1991 Smothers Brothers Cabernet Sauvignon Remick Ridge Ranch

On Christmas Eve, we were invited over to the parents house of some friends for appetizers and drinks. A ways into the evening all the guys grabbed me and told me to sneak away to the cellar to open a few good bottles, guess it’s a family tradition!

As I was walking around the cellar, trying to help them decide what to pick, I noticed a door in the cellar, leading further underground. They said it was extra storage under the house and it was where they put bottles they thought were past their prime. There were cases of mid 80’s to early 90’s Cabernet’s from Sonoma and Napa. Only looked through a few of them as we were busy talking, but recognized 2 names, one because of wine the other from the entertainment world; Louis Martini and Smothers Brothers. I knew the Smothers Brothers had in the past owned a place in the Santa Cruz Mountains so asked if we could try it assuming it was from there. After dusting the bottle off we saw it was from Sonoma.

We then took it over to the counter and opened the bottle. Cork came out cleanly and and the wine smelled wonderful. Stunning nose of dark fruits, violet, tobacco and some spice. Incredibly smooth lush wine with a long lingering finish. A huge surprise, and unfortunately it was their only bottle of this. A stunning example of a well aged Cab from a time when they were made to age (listed alcohol was 12.5%). Easily one of my top wine’s of the year.

say goodnight Dick

Sweet! Did you skulk around in the sub-cellar using a dusty, cob-web-encrusted candelabrum?

Should have paired it with this:

Bruce

I had a bottle of the 2002 for Thanksgiving and found it a very nice wine; not terribly complex, but typical Cab flavors (cassis, dark fruits, etc.) and extremely smooth. A bottle that I had a year earlier was quite tannic and not enjoyable.

Reminds me, I have a bottle of Pat Paulsen cabernet. I was hoping he would be president and it’d be worth something…

veeeerrrrryyyyy interesting!

??? What am I missing here?

Thanks for the note on the 2002. I’ve been trying to figure out if I should track some down or just enjoy the random one magical bottle experience and not try to duplicate it.

Laugh In quotes. Laugh In and The Smothers Brothers were similar shows of the same era.

Well, I bought it on a lark from wtso at $20/each. Definitely worth the relatively modest coin. Think they quoted an MSRP of $40, but I wouldn’t put much stock in that number.

We recently had the 1999 at an offline and it tied tor WOTN. My friend gave it a 95. I brought the 2003 Pichon Baron which tied for WOTN. My friend puchased the 1999 Smothers Brothers Cabernet on WTSO for $20.00.

Luis, thanks for the note on it. Looks like the 2001 has good reviews as well, but the 2002 doesn’t appear to be at the same level. I’m trying to track some down, but it isn’t easy to find.

I bought a few 2002 from WTSO-none of them did much for me. Tannins overshadowed the meager fruit and it seemed to me to be on the way down.

That was my experience with the first bottle of the 2002 I had, but the second bottle was in a great place when opened on Thanksgiving.