Comparing Pahlmeyer’s Cabernet Blends – Old And New.

Pahlmeyer Cabernet

On Valentines night, my wife and I popped a cork of the 2002 Pahlmeyer. I’m thrilled to report that this wine was truly stunning, fulfilling my highest expectations for a “perfectly aged” Napa Cabernet. It’s no secret that the concept of “drinks well now but ages well” is considered the ‘Holy Grail’ in Napa (+ worldwide). Everyone aspires to this hurdle but very few actually achieve this success. Pahlmeyer’s winemaker Erin Green has a long track record of fulfilling the promise of age-worthy red wines (and some Chardonnays).

One of my ‘first loves’ in the wine world was the 1997 Pahlmeyer Merlot and the Cabernet (bottled ‘Red Blend’) has always been a personal favorite. I must say that for my individual tastes, I rarely swoon over the Cabernet blend upon release. In fact, the latest release 2005 vintage has achieved the highest rating ever (from Robert Parker) for a Pahlmeyer Red. I can only dream that the 2005 will age into the grandeur of the 2002 we drank recently. The entire experience was seemless with integrated, silky smooth tannins that had melded together with a galaxy of dark fruit flavors that delivered a magnificent experience! When I origanally sampled, I rated this wine 95 points. Today, this wine is clearly a 98 point wine!