23x California 1974: Do the legendary 1974s still hold up? The answer is a resounding YES, and not just for one or two top wines, but across the board. These best wines showed incredible complexity, with still vibrant fruit cores perfectly complemented by layers upon layers of tertiary aromas, a fully intact structural frame, stature, poise, and freshness. While many of these wines should continue to age well, I don't expect them to get any better than they are now. The top wines in the tasting were the Mondavi Cabernet and the Phelps Insignia (both 97pts), the Mondavi Reserve and the Mount Eden (both 96pts), and the Ridge Monte Bello (95pts). Many more wines scored in the 90-94 point range. I'm convinced that many wines would have scored even higher in a different tasting setting, where you can follow the wine over the course of an evening. Only 5 of the 24 bottles showed signs of weakness, with 1 of those already oxidized, but given the substance that could be tasted underneath, this is more likely due to weak corks or poor storage than anything nature delivered this year. All the wines had very good fill levels and had been quickly double decanted before tasting to remove the sediment.
TN: The wine starts with a compelling bouquet of mint, old leather, and dark berries that still bursts with freshness. The palate is a tapestry of malty nuances interwoven with classic notes of dark berries, leather, and tobacco. This vintage is gracefully entering its final stages without any signs of decline, continuously unfolding in complexity, drawing out more mint, which adds to the freshness, and malt with time. A superb wine from and A to Z and a testament to that great vintage and this winery.
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Dinner at Ember with Brian and Rosemany Talley and friends (Arroyo Grande, CA): Dinner with Brian and Rosemary Talley and friends at Ember. I brought three different '74 Napa cabs for my birthday celebration that evening. This bottle was a bit past peak but was very nice. At PNP it was an 89 for me but it actually improved in the glass a bit so my end rating was 90. Brad - heavypourwine.com
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A 1974 Napa Retrospective (Zunfthaus zur Waag Zürich): This was another example, that the "regular" Napa cab is not much behind the Reserve bottling. Red berries, some tobacco, great balance and very clear red fruit.
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N: Cherries with notes of toast & some unparsables, smoke coming on with swirling, & a VERY slight bit of mustiness, which I believe all felt to be a positive rather than negative
P: LM body; Rndish entry with NICE, almost swtish frt met by an acidity which never even remotely loses contact with the frt as it SEAMLESSLY transitions into an incredibly LONG, impeccably BALANCED finish. Tannins are TOTALLY resolved, the wine's acidity allowing it to still work with food. (I tried it with Mashed Potatoes, Sauteed Mushrooms, & Sauteed Spinach, it being somewhat better with the Mashed Potatoes than the other 2.) Drinking PERFECTLY right now, & since I'd doubt improvement, no need to hold, though the consensus seemed to be it would probably last into '25. 12% ABV; My Exceptional- (96,97/100 using that metric), & that MAY be conservative! 😉 92+ pts RJonWine, 92 John Gilman (4x, Sep/Oct '17 the most recent), & 19.5/20 Jancis Robinson (Hunt, 10/31/12), the highest scoring wine from that publication I've ever actually TASTED.
What a pleasant surprise - still very vigorous with a muscular black-fruited nose, pencil, rich black earth, and nuances of Christmas spice and mint. Lovely presence on the palate, too. This is certainly an impressive wine showcasing the uniqueness of Napa's influence on Cabernet Sauvignon - classic, but a touch riper and rounder than Bordeaux. Wonderful.
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Nose: Magnificent nose that delivers black cherry, leather cedar, gorgeous green pepper and tobacco. Palate: Rangy and beautifully poised. Elegant palate feel, mint, cherry, blackberries, leather and slight underbrush note. Finish: long cedary finish that still show bright black cherry notes.
This is 70s California at its best, from a transformative era in Napa winemaking. Should note that the beautifully clear ruby / amethyst color of this wine was an early indicator of a perfect bottle. The perfume from the decanter was mesmerizing.
Drank over 4 hours. Lovely aromatic nose. Still bright. Had a rotten wood finish at first but it blew off. Some sweet meyerlemon. Tea. Smooth round palate. Candy ish at the 4 hour mark. Really a beautiful wine. Worth spending time contemplating.
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Beautiful smokey and cedar nose jumps from the glass. Amazing level of freshness and acidity left for a 46 year old Californian. Mature and complex blackberry melange. Long lingering finish. Body feels weightless but the flavors are very intense. Gorgeous!
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N: INITIAL funk but with notes of blood & earth underneath, ripe berries & definitely pyrazines (bell peppers?) also underneath; Over time, hints of bacon also emerg. The funk popped in & out with addt'l swirling/air, & was for me likely a +.
P: LM, poss Med, body; VERY *nice*, ALMOST swtish frt met by just a BIT of astringent pucker, though that bit IS initially (& but briefly) on the PUCKERISH side. The process stays within hailing distance of the init frt as it SEAMLESSLY evolves into a VERY LONG, BALANCED finish that is not at ALL "tired", & could EASILY accompany entrees. Consensus was that this SHOULD make its 50th without difficulty, & there was some speculation it will still be alive 'n kickin' ALL the way through the 2020s! [1 of the tasters had this previously, feeling his bottle was > swt & < "vegetal" than this one. The host later opined this bottle MAY have been somewhat < advanced, & that, in time, WOULD show > swtness.] Also, towards the very end there were multiple opinions that this bottle eventually showed a "mature", well integrated (unobjectionable) Brett on the N, which would explain the touch 'n go funkiness I described above. 12% ABV; My Exceptional-/Full Exceptional (96-100/100 using that metric). 92+ pts RJonWine, 92 John Gilman (4x, Sep/Oct '17 the most recent), & 19.5/20 Jancis Robinson (Hunt, 10/31/12), the highest scoring wine from that publication I've ever actually TASTED.
Bought for a song (relatively speaking, compared to auction and retail prices now) about a year ago. What a wonderful pleasure bomb! Mature notes of spicebox, earth, cedar, and dried cherries. Brilliantly smooth on the palate. Threw quite a bit of fine sediment in the bottom third, but not bitter or dry. Nice integrated acidity and fine finish.
