This is balanced and still fresh with nice aged flavors of dried berries and earthy leathers along with a hint of mint. Rather lean at this point but with a fine density although it was over-shadowed by the ‘77 Ridge Montebello alongside. At Daniel game dinner.
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Great old Cali Cab, with fantastic bouquet that ranges from cassis to leather and a touch of mint, very complex and near perfect maturity and balance. Would be exceptional with a slightly longer and smooth finish, some dryness developing in the finish.
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1977 Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley – Huge nose from the start with layers of sweet black berries, spicy cedar, tobacco, anise, earth and leather. Lots of fruit on the palate. Sweet black fruit, cherry, cassis, earth, leather, anise, cedar, tobacco leading to a long smooth, silky smokey finish. Still very youthful, but awesome tonight, may improve with age.
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Another Saturday at Knightsbridge - mostly blind (Northbrook, IL): Tasted double blind. Red and black fruit on nose with very good earthy aromas in back. Good power but very elegant. Palate much more black fruit driven with wonderful concentration, easy to mistake for Bordeaux. Very balanced and well textured.
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classic Montelena with cedar, pencil lead, and sweet red fruits. A bit of age on it, actually opened up a bit with air but had a tad of rust going on. Still owrth the gamble to buy it and it was a fun wine to drink.
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No formal notes as tasted at a friend's house. However really impressive complexity and balance. Not archetypal Cab Sav IMO (I would have guessed at Merlot being a major component), nor indeed archetypal Napa (the blind guess of 'super tuscan' being a particularly intelligent guess to my mind). A genuinely fine wine and still some residual tannins and a sound balance, that suggests it might still have some years ahead of it.
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1977 Montelena starts with tobacco, earth, cassis and spice aromas. Full bodied and filled with chewy cassis and coca flavors. This powerful, old school California Cab still has a lot to offer. 93 Pts
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Shared this gem with an old friend, the owner of Tulocay Winery in Napa, Bill Cadman. Breathe for 30 Minutes while we enjoyed one of his beautiful fruity Pinots, a bold 1988 Cab. Very slight tannin remained. Perfect raspberry and melon nose we could have enjoyed all evening. Bill has been a winemaker in Napa since the 1970's and agreed that this was one of the best examples of a 30+ year old Cali Cab. 4 bottles left to sell or enjoy over the next year.
The wine looks Garnet colored. The legs are Slow. It smells like Raspberry, Honeydew, Melon, and Vanilla. It tastes like Raspberry, Blackberry, Cherry, Honeydew, Melon, and Oak. The body is Medium/Full. The wine is textured Polished. The wine finishes Long.
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Bought at auction and was DOA...cork was very brittle, and despite a hint of greatness on the nose, the wine was almost vinegar. Obviously poor storage. Down the drain for this one.
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Chateau Montelena Estate Cabernet Tasting (Cafe Mangal, MA): Generously brought by Albert, this bottle was in immaculate condition - we were all begging for his source by the end of the night. Decanted for sediment just prior to drinking. I feel this was best about 30-45 minutes after opening. Spice and a mineral aspect was interspersed amongst the fruit - developed a very Bordeaux-like cedar note with air. I kept some of my glass until towards the end of the night, and the fruit had started to fade out, giving way to the cedar and earthy notes. Just a pleasurable wine that kicked off the night. WOTN and WOTF
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Tasted at vertical Chateau Montelena tasting at the home of Amy Weinberg. Bright disc. Garnet robe with orange rim. Clean nose, showing strong clove and moderately intense earth, spice and prune. Medium-bodied on the palate, with melted tannins and similar flavors as for the nose. Long, smooth, clove-laden finish. Drink up.
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2/27/2020 - DaleW wrote:
Cassis and earth, mature, really good. B+
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12/22/2018 - dream Likes this wine: 90 Points
This is balanced and still fresh with nice aged flavors of dried berries and earthy leathers along with a hint of mint. Rather lean at this point but with a fine density although it was over-shadowed by the ‘77 Ridge Montebello alongside. At Daniel game dinner.
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11/12/2016 - Burgundy Al wrote: 89 Points
Heritage 2016 Blind Wine Tasting Challenge - BYO Dinner (Jean Georges Steakhouse - ARIA - Las Vegas NV): Small glass, brief note. Fully mature black fruit, lots of earth. Good spice on palate. slightly dirty finish to me. I liked this wine tonight, while some others liked it a lot more.
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11/18/2015 - MRichman wrote:
Dinner in NYC (Gander): Bright, clean, a bit more simple than Heitz, lacks the depth. This wine is all about the fruit.
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6/17/2015 - dmalcolm wrote:
Vibrant dark fruit aromas. Medium to full bodied with supple dark fruits, tobacco, earth, rust/blood and a touch of mint. Holding up well.
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5/20/2014 - kkazaks wrote:
From a tasting last winter. Most structured of the 77's, opens with time. Cherries.
