1997 Cabs

[winecollector]

You may be onto something Winoweenie. I just recently had the 97' Phelps for around $30 a bottle, and thought it was <okay>. I've drank a comparable bottle of Australian Cabernet Sauvignon for $6.49, Robertson's Well, and me and my wine buddies thought the Phelps wasn't as good. I must admit, that the majority of the Californian wines I purchase are for collecting purposes only, likely not to be drunk, but resold either at auction or to out of state wine shops at a later date. Some of these are too expensive for me to justify pulling a cork on to drink myself, but it seems that others have no problem forking out big bucks for them after I age them a while, when supply starts to become scarce.

Incidently, the Phelps was bought to drink, not to age. One's that I buy for future resale or auction from California include Caymus, Cakebread, Opus, Mondavi Reserve, Rubicon, etc.

Also, I was told by someone in the business about two years ago, that 97' produced an over-abundance of grapes not only from California, but (if memory serves me correctly) also possibly from Bordeaux. They were under the impression that this might cause prices to come down a bit, but I think he was being a little to hopeful.

As for me, I think I'll pass on most of the 97's from California as a whole. I'll buy my 97's from Italy. I can't seem to buy enough of those babies!