1997 Far Niente Cabernet Sauvignon Estate Napa Valley
Community Tasting Note
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Wednesday, August 3, 2016 - http://www.bonvivantgourmets.com/far-niente-cabernet-sauvignon-1997
The nearly dark purple opaque hues noticed in its youth have faded to a romantic ruby with only the slightest amber/brown tints around the edges: a common and tell-tale sign of a properly matured wine of quality. Tannins in the wine turn to sediment over time, which is why many older bottles kept on their side have a dark muddy streak along the gravity facing side of the bottle. Sometimes, with extremely well aged wines, the tannins turn to such a finite sediment, that a sand-like sediment may gather at the bottom of a glass (as opposed to often much larger chunks found in young, unfiltered wines, especially with those of France's Rhone valley).
In the mouth, the softness of silk and satin is immediately felt followed by the balanced commingling of fruit and earth into a subtle and sublime element only achievable with time. Faint mushrooms, dried earth, and cassis blend together to create the sensation one would feel when visiting one's grandfather as a child. Whatever oak or pencil shavings once present in youth are now completely gone and the result is a very mature wine of grace, elegance and refinement. A long lingering finish was timed at more than 45 seconds and it is recommended to decant about an hour before consumption.
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