Makes you appreciate again how wonderfully these old Napa cabs were made and how well they age, and would hold it's own in any lineup of the best mature wines from any region. Only downside was that I opened it for a dinner with family so we only had one glass each. Alas, great wine is meant to be shared I suppose. Anyone with well cellared bottles will be greatly rewarded, but I would drink now. Still has a hint of Napa fruit, and I don't think it will improve any further with aging.
Amazing that this one survived. Covered in white mold with a badly deteriorated label. The cork was soaked all the way to the edge, but did not appear to have leaked. Wine was in pristine shape with no evidence of oxidation. Certainly mature with menthol and leather notes. Slowly developed with some cherry and bright fruit notes.
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Gorgeous with a ~1 hour decant. Amazing sweet fruit mixed with tar, leather, and cigar notes. Palate is still fresh and vibrant. Held strong for over an hour. Terrific and impressive for the straight Cab bottling.
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Surprisingly terrific. Not sure I would have guessed it as California. It shows full tertiary maturity with cigar tobacco aromas and layers of flavor, but it also still has its fruit - fresh red fruits, even, though in a more wispy, gauzy presentation that gives it a nice transparency and a finessed texture too. Cork was in perfect shape, top half totally untouched by wine (or time), and color remains a robust cherry red with barely any bricking. Thanks to whomever cellared this so well.
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Classic mature nose, black fruits, earth and some strong herbaceous notes. Strong black fruits with deep earthy notes that is well balanced with the acidity. Integrated tannins, but still has structure. Not the most complex wine, but drinking really well. Will certainly hold on for a while.
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Held up amazingly well. We knew this was an experience. The cork was completely saturated. Refused the decanter, given that it is well aged. Color was brick. Thin fruits when opened. After 20 minutes in the glass had developed body. Developed for about an hour and it plateaued. Flavor never fell off.
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Amazing how young, fresh and vibrant this wine is at this age. Gorgeous smoke and graphite on the nose. Complex blackberry fruit with lots of tertiary flavors that go on and on. This is like liquid candy, can’t put it down.
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Wow! Massive nose of smoke and bacon. This is still remarkably sweet and fruity for a 44 year old wine. Cassis flavors. Medium body. Slightly cloudy dark orange color. Sensational.
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From a literally perfect looking bottle (and cork), this wine had a deep red center and orange rims. The medium intensity nose was attractive from the first pour and stayed that way. It was highly integrated, so it was hard to identify individual components. However, I detected cherries, rhubarb, tan spices, and red dust.
In the mouth, this wine was very refined and feminine. Sometimes you hear about Bordeaux wines where the concern is that the fruit will fade leaving the substantial structure exposed. This wine was the exact opposite. It had lovely refined fruit and complexity. However, there was essentially no tannin and only very light fine-grained acidity.
While this bottle left me wanting a bit more gravitas in the finish, it was certainly an enjoyable. This will not be getting better with time so drink ASAP.
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1974 California Tasting (Cafe Boulud): One of the best wines of the night. Really dense and saturated fruit. Loads of complexity and still a monumental wine despite its 43 years of age. 1974 Cali Cab tasting
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After 75 minutes decanting, this Reserve Cab showed a the nose which was quite fruity with dark fruit and maybe molasses. The body was full although soft and very well balanced with big legs and plenty of dark purple-red berries. The finish was long and lingering.
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Lightly watery rim leading to orange and garnet, medium-minus red at the core.
Prominent aroma of smoke. Some aromas of egg shell (sulphur), burnt toast, leather, blood orange, cedar, lightly bruleed caramel walnuts.
Honeyed red fruit (currants) shows on the attack, bolstered by well-integrated but still present tannins. Nice lingering finish with just enough acidity to keep the palate light, without getting to lip-smacking levels.
Not as much complexity or depth as some RMCS Reserves from the 1970s I have tasted, and not quite as wow as versions of this wine I have had some years ago, but still very, very fine.
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After such a long time, tannin was much reduced though there was still some left. It had a dusky, mature quality. There was an interesting fruity note in the background. My recollection is that this was never a massive cabernet. At this point, it is very pleasant drinking.
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Absolutely wonderful! Decanted at a restaurant for wife's birthday (her birth year) alongside 2005 St. Emilion (wedding year). Color was still deep, light nose of red fruits. Shared with the Sommelier and kitchen, the Somm indicated one of the best '74 he's tasted, calling it elegant. Lasted longer than I thought it would and over all I enjoyed it more then our French merlot. Can't wait to try some more of these to see how the other bottles held up.
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What a pleasant surprise, as others have noted, it is still going strong, but we found that it had to be finished within an hour. Popped and decanted, but very little sediment. Poured 5 minutes later, and it immediately revealed everything it had from the first sip. It opened up very very quickly. After 45 minutes, it was just starting to fade. Color was still remarkably red, and very little bricking on the edges. On the nose, classic cabernet smells, not a lot of wood, clean fruit, some aromatics of cedar and herb, the typical green pepper. On the palate, extraordinary balance, plenty of acid, bright fruit. Only thing marking it down was its medium body and its lower complexity than others that are top notch.
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Madison Offline 2015; 8/27/2015-8/29/2015: Consumed blind alongside several old Unicos. Cloudy but deep color, a surprisingly young shade of violet. Lovely balance, still packing fruit, though its earthy, tobacoo, and barnyard notes gave it away as the ringer in this lineup. This faded relatively quickly in the glass compared to the Unicos. One of the really pleasant surprises of this weekend.
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Throwndown in Madtown; 8/27/2015-8/29/2015 (Madison, WI): Called as the ringer in a blind tasting of Unico. Great nose of bright cherries and tobacco with hints of spice. On that palate great black cherry and black raspberry fruit profile along with pipe tobacco and hints of mint. Nice finish with decent balance. This fell apart at about the two hour mark, so drink them if you have them. This held its own in a lineup of big time wines.
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bottle inverted gently twice 1/2 hr.before serving and decanted with filter. This had good depth of fruit and still some grip on the tail. Minty/black cardamom and patchouli nuances. Impressive old bones!
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Decanted after standing for a few days in the cellar. Opened about an hour before pouring. It need another hour+ to fully evolve. A brilliant old-school CA Cab. Rusty, iron-like aroma with hints of ashy smoke. The tannins are fully resolved into a smooth, Bordeaux-like texture and the restrained fruit complemented by a savory, gamey tinge, this is a complete, balanced bottle. Unfortunately, CA cab is no longer made in this style.
