Napa Wine Company
Robert Mondavi Winery
Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 1979
Still plenty of structure, color was ruby not brown. Amazing complexity for a 79. What a treat! — 4 days ago
Dunn Vineyards
Howell Mountain Cabernet Sauvignon 1986
Big and dense. Olives. Otherwise mostly what one would expect. Quite dark.
. — 4 days ago
Faust
Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2022
Perfectly fine. Nothing special. A lot of butter — 11 days ago
Silver Oak
Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 1994
Over 30 years old. Has aged quite well. Did not have a decanter to deal with the sediment, but still a great wine to experience. Would be curious to see how this bottle compares to its counterpart from Alexander Valley. — a month ago
Stags' Leap Winery
Napa Valley Petite Sirah 2020
This is a full bodied wine providing intense, concentrated flavors of blueberries, raspberries, violets, and cassis, with an underlying layer of dried herbs. It has quite high tannins that provide a chalky mouthfeel, but it’s balanced nicely by med/high acidity. On the finish, notes of earthy bitter chocolate accompany the fruit and violets, and the tannins provide just a slightly drying mouthfeel. I think this wine would go well with something robust like ribeye, lamb, or smoked ribs/brisket. I had it with sausage and mushroom pizza, and after the first glass it became a bit too much. — 20 days ago
Harlan Estate
Napa Valley Proprietary Red Blend 2019
Wow! Almost hated to drink because the bouquet was stupendous. Rich fruit, earth, leather, and a hint of spice. This wine made Napa famous! The finish just lasted and lasted. Made every thing I said after finishing the glass sound witty and profound 😄 — a month ago
Stag's Leap Wine Cellars
Artemis Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2022
Joseph Phelps Vineyards
Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 1999
A 1/4 century in bottle…mmmm. I have had every 90’s vintage of Phelps Napa, except a 90 I think. Many of those multiple times at 15 yrs plus. This 99 is as good as any of the ones I’ve had. 98, not a great vintage but the 98 consistent with the rest and 99 better than many would expect.
Siting it, it has a dark core with little or no brickish edges. The fruit still very lively.
The nose shows; slightly candied to ripe & some slightly plummy fruits; blackberries, black raspberries, dark cherries, both plums, baked strawberries, pomegranate & raspberries. Cinnamon stick, nutmeg, clove, vanilla, anise to black licorice, sweet tarriness, dry tobacco, used leather, dry stems, dry crushed rocks with dry top soil, graphite, cocoa powder, dark cola, steeped berry tea, moist clay, dark & red bright florals framed I liquid violets with a touch of lavender.
This is still around its peak. M-M+ velvety, round tannins. It’s round w/ elegance defined. Nothing that bits back. Palate confirms the nose. Slightly candied to ripe fruits; blackberries, black raspberries, dark cherries, both plums, baked strawberries, pomegranate & raspberries. Cinnamon stick, nutmeg, clove, vanilla, anise to black licorice, sweet tarriness, dry tobacco, used leather, dry stems, dry crushed rocks with dry top soil, limestone, dark Asian spices with some palate heat, dry herbs w/ a sage lead, graphite, used charcoal ash, cocoa powder, caramel, dark cola, steeped berry tea, moist clay, dark & red bright florals framed in liquid violets with a touch of lavender, very round, beautiful acidity, well; made, knitted, structured, tensioned w/ excellent length and elegance-balanced finish that lasts minutes & lands on moist clays and ripe, evolved fruit.
Perfect w/ the Prime Ribcap. — a month ago
Chappellet
Signature Donn Chappellet Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2022
Oak and leather with plum. Rich and bold. — a month ago
Chateau Montelena
Napa Valley Chardonnay 2016
Virtually impossible to tell this wine is 10 years old! Still so vibrant with acidity and has a decent amount of fruit left. The pear and lemon are softer, the oak and slate are a little more prevalent. Developing a touch more brioche but if I tasted it blind I don’t think I’d identify it as 10 years old at all. — 18 hours ago
Opus One
Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon Blend 1986
Poured into a decanter to remove sediment prior to service; enjoyed over the course of several hours. The 1986 pours a garnet color with a near opaque core; medium viscosity with moderate staining of the tears. On the nose, the wine is vinous with notes of cassis, dried blackberries, green bell pepper, tobacco, dried purple flowers, earth and fine cool and warm spices. On the palate, the wine is dry with medium (integrated) tannin and medium+ acid. Confirming the notes from the nose. The finish is medium. A solid but somewhat demure showing, particularly in the midpalate. Drink now. — 25 days ago
Frank Family Vineyards
Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2017
A very good Cab given to me for a Christmas present one year by my brother. Drank on 6/27/26 with Matt — 4 days ago
Beringer Vineyards
Private Reserve Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2016
This is aging well. Less fruit forward than I remember. Mellowed tartness from tannins, red and dark fruits and still a bit high on the alcohol content — a month ago
Somm David T
Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator
Oh…the fruit is still solid with dry herbs. 94 a special Napa vintage. 13.4% ABV, miss it. This is when FA was still rocking it.
This gets better & better with each sip. The fruit still ripe, ruby and glorious. When Napa didn’t pick overly ripe fruit. Blackberries, black raspberries, dark cherries, both plums, purple fruit blend, dark cherries, strawberries, blueberries & raspberries. Sage, black earth, dry twig, red & dark berry cola, softly layered baking spices-clove, cinnamon & vanillin, caramel, mocha powder, chocolate pudding, anise to lighter tarriness, some graphite, soft charcoal, volcanic ash, understated; oak, leather, tobacco, fine grain still somewhat grippy tannins, touch olive tapenade, fresh florals that are; dark, red, blue with liquid violets, balance, length, mid structure & tension with polished elegance for days.
Recent retail purchase. Large library allocation they bought winery direct.
This well stored has another 4-7 yrs left.
What is a good 1994 memory? A question I ask friends when I enjoy an older wine with them. — 4 days ago