TN: 1999 Shafer Hillside Select Cabernet

Had this at Mille Fleurs with a nice steak. It struck me that the tannins are fully resolved, no secondary smell/tastes, still very primary with lots of blackcurrant, blackberries and a seamless feel throughout. Gorgeous wine, but I’m a little worried about the lack of tannin in the wine. Of course it was a huge hit with my mom and mel, just because of that.

And Bruce, if you read this, thanks for the tip re the clear heirloom tomato soup, it is something special.

Otto

Otto - thanks for the update on this wine. The HSS is one of the few wines that I’m still willing to pay the uber-premium for.

This wine taught me a valuable lesson. On release this wine was magical tasting. I therefore saved most of it for later consumption so it could reach its “peak”. In recent years it has never tasted nearly as good as it did in its youth. As such, these days when I buy a wine that tastes brilliant young I do not hesitate to drink it all up young. Maybe one day the 1999 HSS will recapture or exceed its prior glory, and I have enough left to monitor for its evolution, but these days I do not see the need to see if a wine gets better if it is already almost perfect (like this was on release).