Of the wines I’ve tried…
74 Montelena Sonoma. So frickin’ good.
I have never met, much less tasted with Mr. Fu. However, when pondering this question, three wines came to mind:
1974 Mayacamas
1978 Diamond Creek Volcanic Hill*
1970 Inglenook
*I had the pleasure of tasting 1978 Diamond Creek Volcanic Hill, Gravelly Meadow and Red Rock Terrace side by side blind in the early 2000s. Volcanic Hill was preferred, but it was not a slam dunk.
I have had the 1974 Heitz Martha’s several times, most recently about five years ago. It is great wine, just not in my mind as great as those listed above. To me, it always paled next to the 1968, which had less eucalyptus character, and which I think I preferred to anything from California in the 1970s that I’ve tasted.
Dan Kravitz
1970 Inglenook CS my WOTY so far FWIW.
Have had many nice CA wines from the 70’s and have many more in my collection
Yverdon…what a story
The cask 88 was sensational in 1970
Best of the decade? It s in the running
Yup.
I have tasted that VH, it was fantastic wine.
Others I have had: 78 Cask 23 and 74 Caymus.
My father-in-law loved ‘74 Martha’s and bought it by the case ($18 per bottle back then?). I drank a lot of it (my mother-in-law liked it over ice). A great wine.
For me 77 Montelena Napa
78 Montelena Cabernet
78 Spring Mountain?
No mention of
‘70 BVGdlT? Although their ‘58 and ‘68 were better
‘78 Ridge, Monte Bello? Unique, strange and haunting wine that is still memorable 20 years after tasting it.
That said I might still vote ‘74 Heitz, MV. At the time of first trying this in the early 80s I didn’t even understand why people walked around with shirts that said “Martha’s Vineyard”!
1978 Diamond Creek Volcanic Hill though the 1970 BV GdlT is a worthy runner-up.
The biggest revelation was a 1975 Chateau St Jean Select Late Harvest Riesling.
74 Lytton Springs?
Glad to see Sterling get a shout out
Mondavi reserve 74 and 78
Mayacamas 70…a real mind blower
Also Mayacamas 71,73, 75
Souverain 70 …and 68
Shafer 78
Clos du val 75
The Zin was great too
Chappellet 75
This was an era when Bordeaux was the shining star and we tried to emulate it. In retrospect we did a great job
74 Lytton Springs?
Glad to see Sterling get a shout out
Mondavi reserve 74 and 78
Mayacamas 70…a real mind blower
Also Mayacamas 71,73, 75
Souverain 70 …and 68
Shafer 78
Clos du val 75
The Zin was great too
Chappellet 75
This was an era when Bordeaux was the shining star and we tried to emulate it. In retrospect we did a great job
1971 Ridge York Creek Petite Sirah.
And for me, it’s not even close…
TTT
From what I’ve enjoyed, 73’ Mayacamas, 73’ and 74’ Sterling Reserve.
74, 75, or 77 Mayacamas. Never had 70 or 73.
If I were offered a choice for drinking today, I’d pick the '75, but it sure took a long time to come around.
Mel I agree the 68 Souverain is amazing - had two bottles in recent years including one with some Napa winemakers.
Me I am still tasting so don’t have a final answer yet
A few thoughts. In the last five years, I have been lucky enough to have attended two Ridge verticals, both with Paul Draper. On both occasions, we served the1971 Eisele, and both times it finished in the middle, a much riper, plummier expression of Ridge. The 1971 Monte Bello was I think was preferred by everybody, a very classic wine. As one would expect given the wines, there were plenty of great wines, my own preference going to the 1968, but the 1974 and 1978 ran it close
The original poster asked about Cabernets. Some of the most exciting wines there were not Cabernet, and were in the same quality band as the cabs notably a 1973 Geyserville Zinfandel and a 1974 Petit Syrah.