Decanted 30 min Just a bit of brick at the rim Initially closed, but nose develops a lovely blackberry scent with a hint of basement must The wine still has plenty of black cherry and blackberry fruit. Tannins have largely resolved. As the night wore on a hint of green tomato and tobacco leaf become more apparent on the finish. Not necessarily a bad thing, but for me a bit of a negative and I dropped the score from 94 to 93 Drinking at peak now I would say
Holiday Champagne Gala (Wilmette Harbor Club): Tasted at gala alongside 1992. Rich black fruit and spice, while wonderfully balanced. Enough structure just off center with everything nicely harmonious.
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Just an absolutely fantastic bottle of wine from first to last sip. Tannins silky, fruit still present and vibrant, a combination of casis, blackberries, and a meaty quality. Hints of wildflowers on the nose. An absolute pleasure.
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If anyone made a 1997 that should not be too over the top it is Togni. However, this bottle proved that the hedonisim of the vintage is even here in the classical spring mountan producer. Ripe red cherry, blackberry sauce and spice notes. Sandalwood, anise and pencil, but the ripe fruit is our front with a bit of brownie underneath.
This no not the pauillac like wine you get in other vintages, but a powerhouse of a rich 10/10ths cabernet. Palate feel is great and spice notes are exotic. However more 97 than Togni.
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If representative, this hasn’t aged well; since last tasted in 2017 the nose seems more top-heavy and more 97 than Togni. Slightly brassy black fruit, mineral.
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Disappointed with this, I thought it was slightly corked witch accounted for the muted nose and flat palate but this was heavily debated at the table. At any rate, very musty, shrooms, flat and one dimensional, with a hint of wet cardboard. Should be much better. Dal Rae dinner
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Super wine. You can’t hide the ripe Napa fruit here. It has blackcurrant, black cherry, sandalwood, nicely polished and resolved, showing well. A little cloudy near the end of the bottle
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More austere styled Cab. Plenty of acid, tannins starting to soften, loads of berries, cherries, wood, spices. Gorgeous nose that gives away some of its age, but this is a wine built for long haul, great freshness and med plus very dry finish. Bravo
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A private dinner (Restaurant De Lage Vuursche, Lage Vuursche, NL): Definitely richer than claret, even from a ripe vintage, cedary and mature, but with much more spicy warmth, nutty, ripe fruit flirting with overripeness, sticky tannins, chocolaty finish. Impressive and deep but with little finesse.
This is excellent. Color still looks great. Nose with lots of dark berry and, far less of the green pepper I think of from prior vintages. (Not better or worse, just different). Great palate. Long and lingering. Does have some of that cab franc feel to it, although I think it’s all cab? Anyway has aged so well, many years left. Wow.
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From magnum. Leather, cigar box, cassis, underwood, and a hint of plum on the nose. Fully integrated tannins and good acidity. Flavors of ripe dark fruit, leather, tart berries, and tobacco on the palate. Long finish. A beautiful aged old school Napa Cab, I love it!
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Kleur: Diep robijnrood met een subtiel oranjebruine verkleuring. Aroma / bouquet: Net als 9 jaar geleden ervaar ik het bouquet van deze wijn als gesloten. Heel subtiel, heel verfijnd en prachtig gebalanceerd. Aangenaam. Maar in niets uitgesproken. Smaak / Afdronk: In de mond is deze wijn weer werkelijk briljant en uitzonderlijk harmonieus. Zacht frisse zuurgraad, prachtig gerijpte tannines en verrassend bescheiden met 12,5% alcohol. Indrukwekkend lange afdronk. Algemeen / potentieel: Teleurstellend bouqet, bevredigende smaak. Als blinde 'piraat' tijdens een verticale proeverij Mouton Rotschild viel deze wijn op door zijn kwaliteit en door de disbalans waar het gaat om het 'alcoholgehalte'. Van het laatste is niets meer te merken. En de vergeljiking met Mouton gaat - na 22 jaar - ècht niet meer op. Mooi maar niet heel erg gedenkwaardig. 50 + Kleur: 5 + Aroma / bouquet: 11 + Smaak / Afdronk: 15 + Algemeen / potentieel: 8 = 89/100
Google Translate:
Color: Deep ruby red with a subtle orange-brown discoloration. Aroma / bouquet: Like 9 years ago I experience the bouquet of this wine as closed. Very subtle, very refined and beautifully balanced. Pleasant. But nothing pronounced. Taste / Aftertaste: In the mouth, this wine is truly brilliant and exceptionally harmonious. Soft fresh acidity, beautifully aged tannins and surprisingly modest with 12.5% alcohol. Impressively long finish. General / potential: Disappointing bouqet, satisfying taste. As a blind 'pirate' during a vertical tasting Mouton Rotschild, this wine stood out for its quality and the imbalance when it comes to the 'alcohol content'. Nothing of the latter is noticeable anymore. And the comparison with Mouton - after 22 years - really doesn't work anymore. Nice but not very memorable. 50 + Color: 5 + Aroma / bouquet: 11 + Taste / Finish: 15 + General / potential: 8 = 89/100
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Decanted and served. Ready to go right away with lush nose of dense fruit and herbs, thick, silky palate of mature, integrated sweet acid and mixed fruit. Held up over two hours and a steak dinner. Just a beautifully aged Napa Cab at peak maturity.
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Drinking great at 20+ years. Fruit, acids, tannins and alcohol all so well integrated, it is easy to drink and delicious. Some stewed fruits, but also cinnamon and red fruits. Decanted and served immediately. Followed over 1.5+ hours. Very good on its own, even better with food (Italian, red sauce). Wonderful now, and had to believe it won't last another 5+ years.
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Darker and denser than the 98 Certan de May alongside. Also significantly more opaque owing to some fine sediment. Sadly the sediment defocuses the wine a little, leaving it slightly hazy on the palate as well as to the eye. This is more left bank to the Certan’s right. Very restrained and elegant even in a ripe Cali Cab year. Impressive. Some depth here. Shame the sediment takes the edge off. ****
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This is the first of the three Togni Cabs where I am getting some red fruits in the mix, along with some brambles/undergrowth. Might be the most complex nose of the trio.
Also the lightest-bodied wine of the three, this also strikes me as fully mature. Displays some of the trademark "green" as well, but all in nicely balanced.
Should be fun to be able to try all three side-by-side later today, as all have something to offer, and while they share some similarities, are each different enough to provide some contemplative interest as well.
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Well this was just singing out of the bottle. The hue would hardly have you thinking 1997, and for that matter, the persistent fruit had my mind more in line with 2007. This is drinking fantastic. It begs for a great meal, something roasted with root vegetables would be great. My first Togni, and looking forward to more based on the quality of this one
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This ‘97 was a shade darker than the others. Plum water, red currant, darker dirt, raspberry seed, and bruised orange rind. Similar to the ‘96 and ‘90 in terms of complexity. Occasional hints of drive, where the “fruit” flavors popped up every once in a while on the palate.
Exceptionally youthful. Direct mono dimensional blueberry liquor in the beginning, tasty but boring. Fortunately it deepened with air and showed some nice graphite backbone after about an hour. Very good but not nearly as interesting as the complex ‘99 Mayacamas.
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Outstanding. Great depth of fruit with tobacco, cigar, a hint of chocolate. Dark red fruit. Long finish. Intense, but nuanced. Decanted; began drinking right away. Ready but also showed steady improvement over 90 minutes. Sadly, by that point the bottle was gone. No hurry with this wine... not in decline.
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Tasted non blind. Opened and served immediately. Followed over about two hours.
Dark garnet color in the glass, clear looking throughout. Nose of flowers, red currants and plums. Flavors of plums and red berries. Medium to tangy acidity, medium tannin, full bodied. Drink or hold.
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Had the Togni, Pahlmeyer Red and Caymus Special Selection, all in 1997. The Togni had the most classic restrained nose, oozing of old school cab, i.e. herbs, green pepper, black currants. The Pahlmeyer had another dimension of blueberries from the Merlot, and the Caymus was as always too dense and over the top, i.e. "thick and warm fruit only". On the palate the Togni and Pahlmeyer had a similar density, albeit with a touch more elegance to the Togni. Both had very impressive length. The Togni has really calmed down since my last taste in 2012. I would start drinking these now!
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This was quite the wine. Still very young. I would have guessed somewhere between 5-10 years, certainly not 20 with all of that primary fruit. Quite the herbal streak going on, but not in a bad way. Completely integrated, beautiful wine. Most striking to me was the fame of '97 for being such a ripe vintage, and I don't get that at all with this wine.
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Consistent with my previous experience with this wine; This wine is not at all like the many opulent 1997 California cabernets that have started fading; While the palate is densely packed and ripe, there is still some noticeable structure on this wine that suggests it has years of development ahead; Quite enjoyable right now, but I'm holding back my last bottle for several years at a minimum
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Wines with Salil et al.; 12/1/2017-12/3/2017 (Chicago, IL): This is a real, proper Napa cabernet. This is very fleshy, showing the fruit and ripeness of the vintage with incredible clarity. This is a beast of a wine; incredibly young with a long life ahead of it. There are some elements of dust and earth, alongside the black fruit. Really good, but this can use a lot more age to integrate.
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I tasted this just out of the bottle and then again after an hour of air. Not much evolution between the two points and, given how open it seems, this appears to be sitting in a very comfortable maturity. A decidedly Cabernet Sauvignon nose - pencil, game, a bit of capsicum. The fruit is starting to fade a touch; slightly lean now. Meaty palate, medium weight. Eminently drinkable though I shouldn't expect it to evolve further.
