In my cellar since the late 1980’s and my last bottle, served to my daughter and new son-in-law (and a few others) at their wedding, representing his birth year. Double decanted at 11am and tasted around 9pm. Some of the recent tasting notes on the wine seem rather disappointing and I was fearful this might not be very good but I was quite surprised. When first tasted while decanting this was clearly inferior to the 1984 but to my pleasant surprise it put on considerable weight and exploded with fruit and layers of secondary flavors much later in the evening. There was some brett present to be sure but this was a case where it did seem to enhance the experience of the wine. Very earthy, barnyardy but also with leather and chocolate along with some brighter cherry fruit rather than darker fruit that showed in the 1984. I think on the whole the 1984 was a touch better but this was a very pleasant experience.
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Tasted at a Ridge wine tasting at City Winery in Atlanta. This was the last wine of the flight. Pale flat red to the edge with a dark cloudy brick middle. The nose was a bit musty with hints of dried raisin and earth/dirty mushrooms. This bottle was not flawed. Little to no fruit on the palate with elements of earth and mushroom, extending into a lengthy finish. The Som said that this wine is currently at its peak however I disagree. I believe that this wine is a good 10 years past its prime.
Tasted at 12 vintage vertical by Michel Jamais. First nose was odd but opened up after 30 min. Mature and elegant. Nice elegant body palate of truffels, cedar, mushrooms, 11,5% Almost overmature.
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Nose: dusty saddle leather, muskiness, sour cranberry, cassis, . Flavors: dusty saddle leather, red fruits (cranberry), some oak, dried mushroom/earth with light body. I really felt it was starting to fade. Had it any decent finish I might have gone 90 pts.
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Wineterfest 2011: Opened about 2 hours before serving, no decant. Enjoyed over the course of 90 minutes. Garnet / claret color showed the most age - lightest color of the flight, and faded towards the edge. Wonderful nose with lots of secondary flavors that you look for in an aged cabernet. Saddle leather, muskiness, vanilla, cranberry, cassis on the nose. Flavors were of leather, red fruits (cranberry), oak (not overdone), mushroom, terroir. Wine had a light body. Very good.
3 seconds, 1 3rd place vote.
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This bottle was purchased by my in-laws in the mid-eighties, and lived in the basements of several houses over the years. We finally opened it over an extended family dinner. By the numbers, this is a 96% Cabernet, 4% Merlot blend with 11.5% alcohol (how different the prevailing style of winemaking was then!). The wine had thrown a moderate amount of sediment; I didn't decant because I wanted to capture as much of the remaining fruit as possible. The cork was in excellent shape, with a crumbly last half-inch. Very evolved brick red/brown/amber color; I was surprised to find quite a bit of black cherry fruit on the palate, and little or no trace of oak. Interesting notes of eucalyptus, spearmint, leather, and an earthy/mushroomy quality that really grew on me over a few glasses. The tannins are completely evolved. This was the oldest California wine I've ever tasted (23 years after the vintage), and while it should ideally have been drunk up 5-10 years ago given its uneven storage history, it was still excellent.
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At home watching the All-Star game. Dark brick red. Clearly an older wine. Nose unappealing-bark, vinegar, and dried out fruit. On the palate, very disappointing. Almost completely dried out, hollow. There's very little to like. Harsh, charmless finish doesn't help. 4–6–1-1:62/100.
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1/12/2019 - DanielleRose Likes this wine:
A delicious wine provided and decanted by my father for my husband at our wedding reception. Lovely!
