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.
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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.
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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!
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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.
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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.
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Bit cloudy, purple. Not showing age much. Nice mature Cab fruit, nose giving away age. A bit tart almost vinager on the initial palate. Nice big fruit liquid. Kinda like biting into a sour solid then a squirt of liquid fruit. All kinds of flavors in there. The a big long lingering finish. A great example of mature Cali Cab and the 80's style which thankfully a few producers still do.
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Decanted for 30 minutes. Youthful ruby color in the glass. Started with a nose of stewed prunes and tobacco leaf, which added basil and coriander after an hour. Black fruits and tobacco on the palate, with some bay leaf and gravel. My last bottle from this old school vintage.
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Back in the pre spoofed, classic days of Napa. 80 Chappellet CS - pretty tight at opening, but opened up beautifully. Pretty robust, made me think of something like an 85 Talbot. Fresh and quite alive, some years ahead. Better than almost all of the late 70s/81 Bordeauxs I've had in the last couple years. Seems like this bottle had had a rough patch, with a sticky cork. 12.4%!
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The old war horse still has some life left. Dark red in the glass, not much nose left. Mostly secondary flavors, tobacco and slate, with a little red stone fruit peeking through. Lasted about an hour before becoming acidic and harsh.
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Very complex, strong black cherry, earthy smoky aroma, still very youthful, medium bodied, outstanding. Perhaps I do like California Cabernet when they are restrained and aged.
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12/2/2022 - doctornoah wrote: 94 Points
Magnificent. At peak.
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11/24/2022 - BVM72 Likes this wine: 95 Points
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.
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10/25/2021 - DaleW wrote:
Red plum, mint, a hint of green pepper, long. B+/A-
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10/24/2021 - dream Likes this wine: 92 Points
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.
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1/11/2020 - oeno615 Likes this wine: 95 Points
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!
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6/11/2018 - andtheodor wrote:
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.
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6/1/2018 - Doc90 wrote: 91 Points
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.
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8/11/2014 - danielbleier wrote: 95 Points
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.
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11/1/2010 - lfbaum wrote: 90 Points
Drank with lamb and duck. 30th anniversary of us meeting! Fruit still there even after decanting. Mango, cherry. Still good with chocolate.
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10/30/2010 - NineteenEightyTwo wrote: 97 Points
Deep, auburn/rosewood color. Nose of cedar, charcoal. Concentrated flavor with substantial structure and finish. Superlative.
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12/5/2009 - Brad L wrote:
Nice, decent, old school Cal cab, no new oak, old school style with good presence and acid balance. Great with tenderloin.
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11/20/2009 - tplskylrk wrote: 92 Points
Bit cloudy, purple. Not showing age much. Nice mature Cab fruit, nose giving away age. A bit tart almost vinager on the initial palate. Nice big fruit liquid. Kinda like biting into a sour solid then a squirt of liquid fruit. All kinds of flavors in there. The a big long lingering finish. A great example of mature Cali Cab and the 80's style which thankfully a few producers still do.
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6/28/2009 - Fielding wrote: 89 Points
Decanted for 30 minutes. Youthful ruby color in the glass. Started with a nose of stewed prunes and tobacco leaf, which added basil and coriander after an hour. Black fruits and tobacco on the palate, with some bay leaf and gravel. My last bottle from this old school vintage.
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6/13/2009 - Brad L wrote:
Back in the pre spoofed, classic days of Napa. 80 Chappellet CS - pretty tight at opening, but opened up beautifully. Pretty robust, made me think of something like an 85 Talbot. Fresh and quite alive, some years ahead. Better than almost all of the late 70s/81 Bordeauxs I've had in the last couple years. Seems like this bottle had had a rough patch, with a sticky cork. 12.4%!
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2/3/2009 - Fielding wrote: 88 Points
The old war horse still has some life left. Dark red in the glass, not much nose left. Mostly secondary flavors, tobacco and slate, with a little red stone fruit peeking through. Lasted about an hour before becoming acidic and harsh.
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4/28/1995 - VDLT Wine Likes this wine:
Very complex, strong black cherry, earthy smoky aroma, still very youthful, medium bodied, outstanding. Perhaps I do like California Cabernet when they are restrained and aged.
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