Dunn Cabernet Vertical '91 - '93 Blindtasted

Introductory comments by tasting organizer Ross Bott:
Tonight, we'll continue with a complete set of the six Dunn Cabernets from 1991-1993. All were excellent ot outstanding Cabernet vintages in Napa Valley, and, as can be seen in the notes below, Randy Dunn was at the peak of his game during this stretch. These were some of the finest Cabernets he ever made. Some notes:

1991 Dunn, Napa Valley (13.0%): "Consumers may be shocked by how tough, tannic, and backward the 1991 Napa Cabernet tastes. It possesses Dunn's wonderfully pure, rich, blackcurrant flavors, as well as length, intensity, and full body. Yet the tannin levels in this tight wine are formidable. Do not touch a bottle for at least 5-6 years." (91/100, Robert Parker, Dec 1994)

1991 Dunn "Howell Mountain", Napa Valley (13.0%): "The 1991 Howell Mountain Cabernet is noticeably thicker and more highly extracted than the 1992 and 1993 vintages. It is a huge, rich, powerful wine with great depth, as well as a boat-load of tannin. Do not touch a bottle for at least 5-6 years." (93/100, Robert Parker, Dec 1994)

1992 Dunn, Napa Valley (13.0%) (94/100, Robert Parker)
1992 Dunn "Howell Mountain", Napa Valley (13.0%): (97/100, Robert Parker)
"What makes the 1992 California Cabernet Sauvignon vintage so incredible is that one of its hallmarks is the voluptuous, opulent, and succulent nature of the fruit. In Dunn's offerings, that translates into wines that are massive and rich, but with sweeter, more expansive, chewy mid-palates. Both of these Cabernets are 20-30 year wines, but I suspect the softer Napa cuvee will be drinkable in 5-7 years."

1993 Dunn, Napa Valley (13.0%): "The 1993 Cabernet Sauvignon Napa exhibits a black/purple color, and a sweet nose of cassis, vanillin, and violet/mineral character. Sweet on the attack, with superb concentration and purity, this formidably endowed, full-bodied wine needs at least 8-10 years of cellaring; it is a 30-year wine." (93/100, Robert Parker)

1993 Dunn "Howell Mountain", Napa Valley (13.0%): "The 1993 Cabernet Sauvignon Howell Mountain reveals an opaque black color, huge tannin, terrific purity, and density, a broad, heavyweight mouthfeel, and gobs of ripe tannin. It is a massive Cabernet Sauvignon that requires a decade of cellaring - at the minimum.
The last three vintages (1993, 1994 and 1995) offer fabulous promise. They are black/purple-colored wines, with similar levels of sweet, cassis, mineral-tinged fruit, full body, and blockbuster levels of extract and tannin." (95/100, Robert Parker)

• 1992 Dunn Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon Howell Mountain 94 Points

  USA, California, Napa Valley, Howell Mountain

  Group's #1 (my #1) – 25 pts; 3 firsts, 4 seconds, 0 thirds, 0 last places – dark red violet color; sexy, mature, tobacco, leather, tart berry and cassis nose; a little tight, deep cassis, cedar, tart berry, mineral palate with sweet tannins; long finish 94+ pts.

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• 1991 Dunn Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon Howell Mountain 90 Points

  USA, California, Napa Valley, Howell Mountain

  Group's #2 (my #6) – 29 pts.; 2, 3, 1, 2 – dark red violet color; slightly bretty, oak, berry and cassis nose; mature, earthy, tart black fruit, charcoal and mineral palate with tart tannins; medium finish

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• 1993 Dunn Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley 92 Points

  USA, California, Napa Valley

  Group's #3 (my #3) – 34 pts.; 2, 1, 3, 2 – dark red violet color; nice leather, tart plum and truffle nose; tasty, maturing, tart cherry, cassis, tart red fruit, tart plum, mineral palate with leather edges; medium-plus finish 92+ pts.

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• 1992 Dunn Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley 92 Points

  USA, California, Napa Valley

  Group's #4 (my #4) – 38 pts.; 1, 0, 3, 2 – dark red violet color; nice deep berry, cassis nose with a touch of mint; tart cassis, tart red fruit, leather palate with tart tannins; medium finish

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• 1991 Dunn Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley 91 Points

  USA, California, Napa Valley

  Group's #5 (my #5) – 39 pts.; 1, 0, 3, 2 – dark red violet color; mature, mushroom, earthy, beef gravy nose; maturing tobacco, dense tart cassis, graphite, lead pencil, ash and mineral palate; medium-plus finish 91+ pts.

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• 1993 Dunn Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon Howell Mountain 93 Points

  USA, California, Napa Valley, Howell Mountain

  Group's #6 (my #2) – 45 pts.; 1, 1, 0, 2 – dark red violet color; seductive blend of cassis, eucalyptus, mint, blackberry and mineral nose; tasty, tart cherry and cassis palate, very youthful, with sweet firm tannins; medium-plus finish

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