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Sweet, earthy, dusty red fruit with good tartness. Still with some nice energy on the finish, with good length and intensity. Hat tip to Zelma Long for this long lived beauty.
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Drank this bottle at a small tasting and it was properly decanted. We did not leave it too long before serving not knowing how the wine would hold up once opened. The wine was sublime. It had a nice aroma from the start. The color was still good although it was showing some lightening. the taste was beautiful with a lot of mature fruit remaining and very smooth. There was no funk. The wine actually held up quite well over the course of the evening. Sadly, this was my last bottle. I bought this wine upon initial release and have stored it carefully (but not in a refrigerated environment). I can't believe how many bottles of this have been opened recently by CellarTracker reviewers. I agree with many of the other comments. This wine is a great example of the older Napa style. It is amazing how it has held up over the years and it is still a pleasure to drink.
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I really love this wine! There are other wines that are better, but this is just classic early Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon. They don't make them like this anymore, and it is a piece of California history. Still has good red currant fruit, even with the illusion of mild sweetness. Dried berries, tobacco, leather and a touch of menthol all show up. The tannins are so resolved. It has excellent presence from initial entry all the way through the finish - even keeled. It has refinement and elegance. The only minus, admittedly nitpicky, is a slight burnt/toast sensation, which in some wines is nice, but it kind of sticks out in this wine. Just an out of the world experience because wines aren't made in this style anymore. 12% alcohol and I'm pretty sure it is 100% Cabernet Sauvignon. Really enjoyed it.
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Last bottle from Dad's cellar and the best by far! Stewed fruits, florals, earth & cigar ash on the nose. Palate is delicious! Tons of cigar, cherries & currants, just a touch of spearmint, good sweetness, earthy & complex, savory texture. In the 3 hours before the wine started to fade, I kept finding different flavors, some more pronounced than others. No tannins left but good length and tasty finish. This bottle was rockin' tonight!
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Tastes youthful and vibrant with some sharp tannin. Otherwise, fairly typical old school cab with black currant, leather and anise notes. Good, long but slightly bitter finish. Enjoyable and impressive for what it is.
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Had this wine in honor of what would have been Robert Mondavi's 100th birthday.
Began the evening with a 2010 Mondavi Napa Valley Unoaked Chardonnay, one of the best chardonnays I've ever had. Crisp with notes of melon and green apple. Simply delicious. 92 points.
Main event of the evening was a "face-off" between a 1974 Mondavi Napa Valley Cabernet and the '74 Reserve Cab. Same vintage, maker, (essentially) grapes, but what a difference. The reserve was drinking well right out of the gate, with a richness of cherry, leather, and lead pencil notes. Very Bordeaux-like without the usual "terroir perfume" of 40-year old Left Bank wines. Maintained its fruit over the course of the two-hour dinner. 95 points.
The "regular" '74 was initially lean without much complexity, finally opening up after an hour or so, but never demonstrated the fullness or depth of the Reserve. That said, the color of this wine was virtually indistinguishable from its cousin, with just a slight tinge on brown surrounding an increasingly dark red core. 90 points.
Both reds were a testimony to the greatness of this legendary winemaker.
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Strong smoked cigar notes on the nose with hints of dried black fruits. Ash and licorice notes on the palette with dried fruits. Still very enjoyable for an almost 30 yr old Napa cab.
Tasted about 2 weeks ago - bottle 4 this year. All from same source, but this fourth bottle seemed a bit different than the 1st 3, all of which I would have rated over 90.
So, upon freshly opening, this was claret-like in its light-bodied, fresh red juice fruit character - flavors of red cassis, dried strawberry, dry red earth. But with air a tobacco component came to dominate the wine - too much so imo, making this 4th bottle my least favorite of the group.
One more to taste.
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Second bottle of this in recent months. First was more impressive (that night would have scored it 92). Second was of similar quality, but overshadowed by recent tastings of First Growths.
So - compelling nose of clouds of Rutherford dust, tobacco, cedar, cigar box, red frutis. On the palate, drying tannins throughout, popping up in the attack, saying more in the midpalate, also lingering on the finish. Good Rutherford tannic bite. More pronounced here than in the previous bottle (but perhaps I didn't notice it as much early). Some earthiness too, a touch of honey, leather. Still good dark color. But the tannins need are integrated enough to be a 90+ point still Still quite good. Will enjoy a third bottle soon. A good bargain on the Internet at $55 (I checked prices - I purchased from a private collector.)
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Nearing its end but fabulous. Open and drink in one evening. The wine won't hold up overnight. WOW, excellent fruit, as Bordeaux like a California wine I've every had. It was structured, well integrated tannins and everyone thought they were drinking Paulliac at first, then St. Estephe. It was a wild but fabulous ride.
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An old fave, but this bottle had a lower fill (high shoulder to be generous) than my others. Cork was a spongy mess (broke with ah so) so lower expectations. Hey, you never know, this is absolutely fine. Black cherry and black plum, plenty of mint, resolved tannins, guys thought this was a very nice mature Bordeaux. Fine showing. A-/B+
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1/20/12. Not as good as my last bottle. Clearly past peak and on its way down fast. A little seepage was evident around the capsule and this is what probably led to its earlier demise.
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Guests were mixed on this one. I thought it still had some life and a very decent finish for a 37 year old wine. Started to fade a bit quickly after opening but a very good wine.
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Sampled 12/26/11. Color has started to turn a little rusty but still quite good at core. On the nose, the wine is a bit past peak. On the plate the same up front with acidity and sweet tannins, but then at mid palate the wine turns. A solid core of black fruit that is velvety soft appears and lasts through the finish. Shocking in some ways. Normally wines past their peak will fade at the finish. This wine is the exact opposite. A very nice little experiment. Glad I've got one more.
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I feared the worst, but a surprisingly enjoyable wine. Still a deep tone with only a slight water rim... difficult to guess that it is a 37y old wine. While a little scaly on the nose at first, it opened up well after about 40 minutes in the glass, and revealed tertiary aromas of white pepper. Little tannins left, but sufficient fruit and acidity to make it a very light bodied wine. A pancetta agnollini dish with mushroom sauce did not affect it at all.
