Agree with aces219 re: the cork; even an ahso couldn't save it. Fortunately the contents were in much better condition and is seems my bottle had fared better. Diminished fruit and developed secondary and tertiary flavors and aromas. If not stored well, time to drink up.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Alas, my last bottle. Color is turning crimson red. Nose was almost non existent, maybe a little floral. Fruit is fading some, but still nice up front. Finish is very short.tannins have softened considerably. But for an 18 year old wine, still enjoyable. Would drink now if you still have any left.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Last bottle of three. Cork was still in good shape, but the amount of sediment was ungodly. More eucalyptus and anise than our last note in September 2014, but this is still "excellent" (92/100) juice. Plenty of tannin left, but the fruit is beginning to fade. Drink in the next year or so.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Leather and black cherry, some oak, spice/black pepper, a little eucalyptus. This held up wonderfully, much better than our previous bottle. Finish is medium plus, but up front is the seller here. And the nose is amazing. Nose 94. Taste: 91-92. Overall: 92 pts
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
This one needed precise handling to get the cork out in one piece. There was only 1-2 mm of soak into the cork and quite a bit of sedmient on the cork and in the neck. Decanted for about an hour before the first glass.
The color was ruby with a few millimeters of bricking; it appeared much more youthful than 16 years old. The nose was rich and rose right up out of the decanter. It had a substantial amount of red fruit aroma with a boquet of leather and damp earth. Palate was similar, with cherry and black cherry featuring on the attack (how can this relatively inexpensive bottle have this much primary fruit after 16 years!?), with a smooth transition to a complex nutty, earthy, and herbaceous midpalate. Overall, this is medium-bodied (what I would consider below-average for a Cali cab sauv) with an approachable flavor profile that shows good typicity.
The structure was perfect. Tannins were obviously present after the attack; they supported the midpalate well, but didn't actually dry out the mouth. They subsided slowly, melting into a medium-length finish of supple tannin and with rich earth, mild blackcurrant, and some nutty flavors.
This wine is a thing of beauty. My only critique is that the finish is a wee bit short, but I don't care. I still loved this bottle, and I'm glad I have another in the cellar! I am going to call this "excellent," 92/100.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Nice to get an aged cab from woot. Nose of wet leather and stewed fruit. Flavors of leather and prunes and cassis. Low to medium tannins. Medium finish. Actually very nice, could last for another 5 or 8 but not counting on it. Would drink within the next 2 or 3 years.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Surprisingly good. Leather on the nose, mellowed taste on the tongue with a complex blend of flavors from the aging. Served very well with the beef. Waa-hoo... good wine.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
As previous note. Still tasting great with plenty of fruit including loads of black cherry and cassis. Long finish with more black fruit but then and hint of Asian spice and pencil lead. Still has light to medium tannins. At 16 years old, this could go another decade!
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Cork is starting to degrade but the wine was still sound and could probably go several more years if the cork holds up. Lots of crystals on the cork, recommend a quick decant or a filter. Great fruit/tannin balance as noted. Black cherry, currant, herbaceous spice. Still has decently firm tannins.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Slight brownish hue around rim. Black cherry & cola nose, a little newer leather. Palate: black cherry & cola. Still some tannins and grip. Spicebox on the finish. Touch of smoke. Excellent length. Really enjoyed this. 91 pts.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
rusty red, lots of sediment on the cork. At first it tastes flat, but after 30 minutes it opens up with berries, leather. Very silky/smooth on the mouth. Finish with bright tannins.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Really good wine, be careful with the cork easy to break. And don't use an aerator, don't shake it or move it a lot it disturbs the structure. just let it sit for 40 min.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
For the price I paid for this winery-aged wine (on wine.woot), this is fantastic QPR. This is the first of 6 bottles that I have opened. The cork broke in half as it was first pulled out. A bit of sediment but not much. After the initial funk blew off (took only a few minutes), this wine evolved over a 2 hour period to be still fantastically full of fruit with great acid/tannin balance. This is a very well made wine that belies its 1998 age. Fantastic!