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Late Night Drinks and Beef at Ming's (M+M. Robin Road): From magnum, this was a marvellously enjoyable wine - the nose could be a ripe Bordeaux, with sweet cassis and black cherries edged with drifts of tobacco and pencil lead. Really nice. Really lovely on the palate too - fresh, lively, with velvety tannins dancing around a really pure mouthful of cassis and berry fruit. On the midpalate, little notes of capcisum, tobacco and pencil lead drifted out and carried the wine into a long, juicy finish. Hedonistic yet controlled, sunny yet classically balanced - this was such an enjoyable wine. Drinking at peak I think, and absolutely lovely.
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Drink now as this wine has peaked but still has good character. Lots of rose petals, must, and cedar on the nose. Elegant, slightly thin with lots of earth, this wine lasted about an hour after opening and then just faded quickly. Really glad I had an opportunity to taste this 20 year old gem.
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In the bouquet sweet spices like cinnamon and soft red berry fruits. On the palate a creamy and round wine with red berries, sweet spices, autumn impressions, mild acidity and tannin. A delicious wine with still a pleasant and soft bite.
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This is still drinking so youthfully today, with a structured palate of dark fruit, cassis, tobacco and a hint of fresh herbs that will need several years (At least) to round into form; Thoroughly enjoyable with a lengthy decant, but should continue to evolve for many years
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Chicago Wine Flock...Don Serving So Many Great Blind Wines/Flights (Park Ridge, IL): Tasted double blind in what turned out to be a Lynch-Bages/ Togni flight. Slightly sweet fruit, but also very firm and backward with signs of mountain fruit that were inconsistent with the last nine wines (so confusing). Needs time, but limited upside. My 8th favorite, group's #8 as well.
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I had to open another bottle after the disappointing showing in January in Serbia. Fortunately, this bottle was everything I could have hoped for in a 20 year old Cabernet Sauvignon! Deep purple/red in color with no signs of oxidation. The aromas were bright with black fruits and wood spices. The fruit was thick and suave on the palate with ripe, finely grained tannins and tremendous depth and length. This delicious wine is firmly in the sweet spot of its maturity and was an outstanding match with my wife's roast veal.
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Nice elements of blackberries, black currant and cassis with a little tobacco and sweet Oak; a few flashes of heat took it down a point; very smooth but finish was uneven in length. Only couple years left of optimal drinking window.
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Enjoyed us and two friends with dinner. Mellow and deep flavors with well-integrated tannins. No sediment. At or just past peak. One bottle left, will drink up this year. Impressive after 20 years!
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Somewhat hazy, medium red color. Aromas of red cherries and plums, leather and wood spices. Ripe, fully evolved fruit in the mouth with very good depth and length. Disappointingly, there was a touch of oxidation and slightly dried out fruit as well. I am hoping this was an off bottle as I still have 5 more bottle purchased on release in January, 2000.
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I was surprised, but this is probably slightly beyond peak now. It drank well within about 15 minutes, but after a few hours, it began to dissemble, and so we will probably finish our last this winter. I have thought Togni should last, and yet haven't had the discipline to keep my fingers off it, don't you dare touch it, and let it sit to 18-20 years or so. This is a very very well made, complex, lengthy wine. I am not buying napa by the case any more as I near 70, but I will always by Togni by the case.
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For me 16th place, overall ranked at 12th with an average of 93,4.
Ripe red and dark berries, some spicieness and chocolate but the fruit is dominating, some tobacco the finish is middlelong and with a burning taste, not well balanced.
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97 Napa-retrospective (Restaurant Bottles, Sas van Gent): Very open and generous, although the tannins are still slightly rugged. Very warm and ripe, deep, dark and brooding, I found this very typical 'traditional Napa', yet not very 'typical Togni'. Seductive macerated black fruit in the mouth, sandalwood, cigarbox, damp earth. Complete, complex, very very long. Super delicious. (My #8; group #12; scores 91-95)
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USA 1997 (By JK @ Bottles): In the bouquet red berries, herbs and spices, vanilla and other sweet spices. On the palate soft and ripe red berry fruits, some red bell pepper, a firm amount of good acidity. The tannin is soft, but also a bit sticky and drying. I wonder if the wine is closing down. Hope so. 92 for tonight.
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Pure cigar box on the nose with cassis and cedar on the nose. The wine is powerful and concentrated, as well as packed with searing tannins and peppery, fat, intense finish. Clearly, this is a wine of quality, but it’s so tannic, and firmly structured, it’s going to be a problem for many tasters.
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A bit of a disappointment I have to say, consistent with my experience that Togni's wines, while generally well made, are pretty hit and miss. This wine opened up only slightly despite a being open for over an hour and decanted for 30 minutes. Very green notes on the nose never went away. While supported by some pleasant notes of herbs and earth, the fruit never emerged from the background to round this out. The "green" element, in my opinion, speaks to the quality of fruit and I am surprised that this vintage would have posed a difficulty for the producer. I don't think this bottle is going to get better either. Overall a nice bottle but I've had much better from this producer.
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This had the tightest cork I ever dealt with. I have had many Togni's and have never experienced the difficulty I had in extracting the cork. The wine, when first uncorked, was just plain weird. The fruit was muted and I tasted something metallic. After spending some time in the glass, the fruit began to emerge and I got cedar and tobacco, and delicious Bordeaux characteristics. It just kept getting better and better as dinner progressed. It turned into a superb wine, drinking at peak, and it didn't hurt that I was eating hand cut pasta with lamb and Tuscan kale at Kitchen a Bistro, where they welcome byo and don't charge corkage.
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Dang nabbit...this was a surprise, as my other Togni's have held up impressively. Not this bottle, perhaps speaks of the vintage. Nothing wrong, but nothing great, either. Fruit has mostly dissipated, along with tannins. Pleasant with a masterful steak dinner, but not the nuanced wow I was hoping for.
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Beautifully perfumed bouquet with graphite, cedar, smoke and a touch of pleasant barnyard. On the palate beautiful ripe dark forest fruits, good herbs and spices, sweet licorice, chocolate, elegant fresh acidity and beautifully soft tannin. A beautiful and refined wine. Ready now and with a great future. Pity this was my last bottle.
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Our WOTN last weekend - opened it for 2.5-3.0 hours plus - decanted - huge wine on the palate up front, lovely berry fragrances, delightfully purple color, a 60 second finish on this wine. It still has 10+ years left on it. Cellar it and try it again in 2018!
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Initially rather closed but slowly open up. Previous notes apply. Wasn't as impressed with the expansiveness of multi-layered flavors and purity of fruit. Still, excellent wine
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(from mag) Oooh, this could renew my faith in CA Cabs... Very Bordeaux-esque (OK, let the flames fly), with tobacco, olive, and earth wrapped in a blanket of blue and red fruits, with a very gentle dusting of chocolate powder, and a slightly soft, gently rounded mouthfeel that wasn't as lean as a Bordeaux would be. Tannins were fully integrated into the wine, and the finish was mid-length at best. But absolutely lovely with my meal of Marrakesh-spiced steak, red pepper couscous, carrot, cumin and cilantro. A gorgeous match, and a lovely wine.
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Quite muted at first, especially on the mid palate and finish, but after being open for about five hours it had its burlesque on. On the nose a nice bittersweet chocolate and rosemary meets lavender kind of melange, but to be honest, the nose never really blew me away - it was quite subdued. The body and flavor was altogether different, especially the "figgy pudding" flavor that started to replace the cigar wrapper after about three hours. It was then that the midpalate got really interesting and made me thankful that I had opened this baby up. Unfortunately, the ribs that were to go with this beauty were overdone, but the wine was so fulfilling I was glad I popped it. It's still young though - ten plus years of life at the minimum & a borderline classic rating at this time.
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16 years young and still inky and unctuous. Rich, almost chewy. Beautiful mid-palate full of ripe darkish fruits. Like a chocolate covered raspberry. Velvety, long finish. Balanced and certainly not over the top. Stunning.
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Full bodied, concentrated and packed with truffle, tobacco, olives and cassis, the wine ends with fresh cassis and cherries. There is no danger of this quickly fading away, but I am not sure there is much to be gained by further aging.
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Tour de Bordeaux @ David's (Netherlands): Big Time Bummer. Brought this bottle to convince my mates and convert them to the wines of Togni. But that didn't work out. Corked.
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Dark but quite thin and rusty at the edge. Very smooth and elegant, not very Bordeaux-like at all. Perfumed and quite feminine. Intense mid-palate, very fruity, quite sweet. Cedar, menthol and pepper notes lurk beneath the surface. Structured despite lack of tannins. Intriguing and moreish.
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Very dark and primary colour. Lovely open nose with dark notes, blueberries, some herbal tones and altogether very Bordeuxlike. Not much secondary aromas yet, but definitely in its early drinking window. Lovely maturity on the palate. Good balance and cleary more sweet than a 15 years old Bordeaux would have been. Tannins still present but quite soft and mellow. Medium finish, not as long and persistent as the 1991. Must wait at least 10 years until I drink the last bottle!
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Two bottles; these were definitely in better shape than the Dunn Howell Mtn (also '97), and matched up well with grilled tri-top and molten chocolate cake.
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Despite Togni's much higher elevation from the Napa floor, the ripeness of the vintage distinctively shows through . Lush, ripe and enjoyable. However, I prefer other vintages of Togni, such as the 2001 vintage.
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1997 Napa Cabs: Powerful, complex. Still lots of tannins, even four hours after opening still clear that this will a lot more time. Rich wine, almost like a Latour.
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I haven't followed this wine since release, so can't comment on it's evolution. At this moment in time, it seems fully evolved. This has shed a load of tannin and tartrate, yet remains quite structured and acidic. Secondary notes of saddle leather and soil dominate, with what remains of the red cherry fruit playing a supporting role. This reminds me of a classically styled right bank wine as there is an herbaceous, cab franc like streak running through the finish.
