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Reviews |
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 May/June 2006 Issue 126 |
| 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. |
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| 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 |
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| 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. |
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| 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. |
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| 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. |
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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 |
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| 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.) |
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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 |
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| May/June 2005 |
2003 Viader Vineyards Proprietary Red Wine Napa Valley
Good ruby-red. Black raspberry and floral aromas, complicated by coffee and mocha notes. Supple, fat and sweet, with lovely depth of flavor and texture. A fairly large-scaled version of this wine: Viader declassified a lot of her 2003 cabernet franc, which she described as “light in body.” Finishes with ripe, dusty tannins that arrive late. This has turned out very well. 91 points. |
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| 2003 VIADER “V” |
| Good full ruby-red. Cool, pure, penetrating aromas of blackberry, violet and sexy oak spices. Juicy and aromatic in the mouth; not particularly expansive but supple and serious. Finishes with firm tannic structure. 89 points. |
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| 2003 VIADER Syrah |
| Good bright red-ruby. Aromas of blackberry, currant, spice cake and violet. A juicy, floral mid weight in a polite style, with dark berry, chocolate and black cherry flavors framed by firm tannins. Shows little of the meaty side of the variety. I’m not sure I would pick this as syrah, but this is tasty, suave, fresh red wine. 88 points. |
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| 2003 DARE Cabernet Franc |
| Good deep red. Varietally accurate aromas of blackberry, violet and licorice. Supple and sweet, with modest depth and ripeness but an attractively soft, creamy texture and good balance. Finishes with supple tannins, good length and a note of menthol. 88 points. |
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Viader Napa Valley 2003
91 points 3,644 cases made 250
Aromas of dill and cedar turn firm and austere on the palate, where they’re joined by earthy currant, blackberry and mineral nuances. Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc. Best from 2007 through 2012. –J.L. |
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2003 Viader Vineyards “V” Napa Valley
Deep ruby. Aromas of black fruits, bitter chocolate, violet and licorice. Lush, fat and round, with deeply pitched flavors of dark berries and chocolate. Offers excellent mouth coverage. Finishes with substantial tannins and lovely length. ($125) 90 points |
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2003 Viader Vineyards Syrah Napa Valley
Good bright ruby. Black fruits, violet and sweet oak on the nose. Fat, sweet and savory, with juicy flavors of raspberry, mocha and coffee and a saline quality. Finishes with a note of dark chocolate. My early look at the 2004 suggested that this vintage produced a somewhat more intense wine with more syrah pepperiness. ($65) 89 points |
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| Wine Spectator Top 100 |
Most Exciting Wines of 2001
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- Tenuta dell’Ornellaia Bolgheri Superiore Ornellaia
- Chäteau Cheval-Blanc St.-Emilion
- 1997 VIADER Napa Valley
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| Wine Spectator Top 100 |
Most Exciting Wines of 2000
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- Antinori Toscana Solaia
- 1998 VIADER Napa Valley
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