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1/10/2014 - Flavito wrote: 94 Points
Great old Cali Cab, with fantastic bouquet that ranges from cassis to leather and a touch of mint, very complex and near perfect maturity and balance. Would be exceptional with a slightly longer and smooth finish, some dryness developing in the finish.
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11/17/2013 - gharter Likes this wine: 92 Points
1977 Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley – Huge nose from the start with layers of sweet black berries, spicy cedar, tobacco, anise, earth and leather. Lots of fruit on the palate. Sweet black fruit, cherry, cassis, earth, leather, anise, cedar, tobacco leading to a long smooth, silky smokey finish. Still very youthful, but awesome tonight, may improve with age.
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3/16/2013 - Burgundy Al wrote: 90 Points
Another Saturday at Knightsbridge - mostly blind (Northbrook, IL): Tasted double blind. Mature black fruit with moderate density and length. Not at the same level as another bottle tasted blind a year ago.
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1/21/2012 - Burgundy Al wrote: 93 Points
Another Saturday at Knightsbridge - mostly blind (Northbrook, IL): Tasted double blind. Red and black fruit on nose with very good earthy aromas in back. Good power but very elegant. Palate much more black fruit driven with wonderful concentration, easy to mistake for Bordeaux. Very balanced and well textured.
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4/27/2011 - zimmy07 wrote:
classic Montelena with cedar, pencil lead, and sweet red fruits. A bit of age on it, actually opened up a bit with air but had a tad of rust going on. Still owrth the gamble to buy it and it was a fun wine to drink.
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4/2/2011 - Ian S wrote:
No formal notes as tasted at a friend's house.
However really impressive complexity and balance. Not archetypal Cab Sav IMO (I would have guessed at Merlot being a major component), nor indeed archetypal Napa (the blind guess of 'super tuscan' being a particularly intelligent guess to my mind).
A genuinely fine wine and still some residual tannins and a sound balance, that suggests it might still have some years ahead of it.
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10/17/2010 - Jeff Leve wrote: 93 Points
1977 Montelena starts with tobacco, earth, cassis and spice aromas. Full bodied and filled with chewy cassis and coca flavors. This powerful, old school California Cab still has a lot to offer. 93 Pts
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7/1/2010 - dmasotti Likes this wine: 98 Points
Shared this gem with an old friend, the owner of Tulocay Winery in Napa, Bill Cadman. Breathe for 30 Minutes while we enjoyed one of his beautiful fruity Pinots, a bold 1988 Cab. Very slight tannin remained. Perfect raspberry and melon nose we could have enjoyed all evening. Bill has been a winemaker in Napa since the 1970's and agreed that this was one of the best examples of a 30+ year old Cali Cab. 4 bottles left to sell or enjoy over the next year.
The wine looks Garnet colored.
The legs are Slow.
It smells like Raspberry, Honeydew, Melon, and Vanilla.
It tastes like Raspberry, Blackberry, Cherry, Honeydew, Melon, and Oak.
The body is Medium/Full.
The wine is textured Polished.
The wine finishes Long.
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2/15/2010 - Wil wrote: flawed
Bought at auction and was DOA...cork was very brittle, and despite a hint of greatness on the nose, the wine was almost vinegar. Obviously poor storage. Down the drain for this one.
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10/20/2009 - spotaha wrote: 94 Points
Great bottle. Not nearly at its peak.
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8/27/2009 - davergny wrote: 93 Points
Rich cabernet fruit, nutmeg aromas. Same on the palate, still some bold tannins, very long finish. Excellent!
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9/13/2007 - spacewrangler wrote:
Chateau Montelena Estate Cabernet Tasting (Cafe Mangal, MA): Generously brought by Albert, this bottle was in immaculate condition - we were all begging for his source by the end of the night. Decanted for sediment just prior to drinking. I feel this was best about 30-45 minutes after opening. Spice and a mineral aspect was interspersed amongst the fruit - developed a very Bordeaux-like cedar note with air. I kept some of my glass until towards the end of the night, and the fruit had started to fade out, giving way to the cedar and earthy notes. Just a pleasurable wine that kicked off the night. WOTN and WOTF
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9/7/2007 - rjonwine@gmail.com wrote: 93 Points
Impromptu OL: Old Cabs and Other Treats (Yquem, Montrachet, Hugel, Aubert) (231 Ellsworth Restaurant, San Mateo, California): Rich gravy and black truffle nose; tasty, black fruit and rich porcini mushroom palate; medium-plus finish 93+ pts.
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11/3/2002 - La Cave d'Argent wrote: 85 Points
Tasted at vertical Chateau Montelena tasting at the home of Amy Weinberg. Bright disc. Garnet robe with orange rim. Clean nose, showing strong clove and moderately intense earth, spice and prune. Medium-bodied on the palate, with melted tannins and similar flavors as for the nose. Long, smooth, clove-laden finish. Drink up.
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