WCC 1994 California Cabernet Blind Tasting

My regular local group met to taste 1994 Cali Cab. Each person brought a bottle wrapped in brown paper. The bottles were from our cellars. The Wine Fairy chose the wines and organized the flights. The food at the Fort Orange Club was excellent as usual. The group voted each with their top 3, with 3 points for #1, 2 points for #2, and 1 point for #3.

With Cavatelli with Oyster Mushrooms, Pancetta, Grilled Plum Tomato Filets, Game Stock.

• 1994 Beringer Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon Knights Valley 91 Points

  USA, California, Sonoma County, Knights Valley

  Mature nose of cassis and forest floor. Balanced, elegant, fully ready. Drinking quite nicely tonight.

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• 1994 Caymus Cabernet Sauvignon 93 Points

  USA, California, Napa Valley

  Intense red fruit nose with hints of mulch. Much younger in the mouth. Lots of fruit and some tannin. Could improve for 5 or more years. 92-?

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• 1994 Girard Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley 91 Points

  USA, California, Napa Valley

  Smokey, mature nose. Young and tight in the mouth. Needs more air or more age? 90-92 points. Group wine #6 with 3 points.

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• 1994 Bell Wine Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon Jackson Clone Baritelle 77 Points

  USA, California, Napa Valley, Rutherford

  Mature nose. Drying out in the mouth. OTH or a little cooked?

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• 1994 Philip Togni Cabernet Sauvignon 95 Points

  USA, California, Napa Valley, Spring Mountain District

  Young, ripe black fruit nose. Rich and expansive in the mouth. Great length, a riveting wine. Blows away everything in this flight. My 3rd WOTN, but very close to #2. Should drink well now-2030. Nobody else seemed to like this. It got only my one point as my #3 wine.

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With Seared-Braised Duck Confit, Cabernet-Duck Glace Reduction, Perigourdine Pommes de Terre.

• 1994 Beaulieu Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon Georges de Latour Private Reserve 93 Points

  USA, California, Napa Valley

  Muted nose, but big and rich in the mouth with lots of fruit and soft tannins. Seems quite young. 93-95 points. My #4 wine. Group wine #5 with 9 points.

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• 1994 Chateau St. Jean Cabernet Sauvignon Cinq Cépages 96 Points

  USA, California, Sonoma County

  WOTN for me and the group. Has loads of ripe red fruit, but also a complex floral quality in the nose and a flamboyance in the mouth. A delicious wine. Should hold for a few years, but why wait? Group wine #1 with 21 points.

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• 1994 Chateau Montelena Cabernet Sauvignon The Montelena Estate 95 Points

  USA, California, Napa Valley

  Rich and soft in the mouth. Young, somewhat backward, with loads of dark fruit and licorice on the long finish. Still needs 5 years. Should be amazing in 5-10 years. 94-97 points. Group wine #7 with 2 points, both from me. My #2 wine (though my 1-3 were very close).

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• 1994 Dominus Estate Napanook Vineyard Flawed

  USA, California, Napa Valley

  Dirty, nasty nose. Clearly corked. Sad.

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With Roast Sliced Sirloin, Gorgonzola Polenta, Roast Garlic Glace di vande.

• 1994 Diamond Creek Cabernet Sauvignon Gravelly Meadow 75 Points

  USA, California, Napa Valley, Diamond Mountain

  Tart strawberry nose. Muted and dull in the mouth. Some think it's corked, but I think it is just not much.

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• 1994 Diamond Creek Cabernet Sauvignon Volcanic Hill 78 Points

  USA, California, Napa Valley, Diamond Mountain

  Smokey black currant nose. Tired and tannic in the mouth. The fruit is nearly gone, but not the tannin. Tied for group wine #2 with 13 points. Go figure.

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• 1994 Silver Oak Cabernet Sauvignon Alexander Valley 82 Points

  USA, California, Sonoma County, Alexander Valley

  Stewed fruit nose. Tired and dried out in the mouth, but not unpleasant. Tied for group wine #2 with 13 points. Go figure.

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• 1994 Silver Oak Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley 72 Points

  USA, California, Napa Valley

  Tired, dried out. OTH. Group wine #4 with 10 points. Go figure.

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Dessert: Java Pot-a Creme, Espresso Bean Chocolate Truffle.

A very mixed bag. Some of these were great. Far too many were defective or over the hill.