I would not call it an oaky mess. I generally prefer closer to 20 years on Lytton and Geezer, which gives them plenty of time to integrate. This one is moving along… slowly.
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Thanks. I’ll leave the rest of mine for another decade then.
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Were both the Ridge Geyserville and Lytton Springs always made that way? I cut some of my wine baby teeth on those wines (and the Lytton Springs winery Zin) back in the mid-to-late 80s. I don’t recall ever thinking “this is a lot of oak” when drinking them, and we drank them fairly young. Then again, not sure I really understood and could readily identify the oak note back in those, for me, early days. 
I suspect there’s more new oak now, but also tastes have changed, so maybe we just notice it more.
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Had dinner with my Dad last night and he pulled this beauty from his cellar. No formal notes, but drinking incredibly well. Fully mature, but still lovely fruit and structure.
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That’s the way to do it!
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I don’t remember the ‘85 and ‘87 tasting like that, more red fruited and less extracted. But I was a newb back then and I think David is right, tastes have changed.
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Back to the crypt, and this is showing very well. The Merlot was OK, but coming to the downslope. This is at peak with time to spare. Quite delicious in a deep red cherry vein.
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Who signed it?
It was hard to read and my Dad’s memory is not perfect, but he believes it was Doug Shafer.
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Or John Shafer.
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There are some things my dad did not drink that I am happier to have. 2004 Bordeaux nears the top of the list, as it’s a classic and classy vintage. This bottle is drinking very well now, with plenty of time to spare. Luckily there is more.
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Looks like John Shafer.