Laurel Glen Sonoma Mountain Estate Cabernet Sauvignon 1998
Varietal: Cabernet Sauvignon
Vineyard: Laurel Glen Vineyards
Region: Sonoma County, California
The great vintages of Laurel Glen (1985, 86, 90, 92, 94, and 1999) have universally begun 180 days after the first sign of bud break. (the average day of bud break is March 21) I discovered this, while puzzling over the fact that despite its unusually late bud break onApril 12, 1999 is one of our all-time great vintages. The date of the 1999 harvest? October 12.
The 1999 Laurel Glen displays a typically dark rim and black, glass-staining, core; on the nose it's unusually open and perfumed, full with mulberries and intriguing tarry notes; in the mouth it's suave and elegant with a very long finish, rich but not cloying. Like all Laurel Glens, this is not an instant gratification wine: a few years' cellaring will serve to unfold its complexities.
