Opened about an hour before service with a Durand; cork fully saturated but clearly doing its job. We spent the better course of three hours enjoying this bottle of the 1978 York Creek Cabernet Sauvignon. The wine pours a deep garnet with a near opaque core; medium viscosity with moderate staining of the tears. On the nose, the wine is vinous with classic notes of cassis, blackberries, dried leaf tobacco, Poblano pepper, dried red and purple flowers, some leather, a mix of organic and inorganic earth and fine spices. On the palate, the wine is dry with medium+ tannin (integrated) and medium+ acid. Confirming the notes from the nose though it seems to carry an almost rustic green streak with some ferrous minerals. An evergreen wine that simply blew my mind. Drink now with some patience and a little air beforehand. Well stored bottles should last through 2038+
Opened about an hour before service with a Durand; cork fully saturated but clearly doing its job. We spent the better course of three hours enjoying this bottle of the 1978 York Creek Cabernet Sauvignon. The wine pours a deep garnet with a near opaque core; medium viscosity with moderate staining of the tears. On the nose, the wine is vinous with classic notes of cassis, blackberries, dried leaf tobacco, Poblano pepper, dried red and purple flowers, some leather, a mix of organic and inorganic earth and fine spices. On the palate, the wine is dry with medium+ tannin (integrated) and medium+ acid. Confirming the notes from the nose though it seems to carry an almost rustic green streak with some ferrous minerals. An evergreen wine that simply blew my mind. Drink now with some patience and a little air beforehand. Well stored bottles should last through 2038+
May 2nd, 2026
Iodene, gnarly pure fruit. Gorgeous dark cherry and lots of secondary complexity. Long and pretty and delicious. Wow. Jeff ROPP
Iodene, gnarly pure fruit. Gorgeous dark cherry and lots of secondary complexity. Long and pretty and delicious. Wow. Jeff ROPP
1 person found it helpfulMay 10th, 2023
Paul Draper’s notes indicate this was the first vintage of York Creek can to be generally available. I don’t know what that means about the age of the vines but the notes (written in 1979) also say “with two to three years of bottle age this wine should begin to open up, but it will need more time to soften fully.” Well here we are 42 years on: still savory, still has a tannic backbone with good acidity, still has a good cork. Definitely a food wine, but very fine as such. Not a fruit bomb in the last twenty years can compare! 13.1% abv.
Paul Draper’s notes indicate this was the first vintage of York Creek can to be generally available. I don’t know what that means about the age of the vines but the notes (written in 1979) also say “with two to three years of bottle age this wine should begin to open up, but it will need more time to soften fully.” Well here we are 42 years on: still savory, still has a tannic backbone with good acidity, still has a good cork. Definitely a food wine, but very fine as such. Not a fruit bomb in the last twenty years can compare! 13.1% abv.
Jan 1st, 2020
Napa County, North Coast, California, USA
