External search
Google (images)
Wine Advocate
Wine Spectator
Burghound
Wine-Searcher
Vintages
2019
2018
2017
2016
2015
2014
2013
2012
2011
2010
2009
2008
2007
2006
2005
2004
2003
2002
2001
2000
Show more
From this producer
Show all wines
All tasting notes
|
| Drinking Windows and Values |
| Community Tasting History |
| Community Tasting Notes (average 92 pts. and median of 91 pts. in 23 notes) - hiding notes with no text | | | Tasted by tomoem on 12/16/2023 & rated 93 points: Dennis and Caroline holiday wine tasting. Let me start by stating that I love old wine. I love their unique flavors present only in old wine. Unlike anything in the food industry. This is a beautiful perfumed wine still. Light in color compared to young cabernet's. This wine was Berry driven and leads with strawberry, plum skin and blackberry jam. Lingering flavors went on for nearly 1 minute. Wish I had more. (329 views) | | | Tasted by ikkaariainen on 9/3/2021 & rated 93 points: Very consistent tasting experience with 1st bottle. Recently acquired 2 of these as part of a much larger cellar contents purchase and sure wish we had more. Beautiful aged CA cabernet and drinking so well but tannins all gone, highly recommend but also time to drink up any remaining holdings. Paired beautifully with coq au vin. (906 views) | | | Tasted by Mrbuzz on 3/29/2021 & rated 91 points: Loved these wines back in the day, the perfect dryness to sweet for my cab palate, at very attractive pricing! Been going through the last of my bottles cellared since release...the 94 was drinking ok 5 years ago, but nothing inspiring...after this 95, just the 91 will remain. Open in bottle for an hour...the little shorty cork did its job...bricking red plum color. Somewhat alarming nose as this has some maderized aromas, as well as dusty cedar, coffee, plum pudding, cherry liqueur, wood smoke. On the palate, BIG dose of oak spice, dried berries, dusty cedar pencil, bitter coffee. Hmmm? Color and nose seem to indicate a lighter bodied wine that might be shot...and on the palate it's an alive beast! Tannins are still quite strong and dusty with that good dollop of oak...fruit still quite sweet with a nice dryness of licorice and currants...aged nuances of leather, earth mulch, cigar box, menthol...the air really helps integrate this wine...and it starts to come together after an hour. VERY intriguing deep spices and earth florals...cinnamon stick, coffee grounds, persimmon pudding...even some Madeira. I actually thought I was going to dump the bottle at first because it being over the hill oxed or heat damaged...but it has come together to offer a pleasurable drink! (1317 views) | | | Tasted by Gasdocvlad on 7/23/2020 & rated 90 points: Still showing well. Plenty of fruit, incense, leather and loam. Nice tannin and some acidity. Who says CaliCabs can't age a quarter of a century?!? Drink up soon if you still have this in you cellar. (1163 views) | | | Tasted by T.E.D. on 11/24/2018 & rated 91 points: Ditto other reviews. A great representation of aged Cali cab. Soft and pillowy with stewed fruit, spices, tanned leather and red berry. (1845 views) | | | Tasted by michael47 on 4/28/2017 & rated 93 points: Dark ruby with fading rim. Current, loam roasted oak. Delicious smooth mouth feel; some tannins but definitely on the downside. Delicious perfectly mature California cab. (2660 views) | | | Tasted by WoodieBayArea on 2/9/2016 & rated 92 points: wow, what a beautiful bottle of wine, had never had altumura before so on the recommendation of a friend i bought a single bottle for $75 when i saw it at auction, this wine was med plus bodied, but had beautiful acid for perfect balance in the mouth, great red / plum fruit profile with hints of cinnamon and christmas spices, layered and deep without being heavy in any way... go baby!! stood head to head or better with a beautiful bottle of realm cellars beckstoffer tokalon '08 (2967 views) | | | Tasted by zebarr on 10/4/2015: magnum (2876 views) | | | Tasted by rustyRudy on 3/29/2015 & rated 91 points: Dark red brick in color. Soft cork, but was intact. Fully mature Cali Cab with excellent depth and character. Black cherry, tobacco, and enough acidity to complement the flavors and hold it together. (3377 views) | | | Tasted by jaybird1234 on 10/2/2014 & rated 90 points: Enjoyed. Smooth with low acidity. Subtle fruit. (2977 views) | | | Tasted by slywka7 on 8/19/2014 & rated 93 points: Aromas of dried cherry, leather, currant and earth. Lots of life still in this but still a lot of fruit, this has flavors of dried cherry, blackberry, earth and herb. Impressive showing. (2126 views) | | | Tasted