Freddy R. Troya

9.5

Monticello Vineyards – Corley Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon – 2000
Napa Valley – California, USA 🇺🇸

Overview
Crafted by Chris Corley, winemaker and co-owner of the Corley Family Vineyards, this 2000 Corley Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon is a testament to Napa Valley’s age-worthiness. Produced in less than 500 cases, it hails from a near-perfect growing season that made Vintage 2000 a standout year for red wines across Napa. Two and a half decades on, it remains vibrant, layered, and refined, an icon of both terroir and winemaking.

Aromas & Flavors
Concentrated red berry fruit, blackcurrant, cherry compote, intertwined with notes of dark chocolate, baking spices, cedar, and a touch of tobacco. Secondary and tertiary notes of leather and earth reveal its graceful evolution.

Mouthfeel
Lusciously textured, full-bodied, and elegantly structured. Tannins are still firm but beautifully integrated, carrying the fruit and spice into a long, enduring finish.

Food Pairings
Best with celebratory pairings: dry-aged ribeye, braised short ribs, truffled mushroom risotto, or even on its own as a meditation wine.

Verdict
A classic Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon that proves great vintages and craftsmanship can stand the test of time. Silky, structured, and profound, this bottle is living history in a glass.

Did You Know?
The 2000 vintage in Napa Valley was marked by a long, even growing season with mild weather, ideal conditions that helped produce wines with ripe fruit, balanced acidity, and excellent tannic structure, now showing beautifully after 25 years.
— 2 months ago

JKT

9.2

Another surprise of an unknown old style Cab. Might be first vintage of Jay Corley Monticello Vineyard in Oakville Knoll? Said to go for lighter style “dinner wine” which is on the mark. 12.5% ABV! Old school or what? Not just alive but lively and lovely with all that ripe prune fruits and earth and leather. held up very well in Eto over four days. Upping to 9.2. PS yes it is the first vintage of Monticello Vineyard and available as library wine on their site for $210! Shout out to Ira Schwartz's metaphor in his post on a '70 Mayacaymus Zin as pure joy of dancing with ones grandma, this one is like dancing with grandmother who trained as a ballerina and still has the style and posture! Amazement now laced with Heh heh value find satisfaction. AA14. — 5 years ago

"Odedi"

9.0

Dark ruby in color with a purplish rim.

Earthy nose of blueberries, cherries, currants, oak, vanilla, licorice, cloves, herbs, spices, dark chocolates, coffee, vegetables, vinaigrette, earth, leather, forest floor, tobacco leaf, spices, graphite and black pepper.

Medium plus in body with medium plus acidity and long legs.

Dry on the palate with cherries, plums, blueberries, oak, vanilla, cloves, tobacco, espresso, spices, pencil lead, peppercorn and leather.

Tangy finish with soft tannins and tangy cranberries.

This is a nice Syrah from Napa Valley. Not fully balanced, but enjoyable with food and by itself. Showing nice complexity and mouthfeel.

Still young and needs another few years in the bottle to mature.

14.8% alcohol by volume.

90 points.

$48. — 7 years ago

Freddy R. Troya

9.3

Monticello Vineyards – Cabernet Sauvignon – 2019
Tietjen Vineyard, Rutherford, Napa Valley – California, USA 🇺🇸

Overview
Crafted from the iconic Tietjen Vineyard in Rutherford, this 100% Cabernet Sauvignon is a benchmark example of Napa’s famed “Rutherford Dust.” The vineyard’s gravel, loam, and sandy soils, influenced by both volcanic and marine deposits, contribute to its distinctive character. Produced in limited quantities, this reserve bottling exemplifies elegance and terroir-driven depth.

Aromas & Flavors
Lush red and black berry fruit with cassis at the core, layered with sweet vanillin oak, caramel, and subtle spice. Rutherford’s earthy dust signature emerges with grace, adding complexity and balance.

Mouthfeel
Rich and full-bodied, yet polished. Fine-grained tannins wrap the fruit in elegance, with a long, supple finish that lingers with both freshness and finesse.

Food Pairings
Perfect alongside grilled ribeye, lamb chops, truffle risotto, or aged gouda.

Verdict
An iconic Rutherford Cabernet—textbook definition of power meeting refinement. Age-worthy yet approachable now with proper decanting. Cheers!

Did You Know?
The phrase “Rutherford Dust” was coined by André Tchelistcheff, Napa’s legendary winemaker, to describe the unique terroir-driven, fine powdery tannins and earthy nuance that define Cabernet Sauvignon from Rutherford. — 2 months ago

Stephanie Arend

9.5

Full bodied, full of flavor — 4 years ago

Sipping Fine Wine

9.0

Had ‘13 & ‘14 and thought ‘14 has a better and bolder style. Founded by Corley family in 1970 and now produces 15,000+ cases of Napa Valley wines. Aged for 22 months in French oak (35% new), aromas of red fruits and spice. On the palate this full-bodied wine shows flavors of strawberry and red plum with some espresso and caramel notes. Lingering finish, soft fine tannins ending with notes of oak and sweet spice. ‘14 will develop nicely in the bottle, but it’s good now. — 6 years ago

Matthew Cohen

9.4

N: elegant blackberry. Graphite.

P: dense. Blackberry. Amazing.

Mosaic $30 btg

Monopole 2 acres — 3 months ago

Andrea Silverstein

9.5

Very rich, full bodied with tobacco notes — 4 years ago

Pablo Cetlinski

10

On of the undiscovered single vineyard Cabs of Napa. Bordeaux finesse and Napa deepness. — 5 years ago

Leslie Ungs

9.3

Excellent cab with nice body and subtle tannins — 7 years ago

with Vivek