1999 Spottswoode Cabernet Sauvignon Estate

High-toned aromas of blackberry, boysenberry, licorice, violet and herbs. Densely packed and juicy, with its dark berry flavors given definition and lift by repeating licorice and violet qualities. This very suave, fine-grained wine finishes with firm but totally integrated tannins and sneaky rising floral length. When I tasted this wine as part of my Spottswoode vertical back in 2016, I thought it was just short of its peak. Now it has arrived, and this sample did not show the faint leathery quality of my last one, suggesting it should remain fresh for a good while. (ST)

In 1999 production fell below 4,000 cases, but the blend stayed the same: 95% Cabernet Sauvignon and 5% Cabernet Franc. This is a vintage that has always been tightly structured, with plenty of tannin and acidity. The 1999 Spottswoode exhibited that firmness and slight austerity with notes of black olive, cassis, dark cherries and chocolate in a tannic, earthy, spicy, medium-bodied style that still doesn’t seem to have hit its plateau of maturity. Give it another 4-5 years, but I am wondering, as I have with many 1999s, are they ever going to achieve the full potential that was predicted in their youth?

Bright crimson. Very sweet, fruit juice impression rather than wine on the nose! Slightly cheesey note? Pretty ripe! Then rather dry tannins. Did some grapes shrivel at all? Not the most appetising… A little inky and stringy on the finish. Very small crop. (LM) (JR)