Christian Miller (CMM)
Christian Miller
All wines tasted blind, TNs in order of presentation. Two interesting notes in summary:
(1) at this great age, the varietal character was difficult to pick out; only the Merlot and a couple of the Zins were identified as such by a majority at the tasting. A majority thought the Mayacamas Cab was an over-the-hill Zin.
(2) The Zins averaged higher in ranking among the tasters than the Cabs.
Need I mention the alcohol levels, all ranging from 12% to a little over 14%?
Petite Sirah Dry Creek Vogensen 1975, Dehlinger - still remarkably garnet colored, medium in depth with a rim; smoky woodsy notes over mature slightly cedary fruit; medium body, even across palate, cedary oak with some berry fruit, dry medium strength tannins, decent length. Very rare, the PS normally all went into their Zin in that era. Not varietal, but still vigorous. ***(*?)
Merlot Napa Valley 1975, Chappellet - brown with pale rim; old soy and clay notes mingle with some sweet spice and a touch of tobacco; dry slightly dillish and herbaceous old fruit with some oak, somewhat woody dry finish. **
Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley 1975, Mayacamas - dark muddy brownish; mild aroma with touches of prunes, oak, slight dirty note; dry, a bit of farmy brett, very dry and woody finish; if you added a bit of alcohol, this would taste just like an old rustic farm Armagnac. */**
Zinfandel Sonoma County (Alexander Valley)1975, Sausal - pale brown rim; clay- earth tone with a shot of vanilla, then cherry-berry fruit and chestnut emerge; sweet old fruit with a touch of alcohol on the palate, mellow and fading finish. ***
Petite Sirah Napa Valley 1975, Burgess - dark reddish brown; sweet mellow old oaky jam in the nose, which grows more complex with air, revealing mince pie, mulchy earthy complexities; old woodsy flavor notes mix with sweet fruit and a touch of Worcestershire sauce; medium-long finish. ****
Zinfandel Napa Valley (Howell Mtn per our host) 1975, Clos du Val - dark brownish color; mild sage, berry compote, farmhearth brett, sweet oak mingle in complex aroma; toasty oak with a slight bourbon-like flavor frames sweet slightly decayed fruit; earthy, mellow dry finish of fair length with some grip. This was a renowned Zin in its day; it's still very fine drinking. ****
Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley 1975, Villa Mt Eden - toasty oak with caramelized nutty-bready notes on top of plum-raisin fruit; round, mellow but plump, a big wine now soft and slightly decayed with a bit of clay in the finish. ***
Zinfandel Napa & Sonoma 1975, Burgess - medium brown color; mild earthy fruit, mellow on palate; dry, frail and fading in the finish. */**
(1) at this great age, the varietal character was difficult to pick out; only the Merlot and a couple of the Zins were identified as such by a majority at the tasting. A majority thought the Mayacamas Cab was an over-the-hill Zin.
(2) The Zins averaged higher in ranking among the tasters than the Cabs.
Need I mention the alcohol levels, all ranging from 12% to a little over 14%?
Petite Sirah Dry Creek Vogensen 1975, Dehlinger - still remarkably garnet colored, medium in depth with a rim; smoky woodsy notes over mature slightly cedary fruit; medium body, even across palate, cedary oak with some berry fruit, dry medium strength tannins, decent length. Very rare, the PS normally all went into their Zin in that era. Not varietal, but still vigorous. ***(*?)
Merlot Napa Valley 1975, Chappellet - brown with pale rim; old soy and clay notes mingle with some sweet spice and a touch of tobacco; dry slightly dillish and herbaceous old fruit with some oak, somewhat woody dry finish. **
Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley 1975, Mayacamas - dark muddy brownish; mild aroma with touches of prunes, oak, slight dirty note; dry, a bit of farmy brett, very dry and woody finish; if you added a bit of alcohol, this would taste just like an old rustic farm Armagnac. */**
Zinfandel Sonoma County (Alexander Valley)1975, Sausal - pale brown rim; clay- earth tone with a shot of vanilla, then cherry-berry fruit and chestnut emerge; sweet old fruit with a touch of alcohol on the palate, mellow and fading finish. ***
Petite Sirah Napa Valley 1975, Burgess - dark reddish brown; sweet mellow old oaky jam in the nose, which grows more complex with air, revealing mince pie, mulchy earthy complexities; old woodsy flavor notes mix with sweet fruit and a touch of Worcestershire sauce; medium-long finish. ****
Zinfandel Napa Valley (Howell Mtn per our host) 1975, Clos du Val - dark brownish color; mild sage, berry compote, farmhearth brett, sweet oak mingle in complex aroma; toasty oak with a slight bourbon-like flavor frames sweet slightly decayed fruit; earthy, mellow dry finish of fair length with some grip. This was a renowned Zin in its day; it's still very fine drinking. ****
Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley 1975, Villa Mt Eden - toasty oak with caramelized nutty-bready notes on top of plum-raisin fruit; round, mellow but plump, a big wine now soft and slightly decayed with a bit of clay in the finish. ***
Zinfandel Napa & Sonoma 1975, Burgess - medium brown color; mild earthy fruit, mellow on palate; dry, frail and fading in the finish. */**