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This was really something else - and it's not even the reserve bottling. Balanced, elegant, lovely. Long finish. No hurry to drink this at all. Great nose, woodsy notes, earthy. Just a great aged cabernet. Don't have a lot of experience with older Mondavis but I'm definitely on the prowl for more.
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I opened this with three others from 1974 for my 35th birthday. Far exceeded expectations. Great color and nose. Fruit and complexity were still there. Looking forward to trying this one again for my 40th.
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Absolutely gorgeous nose of sweet candied cherries, cellar dust, menthol like medicine, mint and ground herbs. Color shows considerable bricking around the edges with a nice ruby colored core. Raspberry jam, more sweet cherries and cassis dominate the senses. Palate is extremely graceful and round with the tannins fully resolved. Acidity is what is keeping this wine alive. Perfume like nose develops in the glass to reveal secondary notes of underbrush, scorched earth and soil. Extremely complex and very much alive. This bottle is the perfect example of how proper storage can benefit a nice wine.
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This is a real pleasure and so interesting to drink. The color was not nearly as orange as we suspected it would be for the age - a solid brick red, very nice. Nose was interesting - some pine forest floor and I agree with other reviewer that said rusty iron. Also, some oak on the nose. Dark fruits, good acidity and no harsh tannins - a great experience and glad we have one more bottle.
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what a beautiful bottle of wine. the color was still vibrant, full of fruit. aired over a couple hours of dinner and the taste evolved to something smooth and silky. glad i have other bottles of this!
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Mucho Lopez (Il Corso): Poured blind, I initially guessed old Right Bank Bordeaux, then changed my guess to old Graves due to the rusty, iron-like aroma with hints of ashy smoke. With the tannin mostly resolved into a smooth, claret-like texture and the restrained fruit complemented by a savory, gamey tinge, this is a complete, balanced bottle of wine in a state of harmonious maturity. A worthy tribute to what Robert Mondavi sought to accomplish in California.
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Pristine looking label with low neck fill. Spur of the moment so no time to let the sediment settle. Aside from that, an absolutely beautiful bottle of wine to share with friends.
Dark ruby in color. Unmistakeably Californian with a surprising amount of fruit and sweet cassis. Tannins essentially resolved with a nice lingering finish. A great surprise from a bottle I expected little from.
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I really enjoy this wine every time I drink it. I t may not have the credentials of a 100 point wine, but I love it just the same. Aroma of tobacoo and leather. Has red fruit - currant and plum - with cedar and tobacco all wrapped in an elegant mouthfeel. Still hasn't changed that much in the past couple of years. It is pretty much at its peak right now, but I don't think it is going to turn bad anytime soon.
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With MPL and Niley Dorit at Singer & Foy. Medium ruby. Nose very shy. Slightly fruity. Excessively vegetal flavors, still with tannins. A bit harsh. 4-9-7-3: 73/100.
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5/1/2024 - Cailles wrote: 97 Points
23x California 1974: Do the legendary 1974s still hold up? The answer is a resounding YES, and not just for one or two top wines, but across the board. These best wines showed incredible complexity, with still vibrant fruit cores perfectly complemented by layers upon layers of tertiary aromas, a fully intact structural frame, stature, poise, and freshness. While many of these wines should continue to age well, I don't expect them to get any better than they are now. The top wines in the tasting were the Mondavi Cabernet and the Phelps Insignia (both 97pts), the Mondavi Reserve and the Mount Eden (both 96pts), and the Ridge Monte Bello (95pts). Many more wines scored in the 90-94 point range. I'm convinced that many wines would have scored even higher in a different tasting setting, where you can follow the wine over the course of an evening. Only 5 of the 24 bottles showed signs of weakness, with 1 of those already oxidized, but given the substance that could be tasted underneath, this is more likely due to weak corks or poor storage than anything nature delivered this year. All the wines had very good fill levels and had been quickly double decanted before tasting to remove the sediment.
TN: The wine starts with a compelling bouquet of mint, old leather, and dark berries that still bursts with freshness. The palate is a tapestry of malty nuances interwoven with classic notes of dark berries, leather, and tobacco. This vintage is gracefully entering its final stages without any signs of decline, continuously unfolding in complexity, drawing out more mint, which adds to the freshness, and malt with time. A superb wine from and A to Z and a testament to that great vintage and this winery.
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2/23/2024 - HeavyPourWine Likes this wine: 90 Points
Dinner at Ember with Brian and Rosemany Talley and friends (Arroyo Grande, CA): Dinner with Brian and Rosemary Talley and friends at Ember. I brought three different '74 Napa cabs for my birthday celebration that evening. This bottle was a bit past peak but was very nice. At PNP it was an 89 for me but it actually improved in the glass a bit so my end rating was 90. Brad - heavypourwine.com
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2/2/2024 - G_H wrote: 95 Points
A 1974 Napa Retrospective (Zunfthaus zur Waag Zürich): This was another example, that the "regular" Napa cab is not much behind the Reserve bottling. Red berries, some tobacco, great balance and very clear red fruit.
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7/2/2023 - Wine Canuck wrote: flawed
An Epic Summer Wine Weekend - Year 2; 6/30/2023-7/2/2023 (Muskoka, Ontario, Canada): Corked
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1/17/2021 - srh Likes this wine:
Wines GRACIOUSLY Shared by Friends (San Diego, CA): Carefully decanted by the host
N: Cherries with notes of toast & some unparsables, smoke coming on with swirling, & a VERY slight bit of mustiness, which I believe all felt to be a positive rather than negative
P: LM body; Rndish entry with NICE, almost swtish frt met by an acidity which never even remotely loses contact with the frt as it SEAMLESSLY transitions into an incredibly LONG, impeccably BALANCED finish. Tannins are TOTALLY resolved, the wine's acidity allowing it to still work with food. (I tried it with Mashed Potatoes, Sauteed Mushrooms, & Sauteed Spinach, it being somewhat better with the Mashed Potatoes than the other 2.) Drinking PERFECTLY right now, & since I'd doubt improvement, no need to hold, though the consensus seemed to be it would probably last into '25. 12% ABV; My Exceptional- (96,97/100 using that metric), & that MAY be conservative! 😉 92+ pts RJonWine, 92 John Gilman (4x, Sep/Oct '17 the most recent), & 19.5/20 Jancis Robinson (Hunt, 10/31/12), the highest scoring wine from that publication I've ever actually TASTED.
