TN: 1996 Chateau Montelena Estate Cabernet

[Peter_C]

1996 Chateau Montelena Cabernet Sauvignon The Montelena Estate - USA, California, Napa Valley (7/15/2009)
Splash decanted. Wish I had more time to slow-ox this, as I find it shows best that way. Another stellar bottle. Black currant, black cherry pipe tobacco and menthol assault the nose in waves - there’s a layered density to the bouquet that is most impressive. Due to lack of oxygenation, the tannins were a little clampy on the back end - but the fruit more than makes this pleasurable and is very grounded in minerality.

[jdietz]

Thank you, spacewrangler, for the note. I have a bottle of this I recently purchased based on all the good CT notes. And yours confirms.

[Peter_C]

@jdietz

Thank you, spacewrangler, for the note. I have a bottle of this I recently purchased based on all the good CT notes. And yours confirms.

Someone was unloading them for $60 on WineBid for a while, which is where I grabbed the majority of mine.

If you haven’t drank it yet (or is it drunk? Fleming?) - pop the cork 4-6 hours before serving it.

[Vincent_Fritzsche]

Not Fleming, but it’s drunk in that case. I drink something. I drank something. I have drunk something. Repeat.

[Michael_Malinoski]

Peter, you know I’m a big fan of the '96. Save some for me, willya??

[jdietz]

@Peter C.

@jdietz

Thank you, spacewrangler, for the note. I have a bottle of this I recently purchased based on all the good CT notes. And yours confirms.

Someone was unloading them for $60 on WineBid for a while, which is where I grabbed the majority of mine.

If you haven’t drank it yet (or is it drunk? Fleming?) - pop the cork 4-6 hours before serving it.

That’s where I got mine too…