87 Points Robert Parker
This wine, which comes from a vineyard planted in 1904, spends 22 months in new American oak. A dense plum/purple color is followed by aggressive oak aromas intermixed with mint, black raspberries, and blackberries. This medium to full-bodied 1998 is not the blockbuster I expected given the vintage, but it is nicely concentrated, cleanly made, and spicy/peppery. Revealing some tannin and adequate acidity, it can be drunk now as well as over the next decade.
Source: Robert Parker (Robert Parker Wine Advocate) by Robert M. Parker, Jr. June, 2001
91 Points James Halliday
Medium to full red-purple; the rich bouquet has dense, ripe dark cherry fruit married with well-handled American oak. The very concentrated, ripe, juicy berry fruit of the palate is girdled by firm yet fine tannins on the finish. An in-your-face style, perhaps, but the quality is there. Drink to 2013.
Source: James Halliday. April, 2000
This wine, which comes from a vineyard planted in 1904, spends 22 months in new American oak. A dense plum/purple color is followed by aggressive oak aromas intermixed with mint, black raspberries, and blackberries. This medium to full-bodied 1998 is not the blockbuster I expected given the vintage, but it is nicely concentrated, cleanly made, and spicy/peppery. Revealing some tannin and adequate acidity, it can be drunk now as well as over the next decade.
Source: Robert Parker (Wine Advocate) June 2001 by Robert Parker