TN: 1992 Dunn Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley (USA, California, Napa Valley)

WINE TALK
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  • 1992 Dunn Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley - USA, California, Napa Valley (5/5/2020)
    For the FKAFKALBTG virtual wine dinner. Purchased at auction about 5 months ago and left standing up since then. Lots of sediment still stuck to the sides of the bottle and lots on the bottom. Opened and decanted 60 minutes in advance. Be careful with the decant. When you see that tiny stream of crud in the neck, stop! use an unbleached filter if you insist on going further.

The wine was very nice after 60 minutes, but truly blossomed after three hours. The nose was Barolo-like violets, and became more obvious as the night went on. The tannins are mostly resolved - note this was the valley floor cuvee, not the Howell Mountain, which may not be ready yet. There was fruit complexity as you would expect from a Napa Cab, but it was muted. No where near a fruit bomb. The alcohol was ONLY 13%. There was some smokiness to go along with the fruit and a bit of earth. If I were likening this to a Bordeaux (why do that I don’t know, but others ask) it was more Margaux-like that St. Julien. There was no saddle leather or corral floor.

I do not believe this wine is on the down slope of the aging curve and if you like older Cali Cabs, this probably has at least 5-10 years left. (92 pts.)

Posted from CellarTracker

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Great note for a favorite wine!

Thanks!

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Nice tasting note. I no nothing about this wine and pretty much zero about cali cabs, but I can appreciate your write up and the part about valley vs higher elevation and aging.

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Dunn Howell Mountain wines are notorious for fierce tannin that takes 30+ years to soften, although there is some evidence that they are toning that down in recent years. The Napa Valley cuvee is approachable at ONLY 20 years, although this one was approaching 30 and had plenty more to go.

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“Barolo-like violets”
In one phrase you just crystallized a concept that I have been searching for nearly every time I taste Dunn.
Thanks, jim

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Jay,
I have had the '92 Howell several times in the past year. It is actually in an amazing place now. After the first experience I went on winesearcher and snarfed up every bottle I could find. Such great value. I think a lot of people give up on Dunn because they can take so long and are so brutal in youth. Patience turns coal into diamonds.