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Cork broke in half despite careful extraction, it was on its way to crumbly but came out clean in two pieces. Heavy sediment on the cork and neck. Poured into decanter slowly fearing heavy sediment but found only fine sediment in the very bottom which was captured in the shoulder of the bottle. Wine was clear with a medium red rim and deep red core. Legs were very visible and defined by large drips that remained for some time.
Initial glass was after 15 minutes in the decanter and seemed very closed, this surprised me since I figured that a 15 year old cab would show more initially. A swirl brought out some red fruit, leather and eucalyptus. I usually don't pick up much in the way of ancillary flavors but I found these to be quite prominent. On the tongue it's definitely medium bodied, this is not a big napa cab. At least not at this stage in its life. The wine is ultra smooth, not a jagged edge on it, my wife remarked that she would drink it and she really dislikes red wine. The finish is short and somewhat unremarkable. After an hour later and with only a 1/3 glass left this wine seemed to explode with fruit. It really opened up and started to show dark cherries and raspberries. It became a completely different animal. I had two separate people experience this and so it confirms that this wine needs about an hour of air to get the full potential this wine has to offer. I would have loved to see where it was headed but an hour and half post pop it was all gone.
Initially this wine was a disappointment to me, I had never had this winery's cab in its youth so I didn't know what to expect but found it a pleasure to drink due to its smoothness but rather unremarkable. But the unexpected explosion of fruit makes this not only much more enjoyable but also much more interesting. The finish also improved remarkably with time.
I really have no idea how to price a bottle with this much age from a winery I have never heard of but I would happily pay $25-30 a bottle for it. I am a cheapskate though.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
10/1/2017 - rjquillin Likes this wine:
Agree with aces219 re: the cork; even an ahso couldn't save it. Fortunately the contents were in much better condition and is seems my bottle had fared better. Diminished fruit and developed secondary and tertiary flavors and aromas. If not stored well, time to drink up.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
2/24/2017 - aces219 wrote:
Cork shredded upon opening. I would drink this up if you have it. Brick red, fruit is gone and not a lot of secondary flavors. Not bad, just fading.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
3/12/2016 - Buck naked wrote: 89 Points
Alas, my last bottle. Color is turning crimson red. Nose was almost non existent, maybe a little floral. Fruit is fading some, but still nice up front. Finish is very short.tannins have softened considerably. But for an 18 year old wine, still enjoyable. Would drink now if you still have any left.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
4/24/2015 - pkbowen Likes this wine: 92 Points
Last bottle of three. Cork was still in good shape, but the amount of sediment was ungodly. More eucalyptus and anise than our last note in September 2014, but this is still "excellent" (92/100) juice. Plenty of tannin left, but the fruit is beginning to fade. Drink in the next year or so.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
12/12/2014 - MadisonWIneGuy wrote: 92 Points
Leather and black cherry, some oak, spice/black pepper, a little eucalyptus. This held up wonderfully, much better than our previous bottle. Finish is medium plus, but up front is the seller here. And the nose is amazing. Nose 94. Taste: 91-92. Overall: 92 pts
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
9/17/2014 - pkbowen Likes this wine: 92 Points
This one needed precise handling to get the cork out in one piece. There was only 1-2 mm of soak into the cork and quite a bit of sedmient on the cork and in the neck. Decanted for about an hour before the first glass.
The color was ruby with a few millimeters of bricking; it appeared much more youthful than 16 years old. The nose was rich and rose right up out of the decanter. It had a substantial amount of red fruit aroma with a boquet of leather and damp earth. Palate was similar, with cherry and black cherry featuring on the attack (how can this relatively inexpensive bottle have this much primary fruit after 16 years!?), with a smooth transition to a complex nutty, earthy, and herbaceous midpalate. Overall, this is medium-bodied (what I would consider below-average for a Cali cab sauv) with an approachable flavor profile that shows good typicity.
The structure was perfect. Tannins were obviously present after the attack; they supported the midpalate well, but didn't actually dry out the mouth. They subsided slowly, melting into a medium-length finish of supple tannin and with rich earth, mild blackcurrant, and some nutty flavors.
