Araujo Estate Cabernet Sauvignon Eisele Vineyard 1994:
Last night, for my birthday, my wife and I ventured to the W Hotel in downtown Atlanta to BLT for dinner. While the space (and hotel, really) are nothing to write home about, the food was pretty outstanding. Paired with our entrees, and after a very nice 375 of Krug MV, we had a bottle of '94 Araujo. I have always thought this was one of the best Cabernets made from this estate and from this vintage. This bottle was only a “good” example though- I have had a few better ones.
The nose was a brooding mix of black licorice, sea salt, plums and crushed stones. It took a while to calm down and morph into something more delicate and smooth. But when it did (calm itself) the wine was quiet charming. And even though it seemed to be (mostly) an onslaught of blackberry and cassis with dolops of flowers, smoke, wood and vanilla I think the wine (or at least this version of it!?) was still complex enough. Did I want more? Yes. Was I asking too much? Probably. Only because I have had better versions before. And only because I though this wine had not reached its appogee yet. If it has, then hey, it is still a beauty . . . and it will proabably still go for another five to seven years at this pace. But another fifteen to twenty? I doubt it. Either way it was a nice night with my wife and a nice bottle of wine. 94 points