On 6/10/11 10:40 AM, Bi!! wrote:
> I opened a double magnum last night of 1994 Chateau Montelena Estate
> Cabernet. We had a fairly large group of neighbors put together an ad
> hoc get together of food and wine. Lots of fun. I started with a
> glass of Nino Franco "Rustico" Prosecco NV. Fairly golden in the
> glass, nice nose of yeasty berries. Nice fruity profile on the
> palate.
>
> I opened the 1994 Double Mag of Chateau Montelena Estate Napa Cabernet
> about an hour before drilnking and decanted into three decanters. The
> wine was dark purple with a brickish cast to it certainly showing some
> age. FWIW, the cork was really quite short on one side as if it never
> expanded on that dise when it was inserted however it was still tight
> and intact. The nose showed a lot of cedar and lead pencil with a
> fair amount of cassis. Still firm and rich on the palate reminding me
> of Bordeaux. Lots of blackberry, black currant, tobacco and leather
> on the palate. "B+"

Wow. I expect that, especially in large format bottles, '94 Ch.
Montelena is still a decade or two from complete readiness. It sounds
like your bottle was a bit closed down, Bill.

Mark Lipton

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