1970 Themed Bordeaux Dinner: Fill level in the neck. Cork only 3/4 stained. Impressive condition. It pours medium ruby in the glass with light bricking. The nose shows a youthful blend of cassis, dark cherry, pomegranate, eupalyptus, chai tea, fire pit, and a touch of green bean. The palate enters on the bright cherry fruit, with medium minus tannin and medium acid. The finish lingers nicely, medium in length. All in all this is a lovely old school California Cabernet, certainly youthful in the company of the wines pours against it.
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ESTG Year-End Tasting (Newcastle, WA): Mmmm, leafy, mint, red fruit, green tobacco leaf. This is fairly dry and structured, very Cabernet in personality, utterly classic California Cab from another era. This wanted some steak to buffer it a bit.
Deep crimson, slight bricking around the rim. Remarkably vibrant for any Napa Cab of this age. Initially, the aromas are quite tertiary - think cedar, leather, clay, autumnal vegetation and sweet tobacco. Within 10-15 minutes, the fruit begins to show with notes of black cherry and red currant, plus hints of brown sugar and allspice. Given there's been more than 50 years between bottling to now, the concentration is quite impressive and surely this must have been a mouthful upon release. Well-balanced and full of character on the palate, with mature flavors evidencing a wine which has aged majestically into graceful decline. Incredible close lingers into near-perpetuity, a lasting memory imprint of freshness. Although this will most likely last for many more years if well-stored, seems like it's best to drink now while the wine remains so giving.
Quick comment: I haven't left a note in years but given this bottle, it seemed mandatory to at the very least leave an impression.
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This wine is still remarkable for its age Perfectly balance with good fruit in the nose. The color is almost as it was 40 years ago with little to no browning. A slight bit of aging in the taste, but not at all offensive. If you have any, drink and enjoy!
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1992 & Older Napa Cabs - Blind - With a Few Ringers (Siggy & Jenny's Place, Mpls, MN): Dark red color, no bricking. PNP, drank 1+ glass over 90 minutes. What a beauty, in great shape again. We drank this right off the bat by itself and it turned out to be one of my favorites of the night. This really blew up over about 15 minutes and continued to improve for about an hour and was still drinking quite well at 3 hours in upon checking a new pour. The nose is wonderful with earth, mint,red berry, black currant, leather and mineral notes. The palate shows black currants, huckleberry, wild raspberry, leather, dried earth, wood spice, and mint with fine dusty tannins that have more life to give. Amazing wine not really giving up its age.
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Also at the 92 & older Cab dinner. A wonderful opportunity to taste a Napa Valley mountain classic at full maturity. Quite a bead of minerality along with tobacco, cedar and dark fruit flavors. Very fun! Thanks Jason!
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Annual Tasting Group Holiday Party (Il Foro, Mpls, MN): Very small pour. Another beautifully aged bottle tonight. Medium dark red color, mild bricked margin. PNP. There is a great dried earthiness with red fruits shining through, leather, perfume, fine tobacco leaf, mineral dense. Loved this. I agree with Jason's assessment on longevity as well. Thanks for sharing Jason.
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For a 1971 this was unbelievably sound; no brownness in color; no oxidation in mouth; excellent fruit still showing; some tannins still there. It is an outstanding wine. The wine looks garnet colored. The legs are medium. There is light sediment in the bottle. It smells like black currant (cassis).
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New World Blind Tasting Group $25+ (Bin 75): Dark chocolaty core with thin brown rim; cigar, leather, pencil lead, caraway, celery seed, aged; dark fruit, leather, sweet soy, slight brown sugar, currant, celery seed, aged spice notes; wow, definitely aged but not dead yet; should have been served earlier rather than last but a very cool experience.
