Community Tasting Note

Friday, April 7, 2023 - A few days in Napa with fellow CT'r Cristal2000: A perfect wine. And in 10 years it’ll be a perfect wine. And in 15 years it’ll be a perfect wine. And in 20 years it’ll….well, you get the picture. So, we all know that taro card reading wine is an effort in futility. This bottle with this service was perfect. The next bottle tomorrow? Who knows. I gave this 96 points a year-and-a-half ago, and I remember that bottle was a pop-and-pour, which was obvious sacrilege. This recent showing was less strict indeed, opening the doors for weighty, dare I say rich, flavors of blackberry, black cherry, menthol, and sweet earth. So, what makes this better than any other “blackberry, black cherry, menthol…” Cabernet across the Valley? Good question. And since you had to sell your grandpa’s stamp collection to afford this wine, you deserve a candid answer. Well…

Ethereal is a word that comes to mind here. Also, it’s the absence of words that comes to mind (Boom. Mind. Blown. Eat that Aristotle!). There is an emotional activation that happens for me when a wine is “perfect,” whatever that even means exactly. I see a mix of scores on Cellar Tracker here, so I can only call it like I see it in this flash of the pan. As good as this is now, I would recommend holding at least until its ten year mark. It’ll go for two decades more I have little doubt, but this vintage is just so universally splendid that the Promontory definitely deserves a spot in the top wines of that vintage.

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Comment posted by gymnastpro:

4/7/2023 11:47:00 AM - 16 open for business? Was thinking about opening the first one in 2026!
Comment posted by csimm:

4/7/2023 11:52:00 AM - You're not wrong to wait. In fact, I would still wait. Your forecast is probably about right if you are truly looking to hit the apex of this wine. Ideally I'd say late 2020s is about right. As mentioned in the note, ten years from vintage is probably most prudent, though the potential is so on-point even now at this still-young stage.
Comment posted by gymnastpro:

4/7/2023 12:28:00 PM - That's amazing. Glad I went deep on the 16s. I've seen notes that 18 may be better. I loved the 18 from barrel a few years ago!
Comment posted by csimm:

4/7/2023 12:35:00 PM - Having both side by side, I was captivated more by the 2016. The 2018 is solid of course, but the 2016 out-shined it on that day at least.
Comment posted by gymnastpro:

4/7/2023 12:48:00 PM - Makes me glad to have a lot of 16s then!
Comment posted by bsumoba:

4/7/2023 8:38:00 PM - I went big on 16 Prom for the same reasons you had mentioned. Just a phenomenal wine!
Comment posted by csimm:

4/7/2023 9:09:00 PM - Lucky duck! It’s a phenom for sure! I need to track more down!
Comment posted by aSimpleGuy:

5/16/2023 10:20:00 PM - how big did you guys go on 2016?
Comment posted by csimm:

5/17/2023 7:37:00 AM - I only have a couple.
Comment posted by bsumoba:

5/17/2023 8:51:00 AM - Big to me is 4 for Promontory
Comment posted by gymnastpro:

5/17/2023 9:55:00 AM - I got 6 but since then I've paired down to 3 and now 1. Just getting more and more expensive
Comment posted by aSimpleGuy:

5/19/2023 12:57:00 AM - I got 12 2016, have not opened any. Based on you guys' notes, I think I will save until at least 2030?
Comment posted by csimm:

5/19/2023 6:34:00 AM - Good for you!! Yeah I think that is a smart move. I think this can certainly go some distance. 5-7 years sounds about right to me minimum.