1996 Arrowood Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve Speciale
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The 1996 Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve Speciale is outstanding,. Aged completely in French oak, this dense, chocolatey, black currant-scented wine possesses abundant spice, richness, power, and intensity. Still youthful, but muscular and impressively-endowed, this full-bodied Cabernet requires 2-3 years of cellaring, and should keep for two decades or more. (release date Spring 2000) Tel. (707) 938-5170; Fax (707) 938-5195
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Robert Parker
Stephen Tanzer, Vinous
More reviews and scores
Full red-ruby. Superripe, slightly roasted aromas of currant, plum, grilled nuts, hot stones and minerals. Rich on entry, then a bit tougher in the middle than the basic '97 cabernet, with slightly edgy acids and toothcoating tannins. Ripeness seems a bit less uniform than that of the '97. The selection for this special bottling, according to Arrowood, was for structure.