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(Tasted in a flight with 1997 Von Strasser Cabernet Sauvignon, 1997 Seavey Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon and 1997 Harlan Estate.) Astonishing wine. Totally delicious and utterly elegant. I love Philip Togni's efforts. This wine is actually very flattering and perfectly integrated. It is 14 years old but still shows such an outspoken youth. The fruit is amazing and in combination with perfect balance and good acidity this is a tremendous effort. It will last for many more years and probably continue to develop into an even greater beauty. Highly recommended. (Score is 96-97)
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See also my previous notes. Really a great wine with a somewhat classical Bdx style. I love it. Smooth and ready now, but it can last for at least another 5 years.
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Dreamtasting #2 (Restaurant de Watermolen, Kasterlee): (*) Unbelievably soft and well integrated wine. Lot of play going on. Different kind of nuances duck, lurk and emerge all the time. Very classical in its feel and presentation. Fantastic focus and precision. Cigarbox, cassis, cedar, velvety mouthfeel and fabulously long and complex. Great now and potential for 10 years in the cellar. My guess: Left Bank Bordeaux 98? 19/20
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1997 Philip Togni Cabernet Sauvignon (USA, California, Napa Valley, Spring Mountain District) Kleur: Diep opaque donkerrood Aroma / bouquet: In eerste instantie gesloten, vooral tertiaire tonen, beetje animaal. Ook na beluchting verandert er niets aan. Flesfout? Smaak / Afdronk: Volle, krachtige en rijpe aanzet. Friszuur, zeer geconcentreerd maar verfijnd. Een bek vol, maar mist de complexiteit die ik eerder heb geproefd. Enorm lange afdronk. Algemeen / potentieel: Vreemd glas. Nauwelijks aroma, prima vulling. Maar niet wat het hoort te zijn. 50 + Kleur: 5 + Aroma / bouquet: 8 + Smaak / Afdronk: 13 + Algemeen / potentieel: 7 = 83/100
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Still closed, herbal notes along with the cab. Too much mint and eucalyptus, not enough fruit. It still might evolve into what I would like it to be, but not enough fruit to be a great Cal Cab and not enough interesting complexity to challenge where Bordeaux can go. Disappointing.
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Lots of discussion about this wine, people either love it or hate it. Maybe there is bottle variation. My last bottle of Togni (not the 97) was a flop, I was expecting great things and the wine just never got there, nothing to spit out but nothing where I was looking for more either. Odd thing was I pulled this because it was easy to get to in my cellar... anyway to the wine. The nose was full, not explosive but very full. Cherries and some small secondaries of cigar box and leather just making a small bid on the nose. The mouth was very full, and balanced.Nice silky tannins that led to a 30-45 second finish. This is more along the lines of what I expected... still has lots of life left but not much upside...
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Great nose, but the tannins are still overwhelming the fruit after two hours of air. We will leave out and see if it gets better. We capped this overnight and opened for 8 hours the next day and drank with warm chocolate cake. It was delicious. The verdict, a great wine, but way too early.
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I don't care what RP says, the '97 Togni is not at the same high level of quality as their wines from the early part of the decade. A relatively foursquare bouquet, with solid (but uninspiring) characteristics on the palate. The '92 and '93 are head and shoulder above the '97!
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Opened and decanted for one hour before serving. Followed over the next two hours. Dark garnet color in the glass, clear hue throughout. Nose of potpourri, soap stone, thatch and mixed red fruits. Flavors of red berries, red cherries, raspberries and a bit of sweet tarts on the finish. Medium to bright acidity, medium tannins, medium to full bodied. Drink or hold.
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1997 Philip Togni (USA, California, Napa Valley, Spring Mountain District) Kleur: Diep en ondoorzichtig donkerrood Aroma / bouquet: Uitgesproken, opvallende fruitexpressie, typerende zwart-fruit Cabernet-tonen als cassis en paprika, tertiair: paddestoelen, cederhout, opvallend gebrand, mokka / bittere chocola (aroma's die met de duur van de beluchting steeds dominanter worden) Smaak / Afdronk: Dik-sappig en geconcentreerd, enorme 'bek vol' en daarmee in deze line-up (Verticaal Mouton-Rothschild) toch wel opvallend nieuwe werelds, ook door zijn alcoholgehalte. Algemeen / potentieel: Togni - en vooral dit jaar - blijft geweldig. 50 + Kleur: 5 + Aroma / bouquet: 13 + Smaak / Afdronk: 17 + Algemeen / potentieel: 9 = 94/100
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Delicious amazing cab with so much going on. It tasted fabulous the first day but without vacumvin, simply left in decanter for a day, it opened up wonderfully the second night with full fruit wrapped in sliky smooth tanin. I suspect this wine continues to evolve despite already being 12 years old.
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I opened this way too young. At age 12, this smells like a 3 or 4 year old wine. Cassis, black truffle, baking spice, slight pyrazine quality that blew off with air, with superb length and palate presence. Classic Spring mountain Cabernet. Imagine power with delicacy - instead of blackberry jam and 16% abv. If I had another bottle (stored perfectly), I would wait until 2014 before cracking it.
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This wine has been consistently unimpressive on the 3 most recent occasions that I have tasted it. All the bottles have had fills into the neck, with no evidence of heat damage. Boquet of earth, dry aged steak, dark fruits and a hint of tree bark. Medium bodied, with too much structure and not enough fruit; very high-toned for Togni. I greatly prefer the '98 and '00, which have received considerably less praise from RP. How he rated this 98 points is beyond me!
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Cabernet Smackdown (Steve T's, Vernon Hills IL): nose: real nice smokey backdrop on the nose with well balanced and pungent tones of dark red cherries, tobacco, cranberries, along with red and black currants. Real good depth with a nice expression on the nose too
taste: real good tannins show off the youth of the wine with a real well balanced full bodied feel and tones of leather, red and black currants, tobacco, cranberries, and dark red cherries. Excellent depth and comes off quite young
overall: This has a real long life ahead of it. Seems to be just getting out of diapers but not fully ready for primetime. Really well balanced with a real good nose and tones on the palate, this is another wine that would've probably showed a bit better in a smaller environment
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True garnet – amazing how similar (and youthful) the colors of the wines are tonight. Interesting nose – red fruit, herbs, popcorn and graham crackers. Lots of tobacco on the disjoined palate. Weird. (84+?)
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1997 Philip Togni Cabernet Sauvignon (USA, California, Napa Valley, Spring Mountain District) Kleur: Diep, geconcentreerd ronkerrood Aroma / bouquet: Expressief en complex. Eerste indruk wordt bepaald door rijp donker fruit, vooral zwarte bes. Verder paprika, cederhout, nootmuskaat, zwarte peper. Na enige tijd bittere chocola en mokka, Smaak / Afdronk: Vol, zwaar en krachtig. Krachtige maar aangename zuren bepalen de aanzet, boordevol krachtige maar mooi rijpe tannines met een aangename bitter. Enorme lengte. Zoals Parker beschrijft: de expressie van Napa Valley maar de structuur van een klassieke Bordeaux. Algemeen / potentieel: Wijn staat na 12 jaar nog volledig overeind, is op dit moment al werkelijk prachtig om te drinken maar kan nog vele jaren mee. 50 + Kleur: 5 + Aroma / bouquet: 13 + Smaak / Afdronk: 19 + Algemeen / potentieel: 10 = 97/100
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Beautiful, elegant, very forward nose and full-bodied black cherry fruit with cassis, slightly meaty, sauvage, and cedar flavors, long finish, terrific structure and balance
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Took to Nick and Jill's house for dinner to enjoy along wtih Nick's fantastic Lobel's steaks. Loved it, even though it appears I am giving it a lower score than Nick. Decanted for 4 hours. Great balance, similar to the best of Bordeaux. Elegant wine with a supple, subtle level of fruit. Made to be aged. Has many years left in it. Looking forward to the other bottles, but will give them a few years to see how it continues to develop.
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Brought by Steve for our dinner tonight with the wives. This is a fantastic wine. We decanted for four hours and it was worth it. Reminded me of a Leoville Barton in the best possible year. There is no California producer that makes a more Bordeaux-styled wine. Utterly brilliant.
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The fill was into the neck and the cork was sound. Youthful appearance, with an opaque purple core that turns to ruby at the rim. An intense bouquet, with over the top aromas of dry-aged beef (along the lines of a 56-day Flannery special), hints of anise, tapenade and spice. I'm all for dry-aged beef on my plate, but it was a bit much in my glass! It did not blow off over the course of the evening, however it did improve over the next several days. Full bodied with good structure and fine concentration. I'm a huge fan of Togni's wines, but this was my second mediocre experience in a row with the '97.
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Beautiful expressive bouquet with good cherries and raspberries and pleasant oak. Full bodied, soft, round and elegant. Still primary fruits. Soft bitterness. Mature and youthful at the same time. Great wine.
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First of four, opened about 90 minutes before dinner and not decanted. Very dark red. At first oak on the nose, but that faded and dark cherries and chocolate dominated, with perhaps a hint of red meat juices. Just a bit of tannic bitterness at first, but that also faded quickly, leaving a smoothe, balanced wine with a wonderful lingering finish. Plenty of time ahead for this wine, but to me it seems to be drinking just fine now.
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Preparation: Decanted into a duck decanter for 4 hours prior to consumption. Consumed from Waterford Gold Series cabernet glasses.
Sight: Still a young wine. High viscosity and not much in the way of bricking going on. Medium number of legs. Dark Purple and Dark Saturated Reds.
Nose: The nose was powerful and elegant but not revealing too much on fruit - but yet a very interesting wine. I came across lots of smokey oak and leached vanillins from toasted barrels. Fruits were there - but hanging in the background. Most black bush fruit compote and jam - but again not the up front smell. Some tar and chimney notes come along for the ride too.
Taste: Possibly young still? A mysteriously elegant wine that was not fruit forward. Smooth, well integrated, tannins still youthful, nice overall presentation on the attack, mid, and finish. I was expecting more fruit from this wine, but then I found myself only questioning it because my mind was telling me that I should be finding more fruit but my palate was telling me 'who cares?' becuase the wine was lovely notetheless.
