Pine Ridge Vineyards
Andrus Reserve Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon
Napa Valley, California, USA
So, I have confessed to drinking only Ca Chardonnay in the past. In 2001-02, I had the 99 Pine Ridge Stag’s Leap District and it was the first red wine I gravitated. This 97 Andrus is their flagship wine & a better wine & vintage than the 99 Pine Ridge Stags Leap District that I had so long ago.
I decanted half the bottle and reserved the rest. The decanted was very good, but the reserve is better.
Excellent wine tonight that has sentimental meaning.
I bought 2 bottles on the secondary market for a $100 recently, that included fees & tax. It is like stealing candy from a baby at that price point. This was slightly better two-years ago, but excellent tonight w/ Ribcaps.
The palate is rich, ripe; blackberries, black raspberries, black plum skin, dark cherries, sweet me raspberry tones, blue/purple fruit tones, dry, crushed limestone-rock, dry top-soil, some dry herbs, dry tobacco, leather, some black licorice to cola, melted chocolate, some grilled meats, steeped tea to black tea, dry stone, used barrel shavings, withering dark, red, purple flowers round acidity and a well balanced, tensioned, elegant finish that lasts 90 seconds and lands on dry minerality.
So, I have confessed to drinking only Ca Chardonnay in the past. In 2001-02, I had the 99 Pine Ridge Stag’s Leap District and it was the first red wine I gravitated. This 97 Andrus is their flagship wine & a better wine & vintage than the 99 Pine Ridge Stags Leap District that I had so long ago.
I decanted half the bottle and reserved the rest. The decanted was very good, but the reserve is better.
Excellent wine tonight that has sentimental meaning.
I bought 2 bottles on the secondary market for a $100 recently, that included fees & tax. It is like stealing candy from a baby at that price point. This was slightly better two-years ago, but excellent tonight w/ Ribcaps.
The palate is rich, ripe; blackberries, black raspberries, black plum skin, dark cherries, sweet me raspberry tones, blue/purple fruit tones, dry, crushed limestone-rock, dry top-soil, some dry herbs, dry tobacco, leather, some black licorice to cola, melted chocolate, some grilled meats, steeped tea to black tea, dry stone, used barrel shavings, withering dark, red, purple flowers round acidity and a well balanced, tensioned, elegant finish that lasts 90 seconds and lands on dry minerality.
I purchased this yesterday from an A+ wine storage facility that also sells its clients wine when requested. This has been stored there since its release. I bought this perfect bottle for $35 because it has sentimental value and for $35 bucks…come on!
In a former life, I only drank well made CA Chardonnay. I know it’s hard even for me to imagine, let alone remember & admit it. Now, I hardly drink CA Chardonnay.
My sisters were visiting and they like reds. So I stopped at the former “Wine Club” retail shop in Santa Clara. It was the 1999 Pine Ridge “Stag’s Leap Cabernet” (2x) I bought that started me down the red rabbit hole. The Andrus is as close to that as I’ll get to their Stag’s Leap bottling at this point. Close enough and one of their best. We enjoyed it with Chinese takeout! 😂
This 99 is just and I mean just the other side of its peak bell curve. Still has another 5 years of life left. It is its unbelievable storage that has kept this 99 fresh as it’s not from not an awful vintage, but certainly not a great one, not like 98. Yet, it still shines 25 years later.
The nose reveals dark currants & cassis. Hints of barrel toast. Brambly blackberries, black raspberries, stewy black plum, poached, dark cherries & strawberries, burnt cranberries, black tea, burnt brush, old tobacco w/ ash, old baking spices, baking soda and dark, red, withering florals.
The palate shows; ripe, juicy, brambly blackberries, black raspberries, stewy black plum, poached, dark cherries & strawberries, burnt cranberries, raspberries, blueberries, black tea, mid berry cola, burnt brush, touch of black pepper, softened, dark spice, old tobacco w/ ash, well used leather, baking spices-clove, cinnamon, nutmeg & vanillin, cooked caramel. Some dry sage, baking soda, limestone powder, dry top soil, grey volcanics and dark, red, slightly withering florals set in violets, rainfall acidity with an elegant, juicy, well balanced/structured & still showing nice tension on the finish that lasts two-minutes plus.
