WTN: 1992 Stonestreet "Legacy"

[Brad Ballinger]

1992 Stonestreet "Legacy," Anderson Valley. This is a blend of 54% cabernet sauvignon, 43% merlot, and 3% petit verdot. I decanted this wine to separate out the sediment. As the liquid was going into the decanter, my olfactory nerves were teased by the lush berry and cassis aromas arising out of the decanter. Swirling the wine in the glass revealed more of the same, along with a slight minty element. The fruit wasn't quite as showy in the mouth. There was more restraint there, but not typical of a fading wine. There were some spicy and molasses-like secondary elements adding complexity. The tannins were sweet, yet still gripping. There was also a separate wooden component. The finish was initially more woodsy than fruity. After about an hour in the decanter, this wine took on another dimension, the fruit becoming more prominent on the palate and finish, rounding out this wine quite nicely. Over the course of three hours, it did not fall apart for fade appreciably.