Sipping Fine Wine

8.9

Light straw color with typical SB aromas adding a touch of floral mineral notes. On the palate flavors of melon and grapefruit with lemon citrus and honeysuckle notes, generous acidity, great mouthfeel with long finish ending with a salty spice mineral character. Nice wine! — 15 days ago

Tom Garland

9.3

Decant and pour. They broke out the Giant glass.....black cherry, leather, tobacco, pepper, dried herbs, cedar, and tannic. Should round out over time. YUM! Super Tuscan tonight to start our Napa weekend...who woulda thunk. — 14 days ago

with Brenda

David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.4

1998 not the best Napa Cabernet vintage. However, good producers still find their way through difficult vintages. Joseph Phelps is the rule rather than the exception.

This was poured out of magnum and drinking beautifully by their Hospitality Manger.

Nicely ripe, lush juicy fruits of blackberries, blackberries, both plums, some purple & blue fruits. Dash of spice & lead pencil, anise-black licorice, soft baking spices, caramel notes, some dark chocolate, fresh dark flowers, round acidity and a well balanced, softened structure & tension, elegant, nicely evolved finish that lasted a full minute. — a month ago

Scott@Mister A’s-San Diego

9.5

1989 vintage. Tasted 5.5.23 (9.5), 4.4.23 (6 different btls-avg 9.4) and 12.9.22 (9.6). Above average fill for the age and impressive cork (about 70% saturated). Decanted and tasted over the course of two hours. Threw a decent amount of powdery sed. Medium nose slightly muted for the first 10 minutes or so but then came roaring to life. Yes, still the hallmark blueberries and cocoa powder along with a dash of raspberry but bigg graphite with this bottle. Drank consistently great for 1.75 hours, then seemed to lose a little steam at the very end. Not improving but still think cellar dwellers need to be popped in the next five years to enjoy the magic before it fades. 3.28.24. — 2 months ago

Brett Francis

9.2

Strong and still accessible. This aged really nicely already with a nose of vanilla, blackberry and white pepper. — 21 days ago

Andrew Cullimore

9.4

Deep and quite opaque , narrow ruby rim . Quite a lot of wood spice though with time in the glass there is a lot underneath that oak , dark cassis , ripe blackberry and a mineral undertone . Quite round and ripe on the palate , almost ‘new world’ in style compared to some of the preceding vintages , rounded but gritty tannin , balanced acidity . Generous and round, but with balanced alcohol , good length. Dark cassis , blackberry dark cherry notes. A strong oyster shell , saline component after a while in the glass . Needs time obviously , even though this is quite round and ripe. Intense with great potential. Better in 10-15 years will last well a further 10-15. — 8 days ago

Ron R

9.4

I just found this hiding in our cellar, given the age on the wine, I thought that this would need to be dispatched with urgency. I could not have been further from how it actually presented.
The nose is lively and almost raucous. Loads of cherry jam and cinnamon. The palate is dense and compact, showing absolutely no signs of aging. Cherries, cedar and sweet jam are joined by powerful tannins. I’m floored as to how well this has presented. Kudos to the winery. — 2 months ago

with Anne-marie

Bob McDonald

9.1

Very dark in colour - almost black. Lots of everything - ripeness, oak, blackberry, dark chocolate. The sort of wine I would have loved in my 20’s, not so much in my 70’s. Not for lovers of delicate wine - this is full throttle. This Australian producer is probably better known in the USA than Australia - like Mollydooker. A full bodied palate with M plus intensity and grainy tannins. Ranked No. 3 in Wine Spectators Top 100 wines of 2012. Not sure that extended cellaring will make a huge difference but will try to have the last one in early 2027. — a month ago

Jordyn Simon

9.5

very very light, oaky notes, red fruit, slightly acidic, smooth finish, personally I think it was aged a perfect amount, got better as it airated, I don’t really taste a specific fruit note but it is fruity in general, possible berry notes. paired every well with steak — 2 months ago

Robert Ahlstrom

8.9

Deep ruby/purple opaque, pepper, tobacco and red fruit, lovely Shiraz — 2 months ago