This wine is a thing of beauty. My only critique is that the finish is a wee bit short, but I don't care. I still loved this bottle, and I'm glad I have another in the cellar! I am going to call this "excellent," 92/100.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
9/1/2014 - Buck naked wrote:
Nice to get an aged cab from woot. Nose of wet leather and stewed fruit. Flavors of leather and prunes and cassis. Low to medium tannins. Medium finish. Actually very nice, could last for another 5 or 8 but not counting on it. Would drink within the next 2 or 3 years.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
7/19/2014 - bterry3 Likes this wine: 90 Points
Surprisingly good. Leather on the nose, mellowed taste on the tongue with a complex blend of flavors from the aging. Served very well with the beef. Waa-hoo... good wine.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
5/4/2014 - ICaWineGuy wrote: 91 Points
As previous note. Still tasting great with plenty of fruit including loads of black cherry and cassis. Long finish with more black fruit but then and hint of Asian spice and pencil lead. Still has light to medium tannins. At 16 years old, this could go another decade!
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
6/11/2013 - ddmhunter Likes this wine: 90 Points
Careful, as I also found cork degrading. Wine is still
drinking nicely.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
5/20/2013 - ICaWineGuy wrote: 91 Points
Cork is starting to degrade but the wine was still sound and could probably go several more years if the cork holds up. Lots of crystals on the cork, recommend a quick decant or a filter. Great fruit/tannin balance as noted. Black cherry, currant, herbaceous spice. Still has decently firm tannins.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
5/18/2013 - MadisonWIneGuy wrote: 91 Points
Slight brownish hue around rim. Black cherry & cola nose, a little newer leather. Palate: black cherry & cola. Still some tannins and grip. Spicebox on the finish. Touch of smoke. Excellent length. Really enjoyed this. 91 pts.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
5/15/2013 - WABonsaiGuy wrote: 90 Points
rusty red, lots of sediment on the cork. At first it tastes flat, but after 30 minutes it opens up with berries, leather. Very silky/smooth on the mouth. Finish with bright tannins.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
4/6/2013 - Lfmz777 wrote: 92 Points
Really good wine, be careful with the cork easy to break. And don't use an aerator, don't shake it or move it a lot it disturbs the structure. just let it sit for 40 min.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
3/8/2013 - BlackIce wrote: 91 Points
For the price I paid for this winery-aged wine (on wine.woot), this is fantastic QPR. This is the first of 6 bottles that I have opened. The cork broke in half as it was first pulled out. A bit of sediment but not much. After the initial funk blew off (took only a few minutes), this wine evolved over a 2 hour period to be still fantastically full of fruit with great acid/tannin balance. This is a very well made wine that belies its 1998 age. Fantastic!
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
2/17/2013 - TottenCellars wrote:
Cork broke in half despite careful extraction, it was on its way to crumbly but came out clean in two pieces. Heavy sediment on the cork and neck. Poured into decanter slowly fearing heavy sediment but found only fine sediment in the very bottom which was captured in the shoulder of the bottle.
Wine was clear with a medium red rim and deep red core. Legs were very visible and defined by large drips that remained for some time.
Initial glass was after 15 minutes in the decanter and seemed very closed, this surprised me since I figured that a 15 year old cab would show more initially. A swirl brought out some red fruit, leather and eucalyptus. I usually don't pick up much in the way of ancillary flavors but I found these to be quite prominent.
On the tongue it's definitely medium bodied, this is not a big napa cab. At least not at this stage in its life. The wine is ultra smooth, not a jagged edge on it, my wife remarked that she would drink it and she really dislikes red wine. The finish is short and somewhat unremarkable.
After an hour later and with only a 1/3 glass left this wine seemed to explode with fruit. It really opened up and started to show dark cherries and raspberries. It became a completely different animal. I had two separate people experience this and so it confirms that this wine needs about an hour of air to get the full potential this wine has to offer. I would have loved to see where it was headed but an hour and half post pop it was all gone.
Initially this wine was a disappointment to me, I had never had this winery's cab in its youth so I didn't know what to expect but found it a pleasure to drink due to its smoothness but rather unremarkable. But the unexpected explosion of fruit makes this not only much more enjoyable but also much more interesting. The finish also improved remarkably with time.
I really have no idea how to price a bottle with this much age from a winery I have never heard of but I would happily pay $25-30 a bottle for it. I am a cheapskate though.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment