Herb Lamb Vineyards, HL Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley

Herb Lamb Vineyards · California › Napa Valley › United States of America

Red · Cabernet Sauvignon
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LWIN 1199031
Critics Average score from professional wine critics and publications.
92 /100
Reviews
14
professional

Vintages

No vintages

No vintage-specific entries have been added for this wine.

NV

Community Reviews

17
17
Reviews
92.2
Avg Score
95
Highest
Taster #3428 · Dec 17, 2022
95/100
This wine is in incredible condition. It is possibly better than I remember from a few years back. Can't help but think this can go a few more years, but not sure it will get much better than it is right now.
2005 vintage
Taster #7352 · Mar 28, 2020
95/100
Bright crimson in color. 14.4% ABV. Sublime nose of black and blue fruits, molten licorice, violets and Whitman Sampler box. Full bodied, silky and concentrated. Impeccable balance. Blackberry, blueberry, cassis liqueur and chocolate on the palate. Exceptional length on the finish with well integrated tannins. Tremendous Cabernet Sauvignon from one of Napa's iconic vineyards. Best over the next 2-3 years.
2005 vintage
Taster #3428 · Oct 26, 2019
93/100
No need to rush on this as it would seem to still have at lease 3-5 years left in it. Fruit is still there with a bit of spice as well. Tannins are pleasant. Just an all around good wine. I have never been disappointed by Herb Lamb Cab and it remains one of my top 3-5 CA cabs at the price point.
2005 vintage
Taster #1535 · Oct 2, 2017
Fairly nice cab, but horrible QPR. I paid $160 for this, and I have had many $40 bottles of cab better than this. Shame on me.
2005 vintage
Taster #9363 · Dec 28, 2016
90/100
Fruit on the wane. A little past prime.
2005 vintage
Taster #0171 · Dec 28, 2015
93/100
No decant. Good stuff w/ prime rib.
2005 vintage
Taster #5222 · Oct 25, 2015
93/100
Good nose of red berries, spices, some violets and oak. Heavy and full on the tongue with a long finish. Drinking as good as it will get in my opinion.
2005 vintage
Taster #6498 · May 30, 2015
92/100
Flawless, elegant wine. Dark color but fruit has faded a bit. Older profile than 10 years, but classic Napa cab. Wished I'd tasted at a younger age. Drink in the next 2 years if you've got em.
2005 vintage
Taster #6985 · Dec 18, 2014
93/100
WIML93 Tasted non blind. Garnet to dark garnet color in the glass, clear looking throughout. Nose of potpourri, pepper, berries and raspberries. Flavors of berries, raspberries and plums. Medium acidity, medium tannin, medium to full bodied. Drink now with air or can be held.
2005 vintage
Taster #6763 · Mar 27, 2014
93/100
The last one I had a few weeks ago was green and pretty unappealing. Herbaceous. This one is literally a different wine. Straight out of the bottle on a pop and pour, a completely different animal. Very odd stuff.
2005 vintage
Taster #0628 · Jan 2, 2014
93/100
Great spice and has aged perfectly. Great wine.
2005 vintage
Taster #2431 · Aug 20, 2012
89/100
This was pretty disappointing given the tariff. As Charlie mentioned below, this had a dill note that I just couldn't get past. Plus, it just wasn't that complex (at this point), although that may improve with time. Ultimately, a pass.
2005 vintage
Taster #8370 · Aug 7, 2012
The guys liked this wine more than I did. The palate had this green dill flavor that I didn't care for, but the acid was cool and focused and wasn't as thick and weighty as the other cabs we had that night. I Just couldn't get past the dill no matter how "balanced" the wine was otherwise.
2005 vintage
Taster #3046 · Nov 12, 2011
14.4% alcohol. decanted, and followed in the glass for 3 1/2 hours. extraction/fruit ratio quite unfavorable. from this bottle, can't see it developing into anything worthwhile. a major disappointment.
2005 vintage
Taster #1978 · Dec 13, 2009
90/100
TN: Huet, SQN, Spotteswood, ZH, Ussegglio, HL, Cos, Borgogno and lots more : This had been decanted but I am not sure for how long. Earthy with lots of dill and cassis. On the palate, this has a strange herbal/dill note. Cassis as well. It finishes with drying tannins. That said, it iss a pleasant and maybe a bit better Cal Cab. Not near the class of the Spotteswood, but nice. I think I liked it more than many.
2005 vintage
Taster #9311 · Dec 12, 2009
89/100
I had pretty high expectations for this bottle and was somewhat dissapointed. I dont think this wine ever"got going" and ultimately was pretty monolithic. Perhaps as others have indicated it needs lots of air or just more time in the cellar.
2005 vintage
Taster #8370 · Nov 9, 2009
93/100
needs A LOT of air. It goes through weird phases. Really tight and oaky during hours 0-2 but then just blossoms and fills the whole room with violet, sweet berries and spice on the nose. Palate is seemless with chocolate, a little vanilla oak, then just gobs of delicious sweet fruit. It then closes down again around 5-6hours in. So i think the sweet spot is about 3 hours or so.
2005 vintage