Condition:
Excellent neck fill
Cork came out in one piece using a Durand; not fully saturated
No signs of leakage
Appearance:
Beautiful brick, ruby, and burnt orange tones
Extremely clear throughout the pour, with very little sediment (stood upright for 2 days before opening)
Nose:
Aromas of leather, cassis, stewed plums
Old cedar barn (not barnyard), dried flowers, a touch of graphite
Palate:
Still showing good fruit: dried cherries, strawberry-rhubarb
Light balsamic note, subtle earthiness, hint of eucalyptus
Leather and savory umami quality
Low acidity, but paired nicely with fatty smoked salmon—this wine definitely needed food
Very soft mouthfeel; slightly past peak but the magnum format helped preserve it
Medium to short finish with flavors of dried tea, herbs, and fruit leather
I was honestly surprised by how well this wine showed. Drank it slowly over about 5+ hours. While it started to fade a little with air, the structure held up impressively for its age, little easter miracle. A real treat from a classic Napa vintage. Especially for being around the time of the Mondavi split. Felt like drinking a bit of history. Happy I didn't wait much longer to drink this one. Ended up sharing this at a bbq, then the park, then to dinner. Some very lucky random people got to taste this wonderful Jesus juice.
by Historical_Stay_808
2 Comments
cool
Very beautiful wine. What stood out to me was the 12% alcohol. But maybe the climate was cooler back then, or I’m just not used to it anymore, with most red wines now ranging between 13.5% and 15-16%.