1999 Rudd Estate Winery Jericho Canyon Vineyard Proprietary Red Wine Napa Valley

Very good dark ruby-red for its age. Dark-verging-on-inky on the nose, with its black raspberry, cassis and boysenberry aromas lifted by a violet topnote. Then surprisingly velvety and suave on the palate, revealing a subtle claret-like sweetness and lovely inner-mouth perfume and breadth. The wine's purple fruit flavors are complicated by graphite minerality. Finishes very long and firm-edged, with substantial well-managed tannins. This shapely midweight may yet expand further in bottle. (ST) Review Date: May 2019

There are 1,600 cases of the 1999 Jericho Canyon Vineyard Proprietary Red. It is a blend of 50% Cabernet Sauvignon, 40% Merlot, and the rest Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot. This wine boasts both an impressive opaque purple color and bouquet of creme de cassis, roasted coffee, melted chocolate, toasty oak, licorice, and creosote. It is full-bodied, thick, and rich, with brooding but well-integrated tannin under all the flesh and density. (RP) Review Date: August 2002