1997 Arrowood Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve Speciale

The 1997 Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve Speciale was even better. Here’s a wine coming up on 20 years of age in another 18 months, and it is still remarkably young and vigorous. Dense purple, with beautifully sweet crème de cassis and blackberry fruit intermixed with incense, graphite, and a touch of oak, this was a great year for North Coast varietals, and this wine is lavishly rich, with a multi-dimensional texture and a super-intense, full-bodied finish – just an amazing wine.

Bright ruby-red. Enticing aromas of black cherry, redcurrant, graphite and nuts. Lush, sweet and dense, with lovely, resounding depth of flavor and sizable underlying structure. Finishes with impressive length and building but even tannins. A large-scaled wine with thoroughly ripe cabernet character.