Overall: A great wine that appears to still be young. Paired superbly with grilled rib eye. 92 Points.
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A lot of barnyard and stable smells and toasted oak in the bouquet. Full bodied but not overconcentrated/extracted. Very elegant with good juice, acidity and bitterness. Good soft but firm tannin. Very long aftertaste. This wine is still so youthful.
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Drank with Tony and Lisa, at their home, Memorial Day BBQ. I've had better bottles of the '97 Togni, and I am a big fan of his wines, but this particular bottle just didn't live up to my expectations. Still looks like a 3-year old wine, with a dark purple core and not even a hint of amber at the edge. A fairly fruit-forward bouquet for Tongi -- I usually associate his wines with a distinctive creosote and tapenade character, in addition to the lovely black fruits -- but this was all dark fruits and licorice. A little disappointing on the palate, although it was promising on the attack, with a full-bodied character, lush mouthfeel and round tannins. The finish left me scratching my head -- a bit flabby and unfocused, with a just a hint of a "stewed" note lingering on the finish. Don't get me wrong, this was a good wine, but this bottle reminded me of Togni's 1993, which has never particularly blown me away. In my experience, the 1997 is usually on par with the 1990 and 1992, which are both 96-point wines in my book.
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California tasting @ Restaurant Savelberg (Netherlands): Sturdy, outdoorsy nuances, also iodine, black cherries, ink, mocca and balsamico. Extremely seductive and interesting. The pinnacle of balance and harmony. What an impressive ripeness and complexity. Lecherous, young and graceful. Hard to find the right words. This one sent shivers down my spine! Out of this world wine. 19.5/20
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Decanted 3 hours. To be matched w/ horseradish-and-herb crusted beef rib roast. Not giving much in the decanter. On the nose, tobacco, cassis and smoke. Across the palate seamless cigarbox, minerals and herbs w/ a nice tannic backbone. OK to hold longer...no worries!
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Very rich and lush mouthfeel. Opened and poured fairly late and it was showing a lot better than I would've guessed. Plenty of stuffing to go on and on here but not at all too young to drink.
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A rather green nose with some red fruits and a bit of tar. More like a Bordeaux than a Napa cabernet in style. To taste, also a bit green, good red fruit presence, some flesh and a bit of tar again. However this was ultimately a bit lean and dry with some tannin. A St Estephe copy?
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Opened up for one hour. Beautiful nose, kirsch cherry and black currant. Tastes like an old world wine. Tons of sediment. Very well made wine that could probably last another 10 years!
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A very fine wine, decanted for two hours and drank over the next two...Great nose, big primary fruit burst on the front end, slightly weaker at the mid point with an excellent finish, we loved the wine but wish that we had waited two to three years for it to evolve a tad more roundness, which I think it will
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Somewhat overly sweet wine with too ripe berries on the palate. Tannins were not structured and left little in the finish. A good easy drinking wine for beginners.
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Opened with very little time for it to breath. Good strong fruity nose. Had the warmth of a typical cabernet but with a very fleeting finish. Not expressive or impressive.
Corked half of it and stored for a night. Once reopened, nose had developed many interesting nuances. It was of old fruit and brown sugar. The finish was well anticipated but very disappointing. Very flat leathery finish with a little bitterness chasing it. After a minute or so the fruit does come out a little bit. Maybe not the night for this wine but will give my last bottle a chance to make it up.
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Opened and decanted for 1 hour. A moderate amount of sediment present. Beautiful dark, inky red color, slightly light on the edges. The nose was slightly herbal and minerally, but not in a bad way. The taste was somewhat closed to me and probably needed much more aeration. It was a little tannic, but not overtly astringent. There really was not much fruit flavor intitally. I did detect a slight hint of bell pepper. A little disappointing to my palate. That was the first night.
I poured the second half of the bottle into a 375 and put in wine fridge for 2 days. Here's where it got interesting to me. On the 3rd day after opening initially I decanted for about 2 hours. When I smelled it I thought I had poured a different wine. It was wonderful. It smelled like port to me with a hint of raisin and brown sugar. The taste was even better. Blackberry liquer, chocolate and plums lept out. Great rich fruit but extremely well-balanced and very supple and soft. One of the smoothest wines I've experienced. I'm glad I have 2 bottles left. I wonder how long I should decant it now after first opening. At least 6 hours or more? Sorry for the long TN.
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2/11/2024 - Ruby99 Likes this wine: 93 Points
Decanted 30 min
Just a bit of brick at the rim
Initially closed, but nose develops a lovely blackberry scent with a hint of basement must
The wine still has plenty of black cherry and blackberry fruit. Tannins have largely resolved. As the night wore on a hint of green tomato and tobacco leaf become more apparent on the finish. Not necessarily a bad thing, but for me a bit of a negative and I dropped the score from 94 to 93
Drinking at peak now I would say
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12/21/2023 - Burgundy Al wrote: 93 Points
Holiday Champagne Gala (Wilmette Harbor Club): Tasted at gala alongside 1992. Rich black fruit and spice, while wonderfully balanced. Enough structure just off center with everything nicely harmonious.
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6/10/2023 - Ridgerunner Likes this wine: 97 Points
Just an absolutely fantastic bottle of wine from first to last sip. Tannins silky, fruit still present and vibrant, a combination of casis, blackberries, and a meaty quality. Hints of wildflowers on the nose. An absolute pleasure.
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12/12/2022 - RockinCabs wrote: 92 Points
If anyone made a 1997 that should not be too over the top it is Togni. However, this bottle proved that the hedonisim of the vintage is even here in the classical spring mountan producer. Ripe red cherry, blackberry sauce and spice notes. Sandalwood, anise and pencil, but the ripe fruit is our front with a bit of brownie underneath.
This no not the pauillac like wine you get in other vintages, but a powerhouse of a rich 10/10ths cabernet. Palate feel is great and spice notes are exotic. However more 97 than Togni.
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12/11/2022 - englishman's claret wrote: 89 Points
If representative, this hasn’t aged well; since last tasted in 2017 the nose seems more top-heavy and more 97 than Togni. Slightly brassy black fruit, mineral.
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5/7/2021 - canan wrote: 94 Points
BYO - Erik: Herbaceous, Mint leaves. Delicious.
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3/21/2021 - peternelson wrote: flawed
Disappointed with this, I thought it was slightly corked witch accounted for the muted nose and flat palate but this was heavily debated at the table. At any rate, very musty, shrooms, flat and one dimensional, with a hint of wet cardboard. Should be much better. Dal Rae dinner
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3/6/2020 - jviz wrote: 94 Points
Super wine. You can’t hide the ripe Napa fruit here. It has blackcurrant, black cherry, sandalwood, nicely polished and resolved, showing well. A little cloudy near the end of the bottle
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11/30/2019 - dclaggett Likes this wine: 93 Points
More austere styled Cab. Plenty of acid, tannins starting to soften, loads of berries, cherries, wood, spices. Gorgeous nose that gives away some of its age, but this is a wine built for long haul, great freshness and med plus very dry finish. Bravo
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11/11/2019 - cabfrancair Likes this wine: 94 Points
This wine is holding up amazingly, balanced, complex and harmonious.
Tried after a 2001 Ramey Jericho canyon.
Chucked the Ramey. Flat and monolithic
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10/15/2019 - Xavier Auerbach wrote: 92 Points
A private dinner (Restaurant De Lage Vuursche, Lage Vuursche, NL): Definitely richer than claret, even from a ripe vintage, cedary and mature, but with much more spicy warmth, nutty, ripe fruit flirting with overripeness, sticky tannins, chocolaty finish. Impressive and deep but with little finesse.
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10/12/2019 - rcg62 Likes this wine: 97 Points
This is excellent. Color still looks great. Nose with lots of dark berry and, far less of the green pepper I think of from prior vintages. (Not better or worse, just different). Great palate. Long and lingering. Does have some of that cab franc feel to it, although I think it’s all cab? Anyway has aged so well, many years left. Wow.
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8/3/2019 - glou.sf Likes this wine: 96 Points
From magnum. Leather, cigar box, cassis, underwood, and a hint of plum on the nose. Fully integrated tannins and good acidity. Flavors of ripe dark fruit, leather, tart berries, and tobacco on the palate. Long finish. A beautiful aged old school Napa Cab, I love it!
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7/12/2019 - WildeMeeuw Likes this wine: 89 Points
Kleur: Diep robijnrood met een subtiel oranjebruine verkleuring. Aroma / bouquet: Net als 9 jaar geleden ervaar ik het bouquet van deze wijn als gesloten. Heel subtiel, heel verfijnd en prachtig gebalanceerd. Aangenaam. Maar in niets uitgesproken. Smaak / Afdronk: In de mond is deze wijn weer werkelijk briljant en uitzonderlijk harmonieus. Zacht frisse zuurgraad, prachtig gerijpte tannines en verrassend bescheiden met 12,5% alcohol. Indrukwekkend lange afdronk. Algemeen / potentieel: Teleurstellend bouqet, bevredigende smaak. Als blinde 'piraat' tijdens een verticale proeverij Mouton Rotschild viel deze wijn op door zijn kwaliteit en door de disbalans waar het gaat om het 'alcoholgehalte'. Van het laatste is niets meer te merken. En de vergeljiking met Mouton gaat - na 22 jaar - ècht niet meer op. Mooi maar niet heel erg gedenkwaardig. 50 + Kleur: 5 + Aroma / bouquet: 11 + Smaak / Afdronk: 15 + Algemeen / potentieel: 8 = 89/100
Google Translate:
Color: Deep ruby red with a subtle orange-brown discoloration. Aroma / bouquet: Like 9 years ago I experience the bouquet of this wine as closed. Very subtle, very refined and beautifully balanced. Pleasant. But nothing pronounced. Taste / Aftertaste: In the mouth, this wine is truly brilliant and exceptionally harmonious. Soft fresh acidity, beautifully aged tannins and surprisingly modest with 12.5% alcohol. Impressively long finish. General / potential: Disappointing bouqet, satisfying taste. As a blind 'pirate' during a vertical tasting Mouton Rotschild, this wine stood out for its quality and the imbalance when it comes to the 'alcohol content'. Nothing of the latter is noticeable anymore. And the comparison with Mouton - after 22 years - really doesn't work anymore. Nice but not very memorable. 50 + Color: 5 + Aroma / bouquet: 11 + Taste / Finish: 15 + General / potential: 8 = 89/100
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6/19/2019 - oncocyte Likes this wine:
Actually it think this particular bottle had 2ppm brett, did not show as well as some others.
