1996 Hess Collection

[winoweenie]

What A Shock!!! Fully expected this to be as closed and tight-fisted as Bucko at a Christies auction. But this lil'honey came out of the bottle with both barrels blazing. Deep ruby, with anise-laced bakers cocoa, deep black fruit and The best and most developed nose on a HC, with the exception of the 92, I've experienced. Great entry, a lovely weighty center mouth-feel and a 4-lapper finish. Drew, depending on how many of these here suckers you've cellared, if multiples, I think this little darlin' would give lots of pleasure. After 2 hours in the glass there was some really supple tannins that showed. Within a year of peaking and a really atypical 96. Sooooo much vino...soooo lil' teemo. WW 92 ( up from 88 on my original tasting 2 years ago )

[This message has been edited by winoweenie (edited 11-13-2001).]

[Drew]

The Hess notes were great....but you were supossed to open the B.R. Cohn! [img]http://www.wines.com/ubb2/rolleyes.gif[/img]

Drew

[winoweenie]

OOPS!!! Now I'll have to go back and rectify this dumb-bunny mistake.(giggle) WW

[Cellar2small]

Thanks, WW!

I spotted your post recently, and living in Tulsa where wines trickle in at a snail's pace, I spotted the '96 still on the shelf a mile from the ol' hacienda.

So, I bought a bottle for our Thanksgiving feed for our visiting family, opened along with a Falesco Umbria merlot (1999) and a Ferrari-Carano sauv blanc (2000).

The Hess was excellent after breathing/swirling for 20-30 minutes in glass. Everyone patient enough to wait out the wine was rewarded and enjoyed the experience. I agree with you on the length of finish, which is excellent at this price point!

FWIW, the Ferrari-Carano was well received as well. The Falesco fought with the food IMHO.

Thanks again. I'll be going back for more of the '96 Hess. True to form in Tulsa, we still have many of the excellent '97's still on the shelves in Tulsa -- values like Sebastiani, Gallo Barrelli; and, the big boys like Stag's Leap, Ridge MonteBello, and Cinq Cepages for those with expensive tastes. Still waiting for '98 right bank wines to show up!

Cheers,

Greg (Cellar2small)

[winoweenie]

Hi Greg and glad you enjoyed the Hess. I was born in Shawnee and grew up my whole life rite there in dear ole Tulsie. Have a real soft sp[ot for the jernt. My mother lived there until she died 5 years ago. Graduated from High school from Holy Family. Was the last school I was able to attend.WW [img]http://www.wines.com/ubb2/biggrin.gif[/img]