89 Terte Roteboeuf, 87 Montelena, 98 Napa Valley Reserve

I was treated to a blind tasting of 3 excellent wines recently, and was forced to analyse them with very little in the way of guidance from the perpetrators!

1987 Chateau Montelena - I should have had this one in mind, as my friends know it is a favourite of mine, but naive fellow that I am, I went into the tasting with no preconceptions. A dark wine with clear edges. Excellent depth in the nose with dark fruit, vanilla, and a bit later on, some mint. Big bodied with lots of acidity and good length, it rides along on soft tannin and the acidity and needs time, although this bottle exhibited a finish that was a touch short and slightly astringent. I first thought that this could be a Bordeaux, but when we narrowed it down to California, was able to correctly guess the vintage.

1989 Ch. Tertre Roteboeuf - I guessed this wine as an Italian going in! The edges were browning although segueing smoothly into the body of the wine, and it sheeted down the glass with some viscosity. It had a really intriguing nose with elements of salty seaweed and tobacco, and an underlay of bacon fat. I was thinking an 89 or 90 Barolo at this point. It has a good underlying tannic structure, and excellent length, and seemed to dry a bit and perhaps lean out right at the end, all of which would have been consistent with my guess at country. I was surprised to be told it was Bordeaux, but at least my first guess nailed the correct vintage. Fascinating wine!

1998 'The Napa Valley Reserve' Cabernet - Dark and impenetrable colour, ripe sweet nose of concentrated blackberries had me thinking Australia or California, and if the latter I had to choose between cab and possibly Zin.Very full in the mouth, with mellow tannins and admirable length, it kept getting sweeter with time in the glass. By far the best cab I've seen from this somewhat lacklustre vintage so far. The wine is made by a consortium/club headed by Bill Harlan (I think this vintage was probably mostly Harlan fruit). I suggested that they call it "The Maiden Aunt" It is a membership only winery/private club - see

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1996 St. Francis Old Vines Zinfandel - thought I might as well throw in my note on the bottle I was forced to consume alone for dinner, my helpmate being absent on unspecified quotidian duties when I returned to hearth and cellar. Warm friendly pudding sort of nose, now old enough that there were no Zinfandel tip-offs. Balanced and reasonably interesting but I think it is now losing fruit and given the underlying wood that is always present with this maker, also much of its attraction. Drink up if you still have it.