WTN: 1998 Wynn's Coonawarra Cabernet

[Jenise]

Sorry to say, these are heading south. We started drinking this case, which we've owned since release, about two years ago, having found the wine in a very good place, but each bottle we've opened in the last year has given progressively diminished joy with the fruit acquiring a stewed characater and the dirty soy sauce-y flavors occupying more space in the finish. Drink up!

This is sad news and I'm at a loss to know what has happened to your box, Jenise. I've just started into my first dozen and this was my brief note and score from early in June - very sound, still a little on the young side - predominantly leafy blackcurrants and cedar - 91 (Outstanding). Two other very experienced tasters were present when this bottle was opened and both were similarly impressed.

David, Jenise
Seems some divergence here and I wonder whether (summer) serving / ambient temperature might have affected it - any thoughts on that Jenise?
regards
Ian

[Jenise]

David, Jenise
Seems some divergence here and I wonder whether (summer) serving / ambient temperature might have affected it - any thoughts on that Jenise?
regards
Ian

Ian, good thought but no, there are no local effects in play here. The wine was removed from my temperature controlled cellar, and has always been stored such, and consumed on a 60 degree evening.

More likely, given the consistency with which these bottles have gotten progressively less good over the two years we've been drinking them and David's very opposite experience, is that I have/had, as David suggests, a bad box that was improperly stored/handled somewhere along the way before it came into my custody. Probably, in fact, during it's ocean voyage here--the importer himself once lamented that his containers are not refrigerated and he has no control over whether his containers are at the bottom or top of the stack on the ship they come over on.

Jenise
That is a real shame - I got a six-pack and raced through them, but did save one solitary bottle. I've got it pegged for ~ 3-5 years away, but never take drinking windows too seriously. If I do open it in the near future, I'll try to remember to post a note to see how it compares.
regards
Ian

This is sad news and I'm at a loss to know what has happened to your box, Jenise. I've just started into my first dozen and this was my brief note and score from early in June - very sound, still a little on the young side - predominantly leafy blackcurrants and cedar - 91 (Outstanding). Two other very experienced tasters were present when this bottle was opened and both were similarly impressed.

David

You are impatient. I haven't even touched my case of the stuff yet.

Mark