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Tasted blind. The nose of this wine had aromas of currant and leather. The palate had very nice dark fruit flavors, and initially also had a brown sugar-like sweetness. Very nice mouthfeel and a long finish. I did guess this as a CA Cab, but was thinking it was around 10 years old - not anywhere near 40 years old. This wine has loads of time in front of it still. This was another birth year wine for me, and just a fantastic bottle of wine. This also went very well with the Flannery rib cap. Just awesome...
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Great showing. Classic Cali cab with plenty of dark Napa fruit, minerality, tobacco, and mint. On the downward part of the curve, but this still has plenty of life left in it. Very nice.
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For me this was true Cabernet Sauvignon: minerals, graphite, leather, black and green olives with perfectly aged fruit. Mushrooms, earth with a hint of dried strawbery. The palate was balanced and fully integrated and really showing no signs of fading. The acid was present, but perhaps a bit soft. This wine was enjoyed over 2 hours and never seemed to slow down. If not for the palate, I don't know if I would peg this as California Cabernet. Probably one of the best Cabernet Sauvignon I've ever had. Would love to try again.
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Consumed last night in celebration of my birthday (a birthyear wine). This bottle was in absolutely amazing shape. Purchased from a restaurant cellar, where the bottle had lain since release. The fill was high-neck, up into the capsule!!! The wine was purple in color with ruby reflects. Gorgeous nose of cassis with a hint of tar. On the palate, tons of fruit complicated by old leather and fall leaves. Tannins are fully resolved, leaving a velvety mouthfeel. The finish is about 15 seconds. Going nicely on acids and fruit now. This wine is past peak, but this bottle was not in significant decline. Remarkable!
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1/21/2023 - Wine Canuck wrote: 93 Points
1970 Themed Bordeaux Dinner: Fill level in the neck. Cork only 3/4 stained. Impressive condition. It pours medium ruby in the glass with light bricking. The nose shows a youthful blend of cassis, dark cherry, pomegranate, eupalyptus, chai tea, fire pit, and a touch of green bean. The palate enters on the bright cherry fruit, with medium minus tannin and medium acid. The finish lingers nicely, medium in length. All in all this is a lovely old school California Cabernet, certainly youthful in the company of the wines pours against it.
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12/10/2022 - Eric wrote:
ESTG Year-End Tasting (Newcastle, WA): Mmmm, leafy, mint, red fruit, green tobacco leaf. This is fairly dry and structured, very Cabernet in personality, utterly classic California Cab from another era. This wanted some steak to buffer it a bit.
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10/11/2022 - *Vine* wrote:
Deep crimson, slight bricking around the rim. Remarkably vibrant for any Napa Cab of this age. Initially, the aromas are quite tertiary - think cedar, leather, clay, autumnal vegetation and sweet tobacco. Within 10-15 minutes, the fruit begins to show with notes of black cherry and red currant, plus hints of brown sugar and allspice. Given there's been more than 50 years between bottling to now, the concentration is quite impressive and surely this must have been a mouthful upon release. Well-balanced and full of character on the palate, with mature flavors evidencing a wine which has aged majestically into graceful decline. Incredible close lingers into near-perpetuity, a lasting memory imprint of freshness. Although this will most likely last for many more years if well-stored, seems like it's best to drink now while the wine remains so giving.
Quick comment: I haven't left a note in years but given this bottle, it seemed mandatory to at the very least leave an impression.
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7/10/2018 - CurrieCellar Likes this wine: 95 Points
This wine is still remarkable for its age Perfectly balance with good fruit in the nose. The color is almost as it was 40 years ago with little to no browning. A slight bit of aging in the taste, but not at all offensive. If you have any, drink and enjoy!
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12/18/2016 - rocknroller wrote: 94 Points
1992 & Older Napa Cabs - Blind - With a Few Ringers (Siggy & Jenny's Place, Mpls, MN): Dark red color, no bricking. PNP, drank 1+ glass over 90 minutes. What a beauty, in great shape again. We drank this right off the bat by itself and it turned out to be one of my favorites of the night. This really blew up over about 15 minutes and continued to improve for about an hour and was still drinking quite well at 3 hours in upon checking a new pour. The nose is wonderful with earth, mint,red berry, black currant, leather and mineral notes. The palate shows black currants, huckleberry, wild raspberry, leather, dried earth, wood spice, and mint with fine dusty tannins that have more life to give. Amazing wine not really giving up its age.
