Community Tasting Notes 3

• seijaro Likes this wine: 94 points

  April 9, 2024 - Wow, what a nice surprise! It wasn't this good in its heyday... a beautiful example of a mature CA Cab... but 40 years old? I never suspected it would be this good. What fun :)

  Comment

• Somm David T Likes this wine: 92 points

  March 14, 2020 - Picked this up this week at K&L Wine Merchants because the bottle was in pristine shape. The neck fill was the same as it was the day it was bottled. I love 1980’s Napa & Bordeaux wines. Really appreciate the ABV of that era, 13.6%. Additionally, I’m always motivated to try producers I haven’t had before. Further, as I swirl my glass, I think to myself, what was I doing the year an old wine was made? Memories?
  
  I figured with the bottles age, I would use my Durand corkscrew. But after pulling it, I realized I didn’t need to use it. Better safe than sorry! The cork was in perfect shape.
  
  The wine still shows good life. The fruit is ripe & fresh with some dark spice, earthiness & shades of dark tannins.
  
  The nose reveals a little barnyard from being in the bottle so long. It needed to stretch a bit and has calmed some. Ripe; blackberries, dark cherries, poached strawberries, black raspberries, well extracted pomegranate with hints of blueberries & rhubarb. Black, rich earth, eucalyptus, steeped black tea, dark, red liqueured notes, anise, understated vanilla, clove, nutmeg, shades of black olive, cedar, soft leathery notes, mid intensity dark spice, limestone, dry, crushed, rock powder, dry herbs, dry stems with bright, red, dark, fresh & withering flowers framed in a field of violets.
  
  The body has leaned with age but, is fresh & clean as it glides over the palate. It shows some barnyard on the palate as well. Tannins are largely resolved but, by no means is this wine over the hill. Past its prime, yes. However, that’s what makes it infinitely more interesting, complex and a welcome change of pace. This bottle certainly will not improve but, would still drink well for another five years. Ripe, floral, blackberries, bright; dark cherries, strawberries & cherries. Black raspberries, black plum, well extracted pomegranate, raspberries with hints of blueberries & rhubarb. Forest floor with dry leaves, eucalyptus, steeped black tea, dark, red liqueured notes, red cola, anise, understated vanilla, clove, nutmeg, cinnamon, touch of caramel, shades of black olive, cedar, soft leathery notes, dry tobacco, mid intensity dark spice, limestone, dry, crushed, rock powder, dry herbs, mint, dry stems with bright, red, dark, fresh & withering flowers framed in a field of violets & lavender. The acidity is excellent...like a cool stream. The long finish is clean, fresh, elegant, well knitted and persists on the palate minutes with medium, dark, gently heated spices on the long set.
  
  I did not decant this bottle at the start. I wanted to see if it would improve or fade in the glass first. As it turned out, decanting this nearly 35 years old was still the correct decision.

  1 person found this helpful

• buckeye76 wrote: 90 points

  December 12, 1989 - LICORICE AROMAS VERY EVIDENT WITH JAMMY DEEP CONCENTRATED FRUIT, CINNAMON AND LEATHER. CHEWY FRUITY TASTE WITH THE LICORICE CARRY- ING OVER TO THE FLAVOR.SOFTENED SINCE 12/89 TSTG. READY NOW

  Comment

Pro Reviews 0

• No pro reviews found.

Wine Definition

• Vintage 1985
• Type Red
• Producer Sullivan Vineyards
• Varietal Cabernet Sauvignon
• Designation n/a
• Vineyard n/a
• Country USA
• Region California
• SubRegion Sonoma County
• Appellation Sonoma County

Community Holdings

• Pending Delivery 0 (0%)
• In Cellars 0 (0%)
• Consumed 5 (100%)

Food Pairing

Who Likes This Wine

More About This Wine