1986 Joseph Phelps Cabernet Sauvignon Eisele Vineyard

The youngest and most backward, and the most promising wine of the four 1986 wines in this segment, is the 1986 Cabernet Sauvignon Eisele Vineyard. The dense purple color with no lightening or amber is followed by a classic Eisele nose of crushed stones/minerals, black-raspberries/currants, and spicy wood. Full-bodied, concentrated, and pure, yet very youthful, this wine could easily have passed for a 3-4 year old California Cabernet. Hefty and concentrated, with considerable tannin, it requires another 2-4 years of cellaring; it will last for 20 years. 1986 was the last outstanding vintage for the Joseph Phelps portfolio of Cabernet Sauvignons until the 1991 vintage (although 1990 was good, it was not as superb as the vintage's quality would suggest). The tasting notes for this section are from two single blind tastings, one conducted in May, 1996, in California, and the other in June, 1996, in Baltimore.