1995 Pahlmeyer Proprietary Red

Dark red. Wild, slightly rustic aromas of raspberry, mocha and leather. Boasts surprising sweetness and intensity to its red fruit flavors, along with complicating notes of game and incense and a saline suggestion of ripe tomato. The firm, fine tannins are quite sweet and silky. Shows a whiff of Band-Aid that suggests some brett, but this wine is long on personality. I'd enjoy it over the next few years before its sweetness fades. This wine was made by Helen Turley.

Pahlmeyer's proprietary red table wine tends to be Cabernet Sauvignon-dominated (usually 80-85%) with small portions of Malbec, Petit Verdot, Cabernet Franc, and Merlot. The 1995 Proprietary Red Wine may be even better than the 96 point score I bestowed it. It is unquestionably among the top dozen 1995s. The wine boasts an explosive blackberry/blueberry/cassis-scented nose that has completely soaked up all the new oak in which it has been aged for the last 22 months. Purple/black in color, it exhibits fabulously extracted, layered black fruit flavors that coat the palate, offering a seamless texture and voluptuous impression. This is another winery where getting on the mailing list is essential to securing a few bottles of these liquid gems. With each new vintage I am blown away by Pahlmeyer's wines. Lest anyone forget, the genius of consulting winemaker Helen Turley is behind these wines. I kept retasting them, thinking I was being too generous, but they justly deserve their lofty numerical ratings. They are as exciting as anything a wine lover could taste. Tel. (707) 255-2321; fax (707) 255-6786