Wow. Yes. Tough vintage, cool year with late heat spike pushing ripeness. This 1999 showed the vintage character well, not a powerhouse but well balanced. Gorgeous layers and nuance from black fruited, pencil graphite, savory tobacco. Impeccable balance on palate with melted tannins and well judged acidity. — 3 days ago
Tried 3 years ago, and it was a tannic bottle of disappointment, it's changed for the better.
2 hour decant(some chunky/fine sediment). A splendid dark purplish magenta color. On the nose: dark fruit, cocoa, pencil shavings, floral, cigar box, menthol. Taste: soft, elegant wine with some black/red fruit, currants, crushed stone, and an earthy black tea lean medium finish. Not the depth and power of a great year, drinks well now...not sure how much more this will improve. — 2 days ago
Well, very very raising the mood. Good wine. — 17 days ago
Nearly 20 years in bottle. It is still ascending will drink well for another 15 days plus years.
From a warm vintage. Beautiful, even toned fruits with elegant earth & amazing lead pencil bloom for days.
This is approaching its peak, another 5 years from its peak.
Well resolved wine-fruits. The fruits are juicy, blackberries, black raspberries, plum skin, dark cherries & slightly, poached strawberries with a highlight of pomegranate. Mocha, dark chocolate, black tea, sandalwood, sandstone, limestone, some mushroom notes, dark, rich turned earth w/ dry leaves, dry tobacco, dry leather, dry herbs, dry stone, caramel notes, dry, withering, dark, purple & red flowers with excellent acidity, balance, tension, structure and finish for days that lasts 90 seconds. — a day ago
Fantastic Napa cab that’s in a beautiful spot right now. Well balanced. Notes of Blackberry, Cassis, Pencil Shavings, Mint, and that ever present Rutherford Dust. — 6 days ago
Quite floral with plummy cassis, creamy blackberry and a touch of pencil lead, crushed rocks . On the palate this has quite good freshness , ripe cassis and blackberry , but with dusty firm tannins . Mineral , seashell hints of on the good length finish . Quite richly fruited but well balanced overall . This needs more time but for 2018 is promising, balanced with good freshness . Come back in 10 -15 years and will show well a further 10 — 2 days ago
From Coravin at my nephews restaurant at Sundays Italian lunch. A nice moment to check in for my bottles that I have in my cellar. Obviously way to young but drinking well nevertheless. Solid wine, potential 94-95 with some age but not the best vintage IMHO. — a day ago
+1 hour decant(decent chunky/fine sediment). A splendid dark ruby red color. On the nose: Intoxicating/intense nose of black fruit, dark currants, worn leather, forest floor, coffee grounds, minty dark chocolate. Taste: smooth, satiny, structured, balanced wine with chocolate covered brambly blackberry, tobacco, earth, cedar, black pepper, and a herbal licorice long finish. A medium body old world style wine that shows well right now and should continue to provide more years of enjoyable sipping. — 9 days ago
Samantha Hargrove
Minerality, crispness, mostly dry…a profile I love. I was pleasantly surprised by this find at Fred Meyer!
— 17 days ago