Found this one at a local resturant for a mere $30 (little to no mark-up). Bought it to try at home.
Decanted for about 1/2 hour. Drank with a mushroom pizza and a Sonic game.
Nose: Big floral nose with a hint of smoke.
Taste: An interesting Cabernet. Intense berry flavors followed again by a bit of smoke and mocha. I also taste a faint bit of raisin(or prune?). I like this one a lot. I feel this wine is pretty much ready to drink, but it should hold together for a few more (5-6) years, not that I'd be able to hold off that long.
I give it a solid 90. I like the smoke and mocha I'm tasting.
This got a bad review from critics when it was first released, so it got re-released as a library selection ten years later. Costco had tons of it in the SF bay area, first at $42, but later marked down to $23. Definitely drinking as a 90-91 pt wine now (although there is some bottle variation). WS upgraded it to 89pts recently in their '91 cab retrospective. A good value at $42, a steal at $23 or $30.
Posts: 12 | Location: san simeon | Registered: Oct 14, 2002