by rsprouse on 5/24/2014 & rated 91 points: Lovely, mature, silky tannins, fruit still present but fading. A classic older Cal Cab. Time to start drinking them up - I have 6 more bottles. Delightful with a gilled New York steak. (2053 views) | | | Tasted by jaybird1234 on 1/2/2014 flawed bottle: corked. Very sad (1656 views) | | | Tasted by JDRFoster on 7/14/2013 flawed bottle: Corked. Very sad. (1828 views) | | | Tasted by Vsansone on 2/11/2012 & rated 90 points: This hung in there thru a move. Thought I might have lost it, but drank well, soft tannin, deep red color. (2719 views) | | | Tasted by Radboy on 12/31/2011 & rated 96 points: Simply a terrific older Cab. Sweet and aged fruit perfectly balanced with the tannins. One of the best I have ever had. Every once in awhile everything comes together and this night this was a home run. (2447 views) | | | Tasted by Gfritzh on 9/14/2008 & rated 91 points: Still has nice fruit with extremely soft silky tannins. A very pleasant, mature California Cab. Drink now. (3147 views) | | | Tasted by Gfritzh on 3/18/2007 & rated 90 points: 90. Still lively and vibrant. Heavy oak, silky tannins and some fruit remaining. The Altamura lovers in the wine group loved this wine. Drink now. (3262 views) | | | Tasted by mdefreitas on 3/30/1999 & rated 96 points: NYC Group does Cabs (NYC): Very nice Cab nose. Full of ripe fruit, but also very complex, with minerals, anise and spices. Elegant and powerful at the same time. Good backbone suggests that this wine will also age well. (3705 views) |
| By Stephen Tanzer
Vinous, May/June 1999, IWC Issue #84
(Altamura Winery and Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley) Subscribe to see review text. |
NOTE: Scores and reviews are the property of Vinous. (manage subscription channels) |
| Altamura Producer website
Altamura Vineyards and Winery, established in 1985 by Frank and Karen Altamura, is the only winery located in Wooden Valley. Stags' Leap Winery, Pahlmeyer and Caymus purchase grapes from this area, which is within the Napa Valley appellation, yet Altamura is the first to capture Wooden's special characteristics in a bottling. Napa natives Frank and Karen have a decidedly hands-on approach to every step of the growing and winemaking process. Thus, a natural production limit is established and the wines reflect the Altamura's deep commitment to reflecting the terroir of their Wooden Valley Ranch. Cabernet SauvignonCabernet Sauvignon is probably the most famous red wine grape variety on Earth. It is rivaled in this regard only by its Bordeaux stablemate Merlot, and its opposite number in Burgundy, Pinot Noir. From its origins in Bordeaux, Cabernet has successfully spread to almost every winegrowing country in the world. It is now the key grape variety in many first-rate New World wine regions, most notably Napa Valley, Coonawarra and Maipo Valley. Wherever they come from, Cabernet Sauvignon wines always seem to demonstrate a handful of common character traits: deep color, good tannin structure, moderate acidity and aromas of blackcurrant, tomato leaf, dark spices and cedarwood.
Used as frequently in blends as in varietal wines, Cabernet Sauvignon has a large number of common blending partners. Apart from the obvious Merlot and Cabernet Franc, the most prevalent of these are Malbec, Petit Verdot and Carmenere (the ingredients of a classic Bordeaux Blend), Shiraz (in Australia's favorite blend) and in Spain and South America, a Cabernet – Tempranillo blend is now commonplace. Even the bold Tannat-based wines of Madiran are now generally softened with Cabernet SauvignonUSAAmerican wine has been produced since the 1500s, with the first widespread production beginning in New Mexico in 1628. Today, wine production is undertaken in all fifty states, with California producing 84% of all U.S. wine. The continent of North America is home to several native species of grape, including Vitis labrusca, Vitis riparia, Vitis rotundifolia, and Vitis vulpina, but the wine-making industry is based almost entirely on the cultivation of the European Vitis vinifera, which was introduced by European settlers. With more than 1,100,000 acres (4,500 km2) under vine, the United States is the fourth-largest wine producing country in the world, after Italy, Spain, and France.California2021 vintage: "Unlike almost all other areas of the state, the Russian River Valley had higher than normal crops in 2021, which has made for a wine of greater generosity and fruit forwardness than some of its stablemates." - Morgan Twain-Peterson Napa Valley Napa Valley Wineries and Wine (Napa Valley Vintners)Napa ValleySt. Helena |
|
