Popped and poured last night for Valentine’s Day Dinner of Flannery Private Reserve NY Strips and Roasted Red Skinned Taters.
Immediate room filling aroma of cassis liqueur and spring flowers. Still has a ton of glycerin and inky purple color in the glass. The first sip had me hooked as the tannins have softened and integrated into all that fruit. It tastes like a liquid chocolate covered cherry with just a hint of vanilla and licorice. Best bottle of 2003 Napa Cab that I have had so far…by a long shot. I think folks will be hard pressed to find a better wine from '03 in The Valley.
Once you have had a Schrader you will be proven wrong. As a long time Schrader devotee, 146 bottles going back to the 98 vinatge in my cellar, as well as a Spottswoode collector, I cannot put these two on the same page. Schrader is just that much better IMHO, and dont get me wrong, I really enjoy my Spottswoode.
Seek out and be rewarded, I did again last night with an 06 Beckstoffer To- Kalon that was fabulous with Rib Eye Roast.
I bought a few of these on WineBid a while back after reading the retrospective tasting of several Spottswoode vintages in the SF Chronicle (link below). Here is his comment on the 2003:
2003: A virtually perfect wine, with everything in its place. Perfume, delicate plum and currant, and a subtle graphite and oak toast presence. The tannins are soft but still in full effect. Layered, opulent and just rich enough, yet with tremendous energy, underscored by a cinnamon hint on the finish. My notes were clear: “Delicious!” Drink: 2012-2025.
The 91 is rocking right now. Had it 2x’s last year - once from 750, once from mag. Both needed air, but beatifully balanced, delicate, fragrant and outstanding.
I agree that Spottswoode made a pretty damned good wine considering the vintage. Though I haven’t tried the 03 Schraders yet, I’ve had a number of other 03s and few stood out like the Spottswoode. The Insignia was decent though a bit of an oak bomb. Scarecrow made a killer wine. There were some winners but not many.