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12/18/2016 - chablis28 wrote: 94 Points
Also at the 92 & older Cab dinner. A wonderful opportunity to taste a Napa Valley mountain classic at full maturity. Quite a bead of minerality along with tobacco, cedar and dark fruit flavors. Very fun! Thanks Jason!
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12/13/2015 - rocknroller wrote: 94 Points
Annual Tasting Group Holiday Party (Il Foro, Mpls, MN): Very small pour. Another beautifully aged bottle tonight. Medium dark red color, mild bricked margin. PNP. There is a great dried earthiness with red fruits shining through, leather, perfume, fine tobacco leaf, mineral dense. Loved this. I agree with Jason's assessment on longevity as well. Thanks for sharing Jason.
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5/10/2015 - Jason wrote:
Excellent bottle. Loads of earth and minerals. Some fruit in the palate. Not declining fast but I wouldn't hold.
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11/24/2014 - CurrieCellar wrote: 93 Points
For a 1971 this was unbelievably sound; no brownness in color; no oxidation in mouth; excellent fruit still showing; some tannins still there. It is an outstanding wine. The wine looks garnet colored. The legs are medium. There is light sediment in the bottle. It smells like black currant (cassis).
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10/11/2014 - Rezy13 wrote:
New World Blind Tasting Group $25+ (Bin 75): Dark chocolaty core with thin brown rim; cigar, leather, pencil lead, caraway, celery seed, aged; dark fruit, leather, sweet soy, slight brown sugar, currant, celery seed, aged spice notes; wow, definitely aged but not dead yet; should have been served earlier rather than last but a very cool experience.
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8/5/2012 - Jason wrote:
Great bottle. Used slow oxygenation method. I wouldn't hold much longer but this bottle was excellent.
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5/21/2011 - last chance wrote: 94 Points
Tasted blind. The nose of this wine had aromas of currant and leather. The palate had very nice dark fruit flavors, and initially also had a brown sugar-like sweetness. Very nice mouthfeel and a long finish. I did guess this as a CA Cab, but was thinking it was around 10 years old - not anywhere near 40 years old. This wine has loads of time in front of it still. This was another birth year wine for me, and just a fantastic bottle of wine. This also went very well with the Flannery rib cap. Just awesome...
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3/19/2011 - JLeader wrote: 90 Points
Great showing. Classic Cali cab with plenty of dark Napa fruit, minerality, tobacco, and mint. On the downward part of the curve, but this still has plenty of life left in it. Very nice.
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4/27/2010 - RossM wrote: 93 Points
For me this was true Cabernet Sauvignon: minerals, graphite, leather, black and green olives with perfectly aged fruit. Mushrooms, earth with a hint of dried strawbery. The palate was balanced and fully integrated and really showing no signs of fading. The acid was present, but perhaps a bit soft. This wine was enjoyed over 2 hours and never seemed to slow down. If not for the palate, I don't know if I would peg this as California Cabernet. Probably one of the best Cabernet Sauvignon I've ever had. Would love to try again.
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8/29/2004 - Blair Curtis wrote: 94 Points
Consumed last night in celebration of my birthday (a birthyear wine). This bottle was in absolutely amazing shape. Purchased from a restaurant cellar, where the bottle had lain since release. The fill was high-neck, up into the capsule!!! The wine was purple in color with ruby reflects. Gorgeous nose of cassis with a hint of tar. On the palate, tons of fruit complicated by old leather and fall leaves. Tannins are fully resolved, leaving a velvety mouthfeel. The finish is about 15 seconds. Going nicely on acids and fruit now. This wine is past peak, but this bottle was not in significant decline. Remarkable!
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