Note: First tasted on 10/30/19
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12/21/2020 - jfinbh wrote:
better after 1 hour
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11/15/2020 - englishman's claret wrote: 94 Points
What a pleasant surprise - still very vigorous with a muscular black-fruited nose, pencil, rich black earth, and nuances of Christmas spice and mint. Lovely presence on the palate, too. This is certainly an impressive wine showcasing the uniqueness of Napa's influence on Cabernet Sauvignon - classic, but a touch riper and rounder than Bordeaux. Wonderful.
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11/14/2020 - RockinCabs wrote: 95 Points
Nose: Magnificent nose that delivers black cherry, leather cedar, gorgeous green pepper and tobacco. Palate: Rangy and beautifully poised. Elegant palate feel, mint, cherry, blackberries, leather and slight underbrush note. Finish: long cedary finish that still show bright black cherry notes.
This is 70s California at its best, from a transformative era in Napa winemaking. Should note that the beautifully clear ruby / amethyst color of this wine was an early indicator of a perfect bottle. The perfume from the decanter was mesmerizing.
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9/26/2020 - Goblin Juice Likes this wine: 82 Points
Drank over 4 hours. Lovely aromatic nose. Still bright. Had a rotten wood finish at first but it blew off. Some sweet meyerlemon. Tea. Smooth round palate. Candy ish at the 4 hour mark. Really a beautiful wine. Worth spending time contemplating.
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5/13/2020 - Nanda wrote: 93 Points
Pop n pour and consumed over 2+ hours. Gorgeous, rich, cedary nose. Velvety and fresh texture with excellent complexity. A consistently great 1974.
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4/9/2020 - nywine68 wrote: 95 Points
Beautiful smokey and cedar nose jumps from the glass. Amazing level of freshness and acidity left for a 46 year old Californian. Mature and complex blackberry melange. Long lingering finish. Body feels weightless but the flavors are very intense. Gorgeous!
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10/30/2019 - srh Likes this wine:
Special Wines with some SPECIAL Friends :) (Host's House): Decanted by the host after having been set upright for ≈1 wk
N: INITIAL funk but with notes of blood & earth underneath, ripe berries & definitely pyrazines (bell peppers?) also underneath; Over time, hints of bacon also emerg. The funk popped in & out with addt'l swirling/air, & was for me likely a +.
P: LM, poss Med, body; VERY *nice*, ALMOST swtish frt met by just a BIT of astringent pucker, though that bit IS initially (& but briefly) on the PUCKERISH side. The process stays within hailing distance of the init frt as it SEAMLESSLY evolves into a VERY LONG, BALANCED finish that is not at ALL "tired", & could EASILY accompany entrees. Consensus was that this SHOULD make its 50th without difficulty, & there was some speculation it will still be alive 'n kickin' ALL the way through the 2020s! [1 of the tasters had this previously, feeling his bottle was > swt & < "vegetal" than this one. The host later opined this bottle MAY have been somewhat < advanced, & that, in time, WOULD show > swtness.] Also, towards the very end there were multiple opinions that this bottle eventually showed a "mature", well integrated (unobjectionable) Brett on the N, which would explain the touch 'n go funkiness I described above. 12% ABV; My Exceptional-/Full Exceptional (96-100/100 using that metric). 92+ pts RJonWine, 92 John Gilman (4x, Sep/Oct '17 the most recent), & 19.5/20 Jancis Robinson (Hunt, 10/31/12), the highest scoring wine from that publication I've ever actually TASTED.
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6/11/2019 - budosyu Likes this wine: 98 Points
Bought for a song (relatively speaking, compared to auction and retail prices now) about a year ago. What a wonderful pleasure bomb! Mature notes of spicebox, earth, cedar, and dried cherries. Brilliantly smooth on the palate. Threw quite a bit of fine sediment in the bottom third, but not bitter or dry. Nice integrated acidity and fine finish.
Makes you appreciate again how wonderfully these old Napa cabs were made and how well they age, and would hold it's own in any lineup of the best mature wines from any region. Only downside was that I opened it for a dinner with family so we only had one glass each. Alas, great wine is meant to be shared I suppose. Anyone with well cellared bottles will be greatly rewarded, but I would drink now. Still has a hint of Napa fruit, and I don't think it will improve any further with aging.
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5/19/2019 - Matt T wrote: 93 Points
Amazing that this one survived. Covered in white mold with a badly deteriorated label. The cork was soaked all the way to the edge, but did not appear to have leaked. Wine was in pristine shape with no evidence of oxidation. Certainly mature with menthol and leather notes. Slowly developed with some cherry and bright fruit notes.
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4/2/2019 - Nanda wrote: 92 Points
Gorgeous with a ~1 hour decant. Amazing sweet fruit mixed with tar, leather, and cigar notes. Palate is still fresh and vibrant. Held strong for over an hour. Terrific and impressive for the straight Cab bottling.
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3/30/2019 - Keith Levenberg Likes this wine: 94 Points
Surprisingly terrific. Not sure I would have guessed it as California. It shows full tertiary maturity with cigar tobacco aromas and layers of flavor, but it also still has its fruit - fresh red fruits, even, though in a more wispy, gauzy presentation that gives it a nice transparency and a finessed texture too. Cork was in perfect shape, top half totally untouched by wine (or time), and color remains a robust cherry red with barely any bricking. Thanks to whomever cellared this so well.
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2/23/2019 - ericindc Likes this wine: 94 Points
Classic mature nose, black fruits, earth and some strong herbaceous notes. Strong black fruits with deep earthy notes that is well balanced with the acidity. Integrated tannins, but still has structure. Not the most complex wine, but drinking really well. Will certainly hold on for a while.
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8/6/2018 - ballardhack wrote: 94 Points
Held up amazingly well. We knew this was an experience. The cork was completely saturated. Refused the decanter, given that it is well aged. Color was brick. Thin fruits when opened. After 20 minutes in the glass had developed body. Developed for about an hour and it plateaued. Flavor never fell off.
