The 1986 Cabernet Sauvignon Backus Vineyard is remarkable. It possesses an opaque purple/black color with no lightening or amber at the edge. A huge, exotic nose of sweet, toasty oak, smoked herbs, grilled meats, and black fruits soars from the glass. This lusty, powerful, classically-structured Cabernet reveals superb richness, full body, and a long, sweet, rich finish with no signs of fruit oxidation or deterioration. This wine will benefit from another 2-3 years of cellaring, and will keep for 15-20 years - amazing! 1986 was the last outstanding vintage for the Joseph Phelps portfolio of Cabernet Sauvignons until the 1991 vintage (although 1990 was good, it was not as superb as the vintage's quality would suggest). The tasting notes for this section are from two single blind tastings, one conducted in May, 1996, in California, and the other in June, 1996, in Baltimore.