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Wine Enthusiast
2007 Blackbird Vineyards Illustration |
| "A spectacular wine that gets better and better with every sip. It’s dramatic from the get-go, with rich, fine tannins framing extraordinarily good flavors of blackberries, black currents, anise, dark chocolate and cedar."
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Wine Enthusiast
2007 Blackbird Vineyards Paramour |
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| "It's softly rich and polished in tannins, with accessible blackberry, cassis and oak flavors.."
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Wine Enthusiast
2007 Blackbird Vineyards Contrarian |
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| "Shows a molten core of blackberries, crème de cassis, cocoa and cider, with a mineral undertow."
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Wine Enthusiast
2007 Blackbird Vineyards Arise |
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| "This Bordeaux blend has terrific a structure, with a molten core of ripe, sweetly complex blackberries and black currents."
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“Another noteworthy offering is the 2007 Contrarian, a blend of 46% Cabernet Franc, 34% Merlot, and 20% Cabernet Sauvignon. Perhaps the most concentrated of these wines (although this is splitting hairs), this dense 2007 offers loads of licorice, black currant liqueur, camphor, charcoal, plum sauce, and spicy yet subtle oak in a complete, voluminous, full-bodied style.”
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Robert Parker’s The Wine Advocate
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“A sensational effort, the 2007 Paramour reveals the most saturated purple color of any of these wines. A blend of 50% Merlot, 45% Cabernet Franc, and 5% Cabernet Sauvignon, it possesses abundant notes of graphite, ink, spicy oak, creme de cassis, plums, and licorice.” |
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Robert Parker’s The Wine Advocate
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“The 2007s ratchet up things. Composed of 70% Merlot, 20% Cabernet Franc, and the rest Malbec and Cabernet Sauvignon, the 2007 Illustration reveals sweeter fruit, more opulence and flamboyance, and plenty of spice, wood smoke, black currant, plum, and licorice notes.” |
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Robert Parker’s The Wine Advocate
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“The dense ruby/purple-tinged 2007 Arise (75% Merlot, 20% Cabernet Franc, and 5% Cabernet Sauvignon) exhibits a mossy, forest floor, Burgundian-like component, medium to full body, outstanding balance, purity, and texture…” |
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Robert Parker’s The Wine Advocate
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“The brilliant 2006 Contrarian (38% Cabernet Franc, 34% Merlot, and the rest Cabernet Sauvignon) reveals plum, licorice, and black currant fruit intertwined with a mocha, coffee, berry character that recalls a fine Right Bank wine from Bordeaux.” |
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Robert Parker’s The Wine Advocate
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| “The 2006 Illustration, a blend of 86% Merlot and the rest Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc, offers sweet, smoky, cola, black currant, coffee, new saddle leather, cocoa, spice box, and tobacco characteristics as well as a lush, round, heady mouthfeel. The finish is filled with sweet, velvety tannins and lush fruit.”
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Robert Parker’s The Wine Advocate
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“The 2006 Arise (100% Merlot) possesses the most chocolate, cocoa, and charcoal notes along with lots of berry fruit, silky tannins, a lovely, medium to full-bodied, lush texture, and irresistible charm and appeal. Enjoy it over the next decade.” |
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Wine Spectator
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“Concentrated black currant and espresso aromas open to sleek |
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Ken's Wine Guide
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“This dark ruby colored wine opens with a mild blackberry and black raspberry bouquet. On the palate, this wine is full bodied, balanced, and very smooth.” |
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Vinfolio |
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“There are explosive aromas of dark fruit on the nose including blueberry, loganberry, and cassis, along with undertones of dark chocolate and cedar.” |
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| 2007 Blackbird Vineyards Illustration Score: 91 points |
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“On the palate, it has a combination of tannins and grip which is elegantly balanced by dark berry fruit and cedar. This is certainly a wine that will be enjoyable for the next 15-20 years.” |
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| 2007 Blackbird Vineyards Contrarian Score: 90 pts |
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“Tannins and structure abound, and while concentrated and powerful on the palate, this wine also contains bright and rich berry fruit…” |
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Ken's Wine Guide |
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"This dark ruby red blend is fascinating. It opens with an attractive blueberry bouquet. On the palate, this wine is medium to full bodied very well balanced, super silky, and elegant." |
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2007 Blackbird Vineyards Arise |
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"This opaque dark purple colored wine opens with a fragrant black currant and bouquet. On the palate, this wine is medium bodied, balanced, and fruit forward. The flavor profile is a blend of juicy blackberry and dusty black cherry with notes of integrated old oak." |
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Vinography: a wine blog |
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"Dark garnet in color, this wine smells of cocoa powder, cherry, and that light hint of green vegetable that suggests the Cabernet that plays a more dominant role in this wine." |
