Published in the Year's Best 1999

Wines, Spirits and Beers published in the the Year's Best 1999 issue of Wine Enthusiast Magazine.

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Shafer 1995 Hillside Select Cabernet Sauvignon (Stags Leap District)

Price $110

A stunning, utterly fantastic wine. Fat and lush, with deep, supple fruit—ripe berries smeared with chocolate—and a long, echoing finish. You could drink it now, but in ten years it will be even more spectacular. Put this up there with the great Napa Cabernets. — L.W. (12/31/1999)

points

Simi 1995 Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon (Sonoma County)

Price $45

A stunning wine with deep black-cherry, plum and blackberry fruit. There are hints of licorice and chocolate in the center, and the fruit grows more intense. The finish is long and elegant, with layers of flavors. — L.W. (12/31/1999)

points

Stag's Leap Wine Cellars 1996 SLD Cabernet Sauvignon (Stags Leap District)

Price $100

Starts off with classic black currant, tobacco, chocolate and smoke. Very pure. Not a big wine, but silky and graceful; defines Stag’s Leap District. With balance like this, it’s definitely worth cellaring. — W.E. (12/31/1999)

points

Cuvaison 1997 Chardonnay (Carneros)

Price $17

The aroma cries out: oaky Chardonnay; and it is full of smoke, char and buttered toast. Underneath is finely crafted fruit: citrus, peach and green apple; pure and sweet. An angular wine that’s pinpointed and firm. Finishes dry and spicy. — S.H. (12/31/1999)

points

B.R. Cohn 1996 Olive Hill Estate Vineyards Sp Cabernet Sauvignon (Sonoma Valley)

Price $80

Intense, almost jammy black-currant fruit plays a deep bass to toasty, smoky, vanilla oak. Layered and rich, with bitter chocolate notes on the long finish. Number this among the kings of Sonoma Cabernet. — J.C. (12/31/1999)

points

Stags' Leap Winery 1996 Cabernet Sauvignon (Napa Valley)

Price $32

Dark, ripe and rich—classic Napa Cab. It’s young and tight now, of course, with jammy black-currant fruit and sweet oak, and the tannins are finely etched, but firm. Finishes with concentrated blackberry fruit, but dry and raspy right now. The stuffing and balance are there for it to develop into a beautiful wine. — W.E. (12/31/1999)

points

Long Meadow Ranch 1996 Cabernet Sauvignon (Napa Valley)

Price $59

An unmitigated success for a debut wine, which isn’t a surprise considering that Cathy Corison is winemaker. Lots of rich, warm fruit, with notes of pepper, licorice, cassis and eucalyptus. Plummy and weighty, but really smooth, almost silky. Nothing aggressive or the least bit displeasing about this A-grade Napa beauty. — M.S. (12/31/1999)

points

Oakford 1996 Cabernet Sauvignon (Oakville)

Price $75

Has the usual mid-Napa aromas of cassis, smoke and oak. Flavors are similar, ripe and fruity, verging on jammy. But the tannins are ultrasoft and creamy, yet complex and lacy. Provides sheer pleasure now or you can age it. From consulting winemaker Heidi Barrett. — W.E. (12/31/1999)

2009 Mira Hyde Vineyard

The esteemed Hyde Vineyard is in Carneros, and is the source for some…

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