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5/27/2018 - nywine68 Likes this wine: 96 Points
Amazing how young, fresh and vibrant this wine is at this age. Gorgeous smoke and graphite on the nose. Complex blackberry fruit with lots of tertiary flavors that go on and on. This is like liquid candy, can’t put it down.
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3/17/2018 - nywine68 Likes this wine: 96 Points
Wow! Massive nose of smoke and bacon. This is still remarkably sweet and fruity for a 44 year old wine. Cassis flavors. Medium body. Slightly cloudy dark orange color. Sensational.
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3/9/2018 - fclarity wrote: 92 Points
From a literally perfect looking bottle (and cork), this wine had a deep red center and orange rims. The medium intensity nose was attractive from the first pour and stayed that way. It was highly integrated, so it was hard to identify individual components. However, I detected cherries, rhubarb, tan spices, and red dust.
In the mouth, this wine was very refined and feminine. Sometimes you hear about Bordeaux wines where the concern is that the fruit will fade leaving the substantial structure exposed. This wine was the exact opposite. It had lovely refined fruit and complexity. However, there was essentially no tannin and only very light fine-grained acidity.
While this bottle left me wanting a bit more gravitas in the finish, it was certainly an enjoyable. This will not be getting better with time so drink ASAP.
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12/23/2017 - BrunelloBob wrote: 91 Points
Auction purchase. Cork barely bled through, solid otherwise. Mature but balanced with enough fruit left to enjoy. Strikes me as a bit feminine.
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9/13/2017 - nywine68 Likes this wine: 95 Points
1974 California Tasting (Cafe Boulud): One of the best wines of the night. Really dense and saturated fruit. Loads of complexity and still a monumental wine despite its 43 years of age. 1974 Cali Cab tasting
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7/22/2017 - potates Likes this wine: 95 Points
After 75 minutes decanting, this Reserve Cab showed a the nose which was quite fruity with dark fruit and maybe molasses. The body was full although soft and very well balanced with big legs and plenty of dark purple-red berries. The finish was long and lingering.
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7/11/2017 - Blake Brown wrote: flawed
1974 MONDAVI CABERNET SAUVIGNON- at first, somewhat corked; a few minutes later, seriously corked.
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12/31/2016 - S_stas wrote: 89 Points
Bret/cork tainte. Still drinkable, but the leakage was a serious sign of a problem. I guess this library release bottle didn't get recorked :(
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12/20/2016 - kkazaks wrote: 92 Points
Opened when a bottle of 1989 Trotanoy was corked.
Lightly watery rim leading to orange and garnet, medium-minus red at the core.
Prominent aroma of smoke. Some aromas of egg shell (sulphur), burnt toast, leather, blood orange, cedar, lightly bruleed caramel walnuts.
Honeyed red fruit (currants) shows on the attack, bolstered by well-integrated but still present tannins. Nice lingering finish with just enough acidity to keep the palate light, without getting to lip-smacking levels.
Not as much complexity or depth as some RMCS Reserves from the 1970s I have tasted, and not quite as wow as versions of this wine I have had some years ago, but still very, very fine.
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12/11/2016 - paulst Likes this wine: 93 Points
Rubber nose; earthy; some sour notes on back end; blackberry and sweet finish.
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10/29/2016 - LorenzoIlMagnifico Likes this wine: 93 Points
After such a long time, tannin was much reduced though there was still some left. It had a dusky, mature quality. There was an interesting fruity note in the background. My recollection is that this was never a massive cabernet. At this point, it is very pleasant drinking.
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10/22/2016 - DBell65 Likes this wine: 95 Points
Absolutely wonderful! Decanted at a restaurant for wife's birthday (her birth year) alongside 2005 St. Emilion (wedding year). Color was still deep, light nose of red fruits. Shared with the Sommelier and kitchen, the Somm indicated one of the best '74 he's tasted, calling it elegant. Lasted longer than I thought it would and over all I enjoyed it more then our French merlot. Can't wait to try some more of these to see how the other bottles held up.
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11/7/2015 - ChaineMatt Likes this wine: 90 Points
What a pleasant surprise, as others have noted, it is still going strong, but we found that it had to be finished within an hour. Popped and decanted, but very little sediment. Poured 5 minutes later, and it immediately revealed everything it had from the first sip. It opened up very very quickly. After 45 minutes, it was just starting to fade. Color was still remarkably red, and very little bricking on the edges. On the nose, classic cabernet smells, not a lot of wood, clean fruit, some aromatics of cedar and herb, the typical green pepper. On the palate, extraordinary balance, plenty of acid, bright fruit. Only thing marking it down was its medium body and its lower complexity than others that are top notch.
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8/29/2015 - petitblanc wrote: 92 Points
Madison Offline 2015; 8/27/2015-8/29/2015: Consumed blind alongside several old Unicos. Cloudy but deep color, a surprisingly young shade of violet. Lovely balance, still packing fruit, though its earthy, tobacoo, and barnyard notes gave it away as the ringer in this lineup. This faded relatively quickly in the glass compared to the Unicos. One of the really pleasant surprises of this weekend.
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8/29/2015 - GalvezGuy Likes this wine: 93 Points
Throwndown in Madtown; 8/27/2015-8/29/2015 (Madison, WI): Called as the ringer in a blind tasting of Unico. Great nose of bright cherries and tobacco with hints of spice. On that palate great black cherry and black raspberry fruit profile along with pipe tobacco and hints of mint. Nice finish with decent balance. This fell apart at about the two hour mark, so drink them if you have them. This held its own in a lineup of big time wines.
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8/5/2015 - ephorn Likes this wine: 92 Points
bottle inverted gently twice 1/2 hr.before serving and decanted with filter. This had good depth of fruit and still some grip on the tail. Minty/black cardamom and patchouli nuances. Impressive old bones!
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7/6/2015 - DaleW wrote:
fill I’d call high shoulder, Red fruits, cedar, a bit of earth and herb. Mature but not tired, fun. B+
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1/3/2015 - texag96 wrote: 90 Points
still had a little life left, was gone after about an hour. Was fun to try
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1/2/2015 - denartcar wrote: flawed
This bottle was corked badly. Flavor was ruined and color was brownish.
