Still deep purple. Medium nose of currants, baked cherries, glycerin, jammy, very hot. Some red liquorice. Pleasant texture and comparable to some '96 Dominus enjoyed recently, but too much toasty oak and too young. Syrupy fruit.
Best nose of the entire lineup: rustic, hay, underbrush, black cherry, menthol, eucalyptus, red roses, tremendously expressive. Major California fruit is still present but this has calmed down and isn't offensive. Dense and rich on the palate with nice minerals too. Great finish. Decidedly the wine of the night.
Nose shows potential, nice and rustic but not overly expressive. Unfortunately the palate is still super oaky and jammy. Comparable to modern Napa Cabernets. Age hasn't really helped here.
Interesting nose: cool menthol, touch of mint, medicinal with over extracted cherry. Toasty with some cured meats. Big minerals as well. Still quite toasted but sort of pretty.
Not much happening here at all, neither nose nor palate. Came back to it a few times and couldn't get anything expressive out of it. Some override tomato.
Not a perfect bottle and likely not a fair assessment: stewed berry fruit, somewhat maderized, cooked, and pruney. Not a terrific showing on the palate either. Too bad - will have to try again.
Medium+ intensity on nose, black cherry with some menthol, actually pretty expressive. Still massive and a touch hot. Grippy tannins but a very lush and dense palate. Syrupy fruit. Good finish here too. Straddling old vs. new Napa but certainly approachable and drinkable.
Attractive nose, a touch rustic with mild underbrush notes. Green bell pepper. Interesting on the palate, subdued and subtle but complex. Tannins still gripping. Big finish here too. Best nose and palate of the 1994 flight.
Excellent nose of underbrush, farmy soils, and a touch of smoke. Some spices intermittent. Terrific on the palate with a very unique and mineral feel. This is deeper and richer than the 1995 Volcanic Hill, also drinks younger and is more intense. A very close call for wine of the event... Really great though.
Unfortunately this wasn't comparable to the '91 Dominus or '95 Volcanic Hill at all. Very green, some eucalyptus, overall still young and very big. Major tannins that coat teeth and mouth. Not a great look here.
Totally different from everything else in the event (also opened at least two hours later). Intense and expressive nose. Spicy tomato and ketchup, new leathers, balsa wood. Very good if somewhat angular. Third place for the evening behind '95 Volcanic Hill and '91 Dominus.
1997 Dalla Valle Cabernet Sauvignon 89 Points
USA, California, Napa Valley, Oakville
Still deep purple. Medium nose of currants, baked cherries, glycerin, jammy, very hot. Some red liquorice. Pleasant texture and comparable to some '96 Dominus enjoyed recently, but too much toasty oak and too young. Syrupy fruit.
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1997 Ridge Monte Bello Flawed
USA, California, Santa Cruz Mountains
Mildly corked - Flat, tannic, thin.
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1995 Diamond Creek Cabernet Sauvignon Volcanic Hill 93 Points
USA, California, Napa Valley, Diamond Mountain
Best nose of the entire lineup: rustic, hay, underbrush, black cherry, menthol, eucalyptus, red roses, tremendously expressive. Major California fruit is still present but this has calmed down and isn't offensive. Dense and rich on the palate with nice minerals too. Great finish. Decidedly the wine of the night.
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1995 Joseph Phelps Insignia 89 Points
USA, California, Napa Valley
Nose shows potential, nice and rustic but not overly expressive. Unfortunately the palate is still super oaky and jammy. Comparable to modern Napa Cabernets. Age hasn't really helped here.
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1995 Peter Michael Les Pavots 90 Points
USA, California, Sonoma County, Knights Valley
Interesting nose: cool menthol, touch of mint, medicinal with over extracted cherry. Toasty with some cured meats. Big minerals as well. Still quite toasted but sort of pretty.
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1994 Spottswoode Cabernet Sauvignon 90 Points
USA, California, Napa Valley
Not much happening here at all, neither nose nor palate. Came back to it a few times and couldn't get anything expressive out of it. Some override tomato.
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1994 Chateau Montelena Cabernet Sauvignon The Montelena Estate 85 Points
USA, California, Napa Valley
Not a perfect bottle and likely not a fair assessment: stewed berry fruit, somewhat maderized, cooked, and pruney. Not a terrific showing on the palate either. Too bad - will have to try again.
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1994 Caymus Cabernet Sauvignon Special Selection 91 Points
USA, California, Napa Valley
Medium+ intensity on nose, black cherry with some menthol, actually pretty expressive. Still massive and a touch hot. Grippy tannins but a very lush and dense palate. Syrupy fruit. Good finish here too. Straddling old vs. new Napa but certainly approachable and drinkable.
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1994 Beringer Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon Private Reserve 91 Points
USA, California, Napa Valley
Attractive nose, a touch rustic with mild underbrush notes. Green bell pepper. Interesting on the palate, subdued and subtle but complex. Tannins still gripping. Big finish here too. Best nose and palate of the 1994 flight.
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1991 Spottswoode Cabernet Sauvignon 90 Points
USA, California, Napa Valley
Quite maderized, orange zest, dark chai teas, spiced teas, overripe tomato. Sparse notes.
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1991 Dominus Estate Napanook Vineyard 93 Points
USA, California, Napa Valley
Excellent nose of underbrush, farmy soils, and a touch of smoke. Some spices intermittent. Terrific on the palate with a very unique and mineral feel. This is deeper and richer than the 1995 Volcanic Hill, also drinks younger and is more intense. A very close call for wine of the event... Really great though.
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1991 Heitz Cellar Cabernet Sauvignon Martha's Vineyard 90 Points
USA, California, Napa Valley, Oakville
Unfortunately this wasn't comparable to the '91 Dominus or '95 Volcanic Hill at all. Very green, some eucalyptus, overall still young and very big. Major tannins that coat teeth and mouth. Not a great look here.
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1992 Robert Mondavi Winery Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve Flawed
USA, California, Napa Valley
Corked...
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1996 Opus One 92 Points
USA, California, Napa Valley
Totally different from everything else in the event (also opened at least two hours later). Intense and expressive nose. Spicy tomato and ketchup, new leathers, balsa wood. Very good if somewhat angular. Third place for the evening behind '95 Volcanic Hill and '91 Dominus.
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