Pine Ridge Vineyards
Andrus Reserve Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon
Napa Valley, California, USA
There is an origins story for me w/ this producer. You can read about it by clicking my post from 55 weeks ago.
This bottle fazed between 92-94 while enjoying. I opened it and let it breathe in bottle for 45 minutes and then decanted it in stages…a 1/3, 1/3 & 1/3. I believe that was the right decision.
This 97 still has not ridden off into the sunset, it is just the other side of its peak. 28 yrs from creation & 26 yrs in bottle. I look at a Cabernet/reds from when it went into bottle vs its birth yr. All my opening decisions are made from that point. Humans don’t count their time in womb, I see wine similarly.
The fruits are still beautiful & its evolution is amazing. There is a core of dark currants surrounded by cassis. Ripe; blackberries, black raspberries, black plum with heavy skin, black cherries, secondary; raspberries, dark cherries & strawberries. Cherry cola/licorice. Dark spices w/ a touch of heat-hard to find better, moist clays, soft, layered baking spices-clove, nutmeg, cinnamon & vanillin, dark chocolate baking bar, mocha powder, caramel, anise to black licorice, dryish tobacco with ash, used leather, dry crushed rocks, limestone powder, volcanic ash, fire ambers, saline, some black pepper, tumbleweed, dry river stone, black tea, very lightly grilled pork, florals for days that are; dark, red, blue, lavender framed in violets, perfect acidity with a great balance, well structured/tensioned, elegant finish that lasts minutes and falls on dry earth & spice as it long sets. Wonderful style!
To quote Robert Lewis Stevenson, “Wine is Bottled Poetry!”
There is an origins story for me w/ this producer. You can read about it by clicking my post from 55 weeks ago.
This bottle fazed between 92-94 while enjoying. I opened it and let it breathe in bottle for 45 minutes and then decanted it in stages…a 1/3, 1/3 & 1/3. I believe that was the right decision.
This 97 still has not ridden off into the sunset, it is just the other side of its peak. 28 yrs from creation & 26 yrs in bottle. I look at a Cabernet/reds from when it went into bottle vs its birth yr. All my opening decisions are made from that point. Humans don’t count their time in womb, I see wine similarly.
The fruits are still beautiful & its evolution is amazing. There is a core of dark currants surrounded by cassis. Ripe; blackberries, black raspberries, black plum with heavy skin, black cherries, secondary; raspberries, dark cherries & strawberries. Cherry cola/licorice. Dark spices w/ a touch of heat-hard to find better, moist clays, soft, layered baking spices-clove, nutmeg, cinnamon & vanillin, dark chocolate baking bar, mocha powder, caramel, anise to black licorice, dryish tobacco with ash, used leather, dry crushed rocks, limestone powder, volcanic ash, fire ambers, saline, some black pepper, tumbleweed, dry river stone, black tea, very lightly grilled pork, florals for days that are; dark, red, blue, lavender framed in violets, perfect acidity with a great balance, well structured/tensioned, elegant finish that lasts minutes and falls on dry earth & spice as it long sets. Wonderful style!
To quote Robert Lewis Stevenson, “Wine is Bottled Poetry!”
So, I have confessed to drinking only Ca Chardonnay in the past. In 2001-02, I had the 99 Pine Ridge Stag’s Leap District and it was the first red wine I gravitated. This 97 Andrus is their flagship wine & a better wine & vintage than the 99 Pine Ridge Stags Leap District that I had so long ago.
I decanted half the bottle and reserved the rest. The decanted was very good, but the reserve is better.
Excellent wine tonight that has sentimental meaning.
I bought 2 bottles on the secondary market for a $100 recently, that included fees & tax. It is like stealing candy from a baby at that price point. This was slightly better two-years ago, but excellent tonight w/ Ribcaps.
The palate is rich, ripe; blackberries, black raspberries, black plum skin, dark cherries, sweet me raspberry tones, blue/purple fruit tones, dry, crushed limestone-rock, dry top-soil, some dry herbs, dry tobacco, leather, some black licorice to cola, melted chocolate, some grilled meats, steeped tea to black tea, dry stone, used barrel shavings, withering dark, red, purple flowers round acidity and a well balanced, tensioned, elegant finish that lasts 90 seconds and lands on dry minerality.
So, I have confessed to drinking only Ca Chardonnay in the past. In 2001-02, I had the 99 Pine Ridge Stag’s Leap District and it was the first red wine I gravitated. This 97 Andrus is their flagship wine & a better wine & vintage than the 99 Pine Ridge Stags Leap District that I had so long ago.
I decanted half the bottle and reserved the rest. The decanted was very good, but the reserve is better.
Excellent wine tonight that has sentimental meaning.
I bought 2 bottles on the secondary market for a $100 recently, that included fees & tax. It is like stealing candy from a baby at that price point. This was slightly better two-years ago, but excellent tonight w/ Ribcaps.
The palate is rich, ripe; blackberries, black raspberries, black plum skin, dark cherries, sweet me raspberry tones, blue/purple fruit tones, dry, crushed limestone-rock, dry top-soil, some dry herbs, dry tobacco, leather, some black licorice to cola, melted chocolate, some grilled meats, steeped tea to black tea, dry stone, used barrel shavings, withering dark, red, purple flowers round acidity and a well balanced, tensioned, elegant finish that lasts 90 seconds and lands on dry minerality.