1979 Fetzer Cabernet Sauvignon Mendocino

Community Tasting Notes (1) Avg Score: 93 points

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  9/22/2022 - forceberry wrote: 93 Points

  100% Cabernet Sauvignon from Mendocino. Aged for 11 months in American oak barriques. 12,5% alcohol. Tasted blind.
  
  Evolved, somewhat translucent dried-blood color with an aged syrupy-brown hue. The nose feels quite ripe yet still relatively herbaceous and weedy at the same time with aromas of fresh blackcurrants, some bretty notes of barnyard funk, a little bit of Band-Aid, light leafy green tones, a hint of licorice root, a touch of decomposing old wood and a whiff of prunes. All in all, the nose is enjoyably evolved and quite wonderfully old-school. The wine feels dry, evolved and savory on the palate with a medium body and moderately tertiary flavors of wizened forest fruits and licorice, some raisiny tones, a little bit of old leather, light leafy green nuances, a hint of barnyardy funk and a touch of prunes. The overall feel is still wonderfully firm and structure-driven, thanks to the moderately high acidity and still rather assertive and grippy tannins. The dry, complex and moderately grippy finish feels quite persistent with a savory aftertaste of wizened blackcurrants and old leather, some earthy tones, a little bit of leafy herbaceous character, light juicy notes of ripe dark berries, a hint of black tea and a sweeter touch of prunes.
  
  A wonderfully evolved, textural and still nicely structure-driven Cab that is a far cry from the huge, sweet and fruity Cali Cabs of today. The style here was a bit more ripe and sunny what you would've expected from an aged Bordeaux, which made me guess Cali Cab with my first guess - otherwise I would've gone for proper Left Bank claret without a doubt. Lovely stuff that is most likely at its peak now and will stay there for many more years. I wish we could have wines like this still today - although nothing truly exceptional, this is stylistically right in my wheelhouse. Recommended!

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