I purchased this yesterday from an A+ wine storage facility that also sells its clients wine when requested. This has been stored there since its release. I bought this perfect bottle for $35 because it has sentimental value and for $35 bucks…come on!
In a former life, I only drank well made CA Chardonnay. I know it’s hard even for me to imagine, let alone remember & admit it. Now, I hardly drink CA Chardonnay.
My sisters were visiting and they like reds. So I stopped at the former “Wine Club” retail shop in Santa Clara. It was the 1999 Pine Ridge “Stag’s Leap Cabernet” (2x) I bought that started me down the red rabbit hole. The Andrus is as close to that as I’ll get to their Stag’s Leap bottling at this point. Close enough and one of their best. We enjoyed it with Chinese takeout! 😂
This 99 is just and I mean just the other side of its peak bell curve. Still has another 5 years of life left. It is its unbelievable storage that has kept this 99 fresh as it’s not from not an awful vintage, but certainly not a great one, not like 98. Yet, it still shines 25 years later.
The nose reveals dark currants & cassis. Hints of barrel toast. Brambly blackberries, black raspberries, stewy black plum, poached, dark cherries & strawberries, burnt cranberries, black tea, burnt brush, old tobacco w/ ash, old baking spices, baking soda and dark, red, withering florals.
The palate shows; ripe, juicy, brambly blackberries, black raspberries, stewy black plum, poached, dark cherries & strawberries, burnt cranberries, raspberries, blueberries, black tea, mid berry cola, burnt brush, touch of black pepper, softened, dark spice, old tobacco w/ ash, well used leather, baking spices-clove, cinnamon, nutmeg & vanillin, cooked caramel. Some dry sage, baking soda, limestone powder, dry top soil, grey volcanics and dark, red, slightly withering florals set in violets, rainfall acidity with an elegant, juicy, well balanced/structured & still showing nice tension on the finish that lasts two-minutes plus.
I had this corvined over two nights and at the halfway point threw some very chunky sediment.
What a great remembrance! — 2 months ago
Pine Ridge Tasting - 4/5
Atlas Peak. Dry. Great taste. — 18 days ago
Lisa drank it is a Skagway restaurant. She loved it — a month ago
Pine Ridge Tasting - 5/5
Amazing. Great wine. — 18 days ago
A little green in flavor (as in unripe), too acidic, but had some elements of tropical fruit, just not full and ripe. Has potential but not the best. — a month ago
Forgot how nice this Chardonnay is. — 3 months ago
Excelente vinho! Tempo de guarda perfeito — 4 months ago
Andy Stabile
My last bottle…
A few years back I bought 3 bottles. Now can’t find another 2017 on the inter-webs.
Soft mouth feel with a kick not from tannins, per se, but from a strong peppery finish. Just loved.
36% Grenache, 36% Syrah, 31 mourverdre…
After 2017 they jacked up the Grenache and it hasn’t been the same. Not sure the vineyard is even still around.
Was fun while it lasted…. — 3 days ago