1983 Cabernet Retrospective, Part 1

Tom's house in Palo Alto, California
Tasted Thursday, July 25, 2013 by europat55 with 530 views

Introduction

Notes from the organizer:

Tonight, we'll begin our 1983 retrospective on Cabernets and Bordeaux from the 1983 vintage on their 30th anniversary. The 1983 vintage was a relatively warm year in both France and California. In Bordeaux, the vintage began with a perfect flowering in June, followed by one of the hottest Julys on record, a cooler August with some rain, then a warm, dry September and October that allowed wineries to harvest at optimal ripeness. The wines came in ripe and concentrated, somewhat reminiscent of the 2003 Bordeaux vintage 20 years later, which was also a very warm year. In northern California, it was also a warm vintage marked by a little El Nino inspired rain in the autumn, producing a moderate-sized crop and wines which were initially quite tannic, but have often aged into elegant, balanced, very pretty wines.

We'll pit for Napa Valley Cabernets against for Bordeaux. Heading the Napa lineup is the Chateau Montelena, which also includes three rare Cabs involving Napa Valley wine pioneers Bruce Neyers, Richard Steltzner and Travis Fretter. The Fretter in particular is a powerful, dense mountain Cab which could upset the Montelena. On the Bordeaux side, we'll have examples from four different appellations -- Pauillac, Margaux, St. Estephe and St. Emilion, headed by Chateau Lynch Bages. Here are some tasting notes:

Flight 1 (8 Notes)

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Closing

This blind tasting is yet another proof that I have a 'slight' preference for Bordeaux vs. California style Cabs. The Lynch-Bages was gorgeous! I had hope for the Montelena to be a Bdx rigner in the tasting, but it didn't deliver at all. The Larmande and Monbrisson were surprisingly good knowing how cheap these were upon release... almost 30 years ago!

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