Ripe California Wines

Private Location
Tasted Friday, April 24, 2015 by NoTrollingerPlease with 440 views

Introduction

Unfortunately I had some health issues this evening, which might have affected my senses, so keep this in mind while reading the notes.

All wines were served blind.

Flight 1 (1 Note)

  • 1995 Pahlmeyer Chardonnay Napa Valley

    USA, California, Napa Valley

    *** Please see this note only in the context of the whole tasting ***
    Glass: Riedel Vinum Syrah
    Wine: Double decanted
    Hazy, medium golden-amber color. At first it seems, that the wine was clearly oxidized at definitively past peak at the nose, but the oxidiative notes vanished over time.
    Dry, with medium+ acidity, which was a bit sharp. Quite high alcohol (14,1%) and full bodied. The taste was much better than the nose with medium+ intensity and a medium+ finish. Quite spicy, dry fruits (Apricot), elegant oak.
    This was not an optimal bottle and clearly past peak. I don’t give it an “official” score, this bottle was around 85 Points.

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Flight 2 (2 Notes)

  • 1986 Heitz Cellar Cabernet Sauvignon Bella Oaks 92 Points

    USA, California, Napa Valley, Rutherford

    *** Please see this note only in the context of the whole tasting ***
    Glass: Riedel Vinum Syrah
    Wine: Double decanted
    Clear, medium+ ruby/garnet color. Clean, medium- intense and fully developed nose with typical CabSauv notes from BDX.
    Dry with medium+ acidity and medium+ tannins which were very well integrated. Medium alcohol and a medium+ body. Lots of licorice and red fruits on the medium+ finish.
    Very good wine, it might stay at this level for some more years but wan’t develop any more. So enjoy drinking!

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  • 1986 Chateau Montelena Cabernet Sauvignon The Montelena Estate 91 Points

    USA, California, Napa Valley

    *** Please see this note only in the context of the whole tasting ***
    Glass: Riedel Vinum Syrah
    Wine: Double decanted
    Hazy, deep garnet color, unfiltered. Fully developed nose which had a some unpleasant notes at first, but these notes vanished over time. Some eucalyptus notes, which made me think that this wine is the Heitz 
    Not so intense and long as the Heitz, but quite comparable. Drink now and ejoy it.

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Flight 3 (2 Notes)

  • 1985 Dominus Estate 92 Points

    USA, California, Napa Valley

    *** Please see this note only in the context of the whole tasting ***
    Glass: Riedel Vinum Syrah
    Wine: Double decanted
    Clear, medium ruby color. Very young looking! Clean, medium intense and fully developed nose with lots of herbs, iron, blood, red fruits. Very BDX like style.
    Dry, medium+ acidity and tannins, which are both well integrated. Medium body and medium intensity. Red fruits, oak, earthy and animal notes on the medium finish.
    Still quite young, so it has several more years ahead. Will it improve? Hard to say, but I guess it will stay at this level for at leat 5 more years.

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  • 1985 Château Palmer 92 Points

    France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Margaux

    *** Please see this note only in the context of the whole tasting ***
    Glass: Riedel Vinum Syrah
    Wine: Double decanted
    Clear medium garnet color. Clean, medium intense and fully developed classical BDX nose. As this was the “Pirat” of the evening I thought it was a BDX.
    Dry with medium+ acidity and tannins, medium+ alcohol. Medium+ intense flavors, lots of lovage, Brett, medicinal notes, oak and some fruit.
    Seems as well quite young and was on an equal footing with the Dominus. It has also seveal years left. Quite good BDX from a lesser vintage.

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Flight 4 (2 Notes)

  • 1992 Opus One Flawed

    USA, California, Napa Valley

    Unfortunately corked

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  • 1992 Caymus Cabernet Sauvignon Special Selection 94 Points

    USA, California, Napa Valley

    *** Please see this note only in the context of the whole tasting ***
    Glass: Riedel Vinum Syrah
    Wine: Double decanted
    Clean deep garnet coller. Clean and fully developed pronounced nose with lots of fruit and oak. Beautiful!
    Dry but with lot of extracted sweetness. Full bodied, acidity and tannins were medium+ and very well integrated and elegant. Medium+ intensity and a long finish with dark berries, tobacco, and espresso.
    Has years ahead and might improve. Very beautiful wine.

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Flight 5 (2 Notes)

  • 1997 Pahlmeyer Proprietary Red 94 Points

    USA, California, Napa Valley

    *** Please see this note only in the context of the whole tasting ***
    Glass: Riedel Vinum Syrah
    Wine: Double decanted
    Clear deep ruby color, unfiltered. Clean, medium+ youthful nose with lots of red fruit. Some notes of acid drops.
    Dry, full bodied mighty, powerfull wine with lots of alcohol, acidity and tannins. But the tannins were silky soft and everything was very well integrated so that this wine seemed like a baby elegant giant 
    It is way too young and I would love to drink a good bottle in 10-15 years. It will be brilliant.

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  • 1997 La Jota Cabernet Sauvignon Howell Mountain Selection 92 Points

    USA, California, Napa Valley, Howell Mountain

    *** Please see this note only in the context of the whole tasting ***
    Glass: Riedel Vinum Syrah
    Wine: Double decanted
    Clear, deep ruby color, filtered. Compared with the Pahlmeyer it is more elegant at this state and not so fat and mighty. It is also quite young, but has not the potential of the Pahlmeyer.

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