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| Chateau Montelena: Napa's Quintessential Cabernet |
Tuesday July 29, 2003
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Speaker: Scott Gerber, Wine Educator and Importer
Napa Valley 2000 Chardonnay Aperitif and a vertical tasting of 12 vintages of Cabernet Sauvignon Estate wines from Chateau Montelena.
All wines, but the Chardonnay & 1999 Cabernet Sauvignon were purchased at auction.
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| Aperitif |
Votes |
Full Retail $ |
Chardonnay Napa Valley 2000
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N/A |
$33.00 |
| Flight I 1990's |
Votes |
Full Retail $ |
Cabernet Sauvignon Estate 1999
Dark color, black cherry fruit in nose and palate. Balanced.
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0 |
$125.00 |
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Cabernet Sauvignon Estate 1995
Earthy, black tea nose and complex, cassis, berry, smoke, earth and spice palate. Big fruit.
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2 |
N/A |
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Cabernet Sauvignon Estate 1993
Forward fruit. Cassis character. Spicy flavors.
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0 |
N/A |
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Cabernet Sauvignon Estate 1992
Dark granite color, strong berry and black cherry fruit nose with earthy aromas, tannin in back, spice, earthiness and jammy fruit palate. Good structure, will age beautifully. Perfect vintage.
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15 |
N/A |
| Flight II: 1987-1989 |
Votes |
Full Retail $ |
Cabernet Sauvignon Estate 1989
Cabernet Franc was added to this vintage. Complex nose with earth, spice, and berry fruitiness. Strong flavors of dried currents and hints of coffee. Will benefit from further aging.
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4.5 |
N/A |
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Cabernet Sauvignon Estate 1988
Floral nose, palate of berry fruit and earth.Balanced.
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10 |
N/A |
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Cabernet Sauvignon Estate 1987
Problem with the bottle. Probably storage.
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0 |
N/A |
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Cabernet Sauvignon Estate 1986
Aromas of earthy berry, varietal fruit with hints of cedar. Flavors of soft berry, spicy Cabernet fruit.
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1.5 |
N/A |
| Flight III: 1980-1984 |
Votes |
Full Retail $ |
Cabernet Sauvignon Estate 1984
Complex aroma of earthy, berry, choco-vanilla and oak notes. Well balanced. Earthy flavors become richer with greater depth as it begins to open up in the glass.
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5 |
N/A |
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Cabernet Sauvignon Estate 1983
This was a difficult vintage but the wine maker produced a clean well-defined wine. Earth berry aroma with hints of licorice and oak. On the palate there are big berry like flavors with earthy notes and lots of depth.
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1 |
N/A |
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Cabernet Sauvignon Estate 1982
Tannic, nose closed. Little fruit.
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0 |
N/A |
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Cabernet Sauvignon Estate 1981
Aroma of spice with oak, almost perfume like in nature. Flavors of berry and spice carry over on the finely tuned structure of tannins and acidity. Delicious.
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0 |
N/A |
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Cabernet Sauvignon Estate 1980
Deep- red garnet color, earthy berry aromas, more complex, classic cedar, spice, leather, big berry flavors. This wine is delicious and will age. The favorite of the tasting.
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14 |
N/A |
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