1997 Viader Red
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Tasting notes
(13.5% alcohol): Good medium red; not totally lucid. Some exotic spice cake evolution marks the nose. Supple and fully evolved; seems just past its peak even if sweetness remains. Plum and currant fruit flavors are complemented by balsamic, saline and peppery qualities, plus a floral element that may be from the wine's Cabernet Franc component. Finishes with dusty tannins. This wine has a distinctly cool element, as well as more fruit retention than the Cask 23, and I could easily enjoy it for dinner tonight. But it may be starting to dry out.
Critic scores
Robert Parker
Stephen Tanzer, Vinous
More reviews and scores
Cassis, black and earthy, forest floor and fresh herbs create the nose. The wine is medium bodied, soft textured and ends with a sweet and tart, dusty, elegant finish. This showed a lot better a few years ago. But who hasn’t?
The terrific 1997 Proprietary Red is the finest Viader I have tasted. It is a wine of exceptional finesse and elegance, yet undeniable richness and intensity. This blend of 59% Cabernet Sauvignon and 41% Cabernet Franc tastes like a top Graves from Bordeaux. Subtle spicy oak emerges from this dark ruby/purple-colored wine, along with scents of black currants, minerals, and lead pencil. In the mouth, earthy, terroir characteristics combine with sweet black fruits in this medium-bodied, rich wine. There is a juicy mid-palate as well as considerable grace and harmony in the finish. The tannin is largely obscured by the wine's outstanding concentration. Anticipated maturity: 2001-2018. Tel. (707) 963-3816; Fax (707) 963-3817