'80s and '90s California Cab Tasting w/ Bob Macdonald

Our House
Tasted Monday, May 11, 2009 by Siggy with 803 views

Introduction

My friend Bob Macdonald and his tasting group buddies have been collecting California Cabs for many years. I was curious to check in on my lone bottle of 1994 Insignia, so I offered to host a tasting of '80s and '90s Cabs. All of the wines were purchased upon release. The bottles were popped and poured, with many receiving quick decants for sediment. My WOTN was a marvelous '85 Heitz Martha's Vineyard, courtesy of Steve O'Hara.

Flight 1 - Two 1980s Wines (2 Notes)

Flight 2 - 1994 Insignia and Araujo (2 Notes)

  • 1994 Joseph Phelps Insignia 94 Points

    USA, California, Napa Valley

    To my palate, 1994-1996 were transition years for Insignia. During these vintages, Phelps began moving towards a more extracted, riper, higher-alcohol style, as exemplified by the 1997. The 1994 is stylistically a bridge between the '70s and '80s Insignias, which are aging beautifully, and the more modern examples of this wine (see my TNs from our 1974-2004 Insignia vertical dinner for more thoughts). This bottle was the fourth time I've tasted the '94, and it showed beautifully. A step up in power and concentration compared with the more mid-weight '87 Beringer Private Reserve, tasted side-by-side (see TN). The nose shows expressive dark fruit that just screams Napa. On the palate, this is powerful, rich and still young, with complex flavors of smoke/campfire, blackberries, chocolate, and cigar ash. Full throttle, but so balanced and smooth.

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  • 1994 Araujo Estate Cabernet Sauvignon Eisele Vineyard 95 Points

    USA, California, Napa Valley

    Initially more reticent on the nose than the '94 Insignia, tasted side-by-side (see TN), this quickly unfolded to reveal a beautifully complex range of dark fruit, smoke, earthy underbrush, and coffee flavors. On the palate, this is velvety smooth, ripe, elegant, and long, with superb fruit and impeccable balance. A beautiful wine that is aging superbly and has many more years of prime drinking ahead.

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Flight 3 - 1991 and 1985 Heitz (2 Notes)

  • 1991 Heitz Cellar Cabernet Sauvignon 88 Points

    USA, California, Napa Valley

    Much oakier nose than the '85 Heitz Martha's Vineyard, tasted side-by-side (see TN). Nose of matchstick and dark fruit. On the palate this is blocky, intense, and a touch bloody/swampy, with large-scaled dark fruit, spearmint, and fresh herbs. This was very good, but didn't quite come together for me.

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  • 1985 Heitz Cellar Cabernet Sauvignon Martha's Vineyard 96 Points

    USA, California, Napa Valley, Oakville

    Fantastic mineral-laced dark fruit nose. The palate shows kaleidoscopically complex, minty dark fruit, Graves-like gravelly soil flavors, berries, tobacco, soy, vitamin, and eucalyptus. Unbelievably dynamic and long, with an amazing, silky texture, superb balance, and a near-endless finish. A perfect example of this remarkable wine. WOTN.

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Flight 4 - Two Ripe Vintages (3 Notes)

  • 1992 Whitehall Lane Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve

    USA, California, Napa Valley

    Heavy VA on the nose. On the palate, this is swampy, sour, flat, thick, and hot. Thoroughly nasty. If this bottle was representative, this wine has both feet in the grave.

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  • 1997 Chateau Montelena Cabernet Sauvignon The Montelena Estate 88 Points

    USA, California, Napa Valley

    A faint whiff of brett on the nose that quickly blew off. On the palate this is concentrated and ripe yet also slightly herbal, with dark fruit flavors, smoke, minerals, and coffee/espresso that build to a medium finish wrapped in oak. This has plenty of intensity but seems to lack freshness and energy. Very good but disappointing relative to expectations.

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  • 1997 Shafer Cabernet Sauvignon Hillside Select 90 Points

    USA, California, Napa Valley, Stags Leap District

    Big, burly, and very oaky immediately upon opening, this settled down considerably with air. Super-ripe, sweet black fruit, coffee creme, and a faint whiff of VA. Large-scaled and still quite tannic. As with the '97 Montelena (see TN), this bottle didn't live up to this wine's stratospheric reputation.

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Flight 5 - Mystery Wine (1 Note)

  • 1966 Château Haut-Bailly 94 Points

    France, Bordeaux, Graves, Pessac-Léognan

    I served this blind, and the group guesses were all over the map (one taster thought Chinon; the two closest were '85 Bordeaux). Second time I've had this. Much better than the previous bottle, from the same source. Fantastic Graves scorched earth and red fruits. Lively, complex, and long on the palate, with beautifully sappy fruit, fine structure, and impeccable balance.

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