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| Drinking Windows and Values |
| Community Tasting History |
| Community Tasting Notes (average 91.2 pts. and median of 92 pts. in 21 notes) - hiding notes with no text | | | Tasted by GrapeScott on 12/29/2017 & rated 92 points: Drank for 20yr reunion with grad school friends. In terrific shape with cassis and blackberry fruits and smooth tannins. Peaking now, will probably hold for a few more years. (1782 views) | | | Tasted by NapaInBaltimore on 2/10/2017 & rated 93 points: truly a great napa cab, really matured nicely now that it's nearly 20 years old (2206 views) | | | Tasted by GrapeScott on 4/2/2016 & rated 93 points: From magnum. This was really singing and much better than the last 750 I had several last year. Pretty much at its peak. (2685 views) | | | Tasted by Nothung on 2/13/2016 & rated 90 points: Good, not profound California cab. (2643 views) | | | Tasted by GrapeScott on 6/23/2015 & rated 92 points: I think this has actually improved over the past 5 years. The tannins have softened and the fruit has become more subdued and come into focus. I have always loved the '95 and thought the '97 had similar potential, and it seems to be coming around. Pretty Old World in style, with cassis, saddle leather, dark cherry and earth notes. Really quite good. I can't believe I paid under $20 for this wine. (3106 views) | | | Tasted by Hamersly on 5/28/2015 & rated 92 points: What a gorgeous nose this wine has. Time has smoothed out the roughness that some reviewers noted upon release, leaving a lovely, mature, classic Napa Cab. Rich and pure, with very fine tannins. This was a little better on Day 2 so it isn't on the brink, but the fruit is a bit attenuated on the finish so I recommend enjoying within the next few years. (1966 views) | | | Tasted by no leashes on 2/23/2015 & rated 91 points: Delicious nicely mature cab, with dark cherry, earth, cassis and glycerin, beautifully balanced. Fine tannins give way to long smooth finish. Drinking beautifully right out of the bottle. (1501 views) | | | Tasted by Ronfeldman on 8/3/2013 & rated 92 points: Needed 90 minute decant. Port and raisin out of the bottle that burned off into a nice balanced wine with time. Still have one left, will not wait to open. (2208 views) | | | Tasted by RWINO on 6/23/2012 & rated 94 points: Decanted, after 4 hours opened up to be a classic cab, though not as powerful or rich as the 1995 we had last year. (2652 views) | | | Tasted by mdp.blue on 4/21/2012 & rated 89 points: Deep, deep cherry. Decanted for three hours ahead of first taste. Five hours in started to get a bit of cocoa. Minerals on the nose and taste, light and consistent. A hint oF eucalypus. The wine is past it's prime and I knew that at time of purchase. Great value for me but I would suggest that if you have the 1997, drink now. (2255 views) | | | Tasted by finca on 3/23/2012 & rated 92 points: Really closed for about an hour and opened up. Beautiful fuit (2359 views) | | | Tasted by kenarn on 3/17/2012: - Slow forming legs. It's unbalanced with a medium finish. (2246 views) | | | Tasted by soyhead on 11/5/2010 & rated 90 points: nose - whoa. cassis, licorice, cocoa, chalk (?) big nose
mouth - big bold fruit followed by massive tannins. the tannins quickly wipe out the fruit, and i think they overdid it a bit. sadly i dont think this wine will ever come into balance. would pair well with a blue cheese. (2446 views) | | | Tasted by babnik on 9/3/2009 & rated 86 points: Brooding and dark with moist earth, tobacco, and some sour blackberry. Unlike a few recent tasters, I think this wine has past its prime. While still showing significant tannins, I don't think the fruit balance is there for longer aging. Could perhaps have benefited from a vigorous decant which unfortunately wasn't available with mediocre BYOB wine service at a local restaurant. (2671 views) | | | Tasted by davergny on 6/29/2009 & rated 91 points: Very dark color, still young, primary, and tannic. Good cabernet flavor, intensity, and depth. Needs a few more years at least. 