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2007 Blackbird Vineyards Illustration |
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"Medium garnet in the glass, this wine has a nose of tobacco, black cherry, and wet wood, with an aspect over time that is almost dusty.. Cost: $90. Where to buy?" |
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2007 Blackbird Vineyards Paramour |
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"Medium garnet in the glass, this wine has a rich nose of cherry, black tea and light floral aromas. In the mouth it is smooth with lightly velvety tannins and joyous rich cherry and plum" fruit. |
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2007 Blackbird Vineyards Arise |
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"Dark garnet in the glass, this wine has a nose of dark black cherry, tobacco and wet earth aromas. In the mouth it is velvety and nicely balanced." |
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Doug Wilder The Purely Domestic Wine Blog October 2, 2009 “Blackbird all grown up” |
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“I tasted the 2003 Blackbird Merlot on October 3, 2005 and scored it 98 points. It later was recognized as the highest rated red wine I experienced all year in my annual top 25 list. For me it was an eye-opening experience… Michael and Paul Leary, his COO, came to my office with a bottle and we tasted it together. They left it behind for me to revisit and I ended up leaving the wine on my desk until the following Monday. When I came back to the wine, it was superb.” |
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| 2007 Blackbird Vineyards Illustration Rating: 92 points |
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"Aromas: Subtle herb hints with cherry, graphite and salt |
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| 2007 Blackbird Vineyards Paramour Rating: 90 points |
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"Aromas: Lavender, cherry |
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| 2007 Blackbird Vineyards Contrarian Rating: 91 points |
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"Aromas: Earthy loam, clove, salt and leather |
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| 2006 Blackbird Vineyards Illustration Rating: 93 points |
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"Aromas: Black cherry, herb, graphite and quince
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| 2006 Blackbird Vineyards Paramour Rating: 93 points |
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"Aromas: Forward cherry and nougat with hints of berry and graphite
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| 2006 Blackbird Vineyards Contrarian Rating: 92 points |
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"Aromas: Rich polished cherry and camphor
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Connoisseurs' Guide to California Wine September, 2009 2006 Blackbird Vineyards Arise Connoisseurs' Guide Rating: 93 points |
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"Perfectly ripe cherries and shows layers of rich oak, sweet loam and hints of cola throughout its considerable length. Its integral spine of fine-grained tannins guarantee that it will grow over four to six years..."
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| 2006 Blackbird Vineyards Illustration Connoisseurs' Guide Rating: 90 points |
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"Plenty of sweet black-cherry fruit and shows a nice flash of Merlot roundness..."
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Wine Spectator Online August 31, 2009 2006 Blackbird Vineyards Paramour Wine Spectator Rating: 90 points |
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"Dense and complex, with a touch of velvet to smooth it out. Aromas of black currant and espresso lead to layered cherry, blueberry and cedar flavors.”
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Wine Spectator Online July 1, 2009 2006 Blackbird Vineyard Arise Wine Spectator Rating: 91 points |
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"Dense and racy, with blackberry and spicy espresso aromas that lead to complex, layered currant, mocha and toasty sage flavors. Tannins firm up the finish. Merlot. Drink now through 2013."
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Vinfolio March, 2009 2006 Blackbird Vineyards Illustration Vinfolio Rating: 94 points |
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"This luxurious red is a treat now but definitely something to enjoy for at least the next 10-15 years."
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| 2006 Blackbird Vineyards Paramour Vinfolio Rating: 94 points |
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"The 20 months in French oak, 83% of which are new, contribute in part to the beautiful structure and silky tannins that fill the mouth and that lingering hint of pepper in the finish leaves one always wanting a little bit more."
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Wine Spectator Online November 30, 2008 2006 Blackbird Vineyards Proprietary Red Wine Spectator Rating: 90 points |
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"Shows lovely structure and finesse, offering currant and green olive aromas and appealing plum, sage and toasty vanilla notes that linger on the long finish. Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon. Drink now through 2014."
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Restaurant Wine |
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"Supple and full in style, with evident richness, fine balance, and a very long finish..."
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| 2006 Blackbird Vineyards Paramour Rating: 5/5 stars |
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"Exceptional, fleshy, full, and long; a generously flavored wine..."
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Vinography.com Alder Yarrrow Review October 16, 2008 2006 Blackbird Vineyards Illustration Wine Rating: 9.5/10 points |
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"In the mouth it is gorgeously smooth with bright cherry cola, chocolate, and juicy bing cherry flavors that dance on a lively bed of acidity. Velvety tannins sneak around the edges with a hint of sweetness and then pirouette slowly in the back of the throat for minutes. Fantastic."
