WTN: Mature Cali Cab at Noreetuh

A nice small group met Wednesday at Noreetuh for “mature Cal Cab” night. Ben brought a starter, the Ulysses Collin “Les Maillons” Extra Brut Blanc de Noirs Champagne. Quite nice, pear and pit fruit, citrus zest, toast and a little vanilla/oak. I didn’t realize this was BdN and wouldn’t have guessed PN. B+

Service and food were great- mushroom tempura, assorted musubi (pork jowl, spicy salmon, spam), truffle taro chips, uni, mochiko fried chicken, waygu.

We started with 2 blind wines:
#1- Red and black raspberry fruit, good acids, resolved tannins, quite herby, definitely old school, I was pretty sure this was Sterling I brought. A-/B+
1971 Sterling Cabernet Sauvignon

#2 - this had plenty of life in a soft plummy way, seemed younger, but preferred #1
1987 Duckhorn “3 Palms” Merlot B

Rest weren’t blind
1983 Dunn Howell Mountain
Still kind of hulking and powerful, I had thought this would be a (finally) ready Dunn Howell, but for my tastes still wait. B for now

1977 Ch. Montelena Cabernet Sauvignon
Cassis and earth, mature, really good. B+

1987 Silverado Cabernet Sauvignon
Somewhat stewed fruit, clipped finish, unsure if storage or just past it. C+

1976 Heitz “Martha’s Vineyard: Cabernet Sauvignon
Just a hint of menthol. More of a St. Julien-like tobacco, over rich fruit and a little coffee note. Lovely A-

1977 Heitz “Martha’s Vineyard: Cabernet Sauvignon
Smoke and black plum, little herb, still a touch of tannin. B+

1984 Heitz “Martha’s Vineyard: Cabernet Sauvignon
Young, raspberry and plum, a little spicy, just a hint of mint. Good balance. B+

1991 Heitz “Martha’s Vineyard: Cabernet Sauvignon
Now this one had the eucalyptus in spades. Rich and young, just entering a (long I’d bet) window of great drinking. A-

Group voting
1976 Heitz 15 pts
1991 Heitz 13 pts
1971 Sterling 6 pts
1977 Heitz 4 pts
1977 Montelena 2 pts
1984 Heitz 1 pt

Fun night, fun wines/

Grade disclaimer: I'm a very easy grader, basically A is an excellent wine, B a good wine, C
drinkable. Anything below C means I wouldn't drink at a party where it was only choice.Furthermore, I offer no promises of objectivity, accuracy, and certainly not of consistency.

If I recall right, this Sterling Cab '71 was a very bizarre wine on release. Ric Forman put it in some new heavily toasted Fr.oak barrels and it came out with a weird BarBQue sauce character. Would have loved to have tasted it 48 yrs down the road.
Tom

[Jenise]

Every couple, it seems, have a courtship wine, and Silverado was ours--poured BTG at our favorite restaurant, Piret's Bistro in Orange County, back when not that many restaurants were pouring better-than-plonk BTG. Sentiment more than sense therefore drives me to occasionally purchase old bottles, and I have to say not one has ever impressed. What we liked in fresh young wines hasn't translated to aging.

I have a similar and even older relationship with Sterling. It was the first real winery I ever visited, and I was only 19. Old bottles of Sterling do occasionally surprise and impress--nice to relive that thru your notes.