Tasting Notes

WA99

The spectacular 1998 flirts with perfection. A saturated opaque blue/purple color is not dissimilar from ink. Dazzling aromas of ripe, pure blackberries, violets, blueberries, wet stones, and smoky, toasty oak soar from the glass. Powerful, with an unctuous texture, and super-extracted, rich, concentrated flavors, this blockbuster effort boasts extravagant quantities of fruit, glycerin, extract, tannin, and personality. The wine displays a firm, structured edge, but a viscous texture from super concentration gives it immediate accessibility. This 1998 should hit its plateau of maturity in 7-8 years, and is a strong candidate for 20-30 years of aging. It is a winemaking tour de force.

V94

Full ruby-red. Port-like aromas of kirsch, plum, dark chocolate, lead pencil and herbs, along with sexy oak spices and a hint of raisin. Thick, seamless and full; suaver in the middle palate than past vintages of this wine. Ripe acids give freshness and shape to the flavors. Finishes very long, with rather fine tannins. Potentially the most complete wine yet from this property.

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