1996 Ristow Estate Cabernet Sauvignon Quinta de Pedras

Community Tasting Notes (6) Avg Score: 87.7 points

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  10/12/2009 - vinojava wrote:

  Plum and blackberries with balanced acid and some tannins.

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  1/25/2009 - Todd French wrote: 88 Points

  Nowhere near as good as the last bottle - this one showed 'old', fruit was way in the background, and it fell off quickly after a couple hours. Still had the great mouthfeel and tannic structure of the last one, but the fruit was just in hiding, and running away.

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  8/21/2008 - Todd French wrote: 93 Points

  Right away, I get to enjoy the nose, which is (to me, and apologies in advance to any Varietal Police out there) very quintessential 'older CA cab' in profile. More vegetal in quality, total absence of that rubbing alcohol smell in many young CA cabs, and the fruit seems very mature, very ripe. There is a softer toasted oak than I usually get, where it is more of a hint than in your face THIS IS TOASTED OAK, DAMMIT type of thing. It reminds me a lot of a Bordeaux blend where the vegetal/terroir components mix with the ripe fruits - two years ago, I wouldn't have liked it, now, I love it. There's also a bit of the too-ripe fruits, with a little bit of prune, and there is a component of rare beef, and a nice mocha overtone as well. There's also an interesting component here that reminds me of an old church - something like old wood pews and cloth or leather padded seats - no clue where that came from...
  
  Where newer CA cabs are enjoyable because of the punch they have in mouthfeel, aged CA cabs also have something to offer - great silkiness. On the palate, I'm getting nice blackberries, definitely rich cherry sauce (made with fresh cherries, not the over-sweet canned stuff), blueberries (yes, not to disappoint all my fans), a bit of rocky terrain and some tar, and the finish which is about 20 seconds long, but a bit on the bitter side, like the seeds of the fruits you enjoyed in the flavor profile - still bearing some of the flavor, but bitter.

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  5/8/2008 - jeff nowak wrote: 87 Points

  never a favorite of mine, but this is clearly the best bottle i've ever tasted from any vintage. still, i feel it's overextracted. i think there was a nice potential from this wine hiding somewhere.

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  5/7/2008 - ScottS wrote: 84 Points

  California Bordeaux Blends (Backstreet Wine Salon - PHX, AZ): 50+5+11+13+5=84
  Slightly lean and acidic. Lacking fruit and structure. Rather one dementional from start to finish.

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