Tasting notes supplied by J.T. A fortunate group of AWS members gathered on Sunday April 3, 2005 at the home of Beth and Frank Yantek. After a welcome with a glass of an Australian red blend, we proceeded to the task of sampling a vast array of older Napa cabernet sauvignons. Looking at the lineup of Cabernets sitting on the table I couldn't help think about how many of them probably will not be any good at all. A lineup of California Cabernets ranging from 1958 to 1987 is not something you come across every day. I was thinking at least 5 of 15 will be totally oxidized while another couple will be plain tired. We will be lucky if half are really drinkable. The question of agebility for these wines was met with a fine affirmation. Not a one had any real fault or evidence of spoilage and all had life left in them. They would all stand up well in a comparison with vintage Bordeaux wines. While probably not as good as old Bordeaux they all had something to offer. One or two may have seemed a bit tired but others came across so youthfully that the years apparently had none or little effect on them. We took the first 7 as a group (those between 1987 and 1982) for comparison and the last 8 (1974 and younger) as a separate group. These were voted on for favorites. As we went through the wines Dick Freuhwald read some reviews from a 1990 edition of California Cabernets by James Laube. Afterwards Beth served us a special beef Wellington she prepared with couscous and a dessert of strawberries and ice cream with a touch of balsamic vinegar. With some wine left over there were opportunities to revisit a few of these classics. Many thanks to Frank and Beth Yantek, Dr. Herb Francis, Dean Mitchell and our chairman Dick Freuhwald for their generosity! Normally the price of wines are added up (along with a food supplement) and divided by the number of people attending the tasting. For this group of wines that price came to about 7.00 per person. For a tasting of wines that if you bought today would probably cost you thousands of dollars this seemed like too good of a bargin. It was decided that all wines would be donated and those who did not bring wine would pay a 20.00 fee that would be donated to the American Wine Society Educational Fund.
Wine | Release Price | Votes | | 1987 Caymus Napa Valley Cabernet | 16.00 | 2 | | 1987 Heitz Martha's Vineyard | 55.00 | 12 | | 1986 Raymond Napa Valley Cabernet | 16.00 | 3 | | 1986 Beaulieu Vineyard Rutherford | 11.25 | 0 | | 1984 Sterling Diamond Mountain Ranch | 15.00 | 8 | | 1984 Chappellet | 18.00 | 6 | | 1982 Markham Napa Valley | 13.00 | 11 | | | | | | 1974 Sterling Reserve | 20.00 | 13 | | 1971 Mayacamas | 8.00 | 0 | | 1968 Heitz Napa | ?? (Martha's 9.00) | 4 | | 1968 Beaulieu Vineyard Reserve Georges Latour | 6.00 | 2 | | 1967 Inglenook | ?? (Reserve 6.00) | 0 | | 1966 Louis Martini | ?? (6.00 for Special Select) | 8 | | 1965 Beaulieu Vineyard Reserver Georges Latour | 5.25 | 2 | | 1958 Louis Martini | 4.50 | 13 |
Rudimentary Notes: 1. Great nose, beautiful balance, sweet fruit. My #1 2. Medicinal but nice nose, spicy oak. Group #1 3. Slight molasses nose, full body. 4. Seems lighter, less sweet fruit. 5. Dusty nose, full fruit. My #2 6. Dark fruit, almost raisiny, better with some food. 7. Smells a little green, full ripe fruit, a bit oxidized, keeps changing(!), mysterious. Group #2 Group #2 8. Good spicy oak with fruit, great melding of flavors. Group #1 tie 9. Dusty nose, lush body, good balance. 10. Light clear flavors, a bit of sweetness. 11. Oaky nose, 2nd went smoky, beautiful fruit, seems impervious to age! My #1 12. Corked? - definitely musty nose, tastes old. 13. Really good. My #2 14. A little flat, slight spicy oak with fruit, lost a lot of character but still decent. 15. Old but amazing. Group #1 tie
|
