TFS: 1979 Napa Cabernets

Tria Fermentation School
Tasted Friday, February 18, 2011 by ews3 with 1,156 views

Introduction

Tria hosted Thomas Groff to open up his cellar with some 30 year old Napa Cabs

Cheeses included a Camembert Chatelain, and a Montgomery Cheddar that went particularly well.
There was also Jamon Serrano, Almonds, and some truffles that Tom Groff also made.

Flight 1 - Prelude: Sparkling Wine (1 Note)

  • 2001 Mumm Napa DVX 88 Points

    USA, California, Napa Valley

    simple, pleasant sparkler -- not sure why someone would buy this when there are plenty at half the price.

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Flight 2 - The Main Event: 1979 Napa Cabernets (6 Notes)

  • 1979 Chateau Montelena Cabernet Sauvignon The Montelena Estate 92 Points

    USA, California, Napa Valley

    nose and palate show nice secondary notes of caramel and tobacco. medium bodied palate has med(+) tannins still left on this and med(+) acid. smoke on the medium finish leaves some black pepper behind. this still has a lot of life in it.

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  • 1979 Stonegate Cabernet Sauvignon 84 Points

    USA, California, Napa Valley

    very dark nose shows black fruit, black pepper, and menthol. palate is a bit flat and watery. med(-) finish shows black pepper and clove notes.

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  • 1979 Joseph Phelps Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley 88 Points

    USA, California, Napa Valley

    nose on this was off-putting. extremely vegetal, with cabbage and eucalyptus. medium bodied palate was much more pleasant, with black pepper and cedar notes. salted caramel on medium finish that leaves some acidity behind.

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  • 1979 Inglenook Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon Centennial Vintage 91 Points

    USA, California, Napa Valley

    nose shows cedar, but with an ethereal spice/herb quality. licorice and chocolate most prominent on the palate, with some brambleberry behind. med(-) finish leaves the herbal quality behind.

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  • 1979 Robert Mondavi Winery Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve 88 Points

    USA, California, Napa Valley

    tobacco and dust. medium(+) acidity shows overly prominently on the palate, which is a bit sour. medium finish starts pleasant, but has a slight vinegar tinge late.

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  • 1979 Markham Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley 94 Points

    USA, California, Napa Valley

    nose took a while to open up, but when it did, this was terrific. nose and palate show youthful black cherry notes, but a surprising amount of complexity with tobacco, earth, cedar, and lead pencil. leaves a delicious tingle on the medium finish. My WOTN.

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Flight 3 - Postlude: Other Contemporaneous Wines (2 Notes)

  • 1980 Niebaum-Coppola Rubicon 89 Points

    USA, California, Napa Valley, Rutherford

    matched up against a bunch of '79s, including the inglenook that preceded this. this was not as fresh as the inglenook, but had a similar herbal quality that was pleasant.

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  • 1979 Conn Creek Zinfandel 86 Points

    USA, California, Sonoma County

    lacking in fruit, but still holding up.

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