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6/18/2019 - Quiet Lion Likes this wine: 96 Points
Decanted and served. Ready to go right away with lush nose of dense fruit and herbs, thick, silky palate of mature, integrated sweet acid and mixed fruit. Held up over two hours and a steak dinner. Just a beautifully aged Napa Cab at peak maturity.
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4/28/2019 - MaineMark Likes this wine: 95 Points
Drinking great at 20+ years. Fruit, acids, tannins and alcohol all so well integrated, it is easy to drink and delicious. Some stewed fruits, but also cinnamon and red fruits. Decanted and served immediately. Followed over 1.5+ hours. Very good on its own, even better with food (Italian, red sauce). Wonderful now, and had to believe it won't last another 5+ years.
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3/31/2019 - jkoenen wrote: 95 Points
Evolving magnificantly..!
Getting more and more elegant in the last few years.
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2/15/2019 - SimonG wrote: 92 Points
Darker and denser than the 98 Certan de May alongside. Also significantly more opaque owing to some fine sediment. Sadly the sediment defocuses the wine a little, leaving it slightly hazy on the palate as well as to the eye. This is more left bank to the Certan’s right. Very restrained and elegant even in a ripe Cali Cab year. Impressive. Some depth here. Shame the sediment takes the edge off. ****
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10/27/2018 - Bob H wrote:
A small taste before dinner later tonight.
This is the first of the three Togni Cabs where I am getting some red fruits in the mix, along with some brambles/undergrowth. Might be the most complex nose of the trio.
Also the lightest-bodied wine of the three, this also strikes me as fully mature. Displays some of the trademark "green" as well, but all in nicely balanced.
Should be fun to be able to try all three side-by-side later today, as all have something to offer, and while they share some similarities, are each different enough to provide some contemplative interest as well.
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9/29/2018 - Moonie Does not like this wine:
Another bad bottle. Some VA and a weird funky smell. Did not improve after two hours.
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8/26/2018 - jviz wrote: 95 Points
Well this was just singing out of the bottle. The hue would hardly have you thinking 1997, and for that matter, the persistent fruit had my mind more in line with 2007. This is drinking fantastic. It begs for a great meal, something roasted with root vegetables would be great. My first Togni, and looking forward to more based on the quality of this one
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8/3/2018 - csimm wrote:
Calistoga Inn Restaurant & Brewery - Aubert, Shafer, Bevan, Sea Smoke, Togni, and more... (Calistoga): From a vertical of Philip Togni ‘89, ‘90, ‘91, ‘93, ‘96, ‘97. While these were all past their primes in my opinion, and a definite challenge for my tendency to favor much younger and more modern expressions of this varietal, the Togni wines offered an educational lesson in the advancement of wine.
This ‘97 was a shade darker than the others. Plum water, red currant, darker dirt, raspberry seed, and bruised orange rind. Similar to the ‘96 and ‘90 in terms of complexity. Occasional hints of drive, where the “fruit” flavors popped up every once in a while on the palate.
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7/18/2018 - sdr Likes this wine: 90 Points
Exceptionally youthful. Direct mono dimensional blueberry liquor in the beginning, tasty but boring. Fortunately it deepened with air and showed some nice graphite backbone after about an hour. Very good but not nearly as interesting as the complex ‘99 Mayacamas.
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6/30/2018 - aChave wrote: 95 Points
Outstanding. Great depth of fruit with tobacco, cigar, a hint of chocolate. Dark red fruit. Long finish. Intense, but nuanced. Decanted; began drinking right away. Ready but also showed steady improvement over 90 minutes. Sadly, by that point the bottle was gone. No hurry with this wine... not in decline.
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6/17/2018 - wineismylife wrote: 94 Points
WIML94
Tasted non blind. Opened and served immediately. Followed over about two hours.
Dark garnet color in the glass, clear looking throughout. Nose of flowers, red currants and plums. Flavors of plums and red berries. Medium to tangy acidity, medium tannin, full bodied. Drink or hold.
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4/11/2018 - UTPK wrote:
Had the Togni, Pahlmeyer Red and Caymus Special Selection, all in 1997. The Togni had the most classic restrained nose, oozing of old school cab, i.e. herbs, green pepper, black currants. The Pahlmeyer had another dimension of blueberries from the Merlot, and the Caymus was as always too dense and over the top, i.e. "thick and warm fruit only". On the palate the Togni and Pahlmeyer had a similar density, albeit with a touch more elegance to the Togni. Both had very impressive length. The Togni has really calmed down since my last taste in 2012. I would start drinking these now!
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1/1/2018 - AccaDacca Likes this wine: 95 Points
Splendid, with quite some time to go.
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12/25/2017 - hutch wrote: 94 Points
This was quite the wine. Still very young. I would have guessed somewhere between 5-10 years, certainly not 20 with all of that primary fruit. Quite the herbal streak going on, but not in a bad way. Completely integrated, beautiful wine. Most striking to me was the fame of '97 for being such a ripe vintage, and I don't get that at all with this wine.
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12/2/2017 - eluebchow wrote: 92 Points
Consistent with my previous experience with this wine; This wine is not at all like the many opulent 1997 California cabernets that have started fading; While the palate is densely packed and ripe, there is still some noticeable structure on this wine that suggests it has years of development ahead; Quite enjoyable right now, but I'm holding back my last bottle for several years at a minimum
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12/2/2017 - acyso wrote: 93 Points
Wines with Salil et al.; 12/1/2017-12/3/2017 (Chicago, IL): This is a real, proper Napa cabernet. This is very fleshy, showing the fruit and ripeness of the vintage with incredible clarity. This is a beast of a wine; incredibly young with a long life ahead of it. There are some elements of dust and earth, alongside the black fruit. Really good, but this can use a lot more age to integrate.
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11/18/2017 - englishman's claret wrote: 93 Points
I tasted this just out of the bottle and then again after an hour of air. Not much evolution between the two points and, given how open it seems, this appears to be sitting in a very comfortable maturity. A decidedly Cabernet Sauvignon nose - pencil, game, a bit of capsicum. The fruit is starting to fade a touch; slightly lean now. Meaty palate, medium weight. Eminently drinkable though I shouldn't expect it to evolve further.
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11/4/2017 - Paul S wrote: 94 Points
Late Night Drinks and Beef at Ming's (M+M. Robin Road): From magnum, this was a marvellously enjoyable wine - the nose could be a ripe Bordeaux, with sweet cassis and black cherries edged with drifts of tobacco and pencil lead. Really nice. Really lovely on the palate too - fresh, lively, with velvety tannins dancing around a really pure mouthful of cassis and berry fruit. On the midpalate, little notes of capcisum, tobacco and pencil lead drifted out and carried the wine into a long, juicy finish. Hedonistic yet controlled, sunny yet classically balanced - this was such an enjoyable wine. Drinking at peak I think, and absolutely lovely.
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10/5/2017 - napasoutherner Likes this wine: 93 Points
Drink now as this wine has peaked but still has good character. Lots of rose petals, must, and cedar on the nose. Elegant, slightly thin with lots of earth, this wine lasted about an hour after opening and then just faded quickly. Really glad I had an opportunity to taste this 20 year old gem.
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9/30/2017 - Zweder wrote: 96 Points
In the bouquet sweet spices like cinnamon and soft red berry fruits. On the palate a creamy and round wine with red berries, sweet spices, autumn impressions, mild acidity and tannin. A delicious wine with still a pleasant and soft bite.
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9/2/2017 - eluebchow wrote: 92 Points
This is still drinking so youthfully today, with a structured palate of dark fruit, cassis, tobacco and a hint of fresh herbs that will need several years (At least) to round into form; Thoroughly enjoyable with a lengthy decant, but should continue to evolve for many years
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8/31/2017 - Burgundy Al wrote: 90 Points
Chicago Wine Flock...Don Serving So Many Great Blind Wines/Flights (Park Ridge, IL): Tasted double blind in what turned out to be a Lynch-Bages/ Togni flight. Slightly sweet fruit, but also very firm and backward with signs of mountain fruit that were inconsistent with the last nine wines (so confusing). Needs time, but limited upside. My 8th favorite, group's #8 as well.
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7/22/2017 - hsacks wrote: 95 Points
I had to open another bottle after the disappointing showing in January in Serbia. Fortunately, this bottle was everything I could have hoped for in a 20 year old Cabernet Sauvignon! Deep purple/red in color with no signs of oxidation. The aromas were bright with black fruits and wood spices. The fruit was thick and suave on the palate with ripe, finely grained tannins and tremendous depth and length. This delicious wine is firmly in the sweet spot of its maturity and was an outstanding match with my wife's roast veal.
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4/11/2017 - oncocyte wrote: 95 Points
Brooding monster wine in its infancy. Patience, patience. Try again in five to ten, but plan on fifteen.
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3/25/2017 - mxpbuy Likes this wine: 91 Points
Nice elements of blackberries, black currant and cassis with a little tobacco and sweet Oak; a few flashes of heat took it down a point; very smooth but finish was uneven in length. Only couple years left of optimal drinking window.
