Napa Valley

• Atlas Peak
• Best of Napa
• Calistoga
• Conn Valley
• Diamond Mountain
• Howell Mountain
• Mt. Veeder
• Oak Knoll
• Oakville
• Pope Valley
• Rutherford
• Spring Mountain
• St. Helena
• Stags Leap
• Yountville

Randy Dunn's wines are notorious for taking a long time to open and develop.  A recent 1997 Napa was in great shape and just entering a drinking window.  So it was with some trepidation that I tried this wine.  It was actually drinking nicely, if tannic, tight and in need of a long sleep.  For those who like big tannins, perhaps they might open one now, but the price on this and its potential really do speak to showing some patience.  Deep ruby in color.  The nose has cassis, some char and spice.  On the palate, this has firm tannins but persistent cassis fruit.  Deep but hard to see the bo

This is a blend of grapes from Napa (Cabernet Sauvignon, Zinfandel, Malbec and Petite Sirah) combined with Syrah from Sonoma.  It is a pretty big and jammy style of red wine.  The nose has black raspberries, black cherries, graphite, baking spices and a bit of chocolate.  Rich texture.  A nice varietal complexity.  Light tannins.  This is ready to drink now.  Lots of purple and dark red fruits.  Tasty.  Probably better served as a glass on the deck but it will work with bolder foods.  Probably best if drunk in the next year or two as the exuberance and energy are what this wine is all about

Dunn Cabernet's have a reputation of taking forever to get to maturity but lasting a long time.  While that is more true for the Howell Mountain, it is also true for the Napa.  This one was purchased on release to celebrate occasions as my daughter, born in the same vintage grew up.  So, when she graduated college, this one was on the list.  It is drinking wonderfully right now and does not seem like it is 22 years from vintage.  It will easily go another decade and may be two before heading south.  Purple in color, ruby at the rim.  The nose is nice with cassis, some cigar box and spice. 

This one seems like it has seen better days.  There is still a fair amount of oak on it, yet the fruit is almost all faded.  I tasted this in its youth and it was a very nice wine.  It had a fair amount of oak but also a nice crispness to it.  If you own any, I would drink up.  

A question that comes up on occasion is whether a $125 bottle can be considered a value.  In this case, I say yes.  A Napa Cab of this quality often costs 4 times the price and rarely less.  The Bard is consistent from vintage to vintage and a truly great wine.  This is a blend of 73% Cabernet Sauvignon, 18% Merlot and the remaining grapes are Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot.  Inky purple in color.

Nice to get a chance to revisit this.  It has come together nicely and improved a bit since release.   50% Cabernet Sauvignon, 25% Merlot, and 25% Cabernet Franc.  This is made from those barrels which did not qualify for the top wines.  Purple in color with some ruby at the rim.  The nose is nice with cherries, tobacco, sour cherries, sandalwood and anise.  On the palate, this is drinking great.  I doubt it gets any better but certainly has another five years.  Lots of red fruits and a bit darker with some earthiness.  Light tannins.  Nice finish.  This will go with a wide variety of foods

So, after an amazing wine dinner with two other couples and my wife, we did the mistake of opening this.  It was amazing but this just arrived a few weeks ago and really needs time.  That said, it really was great, it just needs at least a few more years and really five to ten.  Oh well, it was fun.  Inky purple in color.  The nose has cassis, pencil lead, tobacco, smoke and cedar.  On the palate, this has big fruit and big tannins.  Not so much a fruit bomb as the intensity.  It must be like barrel tasting Latour in a great vintage.  The finish goes for for hours.  Give this some time and

Drank this side by side with the 2012.  The 2012 was better tonight, but the 2016 is the better wine.  Hold for at least five years and patience will be rewarded.  Of course, if you can't - no worries.  It is amazing right now.  Inky purple, ruby at the rim.  The nose has cassis, cedar, clay, graphite and sandalwood.  On the palate this has firm tannins.  Tons of cassis with tight layering of charred earth.  Great balance.  Intense and concentrated.  Long finish.  Went great with Cauliflower steaks but would work well with grilled or roasted meats.  it kind of reminds me of Mouton in a grea

Scarecrow is one of the best wines in the world.  It is always a pleasure to be able to share some with friends!  This bottle did not disappoint.  It is not a fruit bomb but there is plenty of fruit.  This bottle is still young with some upside but drinking great today.  Inky purple with a thin ruby band at the rim.  The nose is great with cassis, violets, spice and minerality.  On the palate, this has light tannins but persistent.  Intense cassis on the palate with underlying charred earth and a bit of dark chocolate.  Layers of fruit and earth.  Long finish.  Great balance.  Delicious.  W

This was my WOTN in an evening with a lot of stellar bottles.  It is everything I could ask for in a Napa Cab.  It is still young and no doubt has a couple of decades left.  Inky purple in color, ruby at the rim.  The nose has cassis, spice, graphite, clay and moist earthiness.  Firm tannins.  On the palate, this is deep and complex, it unwinds in the glass beautifully showing cassis, tobacco with underlying earthiness.  Despite the tannins, this wine has a softness that makes it approachable.  It is delicious.  It will need big foods or drink on its own.