1986 Monticello Vineyards (Corley Family) Cabernet Sauvignon Corley Reserve

Community Tasting Notes (29) Avg Score: 90.4 points

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  7/12/2021 - thesternowl wrote: 92 Points

  A member of our Tasting Group provided this bottle from his cellar. It had been opened 90 minutes prior to service, poured into a decanter and, in typical Tasting Group fashion, presented double-blind. Appearance: a deep, slightly turbid, garnet color with some very slight browning towards the rim. Medium intensity. Medium viscosity. On the nose this was fully developed with notes of red and dark fruit, grilled Poblano pepper, leather, and sweet pipe tobacco and baking spices. I felt certain, from the bouquet alone, that we were in the presence of a wine that had seen some significant age. On the palate, a mix of dried fruits including cherries, dates and figs with milk chocolate, nuts, leather, and tobacco. Plush mouthfeel. The tannins were medium and fully integrated at this point. Acid was medium+ which provided youthful energy. The finish was long, lovely. In fact, the flavor on the finish reminded me a bit of a Palmer Twin Bing. I called Napa Cabernet from the 1990 vintage. I was pretty darned close! This bottle was hitting right now and well-stored examples should continue to drink well over the next 5-10 years.

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  10/2/2020 - OldHick95 Likes this wine: 92 Points

  Someone described this as drinking a bit 'austere', and I agree. A hint of cork aroma which blew off a bit in the glass. The flavor is an integrated, smooth fruit-forward wine - plum jam, strawberry compote. Hints of pepper and spice on the finish.

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  5/23/2018 - AV2012 wrote: 85 Points

  A bit unripe and bare. Lighbodied, elegant, but also simple.

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  2/28/2017 - tomoem Likes this wine: 91 Points

  Picked up 11 more of these at a recent Acker auction and reiterate the pure joy present in these older cab's. 30 + years have made these melancholy and really smooth.

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  12/29/2016 - LightDancer wrote: 92 Points

  This is a graceful old California Cab. But D blind-tasted it as an old French Bordeaux, not California. The nose has a slight taint that didn't blow off completely when decanted, which docked the score a point or two. Beyond that, this is a lovely wine. Unlike my notes on previous bottles (in 2014 and 2015), tonight I found ample fruit, a bit hidden but that came out with time in the decanter. Well balanced, a bit austere, but simply delightful with a roast leg of lamb. This is a fine bottle, especially for those who like older wines. I'm glad that I have 3 more.
  
  UPDATE: The next night, we finished the bottle (it was gassed). The initial taste was quite sour, not something seen the prior evening. However, a few minutes in the glass that dissipated, then disappeared. We had this with a wild mushroom risotto, and it complemented it beautifully. Over the course of the meal, the wine continued to improve. We didn't decant it, thinking that the air that had entered the bottle the previous evening would be sufficient. In retrospect, decanting the second night would have been the right answer. A wonderful wine.

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