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8/24/2014 - mobley wrote: 92 Points
Decanted after standing for a few days in the cellar. Opened about an hour before pouring. It need another hour+ to fully evolve. A brilliant old-school CA Cab. Rusty, iron-like aroma with hints of ashy smoke. The tannins are fully resolved into a smooth, Bordeaux-like texture and the restrained fruit complemented by a savory, gamey tinge, this is a complete, balanced bottle. Unfortunately, CA cab is no longer made in this style.
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5/25/2014 - Robert Pavlovich Likes this wine:
Sweet, earthy, dusty red fruit with good tartness. Still with some nice energy on the finish, with good length and intensity. Hat tip to Zelma Long for this long lived beauty.
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3/28/2014 - Redteeth wrote:
Drank this bottle at a small tasting and it was properly decanted. We did not leave it too long before serving not knowing how the wine would hold up once opened. The wine was sublime. It had a nice aroma from the start. The color was still good although it was showing some lightening. the taste was beautiful with a lot of mature fruit remaining and very smooth. There was no funk. The wine actually held up quite well over the course of the evening. Sadly, this was my last bottle. I bought this wine upon initial release and have stored it carefully (but not in a refrigerated environment). I can't believe how many bottles of this have been opened recently by CellarTracker reviewers. I agree with many of the other comments. This wine is a great example of the older Napa style. It is amazing how it has held up over the years and it is still a pleasure to drink.
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1/3/2014 - Jay A wrote: 93 Points
I really love this wine! There are other wines that are better, but this is just classic early Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon. They don't make them like this anymore, and it is a piece of California history. Still has good red currant fruit, even with the illusion of mild sweetness. Dried berries, tobacco, leather and a touch of menthol all show up. The tannins are so resolved. It has excellent presence from initial entry all the way through the finish - even keeled. It has refinement and elegance. The only minus, admittedly nitpicky, is a slight burnt/toast sensation, which in some wines is nice, but it kind of sticks out in this wine. Just an out of the world experience because wines aren't made in this style anymore. 12% alcohol and I'm pretty sure it is 100% Cabernet Sauvignon. Really enjoyed it.
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11/30/2013 - davergny Likes this wine: 95 Points
Last bottle from Dad's cellar and the best by far! Stewed fruits, florals, earth & cigar ash on the nose. Palate is delicious! Tons of cigar, cherries & currants, just a touch of spearmint, good sweetness, earthy & complex, savory texture. In the 3 hours before the wine started to fade, I kept finding different flavors, some more pronounced than others. No tannins left but good length and tasty finish. This bottle was rockin' tonight!
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11/24/2013 - mike l. Likes this wine: 88 Points
Fairly simple and dead. Still had some nice secondary components, but not worth seeking out.
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11/24/2013 - La Peste Likes this wine: 89 Points
Medicinal qualities on the nose and palate like good Bordeaux. Improved with time in the glass.
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8/2/2013 - davergny wrote: 91 Points
Tastes youthful and vibrant with some sharp tannin. Otherwise, fairly typical old school cab with black currant, leather and anise notes. Good, long but slightly bitter finish. Enjoyable and impressive for what it is.
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6/18/2013 - BostonRob64 wrote: 90 Points
Had this wine in honor of what would have been Robert Mondavi's 100th birthday.
Began the evening with a 2010 Mondavi Napa Valley Unoaked Chardonnay, one of the best chardonnays I've ever had. Crisp with notes of melon and green apple. Simply delicious. 92 points.
Main event of the evening was a "face-off" between a 1974 Mondavi Napa Valley Cabernet and the '74 Reserve Cab. Same vintage, maker, (essentially) grapes, but what a difference. The reserve was drinking well right out of the gate, with a richness of cherry, leather, and lead pencil notes. Very Bordeaux-like without the usual "terroir perfume" of 40-year old Left Bank wines. Maintained its fruit over the course of the two-hour dinner. 95 points.
The "regular" '74 was initially lean without much complexity, finally opening up after an hour or so, but never demonstrated the fullness or depth of the Reserve. That said, the color of this wine was virtually indistinguishable from its cousin, with just a slight tinge on brown surrounding an increasingly dark red core. 90 points.
Both reds were a testimony to the greatness of this legendary winemaker.
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3/29/2013 - europat55 wrote: 90 Points
Gorgeous nose. Palate was a little flat upon opening, but it did improve over time. This was quite nice despite the relative old age of this Napa cap.
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2/16/2013 - NomadicEntrepreneur wrote: 88 Points
A little flat
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11/17/2012 - bobpsi wrote: 89 Points
Strong smoked cigar notes on the nose with hints of dried black fruits. Ash and licorice notes on the palette with dried fruits. Still very enjoyable for an almost 30 yr old Napa cab.
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10/21/2012 - kkazaks wrote: 89 Points
Tasted about 2 weeks ago - bottle 4 this year. All from same source, but this fourth bottle seemed a bit different than the 1st 3, all of which I would have rated over 90.
So, upon freshly opening, this was claret-like in its light-bodied, fresh red juice fruit character - flavors of red cassis, dried strawberry, dry red earth. But with air a tobacco component came to dominate the wine - too much so imo, making this 4th bottle my least favorite of the group.
One more to taste.
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7/20/2012 - kkazaks wrote: 89 Points
Second bottle of this in recent months. First was more impressive (that night would have scored it 92). Second was of similar quality, but overshadowed by recent tastings of First Growths.
So - compelling nose of clouds of Rutherford dust, tobacco, cedar, cigar box, red frutis. On the palate, drying tannins throughout, popping up in the attack, saying more in the midpalate, also lingering on the finish. Good Rutherford tannic bite. More pronounced here than in the previous bottle (but perhaps I didn't notice it as much early). Some earthiness too, a touch of honey, leather. Still good dark color. But the tannins need are integrated enough to be a 90+ point still Still quite good. Will enjoy a third bottle soon. A good bargain on the Internet at $55 (I checked prices - I purchased from a private collector.)
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5/25/2012 - BillyT wrote: 92 Points
Nearing its end but fabulous. Open and drink in one evening. The wine won't hold up overnight. WOW, excellent fruit, as Bordeaux like a California wine I've every had. It was structured, well integrated tannins and everyone thought they were drinking Paulliac at first, then St. Estephe. It was a wild but fabulous ride.
