1992 & Older Napa Cabs - Blind - With a Few Ringers

The idea for this event came up when we were doing the 1990 Bordeaux wines blind at Jason and Tracy's a month ago. We had several Napa Valley ringers in the mix that performed really well. The discussion was that we had to do this again with old Napa wines as the theme. Hence, this idea was hatched. Steve and Jenny provided the beautiful setting and delicious food for our evening. We had a nice mix of stellar wines from very good producers along with a couple of the usual ringers to keep us honest.

• NV Claude Genet Champagne Grand Cru Blanc de Blancs Brut 91 Points

  France, Champagne, Champagne Grand Cru

  Light gold color. Drank 1 glass over 40 minutes. Given how much i like this, I really should make a bit more of an effort to get some. I've yet to be disappointed in a bottle. I enjoy the elegance and focus, very clean and fresh with nice pear, mild chalk minerality and touches of citrus on the back end. Very good again.

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• 2015 Arnot-Roberts Chardonnay Watson Ranch 90 Points

  USA, California, Napa Valley

  Light green gold color. Drank 1 glass over 30 minutes. This was pretty primary and fairly linear at this point. Given its youth and past experience, I'll write that off mostly expecting this to improve over the next 12 to 18 months. Lots of tart fruit at this point, lime, grapefruit, citrus, mineral. 90 to 92 potential, maybe a bit more. I'll wait to try my next bottle for at least a year. However, the '14 was totally rocking at the two year point - so that will be the measuring stick.

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• 1971 Chappellet Cabernet Sauvignon 94 Points

  USA, California, Napa Valley

  Dark red color, no bricking. PNP, drank 1+ glass over 90 minutes. What a beauty, in great shape again. We drank this right off the bat by itself and it turned out to be one of my favorites of the night. This really blew up over about 15 minutes and continued to improve for about an hour and was still drinking quite well at 3 hours in upon checking a new pour. The nose is wonderful with earth, mint,red berry, black currant, leather and mineral notes. The palate shows black currants, huckleberry, wild raspberry, leather, dried earth, wood spice, and mint with fine dusty tannins that have more life to give. Amazing wine not really giving up its age.

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• 1984 Chateau Montelena Cabernet Sauvignon The Montelena Estate 94 Points

  USA, California, Napa Valley

  Dark red plus color, subtle 3mm bricked margin. PNP, drank 1 glass blind over 75 minutes. Clearly the winoe of the flight, against the '84 and '91 Beringer Private Reserves. Very pretty red fruits, well integrated with fine lacy tannins, great wood spices with lift and length. This was all about the elegance. Just a very pretty wine drinking great.

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• 1984 Beringer Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon Private Reserve 89 Points

  USA, California, Napa Valley

  Very dark red color, 5mm bricked margin. PNP, drank 1 glass blind over 60 minutes. Drank in a blind flight with a '91 and a '84 Montelena. The '84 beringer seemed a bit off its game, the fruit came off almost overripe or a bit stewed. Very reticent in general but good nonetheless; but nowhere near the '84 Montelena and not at the caliber of the '91. This just may have been a bit of an off bottle too, or simply fading.

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• 1991 Beringer Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon Private Reserve 92 Points

  USA, California, Napa Valley

  Very dark red color, no significant bricking noted. PNP, drank 1 glass blind over 75 minutes. This was the other winner in the flight of '84 Beringer and '84 Montelena. This was earthy, with lots of leather, a little floral perfume, and plenty of refined wood spice. The palate has fairly dark fruits, cassis, plum, gravel, wood and pepper with black cherry emerging more slowly. This was well put together and felt fairly youthful though clearly had age and balance. 92+pts.

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• 1992 Laurel Glen Cabernet Sauvignon Estate Sonoma Mountain 93 Points

  USA, California, Sonoma County, Sonoma Mountain

  Dark red color, 1cm transition at margin. Drank 1 glass blind over 75 minutes. This blind flight contained the '92 Laurel Glen, '92 Montelena, and an '89 Pichon Baron ringer. This was maybe the biggest surprise of the night. A gorgeous wine that really had everything going for it. The nose was sharp with dark fruits, anise seed, funk and earth, wood and graphite. The palate has very juicy dark fruits, very tasty, dark red berries and some soft blue fruits, sleek tannins and a medium plus body. Perfectly balanced and showing a lot more life to be had. 93+ to 94pts.

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• 1989 Château Pichon-Longueville Baron 92 Points

  France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Pauillac

  Very dark red color, no bricking. PNP, drank 1 glass blind over 75 minutes. This blind flight contained the '92 Laurel Glen, '92 Montelena, and this '89 Pichon Baron ringer. This was very tight and not showing much. The wood was still casting a big shadow and the fruit on the nose was not playful. After about an hour some of the wood shroud was being shed and the earth and perfume was starting to reveal itself, along with a core of red fruits, pencil lead, and leather. There was a bit of a green edge that finally gave way too. Getting stronger as we got to the last sips. Unfortunately, like so many 89's this really needed a healthy dose of air to get it going. We just didn't have 6 hours to see it peak, but its true colors finally showed in the end. Number two wine in the flight.

