1997 Jarvis Lake William Estate

Readers looking for a wine that offers good quality/price rapport should disregard the following tasting notes. This wine is not particularly inspiring or exciting, but it is a competently made, middle of the road effort. It is made in a restrained (the winemaker would probably say "elegant") style. Technically correct and flawless it is, exciting and hedonistic it is not. The 1997 Lake William Estate Proprietary Red (a blend of 46% Merlot, 32% Cabernet Sauvignon, 20% Cabernet Franc, and 2% Petit Verdot that was aged 14 months in new French oak, and bottled unfined and unfiltered) exhibits an impressively saturated dark ruby color, and a cedary, black currant nose with toast and minerals in the background. To the wine's credit, the oak is well-concealed, but I would have liked to have seen more generosity and concentration. Although pure, cleanly made, and stylish, it is restrained. It can be consumed over the next 10-15 years. Tel. (707) 255-5280