I had this corvined over two nights and at the halfway point threw some very chunky sediment.
What a great remembrance!
I purchased this yesterday from an A+ wine storage facility that also sells its clients wine when requested. This has been stored there since its release. I bought this perfect bottle for $35 because it has sentimental value and for $35 bucks…come on!
In a former life, I only drank well made CA Chardonnay. I know it’s hard even for me to imagine, let alone remember & admit it. Now, I hardly drink CA Chardonnay.
My sisters were visiting and they like reds. So I stopped at the former “Wine Club” retail shop in Santa Clara. It was the 1999 Pine Ridge “Stag’s Leap Cabernet” (2x) I bought that started me down the red rabbit hole. The Andrus is as close to that as I’ll get to their Stag’s Leap bottling at this point. Close enough and one of their best. We enjoyed it with Chinese takeout! 😂
This 99 is just and I mean just the other side of its peak bell curve. Still has another 5 years of life left. It is its unbelievable storage that has kept this 99 fresh as it’s not from not an awful vintage, but certainly not a great one, not like 98. Yet, it still shines 25 years later.
The nose reveals dark currants & cassis. Hints of barrel toast. Brambly blackberries, black raspberries, stewy black plum, poached, dark cherries & strawberries, burnt cranberries, black tea, burnt brush, old tobacco w/ ash, old baking spices, baking soda and dark, red, withering florals.
The palate shows; ripe, juicy, brambly blackberries, black raspberries, stewy black plum, poached, dark cherries & strawberries, burnt cranberries, raspberries, blueberries, black tea, mid berry cola, burnt brush, touch of black pepper, softened, dark spice, old tobacco w/ ash, well used leather, baking spices-clove, cinnamon, nutmeg & vanillin, cooked caramel. Some dry sage, baking soda, limestone powder, dry top soil, grey volcanics and dark, red, slightly withering florals set in violets, rainfall acidity with an elegant, juicy, well balanced/structured & still showing nice tension on the finish that lasts two-minutes plus.
I had this corvined over two nights and at the halfway point threw some very chunky sediment.
What a great remembrance!
Monthly WTF wine group. Special event this month as Ben provided all ‘80s Napa cabs. A few of us chipped in and provided some whites/bubbly.
This was the winner of flight 1. Insane structure alongside fruit. Not musty or funky at all. Old red and black fruit with plenty of tannin and acidity.
Monthly WTF wine group. Special event this month as Ben provided all ‘80s Napa cabs. A few of us chipped in and provided some whites/bubbly.
This was the winner of flight 1. Insane structure alongside fruit. Not musty or funky at all. Old red and black fruit with plenty of tannin and acidity.
Leather, cigar box, complex, clean nose. Really nice. Very well balanced. Nice tannins and acidity. Very enjoyable!
Leather, cigar box, complex, clean nose. Really nice. Very well balanced. Nice tannins and acidity. Very enjoyable!
1 person found it helpfulMay 25th, 2013
Very solid, but on the down slope, very pleasant and easy drinking. Very enjoyable.
Very solid, but on the down slope, very pleasant and easy drinking. Very enjoyable.
Mar 24th, 2017
After only 30 minutes of decanting this blend has a rich black current aroma. As it opens and warms fruits hit the palate with a dusty finish. Thanks to my next door neighbor for the bottle. The oldest wine I have ever consumed.
After only 30 minutes of decanting this blend has a rich black current aroma. As it opens and warms fruits hit the palate with a dusty finish. Thanks to my next door neighbor for the bottle. The oldest wine I have ever consumed.
Feb 15th, 2014The nose is still killer. Like an old left bank . Palate is lacking a bit. All the power is gone and some of the grace. 10 years too late, but still not pouring any of it down the drain
The nose is still killer. Like an old left bank . Palate is lacking a bit. All the power is gone and some of the grace. 10 years too late, but still not pouring any of it down the drain
Jun 25th, 2018