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Wine Spectator March, 2008 2005 Blackbird Vineyards Proprietary Red Wine Wine Spectator Rating: 90 points |
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"Aromas of plum and roasted sage lead to intense, youthful black cherry, cracked pepper and licorice flavors, finishing with rich, loamy tannins. Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon."
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The Wine Advocate December, 2007 2005 Blackbird Vineyards Proprietary Red Wine Robert Parker Rating: 91 points |
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"The 2005 Proprietary Red Wine is a blend of 96% Merlot and 4% Cabernet Sauvignon, all from the Oak Knoll sector of Napa. Its deep ruby/purple-tinged color is followed by a sweet perfume of mocha, caramelized black cherries and currants, and hints of chocolate as well as espresso. With terrific fruit, medium to full body, supple tannin, and well-integrated acidity and alcohol, it should be drunk over the next 8-10 years."
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Vintrust November, 2007 2005 Blackbird Vineyards Paramour Vintrust Rating: 98 points |
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Aroma: Ruby Fruit, Cocoa, Black Plum - 15/15
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Vinfolio September, 2007 2005 Blackbird Vineyards Proprietary Red Wine Vinfolio Rating: 94 points |
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"The wine shows a nose of vibrant cassis, orange skins, dark cherry, blueberry, lavender, chocolate, licorice and slate aromas. The palate breaks in with hints of meaty olive shading seductive kirsch and black plum flavors. Bold and smooth on the finish. Continues to evolve over 80 hours."
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Doug Wilder The Purely Domestic Wine Blog October 2, 2009 2004 Blackbird Vineyards Proprietary Red Wine Rating: 92 points |
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"Aromas: evolved nose, showing that it is entering maturity
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Vintrust September, 2007 2004 Blackbird Vineyards Proprietary Red Wine Vintrust Rating: 97 points |
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Aroma: Dark Black Cherry, Dark Chocolate, Mocha - 14/15
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Born to Fly... By Mary Ewing-Mulligan Apr 24, 2007 2004 Blackbird Vineyards Napa Valley Proprietary Red Wine 93 Points |
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"Yes, another wine with animals on its label. But no, definitely not a 'critter-label' wine, as in mass-market, popularly priced, millennial-generation crowd-pleaser wine. The wine called Blackbird Vineyards is a connoisseur's wine through and through.
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Restaurant Wine By Ronn Weigand 2004 Blackbird Vineyards Napa Valley Proprietary Red Wine Four Stars + (out of Five) |
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"Fleshy and full bodied, this is a fine Merlot, tasting of plum, black cherry, blueberry, and toast, with a smooth, long, lightly tannic finish. Pomerol-like, in the best sense. Unfined, unfiltered. 5% CS. 1,100 cases."
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The Wilder Side of California |
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"Before discussing this particular wine in too much detail, as much as I want to, it makes sense to first talk about the background a bit. Beginning in 1999, Mia Klein, owner and winemaker of Selene Winery introduced a vineyard designate Merlot from Blackbird Vineyards, south of Yountville. This bottling quickly gained wide acclaim among the trade and I noted the 1999 vintage (95 points) as my recommendation over the much heralded 2001 Paloma Merlot (Wine Spectator's Wine of the Year in 2003). I very quietly sold dozens of cases of Selene's Blackbird to my clients who wanted to know what I was so excited about. It wasn't long until the mere mention of Blackbird stopped people in their tracks. It was the best Merlot nobody had ever heard of.
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Acme Fine Wines 2003 Blackbird Vineyards Merlot |
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"$70 Every wine tells a story. Michael Polenske's Blackbird Vineyard tells a story you've probably heard before. The grapes grown on the property have been sold to Behrens & Hitchcock, Lail, Shafer, Pride and Robert Foley Vineyards in the past, as well as to Mia Klein's private label, Selene, with a Blackbird Vineyard designated label. Sarah Gott shines as Polenske's winemaker of choice. She left Joseph Phelps and Quintessa to make a splash in a few smaller ponds. (She also makes the following wine). It is with wines like this that we never question why we are in this business."
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Vintrust Fall, 2005 Sommscore: 95 |
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AROMA dark cherry, slate, mineral, licorice 14
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Wine Enthusiast December 15, 2006 90 points |
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"...Rich and complex, with the classy mouthfeel that Napa provides so effortlessly. You might mistake it for a valley floor Cabernet for the new oak-infused blackberry, cherry and cocoa flavors and soft, immediate appeal. The tannins are there, but they're melted, sweet and gentle."
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| ©2009 Blackbird Vineyards · 1330 Oak Knoll Avenue, Napa, CA 94558 · (707) 252-4444 tel · (707) 252-9999 fax · info@blackbirdvineyards.com Site Usability | 
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| For tasting inquiries, please call (707) 944-0889 or make an appointment online at Ma(i)sonry Napa Valley | |
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