1990 Beringer Vineyards Merlot Bancroft Ranch- USA, California, Napa Valley, Howell Mountain (12/5/2018)
Last had this 7yrs ago, and that bottle was wonderful! This bottle, my last, is even more brilliant! Beautiful youthful garnet, plum color…intoxicating nose of dusty old cellar cedar, leather, crushed berries/olives, menthol, dried cherry and tobacco spice. Smoooooth and silky in the mouth, with just the slightest of tannin left…more sour skin acidity than the last bottle, which refreshens the old boy, but makes the finish a little sour and dry. Very pleasing old school stuff here! Complex and engaging flavors…olives, plum liqueur, wintergreen tobacco, nuttiness, leather…mouthful of plushness and pleasure. Everything is in perfect balance…tame and subtle…nothing absurdly out of whack. They just don’t make um like they use to! (95 pts.)
Back in the day purchased for under $30. Those were the days. Distinct…balanced and…yum! And back in the day numerous terrific wines were purchased for a song. Years from now folks could be saying the same thing of current wines priced that make you flinch. Thanks for the note…and the memories.
Someone stuck one of these blind into a Pomerol tasting we had once (although a different vintage, maybe it was 95?) and it compared very well to those. I bought a few vintages after that experience.
Howell Mountain fruit produces so many great wines. Zin, Cab and Merlot from the AVA definitely have a signature that makes them stand out. The fruits have more concentrated flavor, viscosity and generally, a long, long finish. Black Sears Vineyard and Herb Lamb Vineyard are the first two that come to mind.
