california cabernets 1964-2004
June 13, 2008
Thanks to all for showing up for this fantastic and very fun tasting. I'm never disappointed when tasting fine,
older wines, and tonight was no exception. There are always some surprises, and sometimes
disappointments, but that's part of the fun. Pretty much all of the wines showed exceptionally well, even the
1964 Concannon which I thought could have been vinegar. And the 1979 Jordan was the clear star of the
show. This was clearly an amazing wine. Here are the notes with some figures and scores at the end. And if
any one needs to know, the cheeses were: Reblochon, Tallegio (by Cademartori), and Cowgirl Red Hawk
from (I believe) Marin county.
2004 Piedra Hill (W.H. Smith) Cabernet Sauvignon, Howell Mountain, Purple Label
This wine had a black purple color, with an immediate ripe fruity nose of raspberry and cassis, and blackberry
jam. It also showed dark chocolate and red and black cherry flavors with a silky, rich, concentrated mouth
feel--almost gooey but still had nice balance. Soft tannins, but good structure with plenty of acidity, and
despite the concentration, went down easy. The finish showed some lightly bitter black fruit, but still quite
nice. The web site says they remove the seeds prior to and during fermentation (something I've never heard
of). We came back to this, and it was really doing well with more breathing. This was a pleasure to drink for
such a young wine despite the exceptionally ugly label. Whoever designed this should be tarred and
feathered. Think “The Flintstones” typeface on a bright purple background. Alcohol seemed to be check at
13.8% as well as the well-integrated oak (I’m including all alcohol numbers, however inaccurate they may be,
as an aging reference). Good now, but could also give it 10-12 yrs? Initially gave it a solid 90, but came back
to it and upgraded it to 91. $49
2001 Pahlmeyer Red Wine Napa Valley
The color on this was dark ruby-scarlet with a beautiful mix of fruit, but also pure ripe blackberry, along with
earthy and slightly herbal notes. The texture was super silky, elegant, and had very nice balance, with hints of
older macerated cherries. It had well-integrated fine tannins and good acidity. However, in the finish there was
a touch of baking spice, with some obvious oak and heat from the alcohol. Very nice, just a bit heavy handed
in the finish in my opinion. This was by far the most alcoholic wine at 14.8% (the next being 13.8%). Will this
continue to age well considering the high octane? I had a small glass of this the next day and it softened up
nicely. I should have decanted this wine a full 6-8 hours before the tasting, not just 2 hours. Worth a revisit in
5 years. 92. $110.
1993 Beaulieu Vineyards, Georges de Latour Private Reserve, Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon
This was light ruby-brick in color, with lots of fading. In the nose I got stewed cherry fruit and pot-pouri notes,
but a clear, although faint, licorice element. Light, lithe, fairly simple, with plenty of acidity and very little
tannins, the wine actually finished with light dusty tannins coating the mouth. This is a very light version of a
Cal. Cab, not unlike lighter Bordeaux, but without the complexity, or richer earthy notes. (Have I said “light”
enough?). It’s a nice old cab that peaked probably before its time in comparison to other upper echelon cabs,
or even other BV PR’s. I think it would show better with a simple steak or similar fair. Many liked this because
it was so easy to drink, the alcohol and oak (and flavors for that matter) not posing any significant threat to
your palate. 13%. 89-90. Purchase recently for $40; Current vintage price: $95
1986 Hess Collection Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve, Mount Veeder
I was somewhat amazed at the nice bright purple color in this, especially after the BV. This had interesting
aromas of herbs, smoke, and a touch of bright red-black fruit (currant) that was still present. I perceived a
slight mineral quality in the wine as well. The mouth was very lively with lots of vibrant acidity, medium body,
and fair balance, although it wasn’t super complex. Some noticed a “lemon peel” element to this, which may
have been a mix of the mineral notes and citric elements together. The finish was fairly long but a bit tart. It
seems the acidity overpowered this wine, which kept it pretty fresh and colorful and kept the wine very much
alive, but maybe preserved it at the expense of gaining complexity/tertiary aromas. I could be wrong, but still
a very fine example of a Mount Veeder wine. This showed very nicely the next day as well. 12.5%. Will stay
together another 5 yrs easily. 91. $89.
