St. Clement Cabernet Sauvignon 1998

This wine has a lighter red fruit character in the nose, more on the lines of raspberries and strawberries than blackberries, with a suggestion of cloves, violets and sweet candied flavors. There are hints of spice in the nose, with cedar, licorice, leather and red current. The 16 months in barrels imparts a toasted nut flavor to the wine, highlighting the spice and the touch of mint in the mouth. There is a slightly exotic, yet pretty flavor in this wine, with enough extraction of light fruits and a good acid balance to make this vintage attractive. This wine has a soft mouthfeel with elegant tannins, led by earthy and herbal flavors of dried herbs and spices lingering in the mouth. These earthy, almost mushroomy characteristics remind me of the rich juices in a pot-roast; this would be a great wine with lamb shanks or spicy pork roast, and is ready for immediate enjoyment.