WTN: Hey Bill!

[Jenise]

2005 California Cult Classics Cabernet Sauvignon Stagecoach Vineyard Napa Valley
Almost 20 years after acquiring a case of this and opening random bottles all along, we open our last bottle and finally find a gem. Instead of the cloying jammy fruit that characterized EVERY prior contestant, there's an intense wine of significant personality and structure. I never guessed, who would, that the jammy years were just one looooong dumb phase! It finally showed up, but too late for the other 11 bottles.

[David M. Bueker]

The wine always has the last word!

Darn! I offloaded almost all of my CCC wines on our mutual friend who dotes on such over-concentrated fruit bombs, as I never expected them to make anything of themselves despite our patient waiting. I guess I lacked the required faith to endure repeating disappointment. I always wondered what RP would have rated those wines.

[Jenise]

I opened this last night for friends round the fire pit. Last bottle of the night, and these particular friends wouldn't be critical of "jammy, cloying" the way you and I are. So I was shocked. It's a huge wine to be sure, and I increasingly find more pleasure at the other end of that spectrum so I'm not sorry to see the last of 'em, but this was NOT what I expected. It probably has another ten years of life, easy. Maybe longer.

I opened this last night for friends round the fire pit. Last bottle of the night, and these particular friends wouldn't be critical of "jammy, cloying" the way you and I are. So I was shocked. It's a huge wine to be sure, and I increasingly find more pleasure at the other end of that spectrum so I'm not sorry to see the last of 'em, but this was NOT what I expected. It probably has another ten years of life, easy. Maybe longer.

Wow. I found the back story on CT. What an interesting course of evolution for that wine.

[Jenise]

It, quite unfortunately, makes Parker's case for overt ripeness not being the flaw many of us think it is. Doesn't mean we have to like it, though!

It, quite unfortunately, makes Parker's case for overt ripeness not being the flaw many of us think it is. Doesn't mean we have to like it, though!

JLL has also made that case for Guigal's LaLas: that, with sufficient time, they revert to a more classic profile. I have neither the $$ nor the patience (or perhaps lifespan) to test that assertion, but some folks with more $$ and patience than I have disputed it.

Never heard of it.
Frank Gigliotti, California Cult Classic’s Founder, Winemaker and President, has been making premium wines for over 33 years and is widely regarded as one of North America’s premier winemakers and wine consultants.
Yet I've never heard of him. Perhaps "widely regards himself"?
But interesting re the wine's evolution

[Jenise]

Never heard of Frank! This particular version was made in Vancouver IIRC with/under-the-supervision-of Ray Signorello of that eponymously named Napa winery, who divides his time between Van and Napa. Or did back then.

They were buying grapes from California from sources that likely wouldn't have been open to them without Signorello's participation, but Frank was making the wines.

[Jenise]

Well okay, Frank then!