Yesterday was a good day. I shared a 1996 Robert Mondavi 30th Anniversary Reserve Cabernet (which was awesome) with a buddy while we watched my Penn State Nittany Lions beat LSU in the Capital One Bowl. That was the afternoon. Went over to his place later that night to watch the Bruins play Philly in the Winter Classic at Fenway Park which he had DVR’d. We were just deciding what to open when Skip Bennett, founder of Island Creek Oysters, stopped by and said he wanted us to try something.
He then produced a filled into the base neck 1975 Caymus Cabernet which he claimed was impeccably stored. Are you kidding me?
We pulled the cork which was saturated through until the last 1/8" which was dry. Just in time, right? I thought the Mondo earlier in the day drank mature (and it did), but this was AMAZING. Like the Mondo, I loved the dry and rustic tannin (of what very little was left). The fruit was still there - and it never faded. What a testament to the Wagners and what they have done. The nose was almost 100 points. I spent more time just sniffing this than drinking it. On the palate, this had wonderful red fruit which carried all the way through from front to back with a lovely lingering finish. There was a lovely mintiness as well. As one would expect by now, the oak was completely integrated, and the wine drank as one unit rather than as a collection of components. Just a wonderful aged Napa cab which crushed a 1979 Caymus Special Select I tried a few years ago by comparison that was DOA. Whodda thunk a regular bottling from 4 years earlier would have done so? I’d give this one 95.
The tried and true sayings are right. There is no substitute for great provenance. There are no great wines, only great bottles.
I had two great bottles yesterday and the Bruins even won in OT at Fenway. It was a great way to kick off the New Year. I hope yours goes every bit as well!