Sterling Reserve 1997 Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon

I've been holding onto my 1997s from Napa Valley a bit too long I think -- it's time to start drinking them.   Sterling's Reserve cabs are blends of the best individual lots (with other Bordeaux varietals blended in small percentages).    The color is very dark, the nose shows tobacco and dark chocolate.   On the palate black fruit dominates, with ashy oak showing awkwardly in the background behind the fruit...   The finish is sleek and full, without the wallop of oak or tannin that you may expect (after a big nose and big mouthfeel).   There is was very little sediment left in the bottle, this wine was likely filtered (which is not a bad thing).   This bottling, like most 1997 Cali Cabs, is a bold wine that will compliment grilled foods (especially red meats) nicely.