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4/29/2012 - DaleW wrote:
An old fave, but this bottle had a lower fill (high shoulder to be generous) than my others. Cork was a spongy mess (broke with ah so) so lower expectations. Hey, you never know, this is absolutely fine. Black cherry and black plum, plenty of mint, resolved tannins, guys thought this was a very nice mature Bordeaux. Fine showing. A-/B+
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1/21/2012 - mxpbuy wrote: 86 Points
1/20/12. Not as good as my last bottle. Clearly past peak and on its way down fast. A little seepage was evident around the capsule and this is what probably led to its earlier demise.
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12/31/2011 - texag96 wrote: 93 Points
Guests were mixed on this one. I thought it still had some life and a very decent finish for a 37 year old wine. Started to fade a bit quickly after opening but a very good wine.
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12/27/2011 - mxpbuy wrote: 90 Points
Sampled 12/26/11. Color has started to turn a little rusty but still quite good at core. On the nose, the wine is a bit past peak. On the plate the same up front with acidity and sweet tannins, but then at mid palate the wine turns. A solid core of black fruit that is velvety soft appears and lasts through the finish. Shocking in some ways. Normally wines past their peak will fade at the finish. This wine is the exact opposite. A very nice little experiment. Glad I've got one more.
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9/7/2011 - Dubie wrote: 90 Points
I feared the worst, but a surprisingly enjoyable wine. Still a deep tone with only a slight water rim... difficult to guess that it is a 37y old wine. While a little scaly on the nose at first, it opened up well after about 40 minutes in the glass, and revealed tertiary aromas of white pepper. Little tannins left, but sufficient fruit and acidity to make it a very light bodied wine. A pancetta agnollini dish with mushroom sauce did not affect it at all.
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10/3/2010 - DaleW wrote:
Regular bottling, doesn’t have the weight of the Reserve, but nice- redder fruits and lots of herb. B+
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5/17/2010 - pmevans wrote: 93 Points
This was really something else - and it's not even the reserve bottling. Balanced, elegant, lovely. Long finish. No hurry to drink this at all. Great nose, woodsy notes, earthy. Just a great aged cabernet. Don't have a lot of experience with older Mondavis but I'm definitely on the prowl for more.
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12/8/2009 - NomadicEntrepreneur wrote: 93 Points
beautiful, absolutely stunning. great nose, great finish. definitely bricked, but still yummy. maybe past it's prime, but still worth it.
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8/28/2009 - moosedogs wrote: 92 Points
I opened this with three others from 1974 for my 35th birthday. Far exceeded expectations. Great color and nose. Fruit and complexity were still there. Looking forward to trying this one again for my 40th.
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2/22/2009 - tyvoodoo wrote: 93 Points
Absolutely gorgeous nose of sweet candied cherries, cellar dust, menthol like medicine, mint and ground herbs. Color shows considerable bricking around the edges with a nice ruby colored core. Raspberry jam, more sweet cherries and cassis dominate the senses. Palate is extremely graceful and round with the tannins fully resolved. Acidity is what is keeping this wine alive. Perfume like nose develops in the glass to reveal secondary notes of underbrush, scorched earth and soil. Extremely complex and very much alive. This bottle is the perfect example of how proper storage can benefit a nice wine.
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10/23/2008 - TimBoDo wrote: 88 Points
This is a real pleasure and so interesting to drink. The color was not nearly as orange as we suspected it would be for the age - a solid brick red, very nice. Nose was interesting - some pine forest floor and I agree with other reviewer that said rusty iron. Also, some oak on the nose. Dark fruits, good acidity and no harsh tannins - a great experience and glad we have one more bottle.
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1/16/2008 - spotaha wrote:
what a beautiful bottle of wine. the color was still vibrant, full of fruit. aired over a couple hours of dinner and the taste evolved to something smooth and silky. glad i have other bottles of this!
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12/16/2007 - curtispomeroy wrote:
This bottle was way past its prime and undrinkable.
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8/8/2007 - Keith Levenberg wrote: 90 Points
Mucho Lopez (Il Corso): Poured blind, I initially guessed old Right Bank Bordeaux, then changed my guess to old Graves due to the rusty, iron-like aroma with hints of ashy smoke. With the tannin mostly resolved into a smooth, claret-like texture and the restrained fruit complemented by a savory, gamey tinge, this is a complete, balanced bottle of wine in a state of harmonious maturity. A worthy tribute to what Robert Mondavi sought to accomplish in California.
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5/24/2007 - Dan M wrote:
Pristine looking label with low neck fill. Spur of the moment so no time to let the sediment settle. Aside from that, an absolutely beautiful bottle of wine to share with friends.
Dark ruby in color. Unmistakeably Californian with a surprising amount of fruit and sweet cassis. Tannins essentially resolved with a nice lingering finish. A great surprise from a bottle I expected little from.
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12/31/2005 - Jay A wrote: 91 Points
I really enjoy this wine every time I drink it. I t may not have the credentials of a 100 point wine, but I love it just the same. Aroma of tobacoo and leather. Has red fruit - currant and plum - with cedar and tobacco all wrapped in an elegant mouthfeel. Still hasn't changed that much in the past couple of years. It is pretty much at its peak right now, but I don't think it is going to turn bad anytime soon.
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6/7/2005 - jamesn wrote:
Started out ok - but very quickly (20 mins) died in the glass - definate barnyard funk.
NR
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3/12/1994 - bestdamncab Likes this wine: 85 Points
Pleasant dark fruit on the nose, more of the same on the palate, medium body, simple, not the equal of its peers this evening.
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2/14/1989 - buckeye76 wrote: 90 Points
DEEP LAYERS OF FRUIT WITH OAK AND SPICE IN THE BOUQUET, BLACK CHERRIES IN THE TASTE. DEFINITE LEGS...AND DEFINITELY READY.
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9/17/1988 - MicklethePickle wrote: 73 Points
With MPL and Niley Dorit at Singer & Foy. Medium ruby. Nose very shy. Slightly fruity. Excessively vegetal flavors, still with tannins. A bit harsh. 4-9-7-3: 73/100.
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