Karl Lawrence, Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley

Well past prime.

1998 vintage

Meat

2015 vintage

Not as good as I remember the brand to be, not sure if it was the bottle, the vintage or something else. It was decent, but not deep, complex or fruit forward at all. Would not have guessed Napa cab blindfolded/unaware.

2015 vintage

Decanted for sediment. Medium crimson color. Lovely nose of red currant and plum with some cedar cigar box, forest floor, wet leaves and just a hint of sweet baking spice notes. Really nice. Similar flavors on the palate with a good amount of fruit still present. Fully resolved tannins but still nice acidity for structure and freshness. Smooth finish. Really fantastic mature cabernet. Wish I had a few more of these lying around.

1998 vintage

Excellent!!!

2015 vintage

Decanted for about 2 hours. Gobs of black fruit on the nose with some leathery notes. The palate is soft, round but with a good back bone. Currant, olive and blackberry flavors. The finish is long. Drinking well now and will easily over the next 5-7 years.

2015 vintage

Terrific! Immediately accessible, nice elements of mulberry and other black fruits with some tart red berries in the mix. Slowly opens but is wonderful throughout its evolution in the glass. Strong, balanced acidity, medium tannic activity, benefits from air time.

2015 vintage

No formal notes taken. Slightly different style than the original KL, but very enjoyable. Well structured, with black fruits and acidity. Everything was in balance, with no harsh tannins or alcohol peeking through. Enjoyable now but has the stuffing to lay down for another 5 years.

2015 vintage

Light strawberry and prune on the nose; on the palate, black cherry and currants with notes of prune, leather, and earth, with no detectable tannins and good acidity. This is at its peak and is beginning to move into its tertiary phase, so unless you like your Cabernet that way it's time to drink this. It's excellent, and an excellent value at about $50. It's too bad this wine isn't being made any more.

1998 vintage

In surprisingly good shape for 17 years old. This wine is very much developed, with the tannin melted away, and a great blend of dark fruits and some slightly vegetal notes. Paired beautifully with grilled steaks.

1998 vintage

Popped and poured. Dark garnet color with a purple core. Surprising color for a 17 year old wine. Great nose of black plum and cherry, cassis, cedar cigar box, some earthy notes and a touch of old oaky wood. Very nice. On the palate the wine is really balanced with good black fruit concentration and tertiary flavors of sweet tobacco, forest floor and cedar. Medium acid with fully integrated silky tannin. Nice finish. Great wine.

1998 vintage

Impressive color with a purple center and a pink rim, no real bricking. Classic cabernet sauvignon nose - cassis and plum coupled with herbs and stem notes. The acidity is balanced while the tannins are fully integrated. The finish showed good length and ended with cassis and herbs. Overall, I did not have high hopes, but this was a very good bottle of wine with very little evidence that this 17 year-old was fading. This paired beautifully with flank steak.

1998 vintage

While this is starting to get a little brown on the edges, it still has stunning aroma of black fruit and chocolate, although some prune was coming through. Drink up now.

1998 vintage

CORKED!!

1998 vintage

Very enjoyable cabernet sauvignon. The nose was vibrant and clean with solid dark cherry and well integrated oak. In the mouth, it has well rounded tannins and solid fruit. The acidity is balanced and the tannins are fully resolved. Overall, this wine is a winner in a very difficult vintage.

1998 vintage

nose: perfumed, deep, and rich nose of black cherries, black licorice, cassis, herbs and spice tones along with a touch of oak and dark red fruits. Has a more laid back approach to it, but also has nice and warm balanced fruit taste: Full bodied with polished tannins and a silky plush feel and layered tones of dark red cherries, black cherries, licorice, herbs, cassis and some dark red fruits and bits of raspberries overall: This is in a great …

1998 vintage

Pretty, minty nose. Rich, slightly tangy red currant fruit. Touch raspberry. Still has great color. This wine, not this bottle, has probably the best '98 vintage cab I've had, but I figure this one is bound to start losing fruit soon.

1998 vintage

Very good. Right in my sweet spot as far as age. Leather, black cherries, and dried thyme/herbs and olives. slightly dusty tannins on entry but the wine remains juicy through the finish.

1998 vintage

Sweeter than I would have imagined. Could be bottle shock? Just picked up from auction and immediately opened. Still was an enjoyable cab at a great px.

1998 vintage

nose: rich and rounded nose that is filled with black cherries, herbs, lots of various spices, oak tones, cassis, and bits of black licorice taste: good full feel with still firm tannins providing tones of black cherries, sour red fruits, oak tones, black licorice, and some black spices overall: The color is just starting to get lighter and there is no real sign of bricking, this is just starting to truly drink. Beautiful and balanced cabernet that is done in …

1998 vintage

While still a very nice wine this bottle didn't impress me as much as previous bottles. Still has plenty of tannins and fruit to last at least several more years.

1998 vintage

Dark purple red color; nose of smoke, minerals, and cherries; medium to full body; smooth tannins; palate shows olives, pepper, spice and toast; moderate finish.

1998 vintage

Medium red color. On the first day, this wine seemed closed giving cassis on the nose. The palate was all cassis with a little oak and very evident, dissicating tannins. I was fairly disappointed, as this has always impressed. On day two, the fruit blossomed into lovely cassis, chocolate, and herbs. This medium-bodied wine behaved more elegantly and showed the wine I had known in previous tastings. Overall, this was closed on day one and much better on day two. …

1998 vintage

Dark purple color; aromas of minerals, herbs, chocolate and pepper; medium to full body; ripe dark berry fruit and coffee flavors well balanced with the soft tannins; probably fully evolved but should drink well for several more years.

1998 vintage

($40) 14.2% ABV. Showing well with cedar, underbrush, rust and currant fruit. Complex. Noticeably from a cooler or more difficult vintage and with some underlying greeness common to a lot of 98s. That said, this has consistently been my favorite 1998 California Cabernet Sauvignon. Fine grained tannins. This bottle is not as mature as notes from another taster's experience suggested. The other taster describing a clearing rim, but this shows a deep color with only about 1/16" clearing at the …

1998 vintage

Decanted, poured, and consumed during a 3 hour window. Brilliant ruby color. Intense nose with strong plum, blueberry, & chocolate with a touch of leather, tobacco. Great balance -- silky mouthfeel with good tannins, nice berries, and great finish (which decreased by the end of the window). Wish I had another case or three...

1998 vintage

I was quite impressed with this. Showing no signs of slowing down and drinking great right now. Although I docked it a point becuase I thought the finish was just a tad shorter than it should be

1998 vintage

Drank from a 375 after decanting for a couple hours. This is a mindblowing wine for a poor vintage. If Karl Lawrence is this good in a bad vintage, I can only imagine how good it would be in a solid to good vintage. Drank next to an 04 Montrose. Very big and fruit forward showing some sweet cherry and oak characteristics. Nice, well balanced with a long finish and sweet tannins.

1998 vintage

For a (supposedly) weak vintage this wine continues to impress. Plenty of fruit and structure without any vegetal notes. The wine should definitely hold for some time. I wish I had more but this was my last bottle.

1998 vintage

a bit disappointing, not too long a finish, not bad for a 98

1998 vintage

This KL has to be one of the best '98 cabs made. I've consumed several of these bottles and everyone has been great. Not a huge fruit bomb but a very elegant wine that has a great nose and plenty of flavor. I'm very impressed by the ability of KL to make such an excellent cab in a bad vintage. Kudos.

1998 vintage

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Karl Lawrence, Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley

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