I bought a half case of this wine at the winery many years ago (for an amazing $27/bottle) and tucked it away at the back of my cellar. When I opened a bottle in 2011, I wrote that "With 5 bottles left in the cellar, I plan to open the remainder roughly every other year to 2020 or so." Tonight I opened another bottle to see if the plan was on track.
This is a really exceptional Cabernet (with 9% Merlot and 7% Cabernet Franc). On visual examination, it is a medium depth ruby red with a trace of brick at the rim. The rich and strong bouquet is more reminiscent of a mature Bordeaux than a Napa Cab. There is a lot of cedar, leather, prunes, and violets. On the palate, there is a surprising amount of fruit remaining, including blackberries, blueberries, and blackcurrants. On the fairly long finish, however, the leather, cedar, and tobacco come into play. The tannins are smooth enough that I may need to accelerate my drinking plan to use up the last four bottles by 2017. For now, however, I'll plan to revisit this excellent wine in fall 2015. Grade: A
