WTN: 1995 Freemark Abbey Bosche Cabernet Sauvignon

Hooray for Bosche!!
It is not often that I get the motivation to write notes, but day 4 of the ongoing monsoon has me pretty much confined to the indoors. We opened this wine with Easter dinner of grilled lamb chops and it was a perfect match. Despite being almost 16 years old, it was still vibrant. Medium bodied, well balanced and the color shows no fade whatsoever. The obligatory black cherry fruit, subtle mint and notes of leather all were held in check by the acids and structure. Drinking quite well now, but I see no reason a well stored bottle couldn't go 5 or more years. It seems fashionable in some circles to deride/dismiss California Cabernet and I have drifted away from it as well. If this wine is any indication my estrangement was a mistake.
Redwinger

[Jenise]

Glad you got motivated. Freemark Abbey has been exclusively producing this vineyard designate since the 70's (back when almost no one in California did that, come to think of it), and the wines are generally very traditional and long-lived. I think I know that the winery had a bad zone somewhere in the late 80's or early 90's, but your wine says that was over by '95.

Thanks for the note. The 1992 Bosche was terrific in 2010, though I found the 1996 Bosche too oaky the same night...