- 1991 Dunn Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley - USA, California, Napa Valley (1/22/2025)
Fully mature and elegant - wait…is this actually Dunn, or did I open something else by mistake?
Shockingly light bodied when I first opened it, it fleshed out 30 minutes later, but never went beyond medium-bodied. The aromas were pure Cabernet - cassis, a touch of tobacco leaf (old school!), cedar, and just a touch of spice. Tannins almost completely melted away, so the mouthfeel was quite smooth, but with good acidic bite. Not sure I would have pegged this as a Napa wine blind, as on the whole it reminded me a lot of a top vintage of Chateau Beychevelle.
Not at all what I was expecting, but a wonderful bottle to celebrate my birthday.
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A Dunn that’s actually mature! Sounds like a hell of a bottle, and perfect for the occasion. Happy birthday!
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Hard to beat old Dunn.
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Happy Birthday 
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While not Dunn I have a couple of bottles of 1991 Heitz, one Napa Cab and one Martha’s that I’m saving since it’s my daughter’s birth year. She is planning to bring us a grandson in April so at some point after that I want to open one of these with her. This post has me hoping the Heitz is similar to the Dunn.
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Been a minute but I always found the Napa a bit more medium bodied and the Howell Mountain more of the beast. A broad generalization for sure.
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91 Forman (en-mag thanks @Mark_Golodetz ) is the best 91 California cab I’ve had, but it’s absolutely a vintage pursue it seems
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Sounds like a bottle worthy of the day. Happy Birthday!
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The only Howell Mountain I’ve ever had that was remotely mature was from an off vintage with 15 or 20 years of age. (It was tasted 20 years ago, so I don’t recall the vintage.)
I don’t have much experience with either Dunn bottling, as I keep looking at them, and putting them back in the racks. They are the ultimate “nope, not yet” wines.
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I’ve had a few Dunn Howell Mt from the late 80’s and early 90’s and all have been delicious but in need of more time in the cellar. I’ve got a 94 magnum that’s destined to be opened at my celebration of life. I’m sure that at the event there will many comments “delicious but could go another 20 years” 
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Happy birthday! 1991 is one of my favorite CA vintages.
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I’ve had a lot of old Dunn’s. The 87 HM being my favorite. Last year, I got my hands on a magnum from someone I know that bought It on release and stored it perfectly in their home cellar without it ever being moved. If there was ever a bottle that should’ve been spectacular this was it. I drank it with some other friends that are Dunn fan boys and drink them often. It was really really good but the bottles we had in previous years in 750s were significantly better. We were all kind of surprised that it was clearly past peak
The vagaries of cork closures perhaps.
Don’t know it’s hard to say, but this bottle was perfect. It looked like it was brand new, and the cork could not have been in better shape. I’ve probably had that wine 20 times in the last 10 years. It was really good but it just wasn’t what It had been in the past. Maybe just bottle variation?
We could explore an early ‘90s Napa on Saturday
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Great report @David_Bu3ker. Looking through my notes I see that ‘91 is one of the few vintages of the 90s I haven’t had, but the Napa Valley Dunn has been so reliable in that decade. Yes, not as good as the Howell, but a wonderful wine in its own right.
But I have to differ with this ‘never ready’ commentary. I’ve found the 90s Dunns to be excellent over the last few years. Sure, with lots of life left and long opportunity to develop, but also fantastic now.
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