2004 Conn Creek Anthology

A few nights ago, we opened the 2004 Conn Creek Anthology for our St. Nicholas Day (Dec. 6) dinner and this wine lived up to its reputation. Since the original Anthology in 1991, Wine Spectator has scored this wine 90+ every year. I did not find a rating for this vintage. Wine maker Jeff McBride describes this wine as "having red and black fruit aromas and spicy flavors with nuanced expressions of creamy oak and berry cobbler. A robust wine balanced with silky tanins." This is a full-bodied wine made from a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Merlot, Malbec and Petite Verdot. Be sure to decant this wine for 1-2 hours. If you can wait, I would keep it for another 3-5 years. I think the $50-$60 price tag is a little high for this bordeaux-style blend as you are now into some true Italian wines that are better.