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2/18/2017 - wDave Likes this wine: 90 Points
Enjoyed us and two friends with dinner. Mellow and deep flavors with well-integrated tannins. No sediment. At or just past peak. One bottle left, will drink up this year. Impressive after 20 years!
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1/8/2017 - hsacks Likes this wine: 91 Points
Somewhat hazy, medium red color. Aromas of red cherries and plums, leather and wood spices. Ripe, fully evolved fruit in the mouth with very good depth and length. Disappointingly, there was a touch of oxidation and slightly dried out fruit as well. I am hoping this was an off bottle as I still have 5 more bottle purchased on release in January, 2000.
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10/18/2016 - capacious Likes this wine: 92 Points
I was surprised, but this is probably slightly beyond peak now. It drank well within about 15 minutes, but after a few hours, it began to dissemble, and so we will probably finish our last this winter. I have thought Togni should last, and yet haven't had the discipline to keep my fingers off it, don't you dare touch it, and let it sit to 18-20 years or so. This is a very very well made, complex, lengthy wine. I am not buying napa by the case any more as I near 70, but I will always by Togni by the case.
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10/15/2016 - Moonie wrote:
Badly corked. Bought on release from the winery.
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12/18/2015 - PeterH Likes this wine: 96 Points
Wow this is great juice. Find more!!!
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10/2/2015 - aquacongas Likes this wine: 91 Points
Big Blind Tasting of 19 Reds from California 1997
For me 16th place, overall ranked at 12th with an average of 93,4.
Ripe red and dark berries, some spicieness and chocolate but the fruit is dominating, some tobacco the finish is middlelong and with a burning taste, not well balanced.
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9/26/2015 - jkoenen wrote: 95 Points
97 Napa-retrospective (Restaurant Bottles, Sas van Gent): Very open and generous, although the tannins are still slightly rugged. Very warm and ripe, deep, dark and brooding, I found this very typical 'traditional Napa', yet not very 'typical Togni'. Seductive macerated black fruit in the mouth, sandalwood, cigarbox, damp earth. Complete, complex, very very long. Super delicious. (My #8; group #12; scores 91-95)
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9/26/2015 - Zweder wrote: 92 Points
USA 1997 (By JK @ Bottles): In the bouquet red berries, herbs and spices, vanilla and other sweet spices. On the palate soft and ripe red berry fruits, some red bell pepper, a firm amount of good acidity. The tannin is soft, but also a bit sticky and drying. I wonder if the wine is closing down. Hope so. 92 for tonight.
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9/23/2015 - Jeff Leve wrote: 92 Points
Pure cigar box on the nose with cassis and cedar on the nose. The wine is powerful and concentrated, as well as packed with searing tannins and peppery, fat, intense finish. Clearly, this is a wine of quality, but it’s so tannic, and firmly structured, it’s going to be a problem for many tasters.
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9/13/2015 - hrazdiiv wrote: 88 Points
A bit of a disappointment I have to say, consistent with my experience that Togni's wines, while generally well made, are pretty hit and miss. This wine opened up only slightly despite a being open for over an hour and decanted for 30 minutes. Very green notes on the nose never went away. While supported by some pleasant notes of herbs and earth, the fruit never emerged from the background to round this out. The "green" element, in my opinion, speaks to the quality of fruit and I am surprised that this vintage would have posed a difficulty for the producer. I don't think this bottle is going to get better either. Overall a nice bottle but I've had much better from this producer.
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9/12/2015 - Diane (LI) wrote:
This had the tightest cork I ever dealt with. I have had many Togni's and have never experienced the difficulty I had in extracting the cork. The wine, when first uncorked, was just plain weird. The fruit was muted and I tasted something metallic. After spending some time in the glass, the fruit began to emerge and I got cedar and tobacco, and delicious Bordeaux characteristics. It just kept getting better and better as dinner progressed. It turned into a superb wine, drinking at peak, and it didn't hurt that I was eating hand cut pasta with lamb and Tuscan kale at Kitchen a Bistro, where they welcome byo and don't charge corkage.
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8/30/2015 - Sonoma Duck Likes this wine: 92 Points
The tannins are finally resolved. A bit of lightening at the rim. Cedar and dark fruits. Excellent, I would drink this over the next three years.
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7/12/2015 - Meneley wrote:
Nice earthy notes and dried black berries. Holding well. LO
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11/22/2014 - mwanasheria Likes this wine: 93 Points
California treasures in an unexpected place (Fulda): Very nice bottle, very complete and round with tobacco, herbs, thyme.
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10/23/2014 - zoeldar wrote: 86 Points
Dang nabbit...this was a surprise, as my other Togni's have held up impressively. Not this bottle, perhaps speaks of the vintage. Nothing wrong, but nothing great, either. Fruit has mostly dissipated, along with tannins. Pleasant with a masterful steak dinner, but not the nuanced wow I was hoping for.
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5/17/2014 - Zweder wrote: 94 Points
Beautifully perfumed bouquet with graphite, cedar, smoke and a touch of pleasant barnyard. On the palate beautiful ripe dark forest fruits, good herbs and spices, sweet licorice, chocolate, elegant fresh acidity and beautifully soft tannin. A beautiful and refined wine. Ready now and with a great future. Pity this was my last bottle.
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1/4/2014 - ipp wrote: 90 Points
great bottle bouquet out of bottle. Very well balanced. soft tannins. not a lot of fruit. A bit disappointing.
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12/23/2013 - mychurch wrote: 93 Points
Essence of blackcurrent. Round and seamless. No secondary development though and I presume that is still to come.
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12/17/2013 - charleshetzel wrote: 100 Points
Our WOTN last weekend - opened it for 2.5-3.0 hours plus - decanted - huge wine on the palate up front, lovely berry fragrances, delightfully purple color, a 60 second finish on this wine. It still has 10+ years left on it. Cellar it and try it again in 2018!
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8/21/2013 - Amerique wrote: 93 Points
Initially rather closed but slowly open up. Previous notes apply. Wasn't as impressed with the expansiveness of multi-layered flavors and purity of fruit. Still, excellent wine
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7/24/2013 - Vinotas wrote:
(from mag) Oooh, this could renew my faith in CA Cabs... Very Bordeaux-esque (OK, let the flames fly), with tobacco, olive, and earth wrapped in a blanket of blue and red fruits, with a very gentle dusting of chocolate powder, and a slightly soft, gently rounded mouthfeel that wasn't as lean as a Bordeaux would be. Tannins were fully integrated into the wine, and the finish was mid-length at best. But absolutely lovely with my meal of Marrakesh-spiced steak, red pepper couscous, carrot, cumin and cilantro. A gorgeous match, and a lovely wine.
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6/2/2013 - Mr.Overhill wrote: 93 Points
Quite muted at first, especially on the mid palate and finish, but after being open for about five hours it had its burlesque on. On the nose a nice bittersweet chocolate and rosemary meets lavender kind of melange, but to be honest, the nose never really blew me away - it was quite subdued. The body and flavor was altogether different, especially the "figgy pudding" flavor that started to replace the cigar wrapper after about three hours. It was then that the midpalate got really interesting and made me thankful that I had opened this baby up. Unfortunately, the ribs that were to go with this beauty were overdone, but the wine was so fulfilling I was glad I popped it. It's still young though - ten plus years of life at the minimum & a borderline classic rating at this time.
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3/28/2013 - klausner1 wrote: 95 Points
16 years young and still inky and unctuous. Rich, almost chewy. Beautiful mid-palate full of ripe darkish fruits. Like a chocolate covered raspberry. Velvety, long finish. Balanced and certainly not over the top. Stunning.
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11/3/2012 - Bgoad72 wrote: 85 Points
On its way out. Wasn't much fruit to this left
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10/8/2012 - Jeff Leve wrote: 92 Points
Full bodied, concentrated and packed with truffle, tobacco, olives and cassis, the wine ends with fresh cassis and cherries. There is no danger of this quickly fading away, but I am not sure there is much to be gained by further aging.
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7/6/2012 - jkoenen wrote: flawed
Tour de Bordeaux @ David's (Netherlands): Big Time Bummer. Brought this bottle to convince my mates and convert them to the wines of Togni. But that didn't work out.
Corked.
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6/3/2012 - JSOL wrote: 93 Points
Dark but quite thin and rusty at the edge. Very smooth and elegant, not very Bordeaux-like at all. Perfumed and quite feminine. Intense mid-palate, very fruity, quite sweet. Cedar, menthol and pepper notes lurk beneath the surface. Structured despite lack of tannins. Intriguing and moreish.
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4/25/2012 - Amerique wrote: 94 Points
Delicious Spring Mtn Cabernet, previous tasting notes apply, lots of life yet still in this wine
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4/2/2012 - dcwino wrote: 95 Points
GJE CRD 2008 and EP 2011; 3/29/2012-4/4/2012 (Bordeaux, France): Big monster of wine, dark fruits, black, lead pencil, licorice, cedar and earth. Silky palate but very structured.
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2/26/2012 - UTPK wrote:
Very dark and primary colour. Lovely open nose with dark notes, blueberries, some herbal tones and altogether very Bordeuxlike. Not much secondary aromas yet, but definitely in its early drinking window. Lovely maturity on the palate. Good balance and cleary more sweet than a 15 years old Bordeaux would have been. Tannins still present but quite soft and mellow. Medium finish, not as long and persistent as the 1991. Must wait at least 10 years until I drink the last bottle!
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11/6/2011 - JPF16 wrote: 94 Points
Still lots of room to grow; very big in every way with a really nice mid-palate and smooth finish.
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11/5/2011 - Capybara562 wrote: 92 Points
Two bottles; these were definitely in better shape than the Dunn Howell Mtn (also '97), and matched up well with grilled tri-top and molten chocolate cake.
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10/18/2011 - raginbajan wrote: 93 Points
Despite Togni's much higher elevation from the Napa floor, the ripeness of the vintage distinctively shows through . Lush, ripe and enjoyable. However, I prefer other vintages of Togni, such as the 2001 vintage.
