Monday California Tasting

Tasted Tuesday, June 25, 2013 by Wine_lvr with 690 views

Introduction

Special thanks to the donor of for sharing these wonderful bottles and making this great tasting possible.

A wonderful series of wines out of very good and legendary Napa vintages in the 70s and 80s. The tasting really showed how nicely California Cabs of various pedigrees can mature...

All wines came out of the same cellar and were double decanted 1 hour before the tasting.

Flight 1 - White Wine (1 Note)

Flight 2 - Flight 1: Cabs from 1974 (4 Notes)

Flight 3 - Flight 2: Cabs from 1978 (4 Notes)

Flight 4 - Flight 3: Cabs from 1985 (4 Notes)

  • 1985 Heitz Cellar Cabernet Sauvignon Martha's Vineyard 98 Points

    USA, California, Napa Valley, Oakville

    Deep ruby red in color - one would expect a 10 - 15 year old wine. Nose of Cherries, Mint and Tobacco. This wine is very complex and has lots of juice. Currant, chocolate and black tea. This is still so youtful and has an enormous potentail to still evolve to a legend.

    As a note, this was my best Martha's 85 so far. In previous encounters I was always quite confused by this wine, with many bottles seeming a bit flawed.

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  • 1985 Mayacamas Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon 90 Points

    USA, California, Napa Valley

    I always love the old Mayacamas, especially out of the good years. The 85 was no exception ...

    Clear garnet color. Very minty with cherries and strawberries. In the taste it showed hints of black tea, dark berries and a nice sweetness. Unfortunately all was a bit light and simple, especially when compated to the Martha's 85 and the Insignia 85 in the glasses next to it. Drink now as the wine is fully mature.

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  • 1985 Joseph Phelps Insignia Flawed

    USA, California, Napa Valley

    My first encounter with this wine and unfortunately a bottle that had likely a minor flaw (old barrel / cork). The power and complexity of the wine was there, so was the fruit and the berries. But this bottle just seemed off so a rating would not do justice. Hope I get the opportunity to retaste one day as the wine showed great potential...

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  • 1985 Heitz Cellar Cabernet Sauvignon Bella Oaks 89 Points

    USA, California, Napa Valley, Rutherford

    This was somewhat a difficult wine and it separated the fellow tasters in two poles. Why? There were quite a lot of leather and barn smells to it so it is really a matter of taste if you like such types of wines. Reminded somewhat of an old St. Julien. Now to the taste, there were dark fruit and a bit of Port sweetness, but all covered again by an animalic taste. The wine still has a lot of tannins and IMHO tends to dry out. Drink now with food.

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Flight 5 - Flight 4: Cabs from 1987 (4 Notes)

  • 1987 Heitz Cellar Cabernet Sauvignon Martha's Vineyard 95 Points

    USA, California, Napa Valley, Oakville

    Deep garnet. Again the typical Martha's flavors of Mint, tobacco and dark berries. Sweet taste of berries, black tea and chocolate. Just wonderful.

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  • 1987 Diamond Creek Cabernet Sauvignon Volcanic Hill 87 Points

    USA, California, Napa Valley, Diamond Mountain

    Nose of red berries and hints of tobacco. Quite a bit of acidity and dry tannins. All a bit short. Quite disappointing

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  • 1987 Robert Mondavi Winery Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve 93 Points

    USA, California, Napa Valley

    Deep color. Nose of flintstone, cassis, grilled meat and leather. Has quite dry tannins but the sweetness (Strawberry) can nicely cover it up. Great wine and better than the bottle I had a few months ago. Drink now or within the next 5 years.

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  • 1987 Silver Oak Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley 85 Points

    USA, California, Napa Valley

    My winebuddy gave me hint when I asked him about this specific herbal flavour. "Dill" he replied and pointed out that this is quite typical for Silver Oaks! Ok, Harlan tastes of sap and SO tastes of dill...good to remember for blind tastings...

    So, ok I can confirm there was plenty of Dill in the nose...you either like it or you don't is what I guess. As for the taste, the wine had still some juice to it but also dry tannins and all seemed a bit out of balance. Defenitely not the caliber of the Martha's 87 and the Mondavi Reserve 87 in the glasses next to it. Drink now...

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Flight 6 - Flight 5: Surprise Flight (2 Notes)

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