Michel-Schlumberger

1998 Michel-Schlumberger
“Dry Creek Valley” Cabernet Sauvignon
If you haven’t had a Cab from Sonoma lately that you really, really enjoyed, then I have a suggestion for you. Try this Michel-Schlumberger Cab and I will bet you $1 that you love it.

The winemaker Fred Payne has been at this property since 1989 when it was still Domaine Michel, and has done wonderful work with his wines for many years. He is all about top quality, super-premium juice. When Jacques Pierre Schlumberger became a majority partner in 1993, Domaine Michel became Michel-Schlumberger and now we reap the rewards with wines like this produced from this 100-acre estate.

The Schlumberger family has a 400 year history of grape growing and winemaking in Alsace, France and Jacques Pierre brings a little of that to blend with Fred Payne’s winemaking talents.


This Cab has an intense dark brick red, thick garnet color and brings plummy complex aromas to the top of the glass. Further whiffs of this premium Cab reveal black currants, refreshing herbs and some earthiness that all form into a big and bold invigorating package.

I usually take my time in evaluating wines, but for some reason I just wanted to skip everything and just get this juice into my mouth. I just had to taste it. But I held off until I got a feel for the color and aromas and then BOOM, right in there, almost broke the glass on my teeth. I know, I need to calm down a bit.

I was not disappointed with the first tasting. It was full of powerful exploding dark berry flavors that fill your mouth, rub your tongue and kick your tonsils ass. I mean that in a kind and elegant way. The ass kickin’ is really just a ruffing up because this is NOT an overly tannic wine that needs to lay down for 10 years. It is more intense than anything, and is approachable now and will cellar nicely for the next 3-5 years. The complexity is there and the cedar and earthiness combine with the classy dark berry flavors to make this wine very agreeable at the table with a juicy Rib-Eye or Sirloin.

The spiciness comes across on the finish and it is long and steady. The flavors are really distinguished on the finish and leave your mouth one at a time. An all around top notch Cab that shows Sonoma producing some excellent juice in a tough vintage. Many “98”s will falter while this rises to the top. This wine is about ready to break out of it’s price range (could easily sell for $35, and just might soon) and is a deal for this price.

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