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1/12/2019 - oldwines Likes this wine: 94 Points
In my cellar since the late 1980’s and my last bottle, served to my daughter and new son-in-law (and a few others) at their wedding, representing his birth year. Double decanted at 11am and tasted around 9pm. Some of the recent tasting notes on the wine seem rather disappointing and I was fearful this might not be very good but I was quite surprised. When first tasted while decanting this was clearly inferior to the 1984 but to my pleasant surprise it put on considerable weight and exploded with fruit and layers of secondary flavors much later in the evening. There was some brett present to be sure but this was a case where it did seem to enhance the experience of the wine. Very earthy, barnyardy but also with leather and chocolate along with some brighter cherry fruit rather than darker fruit that showed in the 1984. I think on the whole the 1984 was a touch better but this was a very pleasant experience.
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9/22/2017 - Bodyfxr wrote: 83 Points
Tasted at a Ridge wine tasting at City Winery in Atlanta. This was the last wine of the flight. Pale flat red to the edge with a dark cloudy brick middle. The nose was a bit musty with hints of dried raisin and earth/dirty mushrooms. This bottle was not flawed. Little to no fruit on the palate with elements of earth and mushroom, extending into a lengthy finish. The Som said that this wine is currently at its peak however I disagree. I believe that this wine is a good 10 years past its prime.
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3/23/2017 - POBlund Likes this wine: 91 Points
Tasted at 12 vintage vertical by Michel Jamais.
First nose was odd but opened up after 30 min. Mature and elegant.
Nice elegant body palate of truffels, cedar, mushrooms, 11,5%
Almost overmature.
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3/25/2012 - Steve Jones wrote: 89 Points
Nose: dusty saddle leather, muskiness, sour cranberry, cassis, . Flavors: dusty saddle leather, red fruits (cranberry), some oak, dried mushroom/earth with light body. I really felt it was starting to fade. Had it any decent finish I might have gone 90 pts.
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1/8/2011 - agbailey Likes this wine:
Wineterfest 2011: Opened about 2 hours before serving, no decant. Enjoyed over the course of 90 minutes. Garnet / claret color showed the most age - lightest color of the flight, and faded towards the edge. Wonderful nose with lots of secondary flavors that you look for in an aged cabernet. Saddle leather, muskiness, vanilla, cranberry, cassis on the nose. Flavors were of leather, red fruits (cranberry), oak (not overdone), mushroom, terroir. Wine had a light body. Very good.
3 seconds, 1 3rd place vote.
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2/8/2009 - brucegolfer wrote: 90 Points
Decanted for an hour. Very full bodied, still vibrant and with adequate fruit. Worked well with duck.
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1/24/2005 - Siggy wrote: 90 Points
This bottle was purchased by my in-laws in the mid-eighties, and lived in the basements of several houses over the years. We finally opened it over an extended family dinner. By the numbers, this is a 96% Cabernet, 4% Merlot blend with 11.5% alcohol (how different the prevailing style of winemaking was then!). The wine had thrown a moderate amount of sediment; I didn't decant because I wanted to capture as much of the remaining fruit as possible. The cork was in excellent shape, with a crumbly last half-inch. Very evolved brick red/brown/amber color; I was surprised to find quite a bit of black cherry fruit on the palate, and little or no trace of oak. Interesting notes of eucalyptus, spearmint, leather, and an earthy/mushroomy quality that really grew on me over a few glasses. The tannins are completely evolved. This was the oldest California wine I've ever tasted (23 years after the vintage), and while it should ideally have been drunk up 5-10 years ago given its uneven storage history, it was still excellent.
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2/1/1990 - bestdamncab Likes this wine:
Open, fruity nose with lots of earthy, cabernet flavors that detract from the wine. Finish is fruity and long lasting with hints of tannin.
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7/11/1989 - MicklethePickle wrote: 62 Points
At home watching the All-Star game. Dark brick red. Clearly an older wine. Nose unappealing-bark, vinegar, and dried out fruit. On the palate, very disappointing. Almost completely dried out, hollow. There's very little to like. Harsh, charmless finish doesn't help. 4–6–1-1:62/100.
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5/1/1988 - bestdamncab Likes this wine: 83 Points
Open, floral, fruity nose, same in mouth, great wine near peak.
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