vintages 1982–1993
1982DRINKRed/brown hue. Earthy and smoky, with some dried herb, sherry, and sage aromas. Attractive notes of soy, salt, anise, butterscotch, black pepper, and cedar. Delicate, with dry, dusty tannins. The palate demonstrates nice richness and weight, and some of us think the wine is still very pretty, if shy, and a bit faded. Has held up nicely, considering its age. Best paired with savory food.
1983DRINKPretty garnet color. A bright, appealing nose of ripe, red fruit, green apples, nutmeg, marmalade, anise, and spice. Wisps of herb, cigar box, and nuts. Balanced and complex, with a pleasant texture and soft tannins. Notable acidity, with a dry, tart finish. The fruit, tannins and oak are well-integrated. Yearns for mild-flavoured food.
1984DRINKRed/brown color. Savory, yet fresh, with some soy, leather, plum, peppermint, cinnamon, dried tarragon and stewed meat characters, also pretty floral, mocha, and vanilla notes. Fruit is still apparent, and is wonderfully balanced by ripe tannins and firm acidity. Smooth and resolved, with a sweet, intriguing palate. Still appetizing—decant and drink!
1985DRINKBrick color. A cornucopia of aromas and flavors. Sandalwood, cedar, toffee, butterscotch, dried herbs, Asian spices, leather, eucalyptus, cola, brush, vanilla, tar. Some fruit characters remain—bright raspberry, tart cherry, dried orange. Forward, with vibrant acidity but a somewhat dry palate. Fully mature. Enjoy with rich cheeses.
1986DRINKCrimson hues. Slightly reticent, but yields complex aromas of earth, pine, brandied cherries, leather, cedar, forest floor, chocolate, raisins, brandy, Christmas spice. The palate is earthy and brushy, brandishing raspberry and dried cherry fruit, as well as some licorice. Warm, mouthfilling texture. An interesting herbal, minty component—almost chrysanthemum-like. Recommended pairing: lamb chops!
1987DRINK/HOLDDark garnet, youthful appearance. Intense, aromatic, ripe. Some sweetness and proofiness. A lovely bouquet of cedar, graphite, plum, black olive, bacon, blueberry, rum raisin ice cream, white pepper, spicy gumdrops, blackberry, graham cracker. Very pretty on the palate—smooth and balanced, ripe and juicy. Showing nicely—perfect now, but with life ahead. Great with food.
1988DRINKBrown, brick-ish color. A chalky, mineral nose, with aspects of toast, loam, sandalwood, orange liqueur, dried rose petal, beef bouillon, licorice, Grand Marnier, cherry brandy, and blackberries. Tannic, yet shows some ripe fruit and fine depth. Firm structure, and finishes with good length.
1989DRINKLovely crimson edge. Harmonious, pretty, and fresh, with wonderful, sweet aromas of black fruit, forest floor, cola, cocoa, coffee, menthol, cherries jubilee, dried ginger, strawberries. A lightness of touch, but with perfect balance and delectable candied notes. Subtle and layered. A juicy mid-palate that finishes with fine, dusty tannins. Showing beautifully.
1990DRINKSoft brick-brown with orange-hued edges. Mature nose of forest floor, underbrush, mint, stewed tomatoes, leather, port, soy, malt extract, sherry, molasses. Mixed feelings about this vintage—some of us liked it and felt it had rich, enticing qualities, interesting aromas, and a generous palate. Others felt that it was somewhat murky and showed its age. Slightly oxidized and port-like, but retains power, weight, and texture. We’ll keep Jancis Robinson’s comment from last year’s tasting: “Rather like a 1990 vintage in Bordeaux in character!” “Serve with a sympathetic cheese.”
1991DRINKRed-brown tints. This vintage usually shows beautifully, but most of us felt that it was a bit awkward at this tasting. Scents of plum pudding, licorice, hay and molasses, tomato, teriyaki, soy, caramelized onion. Somewhat faded and lean, but with some deep black fruits lurking in the background, and fine acid. Nice balance and texture. Perhaps this wine is napping just now.
1992DRINKSomewhat controversial, which is not atypical. Some of us really liked this wine, finding youthful notes of black and blue fruit, pine needles, sandalwood, and candied orange peel, with integrated tannins, plush texture, and a savory, yet lively, quality. Others got more vegetal, earthy notes—cooked asparagus and celery, raisin, pumpkin rind. Some of us felt it had inviting warmth, others felt it was tight. A bit of a mystery, but one that you will perhaps enjoy unraveling.
1993DRINKGreat color. Showing beautifully, with creamy notes of cookie dough, exotic yogurt, baklava, honey. Also, scents of hay, toast, coconut, cola, cassis, spice, malted chocolate, fig, white pepper, and rose powder. Fresh, lively, and expressive. Ripe, yet balanced, with great texture. Very enjoyable!
