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Storybook 1982-87

Michael Blakeley — Tue, 23 Jun 2009 07:00:14 +0000

The wines were a mix of Estate and Napa grapes, all 100% Zinfandel.
Notes are mine, and sometimes I disagreed with the group ranking.

1987 Estate Reserve (13.5%): group rank 1;
cedar-box nose, still has good tannic structure and a long finish.
1984 Estate Reserve (13.5%): group rank 3;
rich and brambly.
1985 Napa (13.5%): group rank 7;
seemed off to me, with a musty mocha character.
1983 Estate Reserve (13.5%): group rank 5;
good minerality and some typical Zinfandel raisins.
1985 Estate Reserve (13.5%): group rank 6;
some bottle-stink, which diminished with time.
1982 Estate Reserve (13.5%): group rank 2;
some bottle-stink at first.
1987 Napa (13.5%): group rank 4;
seemed to be drying out early, but still rewarding.

Michael Blakeley — Tue, 10 Jun 2008 07:24:47 +0000

1999 Bethany, Barossa-McLaren Vale (14.5%). Showed vanillin, pepper, and robust tannins. Group score 13.
2000 Bethany, Barossa-McLaren Vale (14.0%). Some orange in the color, indicating oxidation. Shows strawberries and peppery tannins, but they don’t linger in the glass. Group score 27.
1999 T-Vine, Napa Valley (15.4%). Cloudy, with eucalyptus in the nose, leading me to pick this as an Australian. Group score 20.
2000 T-Vine, Napa Valley (14.4%). Fleshy texture, cedar-box, and somewhat hot. Group score 18.
1999 Cedarville, El Dorado (14.5%). Showed vanillin and some light fruit, marred by vegetal notes. Group score 23.
2000 Cedarville, El Dorado (15.5%). Showed some pleasing strawberry and soft tannins, but fell apart into rubbery aromas as the wine opened up. Group score 25.

Michael Blakeley — Fri, 23 May 2008 07:23:54 +0000

Except as noted, these were all 1978 Napa Valley cabs.

Phelps Backus (13.6%): group score 50.
Phelps Eisele (13.5%): group score 54. Showed some eucaluptol or menthol, typical for the vineyard.
Beaulieu Rutherford (12.5%): group score 95.
Beaulieu Private Reserve (13.5%): group score 76.
Sterling Merlot (13%): group score 83. Grapey, mineral, and over the hill.
Tulocay (13.3%): group score 75. Gone, and going off.
Villa Mt Eden Reserve (13%): group score 45. Drying out, but still nice.
Chateau Prieure Lichine, Margaux (12.5%): group score 56. Distinctive for its green bell-pepper nose, I’ll claim credit for picking this one out as the French interloper in the group. It was also my favorite of the tasting.