Cask Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon

Tasted blind. Dark purple tawny color. Opaque. A slightly madierized nose. Notes of sauteed black cherries, anise, caramel, some smoke and some vanilla. Nice structure, although lacking in acidity which suggests its old. Interesting wine, drink up.

Cask J1. Dark blackish tawny color. Very much opaque. Wispy, rustic nose. Notes of charcoal, roses, mocha, cola, vanilla, and charred barrel. Seems very old to me. Is it fortified? While I'm trying to ascertain what this might be, it's revealed as old school Cal Cab. Pretty impressive stuff.

Cask C-3. Maybe slightly flawed on the nose. A metallic thing. But soon after a lovely balanced and pretty and focused midpalate. Good after the initial thing.

Rich, deep cassis and dark berry fruit, with some warm, gravelly minerality and a bit of baker’s chocolate on the nose. Soft and enveloping in the mouth. Long and balanced. A nice treat, since the last Inglenook Cab I had was the 77, which I had in the early 80s.

This dark wine bursts with rich cassis, vanilla and tobacco notes on the nose. Black fruit flavors are met with minerals and spice and the tannins are a step away from youthful, vibrant yet showing a soft side. The Cabernet Franc shows up wonderfully spicy with a green note in tow, while the Merlot even sneaks in a whiff of smoke. It's a pleasure from sniff to swallow, and the lengthy finish reminds one to go back for another sip.

Took about twenty minutes to go from vegetal stinkyness to expressive fruit and coffee bean. Came together nicely.

Second red wine at Table #1 at Oakton Wine Shops Bucket List Tasting.

Deep purplish ruby red. Rich nose with red berries, cassis, spices and cinnamon. Heavy tannins (7.5/10) and full bodied. Dark fruits on the palate with layers of spices and dark gravel. Long and lingering finish. Solid Napa Valley Cabernet for around $70.00 and built to last. Drink till 2032. (91+)

Had this 49 with 55, 56, 59, 68 and 70 with Kermit Lynch and John Tilson amongst others. The company speaks for itself alone as the provenance was perfect. Neck fills and cellared at 50 degrees for decades. Remarkable experience as the wines all showed primary fruit with dark rims and soft melted silky tannins that had real grip. The acid balance was near perfect front to back and these old Inglenooks really showcase that CA wines can age so beautifully when made right. What a testament and treat for us all that night.

This was the wine of the night. 1938 surprised everyone... Still showing beautiful fruit and flower.

A bottle that I had forgotten about in my cellar. Curiosity got the best of me as I think 2012 Napa cabs are entering a sweet spot.

This deserved a decant, honestly. Consumed from the bottle over the course of an hour or so, and the last glass was the best. I wouldn’t say this is an old school cab (although their history is), I’d say this is more in between old school and modern. Something for everyone to enjoy here. Aromatically, this was very floral...potpourri, slight note of herbs and just starting to channel a bit of secondary notes (tobacco, bay leaf). It sports a beautiful red/purple/black color variation in the glass with some translucence. On the palate, very classic...tar, kirsch, black currant, mocha, dark chocolate covered black cherries, and some baking spices toward the finish. The finish here really is starting to integrate as there is no harsh tannin or overt oak. Not quite warm vintage left bank Bordeaux, but trending that direction style wise. If opening now, decant 2-3hrs, or hold for another 3-5yrs easily to enjoy this drinking window.