1969 and 1986 Cali Lunch

A great lunch with the Tucson "Tuesday Lunch Bunch' group, hosted by Bill Jones. Bill graciously provided all of the wines, which have been in his cellar since the beginning of time!

• 1998 Château Haut-Brion Blanc

  France, Bordeaux, Graves, Pessac-Léognan

  Beautifully balanced. Honeysuckle. More reserved than expected. Dave said "oak applied in the right way". I really liked it.

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It was surprising how the Pinots improved over time in the glass. Sometimes with these older wines, its drink quick as they deteriorate. These got better and better, and this was an incredible flight.

• 1969 Robert Mondavi Winery Pinot Noir

  USA, California, Napa Valley

  Started off with a slight bit of what seemed like oxidation. Somewhat controversial, but really improved with time in the glass. Over time tar, baked caramel, cinnamon.

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• 1969 Heitz Cellar Pinot Noir

  USA, California, Napa Valley

  Old stories have it that the grapes were from Hanzell for the 69 Heitz Pinot. This was deep and rich, and still holding on to its fruit. Brown sugar, nice nose, beautiful palate. Almost laughable how good this was.

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• 1969 Beaulieu Vineyard Pinot Noir Beaumont

  USA, California, Napa Valley, Rutherford

  A bit linear to my palate, but good. Some liked it as much as the 69 Heitz Pinot, but I thought them bonkers.

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Overall, the 69 Cabs were a bit more clustered in their similarity, and therefore the Pinots had more personality. But both 69 flights were outstanding, and it was a rare treat to have these all together.

• 1969 Beaulieu Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon Georges de Latour Private Reserve

  USA, California, Napa Valley

  Sweet American oak on the nose. Still a lot of fruit. This came on strong with time in the glass, and I liked it a lot.

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• 1969 Inglenook Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon Limited Cask G 29

  USA, California, Napa Valley, Rutherford

  A bit of a metallic nose. Dry on the palate. Good shape, but relatively uninspiring.

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• 1969 Heitz Cellar Cabernet Sauvignon Martha's Vineyard

  USA, California, Napa Valley, Oakville

  Eucalyptus on the nose. Lots of fruit. My favorite of the flight by a wide margin. Lingered on the palate.

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The 86's were an incredibly youthful flight at age 30. We had a discussion about 87 vs. 86 as a Cali Cab vintage, and while many of my memories are dated, this reinforced that I was always an 87 fan. I'm just not sure if these are "coming around", or simply will never fully arrive.

• 1986 Dunn Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon Howell Mountain

  USA, California, Napa Valley, Howell Mountain

  Restrained nose. Not flamboyant. Lots of rich fruit, and a long finish. My wine of the flight for the 86 Cabs.

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• 1986 Chateau Montelena Cabernet Sauvignon The Montelena Estate

  USA, California, Napa Valley

  A touch of TCA marred this wine, and as a result was somewhat dumb.

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• 1986 Heitz Cellar Cabernet Sauvignon Martha's Vineyard

  USA, California, Napa Valley, Oakville

  Less of the "house" style in this 86. Youthful. I love Heitz, and this bottle was in great shape, but this was somewhat uninspiring.

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A nice addition, this rare Lake Vineyard was a treat.

• 1990 Diamond Creek Cabernet Sauvignon Lake

  USA, California, Napa Valley, Diamond Mountain

  A relative youngster. Cedar, green, elegant, balanced. Just a touch short on the finish. A very good wine. According to our host, this was the first Cali Cab that retailed for $100, which apparently Al Bronstein was quite proud of.

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And we never drink enough port!

• 1963 Fonseca Porto Vintage

  Portugal, Douro, Porto

  Nectar of the gods, and this has always been one of my favorite ports.

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