December 2, 2022 - Magnificent. At peak.
November 24, 2022 - Balanced with good fruit- plum and huckleberry with a hint of sweet earth- a remarkably good wine for its age and surprise in that it was not tired and over- still a lovely wine.
October 25, 2021 - Red plum, mint, a hint of green pepper, long. B+/A-
October 24, 2021 - Just a beautiful aged Napa Cab with plenty of vibrancy left. Lean and finely-grained with a silky texture and lovely flavors of dark red fruits and sweet Napa earth. Flowing, restrained and so well-balanced.
January 11, 2020 - Our group of 4 at a 40th b-day celebration drank this side by side with 1980 Dunn HM and all agreed that both wines tasted much younger than their vintage. They both still have a lot of life left, which is a testament to the winemakers and the higher elevation fruit. As for the Chappellet, fruit on the nose surprisingly still jumping out. A delicate wine with smooth tannins. At 12.4% Alc., I'm a fan of this restrained style. Lovely at 40.
Also, learned from Chappellet that when the 1980 was in barrel, Donn Chappellet was so impressed with it that it became the first of his Signature labels!
June 11, 2018 - Relatively austere, some mint and chocolate, whiff of cedar, but hampered by a dryness and lack of any kind of fruit sweetness to dress this up.
June 1, 2018 - Tasted blind. Some chocolate and blackberries on the nose. Leaner than expected on the palate, with some cocoa and murky blue fruit. Developing tannins on the finish, along with cozy camphor.
August 11, 2014 - Chappellet Retrospective at TexSom: Perhaps the wine of the entire 3 days weekend (the '97 from the same tasting is in the running as well as a 2007 Clos Ste Hune). Huge Blackberry, dried currant, tar notes, this was young and powerful at 35 years of age.
November 1, 2010 - Drank with lamb and duck. 30th anniversary of us meeting! Fruit still there even after decanting. Mango, cherry. Still good with chocolate.
October 30, 2010 - Deep, auburn/rosewood color. Nose of cedar, charcoal. Concentrated flavor with substantial structure and finish. Superlative.