May 10, 2021 - Held this until 2021 for our 25th wedding anniversary (1996), and it was still a truly delightful bottle. Tannins had softened as expected. Paired with tenderloin tips in a rich mushroom sauce and garlic mashed potatoes. Glad we waited for such a truly special occasion.
November 21, 2020 - A good showing for a 24-year-old. With its age, you get cedar, cigar box, and a bit of tar, all flanking notes of dried berries, ripe plum, and anise. On the palate, the tannins are smooth, supple, and sweet while flavors of spice, baking chocolate, dried cassis, and pomegranate arils. Lovely, perhaps waited a tad too long, but a nice look in the mirror at the mid-1990s Napa.
December 4, 2019 - Wednesday Wine Lunch (Rocknroller's (Kevin & Vicki's Place)): Uff da, this bottle was just done and gone. Pristine cork and great fill too.
May 19, 2018 - interesting napa cab. a strange color in the decanter, almost a hazy cranberry color. nose was intoxicating and and palate was tasty, but the color was a bit off putting
October 24, 2016 - Simply amazing. Perfectly stored for its entire life. Look at that cork. Amazingly balanced fruit and acidity. Fruit was spot on and the tannins were supple. Flavors of iron and blood went on and on.
February 22, 2016 - Vertical of 96, 95, 94 in that order. Same tasting notes on all three as they were very similar with subtle differences. Double decanted these to help open up a bit and lose the cork. Sour cherry, blackberry, cola, cocoa and leather. Pleasantly surprised by the amount of earth, tobacco, and oak qualities. Although these seem like they’re past their prime, the structure and balance is wonderful. 90-93
February 10, 2016 - Cinnamon delight. This is how to make a cab that soars--light but full of flavor and length. Winged and a nice sting of fully resolved tannin. This is where structure is supposed to go once it hits 20. Beautiful.
July 5, 2015 - Wonderful nose upon opening. Just a hint of tartness on the first sip. After being open for an hour though, fully oxidized. too bad, was really looking forward to this bottle.
June 23, 2015 - I think this wine is nice. There is still plenty of dark fruit for my tastes. (That said, I tend to find young California wines disgustingly jammy.) There are also nice aromas of oak, eucalyptus, and flowers. Tannins are fully integrated. There is not much complexity. This wine is tart and a little past its prime, but I'm glad I'm drinking it now instead of in 2000, when I probably would have hated it. Actually, the more I drink it, the more I think this wine is really singing and hardly past its prime. Call the tartness a "balsamic note." I love the fine-grainy texture. A fair, but not great, value for $65 on KLWines. 90.
Next day after vacu-vin. Yum! 91.
March 8, 2015 - work freebie
fading fruit and structure but not dead yet!
black cherry and blackberry. agree with previous notes on white chocolate and cola, especially soon after opening. fig, plum, and lingering sweet oak. leather and chalky old fashioned candy. think necco wafers.
a little grip on the finish but definitely drink soon.
i still found this very enjoyable.