Freemark Abbey 1998 Cabernet Sauvignon Bosche

iowinos

I haven't tried a lot of the 1998s, and every one that I have tried has peaked, and this is no exception. Good concentration for the vintage, with red and black cherry notes, and a touch of vanilla. These wines are still around and offer an affordable way to try the great Bosche cabs from Freemark. *Update January 2007: this one has gone down hill quite a bit in the last several months. Almost all of the cherry fruit requires close to an hour in the glass to come out from underneath an unsettling amount of barnyard. Finish is short and light, with no remaining tannin to speak of (this last one I tried had thrown quite a bit of sediment). I am hoping this was just a bad bottle, as I have had better even from this vintage. Unfortunately, this was my last one.

**I had a chance to retaste this wine over Christmas, 2007. That barnyard character was still there, but when given a chance to breathe a bit, the mint, leather, cassis, and black currants really do show through. This wine still exhibits a dark ruby color and all the flavors, although at first unsettling, remain well balanced and of course fantastically complex. If I had any more of this wine, I would plan on giving it three years to shed its remaining awkwardness. This wine is absolutley not for everyone, but it sure is interesting, and very complex.

Tasting Tags: barnyard