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9/22/2011 - pkatz wrote: 94 Points
Maturing but still quite youthful. Great fruit flavors, but also some backbone. As usual a cross between CA and Bdx.
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7/8/2011 - steinersing wrote: 97 Points
1997 Napa Cabs: Powerful, complex. Still lots of tannins, even four hours after opening still clear that this will a lot more time. Rich wine, almost like a Latour.
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5/7/2011 - PeterH wrote: 94 Points
Pretty much exactly what you want in a well-aged well-made calif cab..
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5/3/2011 - celk wrote: 90 Points
Mid-week American Fix (Jade Palace): Savory, meaty, sour cherries layered with tobacco and tar. Reminds me of an earthy cigar.
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4/18/2011 - Jody Smith wrote:
I haven't followed this wine since release, so can't comment on it's evolution. At this moment in time, it seems fully evolved. This has shed a load of tannin and tartrate, yet remains quite structured and acidic. Secondary notes of saddle leather and soil dominate, with what remains of the red cherry fruit playing a supporting role. This reminds me of a classically styled right bank wine as there is an herbaceous, cab franc like streak running through the finish.
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3/17/2011 - Christoffer78 wrote: 96 Points
(Tasted in a flight with 1997 Von Strasser Cabernet Sauvignon, 1997 Seavey Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon and 1997 Harlan Estate.) Astonishing wine. Totally delicious and utterly elegant. I love Philip Togni's efforts. This wine is actually very flattering and perfectly integrated. It is 14 years old but still shows such an outspoken youth. The fruit is amazing and in combination with perfect balance and good acidity this is a tremendous effort. It will last for many more years and probably continue to develop into an even greater beauty. Highly recommended. (Score is 96-97)
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3/12/2011 - Zweder wrote: 95 Points
See also my previous notes. Really a great wine with a somewhat classical Bdx style. I love it. Smooth and ready now, but it can last for at least another 5 years.
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3/12/2011 - jkoenen wrote: 96 Points
Dreamtasting #2 (Restaurant de Watermolen, Kasterlee): (*) Unbelievably soft and well integrated wine. Lot of play going on. Different kind of nuances duck, lurk and emerge all the time. Very classical in its feel and presentation. Fantastic focus and precision. Cigarbox, cassis, cedar, velvety mouthfeel and fabulously long and complex. Great now and potential for 10 years in the cellar. My guess: Left Bank Bordeaux 98? 19/20
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1/30/2011 - shaferguy91 wrote: 92 Points
Decanted 1 hour.
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11/19/2010 - Winecigar wrote: 95 Points
Still drinking very nicely. Smooth. Little to no traces of tannin. Still very fruit forward. Pleased I still have three bottles left.
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11/5/2010 - WildeMeeuw wrote: 83 Points
1997 Philip Togni Cabernet Sauvignon (USA, California, Napa Valley, Spring Mountain District) Kleur: Diep opaque donkerrood Aroma / bouquet: In eerste instantie gesloten, vooral tertiaire tonen, beetje animaal. Ook na beluchting verandert er niets aan. Flesfout? Smaak / Afdronk: Volle, krachtige en rijpe aanzet. Friszuur, zeer geconcentreerd maar verfijnd. Een bek vol, maar mist de complexiteit die ik eerder heb geproefd. Enorm lange afdronk. Algemeen / potentieel: Vreemd glas. Nauwelijks aroma, prima vulling. Maar niet wat het hoort te zijn. 50 + Kleur: 5 + Aroma / bouquet: 8 + Smaak / Afdronk: 13 + Algemeen / potentieel: 7 = 83/100
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10/24/2010 - GSW wrote: 95 Points
A wonderful example of The Togni family's careful hand. Thoroughly enjoyable and still quite youthful. Should be about perfect in 3-4 more years.
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9/26/2010 - Amerique wrote: 94 Points
Beautiful wine, drinking very well, still has much life in it.
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7/31/2010 - Tree512 wrote: 89 Points
Still closed, herbal notes along with the cab. Too much mint and eucalyptus, not enough fruit. It still might evolve into what I would like it to be, but not enough fruit to be a great Cal Cab and not enough interesting complexity to challenge where Bordeaux can go. Disappointing.
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5/28/2010 - JPF16 wrote: 96 Points
Entering the sweet zone with plenty ahead
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4/14/2010 - JPF16 wrote: 94 Points
Lots of discussion about this wine, people either love it or hate it. Maybe there is bottle variation. My last bottle of Togni (not the 97) was a flop, I was expecting great things and the wine just never got there, nothing to spit out but nothing where I was looking for more either. Odd thing was I pulled this because it was easy to get to in my cellar... anyway to the wine. The nose was full, not explosive but very full. Cherries and some small secondaries of cigar box and leather just making a small bid on the nose. The mouth was very full, and balanced.Nice silky tannins that led to a 30-45 second finish. This is more along the lines of what I expected... still has lots of life left but not much upside...
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4/2/2010 - ricknat1 wrote: 94 Points
Great nose, but the tannins are still overwhelming the fruit after two hours of air. We will leave out and see if it gets better.
We capped this overnight and opened for 8 hours the next day and drank with warm chocolate cake. It was delicious. The verdict, a great wine, but way too early.
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2/6/2010 - tbabes wrote: 90 Points
I don't care what RP says, the '97 Togni is not at the same high level of quality as their wines from the early part of the decade. A relatively foursquare bouquet, with solid (but uninspiring) characteristics on the palate. The '92 and '93 are head and shoulder above the '97!
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2/6/2010 - jtw1969 wrote: 90 Points
Classic Togni - However it is much lighter than I would have expected.
Well integrated tannins... Should be consumed over the next 2-3 years...
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1/31/2010 - wineismylife wrote: 92 Points
WIML92
HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO ME! LOL!
Opened and decanted for one hour before serving. Followed over the next two hours. Dark garnet color in the glass, clear hue throughout. Nose of potpourri, soap stone, thatch and mixed red fruits. Flavors of red berries, red cherries, raspberries and a bit of sweet tarts on the finish. Medium to bright acidity, medium tannins, medium to full bodied. Drink or hold.
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1/29/2010 - WildeMeeuw wrote: 94 Points
1997 Philip Togni (USA, California, Napa Valley, Spring Mountain District) Kleur: Diep en ondoorzichtig donkerrood Aroma / bouquet: Uitgesproken, opvallende fruitexpressie, typerende zwart-fruit Cabernet-tonen als cassis en paprika, tertiair: paddestoelen, cederhout, opvallend gebrand, mokka / bittere chocola (aroma's die met de duur van de beluchting steeds dominanter worden) Smaak / Afdronk: Dik-sappig en geconcentreerd, enorme 'bek vol' en daarmee in deze line-up (Verticaal Mouton-Rothschild) toch wel opvallend nieuwe werelds, ook door zijn alcoholgehalte. Algemeen / potentieel: Togni - en vooral dit jaar - blijft geweldig. 50 + Kleur: 5 + Aroma / bouquet: 13 + Smaak / Afdronk: 17 + Algemeen / potentieel: 9 = 94/100
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1/24/2010 - Mozelrider wrote: 98 Points
Outstanding
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12/26/2009 - etirer wrote: 97 Points
Delicious amazing cab with so much going on. It tasted fabulous the first day but without vacumvin, simply left in decanter for a day, it opened up wonderfully the second night with full fruit wrapped in sliky smooth tanin. I suspect this wine continues to evolve despite already being 12 years old.
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11/23/2009 - cpoulos wrote: 94 Points
I opened this way too young. At age 12, this smells like a 3 or 4 year old wine. Cassis, black truffle, baking spice, slight pyrazine quality that blew off with air, with superb length and palate presence. Classic Spring mountain Cabernet. Imagine power with delicacy - instead of blackberry jam and 16% abv. If I had another bottle (stored perfectly), I would wait until 2014 before cracking it.
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11/8/2009 - tbabes wrote: 88 Points
This wine has been consistently unimpressive on the 3 most recent occasions that I have tasted it. All the bottles have had fills into the neck, with no evidence of heat damage. Boquet of earth, dry aged steak, dark fruits and a hint of tree bark. Medium bodied, with too much structure and not enough fruit; very high-toned for Togni. I greatly prefer the '98 and '00, which have received considerably less praise from RP. How he rated this 98 points is beyond me!
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11/6/2009 - KeithAkers wrote: 92 Points
Cabernet Smackdown (Steve T's, Vernon Hills IL): nose: real nice smokey backdrop on the nose with well balanced and pungent tones of dark red cherries, tobacco, cranberries, along with red and black currants. Real good depth with a nice expression on the nose too
taste: real good tannins show off the youth of the wine with a real well balanced full bodied feel and tones of leather, red and black currants, tobacco, cranberries, and dark red cherries. Excellent depth and comes off quite young
overall: This has a real long life ahead of it. Seems to be just getting out of diapers but not fully ready for primetime. Really well balanced with a real good nose and tones on the palate, this is another wine that would've probably showed a bit better in a smaller environment
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10/26/2009 - dbkitc wrote: 84 Points
True garnet – amazing how similar (and youthful) the colors of the wines are tonight. Interesting nose – red fruit, herbs, popcorn and graham crackers. Lots of tobacco on the disjoined palate. Weird. (84+?)
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7/5/2009 - WildeMeeuw wrote: 97 Points
1997 Philip Togni Cabernet Sauvignon (USA, California, Napa Valley, Spring Mountain District) Kleur: Diep, geconcentreerd ronkerrood Aroma / bouquet: Expressief en complex. Eerste indruk wordt bepaald door rijp donker fruit, vooral zwarte bes. Verder paprika, cederhout, nootmuskaat, zwarte peper. Na enige tijd bittere chocola en mokka, Smaak / Afdronk: Vol, zwaar en krachtig. Krachtige maar aangename zuren bepalen de aanzet, boordevol krachtige maar mooi rijpe tannines met een aangename bitter. Enorme lengte.