91+ (2853 views) | | | Tasted by headdocs on 5/23/2009 & rated 92 points: Beautiful dark color with great fruit remaining. (3101 views) | | | Tasted by rothdog on 5/12/2007: I have a few bottles left, and have had the pleasure of consuming about 10 of these beauties over the past 5 years. From my experience I'd say that it has finally reached a dumb phase in its development. Until recently it has always seemed to be a powerhouse in its infancy - rich and brooding, with lots of dark fruits, yet backward. It remains inky purple with no visible signs of fading, but the las two bottles have been muted on both the nose and palate. I recommend waiting another year at this point to give it time to reemerge. I have always been a huge fan of this wine, and I am looking forward to it finally reaching maturity. Thus far I would consider the '97 Oakford to be in the 93 point range, but in this stage of development it can not be fairly rated. Interestingly enough, I think the '97 Staglin is also a bit closed down right now and is on the cusp of reemerging into something spectacular. (3142 views) | | | Tasted by tmbergmann on 3/27/2007 & rated 90 points: this wine has mellowed considerably since last tasted. The flavors have integrated nicely, but the nose has diminished. The wine is just past its peak. When younger, it was phenomenal, now just very good. Should have consumed a year or so ago. (3210 views) | | | Tasted by rothdog on 3/9/2007 flawed bottle: Cork appears to be perfect, but this bottle is clearly off. Hot, astringent, chemical like and muted. (3166 views) |
| By Stephen Tanzer
Vinous, May/June 1999, IWC Issue #84
(Oakford Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley) Subscribe to see review text. | By Stephen Tanzer
Vinous, May/June 1998, IWC Issue #78
(Oakford Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley) Subscribe to see review text. |
NOTE: Scores and reviews are the property of Vinous. (manage subscription channels) |
| Oakford Vineyards Producer websiteCabernet SauvignonCabernet Sauvignon is probably the most famous red wine grape variety on Earth. It is rivaled in this regard only by its Bordeaux stablemate Merlot, and its opposite number in Burgundy, Pinot Noir. From its origins in Bordeaux, Cabernet has successfully spread to almost every winegrowing country in the world. It is now the key grape variety in many first-rate New World wine regions, most notably Napa Valley, Coonawarra and Maipo Valley. Wherever they come from, Cabernet Sauvignon wines always seem to demonstrate a handful of common character traits: deep color, good tannin structure, moderate acidity and aromas of blackcurrant, tomato leaf, dark spices and cedarwood.
Used as frequently in blends as in varietal wines, Cabernet Sauvignon has a large number of common blending partners. Apart from the obvious Merlot and Cabernet Franc, the most prevalent of these are Malbec, Petit Verdot and Carmenere (the ingredients of a classic Bordeaux Blend), Shiraz (in Australia's favorite blend) and in Spain and South America, a Cabernet – Tempranillo blend is now commonplace. Even the bold Tannat-based wines of Madiran are now generally softened with Cabernet SauvignonUSAAmerican wine has been produced since the 1500s, with the first widespread production beginning in New Mexico in 1628. Today, wine production is undertaken in all fifty states, with California producing 84% of all U.S. wine. The continent of North America is home to several native species of grape, including Vitis labrusca, Vitis riparia, Vitis rotundifolia, and Vitis vulpina, but the wine-making industry is based almost entirely on the cultivation of the European Vitis vinifera, which was introduced by European settlers. With more than 1,100,000 acres (4,500 km2) under vine, the United States is the fourth-largest wine producing country in the world, after Italy, Spain, and France.California2021 vintage: "Unlike almost all other areas of the state, the Russian River Valley had higher than normal crops in 2021, which has made for a wine of greater generosity and fruit forwardness than some of its stablemates." - Morgan Twain-Peterson Napa Valley Napa Valley Wineries and Wine (Napa Valley Vintners)Oakville |
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