Spring Mountain. about 1/2 Cab Franc, 1/3 Cabernet Sauvignon, 25% Merlot, and the rest Petit Verdot.
Decanted. Drunk too young, so we gave it time in the decanter and the glass.
A spicy floral and anise note dominates the nose-Pretty powerful stuff. Unfortunately, the 14.5% abv nominal alcohol also presents itself with some fumey notes that disturb.
On the palate, this wine needed to open up. I could have probably decanted this for four hours and it would have been better. Initially, the tannins were prominent and the oak treatment was a little too evident for my tastes. Still...patience is a virute, and within an hour or so, though, the wine smoothed out nicely and the palate followed the nose, with spicy anise fruit, some floral notes, a pretty impressive savory touch. Oak became less noticeable, as well, to the point it didn't bother me anymore. Alcohol was still somewhat obtrusive, though. Does California Cabernet and blends REALLY need to approach 15% abov for "ripeness"? Not a heavy bodied wine, though...actually somewhat medium bodied for a big mountain red. I would give it 90 points, but the QPR may not be there.
We drank this bottle, along with a 2001 Godspeed Mount Veeder Cabernet (a brash Bordeauxish wine that needed two years) in honor of MAX....RIP, Max.
In looking at cellarttracker for comparison, and the scores range in the higher 80s to mid 90s.
