 VIADER |
| Warm and black, this is a superripe Napa Valley red – 60 percent cabernet sauvignon, 40 percent cabernet franc – with a ferrous edge of tannin. It’s soft and ready to decant for steak. 90 points |
2004 DARE Cabernet Franc |
| If further proof is needed that Napa Valley can produce exceptional, elegant cabernet franc, here it is in this second line from VIADER. Finely ripe rather than ultraripe, its soft, red-fruited flavors feel gentle, leaving an impression that’s pretty rather than bold or heavy. The light tannins keep it mouthwatering throughout. 92 points |
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2004 VIADER |
| Smoke, black cherry and currant aromas are clean. Supple, elegant and balanced, this keeps the fruit at the forefront, ending with mild tannins. Drinks well already. (Now through 2012.) |
Master of Wine, Andrea Immer-Robinson 2007 Wine Buying Guide for Everyone |
2004 VIADER |
| This “wonderfully smooth” Napa Cab blend feels like cashmere for the tongue. Its “glorious fruit,” sweet complexity are “as good as any of the cult Cabs” but an elegance that’s rare in the category. Taste: Outstanding |
May/June 2006 Issue 126