90s Napa Cabernet Dinner

• 1993 Diamond Creek Cabernet Sauvignon Gravelly Meadow 92 Points

  USA, California, Napa Valley, Diamond Mountain

  Dark garnet with vibrant hue, showing some development but still amazingly youthful at 20 years.
  It has nice nose bursting with black fruits, milk chocolate, tobacco and some floral notes. Aged gracefully and showing smooth and mellow palate, black-fruits, hints of vanilla and plenty of tobacco and cigar box. Very old world style, not overpowering, just elegant and balance.
  A little soft on mid-palate but it ends with a long finish and silky tannins. An excellent wine to start for the night before we move on to more masculine Napa Cab. 12.5% ABV is lovely, typical claret level.

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• 1990 Robert Mondavi Winery Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve 95 Points

  USA, California, Napa Valley

  Dark garnet with ruby red hue, still showing youthful appearance. Another very old world nose, plenty of cigar box and tobacco interwoven with blackcurrant, sweet toasty oak and spice.
  A robust wine on palate with vibrant acidity, layers of dark fruits, blackcurrant and cigar box, supple texture yet solid mid-palate, like an iron fist in a velvet glove.
  Long persistent finish with ripe tannins. This has more structure compare to Diamond Creek Gravelly Meadow. One step up from the 1st wine.
  My favorite wine of the night, complex and elegant. It can effortlessly match to a Cru Class Chateau. Another Robert Mondavi Reserve that has impressed me. 13.5% ABV making a good balance wine.

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An absolutely interesting flight where 3 wines from different price points put together for blind tasting. 1999 Cosentino (below $100) was very impressive judging from the price point and showing very well in the beginning. 1998 Stag's Leap Cask 23 ($200+) was nice and showing good complexity but I was disappointed on the mid-palate and length, perhaps because 1998 was one of the weaker vintage in 90s. But I still quite happy I fulfill my wish to try the legendary wine that change the wine world on 1976 Judgement of Paris. 1998 Harlan ($800+) on the other hand struggle in the beginning, but when it opens up after hours+ it really shine.

• 1999 Cosentino Winery Cabernet Sauvignon Punched Cap Fermented 91 Points

  USA, California, Napa Valley

  In this flight, 3 wines from different price range were put together for blind tasting.
  First in the flight, dark ruby with garnet hue, subtle but elegant nose, blackcurrant, nice fruits purity and still primary, perfume and slight minty.
  Rich powerful mouth-feel, fruity palate, dark fruits and blackcurrant, blueberry. After an hour+ in the glass the wine starting to mellow down and showing good acidity. Soft drying tannins with a long finish.
  This was showing very well in the beginning and most of us can't tell this is the cheapest wine of the night. I was also impressed by its strong entry but after few more sips I realized it was pretty straightforward from mid-palate to finish. But that is enough to give other wines a run for their money. 14.2% ABV.

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• 1998 Stag's Leap Wine Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon Cask 23 92 Points

  USA, California, Napa Valley, Stags Leap District

  In this flight, 3 wines from different price range were put together for blind tasting.
  Second wine in the flight, dark ruby core with vibrant brick red hue showing some age. Perfume and floral nose, elegant and subtle, blackcurrant and hints of tobacco. Just staring to show some secondary development.
  Smooth and perfume palate, with black fruits, blackcurrants and subtle tobacco notes. Drinking nicely now, not a big wine. Medium+ finish with smooth tannins.
  I was disappointed on the mid-palate and length, perhaps because 1998 was one of the weaker vintage in 90s. But I am still quite happy I fulfill my wish to try the legendary wine that change the wine world on 1976 Judgement of Paris. 14.5% ABV one of the highest tonight.

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• 1998 Harlan Estate 94 Points

  USA, California, Napa Valley

  In this flight, 3 wines from different price range were put together for blind tasting.
  Third wine in the flight, deep garnet with vibrant crimson hue, the darkest colour in this flight. Decanted for 1hour+ but still tight and pungent. After another hour in the glass it gradually open up to show complex and fragrant nose of blackcurrant, plum, pepper, mint and hints of tobacco.
  Still big and youthful palate, opulent wine and structured, showing ripe fruits, blackcurrant, chocolate, peppery notes and hints of oak. Strong mid-palate, ripe and grippy tannins, finishes long.
  Not a fantastic wine but it could be the star or the Vin de Garde of 1998 Napa Cab judging from the difficult vintage. It did impressed me with ripe and primary fruits that showing good aging potential. Best among the 3 1998 tasted tonight. 14.5% ABV, same as Stag's Leap Cask 23.

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• 1997 Barnett Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon Peacock Family 92 Points

  USA, California, Napa Valley, Spring Mountain District

  Deep garnet red with crimson hue, big powerful nose of ripe fruits, chocolatey, toasted oak, a little pungent too.
  The same exhibits on the palate which reflecting the vintage, opulent wine with ripe fruits, sweet blackcurrant. It has more concentration than 1999 Cosentino Punched Cap Fermented, displaying primary and youthful character. Finishes long with spicy fruits.
  This was the favourite wine for some who likes their wine the bigger the better. However it really surprised me with 13.8% ABV as the wine seems ripe and big, I was expecting at least 14.5% ABV.

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• 1996 Beringer Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon Private Reserve 94 Points

  USA, California, Napa Valley

  Dark ruby with vivid crimson hue, nice dark fruited bouquet, fragrant nose with roast herbs, smoke and blackcurrant.
  Full and ripe on palate, blackfruits, sweet blackcurrant, dark plum with hints of toasted oak. Solid mid-palate with slight mintiness, Long spicy finish with soft grippy tannins.
  This wine showing very well tonight, same big and ripe style but I prefer this to 1997 Barnett with more depth. 13.4% ABV surprised me even more, what a well made wine.

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• NV Billecart-Salmon Champagne Brut Rosé 91 Points

  France, Champagne

  A little odd to have this Champagne halfway through the red wines tasting flight (in fact almost finish and left 2 more reds) but it was a complementary bottle to the group courtesy of a visitor friend.
  Light salmon pink, fresh toasty nose, little nutty and creamy with citrus fruits. Fresh and zesty acidity on palate which is very nice, good palate weight.
  I seldom find myself enjoy Champagne Rosé but this is very nice but pity I can't focus on this wine and need to give priority to the reds.

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• 1997 Merryvale Profile 94 Points

  USA, California, Napa Valley

  Vibrant dark garnet red with youthful crimson red, expressive nose, blackcurrant and plum, perfume and elegant with nice secondary notes.
  Robust on entry but it has mellow down on palate, showing well on mid-palate with good acidity, finishes long with fine tannins.
  This was one of my favourite wine of the night, compared to Barnett of the same vintage, it shows greater complexity and development. 14.5% is well controlled.

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• 1998 Chateau Montelena Cabernet Sauvignon The Montelena Estate 93 Points

  USA, California, Napa Valley

  Finally come to the last wine of the night, I was a little doubtful why this was arranged as the last but I was told that this was the tightest wine of all when opened.
  Decanted for 3 hours, very dark and almost opaque, darkest wine of the night, some brickish edge. Barnyard and leather nose with blackcurrant on background.
  Big robust wine, blackcurrant, roasted coffee beans, blackberry, dark fruits and tobacco. Good finish with soft grippy tannins.
  The nose showing secondary development but the palate was complex with nice fruits concentration. Clearly not build to last and drinking well now, but it should be one of the better wine in '98. 13.9% ABV.

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