Beaulieu Vineyard Clone 6 Cabernet 1998

Dense ruby-purple black color. The sheer individuality of Clone 6 stands out in the deep, mineral-earthy yet powerfully fruity aroma, redolent of cassis, graphite, black pepper and sweet oak-vanilla. Rich and powerfully fruity on the palate, the wine shows mouth-coating fruit intensity, with concentrated black fruit and mineral flavors balanced by substantial, firm but not edgy tannins. More compact and less broad right now than the '97 Georges de Latour, there is a dense core of sweet, ripe fruit that suggest that this wine should reach its peak after a decade of aging, though the highly textured, velvety mouth-feel allows one to enjoy the wine now with a fine grilled lamb chop or roast beef.