Zoals Parker beschrijft: de expressie van Napa Valley maar de structuur van een klassieke Bordeaux. Algemeen / potentieel: Wijn staat na 12 jaar nog volledig overeind, is op dit moment al werkelijk prachtig om te drinken maar kan nog vele jaren mee. 50 + Kleur: 5 + Aroma / bouquet: 13 + Smaak / Afdronk: 19 + Algemeen / potentieel: 10 = 97/100
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6/29/2009 - Zweder wrote: 93 Points
Occasional tasting group: A mixed set; mostly Bordeaux (blends). (@ PVa): As previous notes; a very complete wine with everything in its place. However, normally this gives me a wow! Feeling, but not this time. Well, 93 is still a great wine!
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5/8/2009 - Amerique wrote: 95 Points
Beautiful, elegant, very forward nose and full-bodied black cherry fruit with cassis, slightly meaty, sauvage, and cedar flavors, long finish, terrific structure and balance
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5/2/2009 - sbeeks wrote: 95 Points
Took to Nick and Jill's house for dinner to enjoy along wtih Nick's fantastic Lobel's steaks. Loved it, even though it appears I am giving it a lower score than Nick. Decanted for 4 hours. Great balance, similar to the best of Bordeaux. Elegant wine with a supple, subtle level of fruit. Made to be aged. Has many years left in it. Looking forward to the other bottles, but will give them a few years to see how it continues to develop.
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5/2/2009 - nvandyk wrote: 97 Points
Brought by Steve for our dinner tonight with the wives. This is a fantastic wine. We decanted for four hours and it was worth it. Reminded me of a Leoville Barton in the best possible year. There is no California producer that makes a more Bordeaux-styled wine. Utterly brilliant.
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4/24/2009 - tbabes wrote: 88 Points
The fill was into the neck and the cork was sound. Youthful appearance, with an opaque purple core that turns to ruby at the rim. An intense bouquet, with over the top aromas of dry-aged beef (along the lines of a 56-day Flannery special), hints of anise, tapenade and spice. I'm all for dry-aged beef on my plate, but it was a bit much in my glass! It did not blow off over the course of the evening, however it did improve over the next several days. Full bodied with good structure and fine concentration. I'm a huge fan of Togni's wines, but this was my second mediocre experience in a row with the '97.
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4/21/2009 - Zweder wrote: 94 Points
Beautiful expressive bouquet with good cherries and raspberries and pleasant oak. Full bodied, soft, round and elegant. Still primary fruits. Soft bitterness. Mature and youthful at the same time. Great wine.
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1/2/2009 - Ibetian wrote: 94 Points
First of four, opened about 90 minutes before dinner and not decanted. Very dark red. At first oak on the nose, but that faded and dark cherries and chocolate dominated, with perhaps a hint of red meat juices. Just a bit of tannic bitterness at first, but that also faded quickly, leaving a smoothe, balanced wine with a wonderful lingering finish. Plenty of time ahead for this wine, but to me it seems to be drinking just fine now.
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10/31/2008 - Claudio161 wrote: 92 Points
Preparation: Decanted into a duck decanter for 4 hours prior to consumption. Consumed from Waterford Gold Series cabernet glasses.
Sight: Still a young wine. High viscosity and not much in the way of bricking going on. Medium number of legs. Dark Purple and Dark Saturated Reds.
Nose: The nose was powerful and elegant but not revealing too much on fruit - but yet a very interesting wine. I came across lots of smokey oak and leached vanillins from toasted barrels. Fruits were there - but hanging in the background. Most black bush fruit compote and jam - but again not the up front smell. Some tar and chimney notes come along for the ride too.
Taste: Possibly young still? A mysteriously elegant wine that was not fruit forward. Smooth, well integrated, tannins still youthful, nice overall presentation on the attack, mid, and finish. I was expecting more fruit from this wine, but then I found myself only questioning it because my mind was telling me that I should be finding more fruit but my palate was telling me 'who cares?' becuase the wine was lovely notetheless.
Overall: A great wine that appears to still be young. Paired superbly with grilled rib eye. 92 Points.
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9/27/2008 - Zweder wrote: 94 Points
This remains one of my favourites. See my previous note. Soft, complex and powerful.
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6/28/2008 - buckeye76 wrote: 95 Points
BLACK CURRANTS AND BLACK CHERRIES IN THE NOSE AND FLAVOR. NICE COMPLEXITY AND A VERY LONG FINISH.
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6/1/2008 - Zweder wrote: 95 Points
A lot of barnyard and stable smells and toasted oak in the bouquet. Full bodied but not overconcentrated/extracted. Very elegant with good juice, acidity and bitterness. Good soft but firm tannin. Very long aftertaste. This wine is still so youthful.
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5/27/2008 - tbabes wrote: 89 Points
Drank with Tony and Lisa, at their home, Memorial Day BBQ. I've had better bottles of the '97 Togni, and I am a big fan of his wines, but this particular bottle just didn't live up to my expectations. Still looks like a 3-year old wine, with a dark purple core and not even a hint of amber at the edge. A fairly fruit-forward bouquet for Tongi -- I usually associate his wines with a distinctive creosote and tapenade character, in addition to the lovely black fruits -- but this was all dark fruits and licorice. A little disappointing on the palate, although it was promising on the attack, with a full-bodied character, lush mouthfeel and round tannins. The finish left me scratching my head -- a bit flabby and unfocused, with a just a hint of a "stewed" note lingering on the finish. Don't get me wrong, this was a good wine, but this bottle reminded me of Togni's 1993, which has never particularly blown me away. In my experience, the 1997 is usually on par with the 1990 and 1992, which are both 96-point wines in my book.
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3/29/2008 - jkoenen wrote: 98 Points
California tasting @ Restaurant Savelberg (Netherlands): Sturdy, outdoorsy nuances, also iodine, black cherries, ink, mocca and balsamico. Extremely seductive and interesting. The pinnacle of balance and harmony. What an impressive ripeness and complexity. Lecherous, young and graceful. Hard to find the right words. This one sent shivers down my spine! Out of this world wine. 19.5/20
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12/25/2007 - Blue Oval wrote: 95 Points
Decanted 3 hours. To be matched w/ horseradish-and-herb crusted beef rib roast. Not giving much in the decanter. On the nose, tobacco, cassis and smoke. Across the palate seamless cigarbox, minerals and herbs w/ a nice tannic backbone. OK to hold longer...no worries!
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12/20/2007 - moutondoc wrote: 95 Points
I agree with the previous descriptions, this wine was served blind and thought to be an older bordeaux from a great vintage!
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8/31/2007 - mappleton wrote:
Very rich and lush mouthfeel. Opened and poured fairly late and it was showing a lot better than I would've guessed. Plenty of stuffing to go on and on here but not at all too young to drink.
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8/3/2007 - Alpine wrote: 93 Points
Drank one night in Beaver Creek with Ann & Gonz. Very good bottle.
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6/2/2007 - kevin h wrote: 89 Points
A rather green nose with some red fruits and a bit of tar. More like a Bordeaux than a Napa cabernet in style. To taste, also a bit green, good red fruit presence, some flesh and a bit of tar again. However this was ultimately a bit lean and dry with some tannin. A St Estephe copy?
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3/11/2007 - Quinn_cab wrote: flawed
corked
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10/5/2006 - moutondoc wrote: 95 Points
Opened up for one hour. Beautiful nose, kirsch cherry and black currant. Tastes like an old world wine. Tons of sediment. Very well made wine that could probably last another 10 years!
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9/4/2006 - jmd60611 wrote: 94 Points
A very fine wine, decanted for two hours and drank over the next two...Great nose, big primary fruit burst on the front end, slightly weaker at the mid point with an excellent finish, we loved the wine but wish that we had waited two to three years for it to evolve a tad more roundness, which I think it will
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2/23/2006 - jhngo wrote: 87 Points
Somewhat overly sweet wine with too ripe berries on the palate. Tannins were not structured and left little in the finish. A good easy drinking wine for beginners.
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5/3/2005 - jhngo wrote: 90 Points
Opened with very little time for it to breath. Good strong fruity nose. Had the warmth of a typical cabernet but with a very fleeting finish. Not expressive or impressive.
Corked half of it and stored for a night. Once reopened, nose had developed many interesting nuances. It was of old fruit and brown sugar. The finish was well anticipated but very disappointing. Very flat leathery finish with a little bitterness chasing it. After a minute or so the fruit does come out a little bit. Maybe not the night for this wine but will give my last bottle a chance to make it up.
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4/8/2004 - RScholl wrote:
Opened and decanted for 1 hour. A moderate amount of sediment present. Beautiful dark, inky red color, slightly light on the edges. The nose was slightly herbal and minerally, but not in a bad way. The taste was somewhat closed to me and probably needed much more aeration. It was a little tannic, but not overtly astringent. There really was not much fruit flavor intitally. I did detect a slight hint of bell pepper. A little disappointing to my palate. That was the first night.
I poured the second half of the bottle into a 375 and put in wine fridge for 2 days. Here's where it got interesting to me. On the 3rd day after opening initially I decanted for about 2 hours. When I smelled it I thought I had poured a different wine. It was wonderful. It smelled like port to me with a hint of raisin and brown sugar. The taste was even better. Blackberry liquer, chocolate and plums lept out. Great rich fruit but extremely well-balanced and very supple and soft. One of the smoothest wines I've experienced. I'm glad I have 2 bottles left. I wonder how long I should decant it now after first opening. At least 6 hours or more? Sorry for the long TN.
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11/17/2002 - ipp wrote: 94 Points
ecanted 45 minutes ... excellent nose of coffee and dark fruit ... soft and supple, but built to last ... very flavorful
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