TN: 1970 BV Private Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon

from a bottle with a high shoulder fill, full of sediment on decantation, the wine rocked from the get go. With a great nose and palate, there was cedar, a little eucalyptus, cherry fruit, resolved
tannins and super length. Probably a little past its peak, the wine is on a gentle downslope, a lovely drink still. I have had this wine various times over almost 30 years and it remains an iconic Cal cab. Worked well with Flannery rib cap.
alan

Many great CA cabs in the late 60’s and early 70’s…

Was this a 72cl bottle?

That’s not Burgundy??

All I can say is “Yep.”

The winery released a small quantity of this two or three years ago and a friend snapped up six or seven bottles. I’ve had three. The first was fabulous – graceful, sound, silky, outstanding. The next was nearly DOA; on its last legs. The third was just as you described it Alan: lovely but crested and slowly heading on the downhill slope.

I’d love to find some Mags of this wine as they should just be maturing. Really miss the late 60’s, early 70’s Cali Cabs.

I haven’t had this wine since the early 90’s but it was fabulous back then.

We “had” mags of 72, 73 and 74 but drank them all 5 or 6 years ago and they still needed some time.

A buddy of mine had several bottles of this from his dad’s cellar, all purchased on release and sent straight to a cold dark cellar. There was a fire that took out some of that cellar, but the '70 BV’s were among those unharmed. These some of the very best wines I’ve drank.

Agree, a very good wine, although I always preferred the '68…only a couple of each left in the cellar so will need to pull one out. Thanks for the note.

I popped a '68 a couple of years ago for a friend on his birthday. It was gorgeous.

Once heard this was Ronald Reagan’s favorite wine.

Have enjoyed maybe 6 over the years as a birth year for me. The one we had on my 40th birthday, was outstanding! It almost seemed endless.

Anybody have feedback on the 1973?

It boggles the mind that even in magnum, wines from the early 70s could need more time. I’ve had some winners in 750, but not a single one that I thought needed one second longer, and most I thought could have benefitted from being killed a decade sooner. Not that they weren’t incredible…just that they were more autumn leaves, cedar, and faded cherry fruit than really vivacious.

Because of variation in storage conditions, I’ve encountered a lot of variation in the last decade or so in both the 1968 and 1970 BV Private Reserve Cabernet. Some have been beautiful (if perhaps somewhat past “peak”), and some have been DOA. A bit of a crapshoot.

Bruce

Agreed, but I really have had some great experience with the '70. I, too, have several bottles left of the '70, time to get to them.

Arif - I think the '73 has always been underrated given the '68s, '70s and '74s. It is a lovely wine that I’ve not had for probably a decade. If properly stored, it will probably be more advanced that the '70 at this point but should still be very fine (if a sound bottle). I’m sure that I still have 1 or 2 of these left in the crypt - gotta dig these out as well

The 74 was drinking better initially, but over the past 10 years or so, I’d give the nod to the 73. I’ve still a few of the wines from the 70’s left over, all bought on release. Right now the 72 is the most tired followed by the 71. The 76, 77, and 78 are all drinking well now.

I’d tasted 66, 70, 73 and 74 - and I think 70 was the greatest.

Interesting.

I have had '68, '69, '70 and '73 (I think. It could have been an Inglenook I am thinking of). The '68 was definitely my fav of the bunch.

It went well with jelly beans