One 6L bottle of Joseph Phelps Cabernet Sauvignon 1986, Backus Vineyard.

Mature, dried herb, sage and currant turn rustic and tannic on the finish.--'76/'86 California Cabernet retrospective. Drink now. Tasted twice, with consistent notes.  Wine Spectator

Founded in 1972, Joseph Phelps Vineyards is an independent, estate-based winery located outside of St. Helena. Perched on a knoll in bucolic Spring Valley, the graceful redwood winery overlooks vineyard-studded hills, the town of St. Helena and the Mayacamas Mountains to the west. Varietals produced annually at Phelps include Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon, Backus Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon, Insignia (one of California's most successful first growth luxury blends), Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, several Rhône-style wines, and a luscious dessert wine made from Scheurebe. Architecture of the winery reflects the same commitment to quality and attention to detail as the wines crafted within. A massive Wisteria-covered trellis made from 100-year-old recycled bridge timbers dominates the entranceway, visually anchoring the redwood building to the surrounding terrain.