Served to me double-blind at Tasting Group. The wine pours a beautiful garnet with a deep but translucent core and significant rim variation; from magenta to orange to watery. There appears to be loads of sediment. Medium viscosity with moderate staining of the tears. On the nose, the wine is vinous with powerful aromas of desiccated red and black fruits: cassis, brambles, plum, pipe tobacco, some green pepper, old leather, damp forrest, mushrooms and baking spices. On the palate, the wine is dry with medium tannins and medium(+?) acid. Confirming the notes on the notes. The finish is long and delicious. Alcohol is medium.
I was pretty confident that this was a Bordeaux-variety/blend however, I was between two minds as to whether this was left-bank Bordeaux or Napa Valley as I believe the lines truly begin to blur with age. Ultimately, I called St. Estèphe from a classified growth and a warmer vintage like 1985 or 1990. I settled on 1990. Shit. I should have known it was Napa…and as more time went on, the fruit did seem to get a little more heady. Anyway, I don’t hate my call but I should have not rushed my conclusion and considered it a little longer. As for the wine itself, this bottle has excellent provenance and was really quite lovely at 37 years old. Plenty left in the tank. There’s good color and energy with no worry at all about the fruit hanging on. Alcohol is modest at 12.5% ABV. Well-cellared examples should be enjoyed now but will drink very well over the next 5-10 years, easy.
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Nose of red cherry, black cherry, and dusty earth, same on the palate, medium/big body, mouth filling fruit, tasty, the reserve is much better for tasting and ageing than the Jefferson Cuvee, bought at auction for $10 so I can't really complain too much, medium finish, photo uploaded. The previous night, this same bottle was opened and featured a terrible nose and palate. I rated it 80 points. What a difference a day makes!
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This bottle did not show as well as past ones. Definitely past it's prime. Aromatic still with blackberry amidst a sherry alchol tinged waft. Initially acidic and unbalanced with very muted fruits. Let sit for an hour and it declined further with less flavor and more sourness.
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Picked these up at auction recently. This may have passed its peak but this was a mouthful of blackberry, plum, and strawberry with a finish of mulberry. I love an aged fruit bombed like this and recommend it be tried amidst the backdrop of us distinguishable Cabernets and Mediocre wine. I recommend that every so often older Cabernets which were well made like this be tried with an expectation to seeing what aged wine can be. Delicious !!!
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Video Music Night at Bill's (Vancouver, BC): Served blind. For those who subscribe to Gilman, his tasting note sums this wine up perfectly. For those who don't, this will have to do: Most Bordeaux-like wine so far tonight with mature dark fruit and earth on the nose. Balanced and perfectly mature on the palate. A really nice classic Napa cab. Drink now. Excellent.
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At least a decade past its prime. Still though, pretty good for what it is. Some leather, tobacco, tar, cherry, and basil up front with a chewy finish...kind of tarry and raisiny. I agree with vine20 about this being a 91 ten years ago. It's an 80 now though, and that may be a little bit generous. Note: this started to really open up, get fruitier, and gained more depth after 3 hours. I upped the score from 80 to 88.
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Browning on the edge with good ruby color throughout and a mixed, subtle red fruit nose. No decant. This wine was surprisingly intact after 25+ years. Fruit was very subtle and is past its prime, but red and black cherry with some red raspberry are still evident along with some tar and barnyard. Very smooth with some chewy tannins at the end, though not much structure. Medium finish. This score is my guess at what this wine should have tasted like if drunk 10 years ago.
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A shame but past its time at this point - Highly unplesent vegatable nose and taste - decanted for 24 hours and only diminished some - very difficult to drink and used half for cooking. guess I will save a bottle as nice old wine to display in tasting room.
