1999 Madrona Ranch

The 1999 Cabernet Sauvignon Madrona Ranch (90% Cabernet Sauvignon, 5% Cabernet Franc, and 5% Merlot) exhibits a saturated purple color in addition to a gorgeous bouquet of espresso beans intermixed with licorice, incense, blueberries and blackberries. There is more tannin in the unusually austere finish, but the wine is remarkably complex, and should be exceptionally long-lived. There are 500 cases of this beauty, which should be at its finest between 2006-2025. This is the wine of a genius who refuses to make any compromises. For example, even though I thought it was outrageously delicious, Abreu declassified his 1998 Madrona Ranch Cabernet because it was not up to his personal standards. (Release date fall 2003) Fax (707) 963-5104.