Drank at home and wished now that I’d saved it for a Domaine Saturday, as it showed wonderfully. There’s a certain richness of fruit that makes it unmistakably California, and it is an aging blackberry but not cassis, perhaps the ripeness of the year, or the Merlot component. But this is predominantly Cab. Nuanced, mesomorphic and aging well, it’s still a clear ruby without a touch of bricking despite 20+ years in bottle. The nose is secondary and a mix of soy umami and fruit with a touch of green pepper, tomato leaf and the lingering hint of pipe smoke, which is what I imagine “spice box” turns into when it matures. The acidity is present but not foregrounded and the finish is even and maybe 20-30s but not overly mouth-coating.
Really a nice experience, a testament to what Calofornia could produce even in the height of Parkerization. Still has quite a bit of longevity.
I have had wonderful and sad experiences both with old Cali wines. A $20 Newton merlot from 1982 was one of my most enjoyable wines of last year, and a 1977 Diamond Creek Gravelly Meadow was by far the best birth year wine I’ve ever had. Others have been syrupy, soupy, madeirized, corked, hot, unbalanced or pruney and often a combination. The first old Cali wine I had was a 1993 Ravenswood Belloni from WineBid at $30 in 2005 maybe and it was the first that made me think I might like old wine. I look at old Cali wines from WineBid like playing a scratch ticket game: the price to play is low and most of the time the payoff is modest but enjoyable, with a few abject failures and a few standout winners. I also opened a 1986 Spottswoode tonight (for which I paid 30% more than for the Arrowood) and it was oxidized and unpleasant. I’m cool with the risk.
Ramble on…