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8/14/2023 - thesternowl wrote: 91 Points
Served to me double-blind at Tasting Group. The wine pours a beautiful garnet with a deep but translucent core and significant rim variation; from magenta to orange to watery. There appears to be loads of sediment. Medium viscosity with moderate staining of the tears. On the nose, the wine is vinous with powerful aromas of desiccated red and black fruits: cassis, brambles, plum, pipe tobacco, some green pepper, old leather, damp forrest, mushrooms and baking spices. On the palate, the wine is dry with medium tannins and medium(+?) acid. Confirming the notes on the notes. The finish is long and delicious. Alcohol is medium.
I was pretty confident that this was a Bordeaux-variety/blend however, I was between two minds as to whether this was left-bank Bordeaux or Napa Valley as I believe the lines truly begin to blur with age. Ultimately, I called St. Estèphe from a classified growth and a warmer vintage like 1985 or 1990. I settled on 1990. Shit. I should have known it was Napa…and as more time went on, the fruit did seem to get a little more heady. Anyway, I don’t hate my call but I should have not rushed my conclusion and considered it a little longer. As for the wine itself, this bottle has excellent provenance and was really quite lovely at 37 years old. Plenty left in the tank. There’s good color and energy with no worry at all about the fruit hanging on. Alcohol is modest at 12.5% ABV. Well-cellared examples should be enjoyed now but will drink very well over the next 5-10 years, easy.
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12/30/2021 - bestdamncab Likes this wine: 88 Points
Nose of red cherry, black cherry, and dusty earth, same on the palate, medium/big body, mouth filling fruit, tasty, the reserve is much better for tasting and ageing than the Jefferson Cuvee, bought at auction for $10 so I can't really complain too much, medium finish, photo uploaded.
The previous night, this same bottle was opened and featured a terrible nose and palate. I rated it 80 points. What a difference a day makes!
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1/27/2017 - tomoem wrote: 86 Points
This bottle did not show as well as past ones. Definitely past it's prime. Aromatic still with blackberry amidst a sherry alchol tinged waft. Initially acidic and unbalanced with very muted fruits. Let sit for an hour and it declined further with less flavor and more sourness.
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11/21/2014 - tomoem Likes this wine: 90 Points
Picked these up at auction recently. This may have passed its peak but this was a mouthful of blackberry, plum, and strawberry with a finish of mulberry. I love an aged fruit bombed like this and recommend it be tried amidst the backdrop of us distinguishable Cabernets and Mediocre wine. I recommend that every so often older Cabernets which were well made like this be tried with an expectation to seeing what aged wine can be. Delicious !!!
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11/12/2013 - godx wrote: 90 Points
Video Music Night at Bill's (Vancouver, BC): Served blind. For those who subscribe to Gilman, his tasting note sums this wine up perfectly. For those who don't, this will have to do: Most Bordeaux-like wine so far tonight with mature dark fruit and earth on the nose. Balanced and perfectly mature on the palate. A really nice classic Napa cab. Drink now. Excellent.
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5/4/2012 - jonradus wrote: 88 Points
At least a decade past its prime. Still though, pretty good for what it is. Some leather, tobacco, tar, cherry, and basil up front with a chewy finish...kind of tarry and raisiny. I agree with vine20 about this being a 91 ten years ago. It's an 80 now though, and that may be a little bit generous. Note: this started to really open up, get fruitier, and gained more depth after 3 hours. I upped the score from 80 to 88.
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3/10/2012 - vine20 wrote: 91 Points
Browning on the edge with good ruby color throughout and a mixed, subtle red fruit nose. No decant. This wine was surprisingly intact after 25+ years. Fruit was very subtle and is past its prime, but red and black cherry with some red raspberry are still evident along with some tar and barnyard. Very smooth with some chewy tannins at the end, though not much structure. Medium finish. This score is my guess at what this wine should have tasted like if drunk 10 years ago.
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12/8/2006 - Eff01 wrote: 75 Points
A shame but past its time at this point - Highly unplesent vegatable nose and taste - decanted for 24 hours and only diminished some - very difficult to drink and used half for cooking. guess I will save a bottle as nice old wine to display in tasting room.
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