1996 Seavey Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon- USA, California, Napa Valley (7/30/2017)
If you’re still sitting on this (I was, until yesterday), you’ve got to drink up now/soon. Lots of VA the first hour or so, with time, some balsamic notes move to the rear, cherry to the front, but it’s not much. Acids and tannins have outlived the fruit. It’s a decent drink with 90 minutes of air (and decant, there’s a TON of sediment), but its days of being special have already passed. Medium-bodied, red-fruited.
Hi, Andy, sure, that’s always possible. And maybe ‘loads’ isn’t the right word; sorry if I used it. I’m more tolerant (of VA) than most, I think, but it was there, and notwithstanding the VA, the acids and tannins are clearly outliving the fruit. There was some enjoyment here, I just had to work to find it. This was really just a PSA for others that might be sitting on this - and I was prompted by others’ notes that suggested as much. I did want to love it, and part of me was hoping it was a glorious as the 1993 I opened last year (which has many great years yet ahead).
Still sitting on 1990,1991,1992; big fan of these wines.
I have a bunch of the 95, 96, 97 and I drink them regularly. I drank my '94s a few years ago because they seemed like they were going to head downhill, but the 95-97 all seemed young. More recently the '95-97 have all started to taste at peak, and I had one bottle of '95 that seemed a but too earthy/funky for california cab (almost thought it was flawed).
In short, I think these are lovely wines, but I’m moving all of mine to the “drink now” portion of the cellar, which is a change from even a few years ago.
Had a very good bottle last night, after a much less enjoyable bottle ~1 year ago.
1996 Seavey Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon- USA, California, Napa Valley (10/7/2017)
Pop n’ pour and consumed over a few hours. Full nose of mature dried plum and cherry fruit with some dried tobacco and pencil lead. Palate has mature but still-plush fruit. Good balance from fresh acid and suave, resolving tannin. So much more giving and pleasurable than a bottle ~1 year ago. (92 pts.)
I have two bottles left and tried one recently. I agree that it’s enjoyable, but on the tail end of its maturity curve. I had a lot of the 95-97 that I loved just a few years ago, and they are all fading. Still great to drink now though, so pop those corks!