Bottle: Purchased upon release. Stored in a passively cooled cellar. Mid neck fill. Cork saturated only 1/2 inch up. Color: Nice purple color with ruby rim. No browning at all. Nose: Lovely nose of baked red fruits. Plums, cherries, vanilla, and a touch of earth. Palate: Soft and fruity with a slightly bitter edge. Almost flabby structure. Disappointing.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
IWFSC 801 Dinner (BOKA Chicago, IL): Wow. Older CA style that many of today's producers could learn from. Young, good color, good tannin, big fruit, can keep but a very good window to be drinking.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
In a large line up of cabs at Gulfstream, this, along with a 1982 Villa Mt. Eden, was a stand-out. Not on the downside of its life at all, this showed vibrant red fruit, good acidity and tons of complexity. It did not deteriorate in the 4 hours it was open, and only got better. Terrific.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
My final two bottles showed echoes of the amazing flavors from my previous two tasting notes, but came across as a bit tired and over-the-hill. Still excellent though.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Appetizers with Kevin and Raj at Empire Tap Room. Popped and poured, with a great-looking cork. Another awesome bottle, this beautifully mature Cab was brick-red in color, with a nose that practically lept out across the table. Impeccably rich and balanced, with a velvety, smooth mouthfeel and notes of mocha, cassis, spice box, and a little caramel. The tannins are fully resolved. Continued to open with 90 minutes of time in the glass. Thank goodness I have a few more of these tucked away.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Another bottle rescued from my in-laws' basement, where it resided for more than 15 years after purchase, this was mind-blowingly good. In fact, it is one of the best California Cabs I have ever tasted. The cuvee is 84% Cabernet Sauvignon, 11% Merlot, and 5% Cabernet Franc, with 13.7% alcohol. Medium neck fill, ultra-clean cork. Deep brick red with considerable amber at the rim, the wine offers up an unbelievable nose of cedar, cassis, spearmint, menthol, and blueberries. Wow, the flavors just jump out at you and keep evolving in the glass, and the wine picks up a lovely, complex, intense chocolate/mocha character on the midpalate. Rather than fading, the flavors seemed to intensify as the wine sat open for 2+ hours. Impeccable structure and balance; velvety mouthfeel with no trace of heaviness. Fine-grained tannins taste nearly resolved, but still leave you in their grip on the finish, which lasts almost 60 seconds. Thankfully, I have several more of these (and they are now properly stored). I expected this to be over-the-hill, but I'm guessing there are at least 5 more years of life ahead. I don't plan on waiting that long!
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
8/21/2019 - meniscus wrote: 82 Points
Bottle: Purchased upon release. Stored in a passively cooled cellar. Mid neck fill. Cork saturated only 1/2 inch up.
Color: Nice purple color with ruby rim. No browning at all.
Nose: Lovely nose of baked red fruits. Plums, cherries, vanilla, and a touch of earth.
Palate: Soft and fruity with a slightly bitter edge. Almost flabby structure. Disappointing.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
1/13/2015 - jlgnml Likes this wine: 93 Points
IWFSC 801 Dinner (BOKA Chicago, IL): Wow. Older CA style that many of today's producers could learn from. Young, good color, good tannin, big fruit, can keep but a very good window to be drinking.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
4/6/2011 - Colima74 wrote: 94 Points
In a large line up of cabs at Gulfstream, this, along with a 1982 Villa Mt. Eden, was a stand-out. Not on the downside of its life at all, this showed vibrant red fruit, good acidity and tons of complexity. It did not deteriorate in the 4 hours it was open, and only got better. Terrific.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
1/2/2011 - JeffVolant wrote:
Very nice -- no obvious flaws even after questionable cellaring all these years
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
2/11/2010 - yhn wrote: flawed
Corked. Initial funk blew off revealing a gorgeous mature Cab. After a couple minutes TCA began to make itself more and more apparent.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
10/8/2005 - Siggy wrote: 90 Points
My final two bottles showed echoes of the amazing flavors from my previous two tasting notes, but came across as a bit tired and over-the-hill. Still excellent though.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
5/2/2005 - Siggy wrote: 96 Points
Appetizers with Kevin and Raj at Empire Tap Room. Popped and poured, with a great-looking cork. Another awesome bottle, this beautifully mature Cab was brick-red in color, with a nose that practically lept out across the table. Impeccably rich and balanced, with a velvety, smooth mouthfeel and notes of mocha, cassis, spice box, and a little caramel. The tannins are fully resolved. Continued to open with 90 minutes of time in the glass. Thank goodness I have a few more of these tucked away.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
3/18/2005 - Siggy wrote: 97 Points
Another bottle rescued from my in-laws' basement, where it resided for more than 15 years after purchase, this was mind-blowingly good. In fact, it is one of the best California Cabs I have ever tasted. The cuvee is 84% Cabernet Sauvignon, 11% Merlot, and 5% Cabernet Franc, with 13.7% alcohol. Medium neck fill, ultra-clean cork. Deep brick red with considerable amber at the rim, the wine offers up an unbelievable nose of cedar, cassis, spearmint, menthol, and blueberries. Wow, the flavors just jump out at you and keep evolving in the glass, and the wine picks up a lovely, complex, intense chocolate/mocha character on the midpalate. Rather than fading, the flavors seemed to intensify as the wine sat open for 2+ hours. Impeccable structure and balance; velvety mouthfeel with no trace of heaviness. Fine-grained tannins taste nearly resolved, but still leave you in their grip on the finish, which lasts almost 60 seconds. Thankfully, I have several more of these (and they are now properly stored). I expected this to be over-the-hill, but I'm guessing there are at least 5 more years of life ahead. I don't plan on waiting that long!
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
6/6/1993 - buckeye76 wrote: 90 Points
RUST COLORED ON THE RIM. TOBACCO AND BLACK CHERRY IN THE NOSE WITH BLACKBERRIES AND FIGS IN THE FLAVOR. MEDIUM LENGTH FINISH.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment