Cabernet Sauvignon Merlot

Popped and poured into red Solo cups. The 1995 pours a deep garnet color with an opaque core; medium+ viscosity with moderate staining of the tears and some decent sediment. On the nose, the wine is vinous with notes of mostly ripe and some desiccated black and red fruits: black, currants, blackberries, black cherry, plum, cocoa, tobacco, old leather bound books, dried purple flowers, a mix of organic and inorganic earth and gentle warm spices. On the palate, the wine is dry with medium+ tannin and medium+ acid. Confirming the notes from the nose. The finish is long. I sometimes feel like Cardinale is an overlooked label in the Jackson Family lineup. It’s been around for decades and these wines always impressed me, especially with age. Drink now through 2035.

Brambly dark berries, mocha, soft licorice, leather, pencil shavings…& hoisin?

Popping cassis, currant & Razzles lean to plum & dark chocolate finish

Approachable yet finessed and linear now – surely will broaden over time

#WINEPIMP

The nose reveals; dark, sweet, tarry, currants, ripe, ruby, candied, blackberries, dark cherries, ripe black plum with soft skin, purple fruit blend, blueberries, creamy dark raspberries, mixed berry cola, anise to black licorice, notes of ripe port, sandstone/limestone, dark spices, steeped teas, dry & fresh herbaceousness, crushed, dry rocks, black tar, dark chocolate, caramel, vanilla, clove, nutmeg, soft leather, saddle-wood, leather, dry & fresh tobacco, bay leaf with fresh & withering, very dark florals.

The body is; full, round, velvety and drop dead, gorgeously sexy. Their 97 shows the excellence of the vintage. The structure, tension, length and balance are in peak form. However, this wine has another 10 years ahead. The soft, round, silky tannins melt in your mouth. Dark, sweet, tarry, currants, ripe, ruby, candied, blackberries, dark cherries, ripe black plum with soft skin, purple fruit blend, blueberries, creamy dark raspberries, mixed berry cola, anise to black licorice, sandstone/limestone, dark spices, steeped teas, dry & fresh herbaceousness, crushed, dry rocks, rich, black, turned earth, black tar, dark chocolate, coco powder, caramel, vanilla, clove, nutmeg, soft leather, saddle-wood, leather, big graphite, some, subtle, grilled meats, dry & fresh tobacco, touch of black pepper, bay leaf with fresh & withering, very dark florals. The acidity is round and beautifully phat. The long, ruby, ripe, rich, well knitted texture & balance are outstanding and persists endlessly. Beautiful vintage and wine tonight!

Photos of; Cardinale tasting room, our Lokoya & Cardinale hybrid tasting as the road to Lokoya was not open after the big rains a couple of winters back and their terrace view from the tasting room.

One of my favorite vintages of Cardinale

Impressive.

What a wine and what a night - even won money at the casino - the cork wasn’t cooperating and gave us problems but once open this was creating lots of smiles

Good friends and wine and a memorable place spells fantastic night - Houston Texans are arriving for Practice camp Sunday

Man was this so approachable and was big bold and beautiful

Tasted blind. Dark ruby. Big and thick. Sweet fruit in the nose, notes of cranberry, blueberry, and some wood. Very rich. Some heat. Good finish to the evening.

This a beautiful wine. The texture glides over the palate and its smooth as silk. It just needs time to bring out its complexity.

Third Cardinale this week, I guess I'm doing something right. Dense blackberry jam, graphite, almost crunchy texture with tight tannic structure.