1979 Jordan Cabernet Sauvignon Alexander Valley Estate
Brick-ruby-Burgundy red. Wow!!! This has a super pungent, awesome nose. We all found some of the
following in this stunning cabernet: brown spice, pot-pouri, light red fruits, cherry, clear traces of pepper,
brown spice, herbs, and tea. The nose was very pungent, and as one put it, “sewage...in a good way”. I’m
not sure about that, but this was simply beautiful. The flavors were right on target with what you’d expect a
perfectly aged fine wine to exhibit. The mouth was silky, elegant, with very fine tannins, good balanced
acidity, and a long soft, lingering finish. This was complex and smooth--the ideal aged wine. True, it is lighter
in style, but nothing wrong with that when structure and flavors are what they are. How did this Sonoma wine
become this incredible? I don’t have much experience with Jordan, and the couple recent examples I’ve had
have been simply good. I am perplexed and would love some feedback. Furthermore, the current price for
this is very high. I guess that explains it. Anyway, this was easily the wine of the night, the Clos du Val coming
in second. 12.9 %. 94-95. $205 on line.
1978 Burgess Cabernet Sauvignon Vintage Selection, Napa Valley
The color on this one goes back to a darker purple with brick hues and exhibited low aromatics with some
sweet black fruit/pruney notes in there. It had a medium body and some grainy tannins and less structure
than the Jordan. The finish dropped off quite quickly. This was still a nice, simple, rather coarse wine, but still
alive and kicking. It lacks refinement, but a fun wine. Howell Mountain fruit. My guess is the alcohol (13.8%
for a 1978) stayed with it and took over and gave it a slight sweet impression in mouth. 88. $90.
1974 Clos du Val Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon
Very light ruby red. Wow! This was another stunner, with a beautiful and pungent nose, but not quite as
strong or complex as the Jordan. It had a lighter pot-pouri, spice, and macerated cherry nose with an elegant,
soft, mouth feel. There were not much tannins left, but very much a beautiful wine. It was very similar in
character, but just a bit more faded than the Jordan. Exceptional and seemed to be the 2nd favorite of the
night. Are all of the CDV Napa Valley bottlings 100% SLD fruit from this era? I would imagine so. 1974 was
the first crush from estate fruit from this winery. Can anyone give me feedback on the famous 1972? (from
purchased grapes!). 93.
1964 Concannon Cabernet Sauvignon “Limited Bottling” Livermore Valley
Alright, now we’re taking a step back practically into the dark ages. This was fun because of its “pre-modern-
wine-era” feel to it. It had the classic old bottle and faded label on it, and had a dark amber color with redish-
black hues. Right away we got a smell reminiscent of port—an obvious give-away that it’s pretty much over.
Still, it had a pruney element that was not offensive, and a slightly sour taste that was not disgusting. It was
quite soft, and still palatable for sure. But what do you expect? I was happy no one spit it out. As sort of a
science experiment, it was a pleasure drinking my birth year. 1964 was supposed to be a good year, right?
Drinkable, fun, and a learning experience for the group. Past peak by at least 10-15 years, but just goes to
show that many wines don’t just go rancid abruptly, good ones can sort of fade into the sunset. This is the
only aged Concannon I’ve had, and I’d be curious as to know what these tasted like at their peak. The
following night I had the last few drops of this and it was like drinking water--hardly any sourness, and quite
pleasant actually. 12%. Yes, 12%. 85 (being generous!). Purchased for $39.95 last year, “wholesale”.
1999 Chateau de Fieuzal, Pessac Leognan, Bordeaux
Just for fun, and as a contrast to the California Cabs, we had this 9 year old Bordeaux. It was dark black-
purple. It had a very nice nose of pine sap, foresty-earthy smells with some leather, mushroom and a touch of
black currant. Classic Pessac Leognan. This was obviously not fruit driven. In the mouth it had a medium
body with noticeably lower alcohol, making it quite approachable. However, it did possess pretty grainy,
aggressive tannins especially apparent in the finish. This should do very well in 5 years I think. Fair
Bordeaux, but seems to be maybe in sort of an “in between” stage. Not exceedingly balanced or complex, but
has potential to soften up and gain some tertiary aromas. 12.5%. 60% CS (lowest ratio of all of the above).