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• 1992 Chateau Montelena Cabernet Sauvignon The Montelena Estate 91 Points

  USA, California, Napa Valley

  Very dark red color, no bricking. PNP, drank 1 glass blind over 75 minutes. This blind flight contained the '92 Laurel Glen, '92 Montelena, and a '89 Pichon Baron ringer. This was very good also, not up the '84 tonight, but still excellent. This had a much more youthful feel, where the '84 while it was surprising for its age it had all the tertiary development and integration/ This showed bigger fruits, sweet creme de cassis, cherry, damp earth and saddle leather. Nice with more body. There's a good oak influence here that will need to integrate further yet.

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• 1992 Arrowood Cabernet Sauvignon Sonoma County 90 Points

  USA, California, Sonoma County

  Dark red color. PNP, drank 1 glass blind over an hour. This flight consisted of '92 & '91 Arrowood Sonoma Cab and a '95 Quilceda Creek ringer. The Quilceda took the flight on the strength of a simply glorious nose. The '92 edged out the '91 tonight. The '92 showed dill, high toned wood, black fruits, charcoal, and some green herbaceousness on the nose. The palate was pretty similar with charcoal, wood, firm tannins and that green edge that kept this from being better.

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• 1991 Arrowood Cabernet Sauvignon Sonoma County 90 Points

  USA, California, Sonoma County

  Dark red color. PNP, drank 1 glass blind over an hour. This flight consisted of '92 & '91 Arrowood Sonoma Cab and a '95 Quilceda Creek ringer. The Quilceda took the flight on the strength of a simply glorious nose. The '92 edged out the '91 tonight. The '91 very woody, lacquer, vanilla, dark fruited and also showed a bit of the same green herbaceous Sonoma character.

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• 1995 Quilceda Creek Cabernet Sauvignon 92 Points

  USA, Washington

  Dark red color. PNP, drank 1 glass blind over an hour. This flight consisted of '92 & '91 Arrowood Sonoma Cab and this '95 Quilceda Creek ringer. The Quilceda took the flight on the strength of a simply glorious nose. I probably could have sat and just nosed this wine all night. The nose alone was easily 95pts. The nose brims with a tantalizing array of earth, rose, potpourri, wood spice, truffle, and pretty dark red fruits that create an amazing perfume.
  The palate tonight did not equate the same way. The palate is harder and shows firm tannin and a wood that dominates the faded dark fruit too much.

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• 2004 Château Ausone 94 Points

  France, Bordeaux, Libournais, St. Émilion Grand Cru

  Very dark red/purple color. PNP, drank 1 glass blind over an hour. This flight consisted of '90 Anderson's Conn Valley Estate, '91 Stag's Leap Napa Cab, and this '04 Ausone ringer. The Ausone was wine of the flight with a slowly emerging, but eventually great nose. Wow nose with gorgeous red fruits, smoky, sauvage, and wood tones. The palate is clearly not ready with dry grippy tannins, brooding red fruits, smoke, and plenty of youthful oak. Not ready to drink, but has tons of upside potential. 94(+)pts. Needs 5 to more likely 10 years.
  
  

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• 1990 Anderson's Conn Valley Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon Estate Reserve Flawed

  USA, California, Napa Valley

  Corked. Drank 1 glass blind in a flight that consisted of '90 Anderson's Conn Valley Estate, '91 Stag's Leap Napa Cab, and an '04 Ausone ringer.

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• 1991 Stag's Leap Wine Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon 90 Points

  USA, California, Napa Valley

  Very dark red color. PNP, drank 1 glass blind over an hour. This flight consisted of '90 Anderson's Conn Valley Estate, '91 Stag's Leap Napa Cab, and an '04 Ausone ringer. The Ausone was wine of the flight with a slowly emerging, but eventually great nose. The Stag's Leap was more advanced and had a Port like character. Raisin and plum, mint, ultra ripe with some scorched earth, kirsch and lots of glycerin. The nose is favored here. More rustic tannins. 90+pts.

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• 1955 Château d'Yquem 96 Points

  France, Bordeaux, Sauternais, Sauternes

  Dark, dark amber, ruby brown color. PNP, drank 1 glass over 30 minutes. What a way to cap off an evening. From a 750ml mud covered bottle only identifiable by the "1995 d'Yquem" stamped on the capsule, and, well the cork once it was out. What a great find thiis was and a treat to be shared by Steve. A gorgeous mature color and a nose that shows plenty of caramelized sugar, rich orange marmalade, toffee, apricot, and strong botrytis spices. The palate still has nice sweetness, blood orange, apricot, honey, orange marmalade, and hazelnut. The body is medium full - not heavy, with good acid and a nice long finish. What a fun one!

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These wines really did defy their ages in most cases, drinking far younger than one would expect. A testament to the longevity of these wines made when low ABV was an afterthought.