Winery: Arrowood
Wine: Cabernet Sauvignon Sonoma County Réserve Spéciale 1997
Score: 90
Price: $85
Country: California

Region: Sonoma

Issue: Web Only (2002)

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Lots of rich, complex flavors--layers of currant, vanilla, mocha, blackberry and cedar. Despite its concentration and depth, it shows elegance and grace on the finish. Drink now through 2009. 1,611 cases made. (JL)

This is a terrific wine and Laube only rated this a 90. There must be some explanation for this.

parker gave it a 97. imo it's no 97, but alot better than 90. i never took formal tasting notes, but put it at 93 in my ratings.

Long discussions about the discrepant TN of this wine---and others--- on many threads in this forum.
First RP and JL often do not agree. Both have their favorite wineries and wines.
Second and more important,the wine was tasted and reported over a year apart by RP and JL.
Third, it is hard to imagine the reserve wine is worse than the basic Sonoma bottling.
Fourth, never underestimate the effect of bottle variance.
Last,I have had this 3 times 6 months apart and it has changed some, was best just after release, so it may have a real variable rating, aside from the effects of bottle variance. It has closed some. I believe it has the stuffing to survive a dumb period and evolve beautifully as most of Dick Arrowood's best CS do, eg think '94. It will be a 93-95 pt wine.

It certainly is better than the Viader 98 crap that got a 95 by WS. Sheesh. Trust your own taste buds.

DrT

[ 10-08-2002, 10:17 PM: Message edited by: dr.tannin aka x-man ]

Frankie, the local mondavi rep (from the CWG's tasting) got me in touch with Mr. Arrowood regarding this issue. Here's exerpts from his email:

"....the 97'RSCS is actually drinking quite nice at the present...however the potential for this wine is at least a decade or two (if cellared
correctly)...If you can be patient, I believe you will be well rewarded by waiting for at least a year or so...As to the report of the wine being tight and shut down...I'm not sure I agree, at least for the bottles I've tasted...however I truly believe it will get better with a bit more bottle age..."

That's straight from the man. I'm gonna sit on my bottle for at least 5 years, maybe til 2010 for my ten year anniversary.

Agree with the good doctor, right up to the part about the "...Viader 98 crap..."

The '98 Viader may or may not merit the 95 awarded it by WS, but it is certainly not crap.

It may not be a good QPR, but it is pretty good wine IMHO...

Just keeping it real...

R2-D2 and Dr. T

definitely agree on the bottle variance and dumb period. this wine is still my fave arrowood, and much better than the regular '97 bottling. i fully intend to hang on to my remaining 2 for quite some time.

DrT, I still remember when I first put up my first JL vs RP post a long time ago and you mentioned that this was covered about 3 months earlier. Since then, it has comes up as a separate topic every 3 months but the issue of JL's erratic ratings comes up all of the time. It is an emotional issue for me (and it appears that it is also one for others), because I bought over 300 bottles of wines based on his Big 97 CA cab issue before I also started following RP, other forumites, other reviewers etc. Based on the tasting of the wines I bought, there is absolutely no doubt in my mind that I agree more with RP, and the other forumites (especially Jones) much more than JL.

I did the same thing (in the Souverain Chardonnay post) you did with your Viader comment - slamming a poor wine who's only fault is being overrated by JL.

GATC/FTG

Indeed, take some of what I say tongue in cheek. I do like to stir the pot at times. However, the point ratings by JL should if anything be reversed w/r to these 2 wines.

In a different vein, GATC, you and VM have touted the '01 German Rieslings. Have you tried any in advance? Are prices to jump appreciably? Ae there futures still available? If so, what producers/wines do you recommend?

Gracefully changing the topic...

DrT

DrT, you hit a sweet spot! I'll email you my buy list, but I'm basically buying all of the ++ and +++ spatleses and ausleses on the Terry Theise list. See a different post on the German wines for the reference document. I will also buy the best Prum and Maximin Grunhaus as well (Terry does not import those so they will not be referenced in the document). In the San Francisco Bay area, all of the ++ and +++ futures are GONE. I had to go to So Cal to get what I wanted. The highly rated wines will be drinking well in the 8 to 30 year range, so I will also buy a lot of kabinets and cheaper spatleses ($10-15) range that will also be terrific. The prices for the 2001's are higher, but they are still pretty reasonable and will stay that way as long as people continue to ignore rieslings. Unfortunately, the 2001 is being hyped up a little.

The only 2001 that I tried was a Maximin Grunhaus auslese and kabinet. They were both terrific.

Frankly, unless one is willing to age these for a long long time, it would be best to buy kabinets, may which could legally be sold as spatleses and even ausleses.

I've already bought 9 cases of futures.

Opened a bottle of the 1997 Arrowood Reserve Speciale last night.

Tasted in Reidel Sommelier Bordeux Glass (no decanting)

This is still a very youthful wine. I made a note immediately to hold my others. The nose did not give up too much- just a hint of currant and cedar or very subtle oak. The core flavor component is plum with supporting flavors of vanilla, currant, and jam. The finish is rather dry and a little dusty and a bit too short to be an exceptional wine. 93 points.

Note: This was my first tasting in my newly purchased glasses. Reidel really rips a wine a apart and exposes everything a wine has to offer both good and bad.

cometspider, I had this wine last night as well. I totally agree with the dusty and youthful description of this wine. It kind of reminded me of an experience I had with a 95 Caymus SS that I expected to knock my socks off, but really didn't. Both great wines, but not what I expected.

"...and cloaked with wine I'll tell you that you're great."

I had the 95 Arrowood Reserve last week. It too was youthful, but I don't recall any dustiness. The fruit was very fresh with present but polished tannins and subtle oak. 94 for me. Wish I had more.

The 94 was drinking beautifully about 9 months ago when I had it, no notes but I gave it a 95 with either drink or hold prospects. Have one more will try to get to it in next few years.

CabNut