89-90. $45.
older wines, and tonight was no exception. There are always some surprises, and sometimes
disappointments, but that's part of the fun. Pretty much all of the wines showed exceptionally well, even the
1964 Concannon which I thought could have been vinegar. And the 1979 Jordan was the clear star of the
show. This was clearly an amazing wine. Here are the notes with some figures and scores at the end. And if
any one needs to know, the cheeses were: Reblochon, Tallegio (by Cademartori), and Cowgirl Red Hawk
from (I believe) Marin county.
2004 Piedra Hill (W.H. Smith) Cabernet Sauvignon, Howell Mountain, Purple Label
This wine had a black purple color, with an immediate ripe fruity nose of raspberry and cassis, and blackberry
jam. It also showed dark chocolate and red and black cherry flavors with a silky, rich, concentrated mouth
feel--almost gooey but still had nice balance. Soft tannins, but good structure with plenty of acidity, and
despite the concentration, went down easy. The finish showed some lightly bitter black fruit, but still quite
nice. The web site says they remove the seeds prior to and during fermentation (something I've never heard
of). We came back to this, and it was really doing well with more breathing. This was a pleasure to drink for
such a young wine despite the exceptionally ugly label. Whoever designed this should be tarred and
feathered. Think “The Flintstones” typeface on a bright purple background. Alcohol seemed to be check at
13.8% as well as the well-integrated oak (I’m including all alcohol numbers, however inaccurate they may be,
as an aging reference). Good now, but could also give it 10-12 yrs? Initially gave it a solid 90, but came back
to it and upgraded it to 91. $49
2001 Pahlmeyer Red Wine Napa Valley
The color on this was dark ruby-scarlet with a beautiful mix of fruit, but also pure ripe blackberry, along with
earthy and slightly herbal notes. The texture was super silky, elegant, and had very nice balance, with hints of
older macerated cherries. It had well-integrated fine tannins and good acidity. However, in the finish there was
a touch of baking spice, with some obvious oak and heat from the alcohol. Very nice, just a bit heavy handed
in the finish in my opinion. This was by far the most alcoholic wine at 14.8% (the next being 13.8%). Will this
continue to age well considering the high octane? I had a small glass of this the next day and it softened up
nicely. I should have decanted this wine a full 6-8 hours before the tasting, not just 2 hours. Worth a revisit in
5 years. 92. $110.
1993 Beaulieu Vineyards, Georges de Latour Private Reserve, Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon
This was light ruby-brick in color, with lots of fading. In the nose I got stewed cherry fruit and pot-pouri notes,
but a clear, although faint, licorice element. Light, lithe, fairly simple, with plenty of acidity and very little
tannins, the wine actually finished with light dusty tannins coating the mouth. This is a very light version of a
Cal. Cab, not unlike lighter Bordeaux, but without the complexity, or richer earthy notes. (Have I said “light”
enough?). It’s a nice old cab that peaked probably before its time in comparison to other upper echelon cabs,
or even other BV PR’s. I think it would show better with a simple steak or similar fair. Many liked this because
it was so easy to drink, the alcohol and oak (and flavors for that matter) not posing any significant threat to
your palate. 13%. 89-90. Purchase recently for $40; Current vintage price: $95
1986 Hess Collection Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve, Mount Veeder
I was somewhat amazed at the nice bright purple color in this, especially after the BV. This had interesting
aromas of herbs, smoke, and a touch of bright red-black fruit (currant) that was still present. I perceived a
slight mineral quality in the wine as well. The mouth was very lively with lots of vibrant acidity, medium body,
and fair balance, although it wasn’t super complex. Some noticed a “lemon peel” element to this, which may
have been a mix of the mineral notes and citric elements together. The finish was fairly long but a bit tart. It
seems the acidity overpowered this wine, which kept it pretty fresh and colorful and kept the wine very much
alive, but maybe preserved it at the expense of gaining complexity/tertiary aromas. I could be wrong, but still
a very fine example of a Mount Veeder wine. This showed very nicely the next day as well. 12.5%. Will stay
together another 5 yrs easily. 91. $89.
