Duckhorn Vineyards 1999 Patzimaro Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley

vinophile666

Opened: 2/3/07

First Pass:
cedar, saddle-soaped leather, very dark fruit.

Second Pass:
opens nicely to display deep complexity of structure and fruit. Tannins are fine, smooth and have plenty of grip. The fruit bloomed through all the leathery and woody characteristics, beginning with a touch of black plum and spanning to summer-ripe blackberry. The AVA's hot growing season was clearly evident in the quality of fruit. Tons of sediment in the shoulder, and more found in the bottoms of the glasses, which made one taster remark that it looked like pondwater. The best pondwater I've drank in a while, to be sure...

Overall:
This is a rather fine wine at an accessible pricepoint. It's drinking VERY well right now and I think it will hold nicely for the next 5-7 years. Such a future tasting will readily negate or support current doubts as to the wine's ageability; hard to tell right now.

Tasting Tags: black blackberry cedar dark fine grip leather plum saddle sediment smooth soap summer-ripe sweet