Discussion: style of old vs new Cali Cabs

[Glenn_L_e_v_i_n_e]

@Howard Cooper

@Glenn Levine

i have had good luck in the 80’s with a variety of producers still but agree that Inglenook isn’t one of those. i have friends who had the 1974 Ing within the past year and said it was a really fun look back in time.

Inglenook is one of the great old names of California wines. It was made famous by John Daniels, who made the wines there for many years and I think owned the winery. Eventually, in the late 60s I believe, the winery was sold to United Vintners (which I think later became part of Heublein) and the wines slowly starting getting worse. I have had excellent 1968 and 1973 Inglenook Cask, but nothing later.

As I understand it, the Inglenook Cask Cabernet was made from three vineyards. One of these was Napanook. That is now the grape source for Dominus. Another is the Niebaum Estate (Niebaum started Inglenook). These grapes now going into Rubicon.

i am aware of history and have also gotten to enjoy the 68 Ing - on more than one occasion. my Fla buddies have a lot of this wine, and they have had it a long time, so when they crack a good one i get to hear about it. like we both said by the 1980’s Inglenook was a shadow of what it had once been.

[Howard_Cooper]

@Glenn Levine

@Howard Cooper

@Glenn Levine

i have had good luck in the 80’s with a variety of producers still but agree that Inglenook isn’t one of those. i have friends who had the 1974 Ing within the past year and said it was a really fun look back in time.

Inglenook is one of the great old names of California wines. It was made famous by John Daniels, who made the wines there for many years and I think owned the winery. Eventually, in the late 60s I believe, the winery was sold to United Vintners (which I think later became part of Heublein) and the wines slowly starting getting worse. I have had excellent 1968 and 1973 Inglenook Cask, but nothing later.

As I understand it, the Inglenook Cask Cabernet was made from three vineyards. One of these was Napanook. That is now the grape source for Dominus. Another is the Niebaum Estate (Niebaum started Inglenook). These grapes now going into Rubicon.

i am aware of history and have also gotten to enjoy the 68 Ing - on more than one occasion. my Fla buddies have a lot of this wine, and they have had it a long time, so when they crack a good one i get to hear about it. like we both said by the 1980’s Inglenook was a shadow of what it had once been.

Glenn, my guess is that the closest one can get to day to the old Inglenook Cask is to by Dominus.

[Glenn_L_e_v_i_n_e]

a 90’s Dominus in like 2025 might be similar huh?

[John_Liotta]

Sometimes it is fun to be contradictory . . .

This thread is chalked full of classic the “In My Day Syndrome” . . .

Wine was better back when:
They were lower in alcohol . . .
Producers didn’t pander to critics . . .
Wineries were fewer and had proven track records . . .
Cared about their (artisan) products and not money and marketing . . .
Made finesse, structured wines that were meant to age . . . and shock the world . . .
etc. etc. etc. . . .

Of course . . . it is just too easy to leave out “a lot of the other stuff” that makes a great deal of sense. . . because it’s a lot more fun for me to contradict my peers . . . stir the pot a bit. You can do that here? Right?

[WvanGorp]

@Dave Grudzinski

What about Spring Mountain Vineyards? They made some great cabs in the 70’s and have gotten some praise for their recent wines.

I’m very glad to hear you say this. I very much enjoyed their wines from the 70’s and about 3-4 years ago, the GJE included their wines in a couple of blind tastings of California wines and low and behold, they showed quite well. I think this has been an under the radar winery.

[Guillaume_Deschamps]

@John Liotta

Sometimes it is fun to be contradictory . . .

Then be… for the moment I didn’t see anything contradictory in what you said (unless you meant the off-topic rant?)

[Ben_Sherwin]

@WvanGorp

I’m very glad to hear you say this. I very much enjoyed their wines from the 70’s and about 3-4 years ago, the GJE included their wines in a couple of blind tastings of California wines and low and behold, they showed quite well. I think this has been an under the radar winery.

I agree on their old stuff, but they have made a lot of junk lately. Maybe they’ve turned the corner in the last couple of years. I stopped drinking it some time ago.