1979 Jordan Cabernet Sauvignon Alexander Valley Estate
Brick-ruby-Burgundy red. Wow!!! This has a super pungent, awesome nose. We all found some of the
following in this stunning cabernet: brown spice, pot-pouri, light red fruits, cherry, clear traces of pepper,
brown spice, herbs, and tea. The nose was very pungent, and as one put it, “sewage...in a good way”. I’m
not sure about that, but this was simply beautiful. The flavors were right on target with what you’d expect a
perfectly aged fine wine to exhibit. The mouth was silky, elegant, with very fine tannins, good balanced
acidity, and a long soft, lingering finish. This was complex and smooth--the ideal aged wine. True, it is lighter
in style, but nothing wrong with that when structure and flavors are what they are. How did this Sonoma wine
become this incredible? I don’t have much experience with Jordan, and the couple recent examples I’ve had
have been simply good. I am perplexed and would love some feedback. Furthermore, the current price for
this is very high. I guess that explains it. Anyway, this was easily the wine of the night, the Clos du Val coming
in second. 12.9 %. 94-95. $205 on line.
1978 Burgess Cabernet Sauvignon Vintage Selection, Napa Valley
The color on this one goes back to a darker purple with brick hues and exhibited low aromatics with some
sweet black fruit/pruney notes in there. It had a medium body and some grainy tannins and less structure
than the Jordan. The finish dropped off quite quickly. This was still a nice, simple, rather coarse wine, but still
alive and kicking. It lacks refinement, but a fun wine. Howell Mountain fruit. My guess is the alcohol (13.8%
for a 1978) stayed with it and took over and gave it a slight sweet impression in mouth. 88. $90.
1974 Clos du Val Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon
Very light ruby red. Wow! This was another stunner, with a beautiful and pungent nose, but not quite as
strong or complex as the Jordan. It had a lighter pot-pouri, spice, and macerated cherry nose with an elegant,
soft, mouth feel. There were not much tannins left, but very much a beautiful wine. It was very similar in
character, but just a bit more faded than the Jordan. Exceptional and seemed to be the 2nd favorite of the
night. Are all of the CDV Napa Valley bottlings 100% SLD fruit from this era? I would imagine so. 1974 was
the first crush from estate fruit from this winery. Can anyone give me feedback on the famous 1972? (from
purchased grapes!). 93.
1964 Concannon Cabernet Sauvignon “Limited Bottling” Livermore Valley
Alright, now we’re taking a step back practically into the dark ages. This was fun because of its “pre-modern-
wine-era” feel to it. It had the classic old bottle and faded label on it, and had a dark amber color with redish-
black hues. Right away we got a smell reminiscent of port—an obvious give-away that it’s pretty much over.
Still, it had a pruney element that was not offensive, and a slightly sour taste that was not disgusting. It was
quite soft, and still palatable for sure. But what do you expect? I was happy no one spit it out. As sort of a
science experiment, it was a pleasure drinking my birth year. 1964 was supposed to be a good year, right?
Drinkable, fun, and a learning experience for the group. Past peak by at least 10-15 years, but just goes to
show that many wines don’t just go rancid abruptly, good ones can sort of fade into the sunset. This is the
only aged Concannon I’ve had, and I’d be curious as to know what these tasted like at their peak. The
following night I had the last few drops of this and it was like drinking water--hardly any sourness, and quite
pleasant actually. 12%. Yes, 12%. 85 (being generous!). Purchased for $39.95 last year, “wholesale”.
1999 Chateau de Fieuzal, Pessac Leognan, Bordeaux
Just for fun, and as a contrast to the California Cabs, we had this 9 year old Bordeaux. It was dark black-
purple. It had a very nice nose of pine sap, foresty-earthy smells with some leather, mushroom and a touch of
black currant. Classic Pessac Leognan. This was obviously not fruit driven. In the mouth it had a medium
body with noticeably lower alcohol, making it quite approachable. However, it did possess pretty grainy,
aggressive tannins especially apparent in the finish. This should do very well in 5 years I think. Fair
Bordeaux, but seems to be maybe in sort of an “in between” stage. Not exceedingly balanced or complex, but
has potential to soften up and gain some tertiary aromas. 12.5%. 60% CS (lowest ratio of all of the above).
89-90. $45.