Sterling Vineyards
Diamond Mountain Ranch Cabernet Sauvignon
Napa Valley, California, USA
One of the birth year bottles I opened for my 33rd this past week. It was opened alongside an ‘88 Chateau de Marbuzet (which never came alive).
Scoring these types of wines is difficult...based on shock factor, this is like a 95...based on profile (in a vacuum), it’s closer to 85...marrying the two, I have no problem giving this a 90-91. This was a bottle acquired from an estate sale. Mostly kept with one owner, it simply wasn’t kept in a temperature controlled environment. Even more, it showed a bit of seepage down the side. Expectations were low, but when removing the capsule, the cork looked quite good. Pulled the cork and it showed very little seepage overall...after pouring, it was shockingly impressive. When compared to the ‘88 Marbuzet, the nose was more ripe and high toned...dirty and ripe black cherries, cherry pipe tobacco, and fig. Very smooth and integrated, obviously, but an incredible structure shows up on the finish. Cocoa dusted dates, bayleaf, cracked black pepper crusted cherries, herbs de Provence and some leather. This powered through 3hrs open in the bottle and just got better and better.
It’s bottles like this that make you sit back and realize how incredible wine can be when it comes in a bottle that is totally unexpected. @Bill Bender , this surpassed even my highest hopes! Bravo!
One of the birth year bottles I opened for my 33rd this past week. It was opened alongside an ‘88 Chateau de Marbuzet (which never came alive).
Scoring these types of wines is difficult...based on shock factor, this is like a 95...based on profile (in a vacuum), it’s closer to 85...marrying the two, I have no problem giving this a 90-91. This was a bottle acquired from an estate sale. Mostly kept with one owner, it simply wasn’t kept in a temperature controlled environment. Even more, it showed a bit of seepage down the side. Expectations were low, but when removing the capsule, the cork looked quite good. Pulled the cork and it showed very little seepage overall...after pouring, it was shockingly impressive. When compared to the ‘88 Marbuzet, the nose was more ripe and high toned...dirty and ripe black cherries, cherry pipe tobacco, and fig. Very smooth and integrated, obviously, but an incredible structure shows up on the finish. Cocoa dusted dates, bayleaf, cracked black pepper crusted cherries, herbs de Provence and some leather. This powered through 3hrs open in the bottle and just got better and better.
It’s bottles like this that make you sit back and realize how incredible wine can be when it comes in a bottle that is totally unexpected. @Bill Bender , this surpassed even my highest hopes! Bravo!
