I have been very diasppointed with the 1997 Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon’s (CS). I invested a lot of time, money, and space (in my cellar) for the ’97 Napa Cabs. I started opening these wines last year and the hits have been few, and far between. My disappointment is amplified by the fact that the 1997 vintage was the my first major purchase of wines of any kind. Instead of a bottle here and there, I bought and cellared cases. Lessons learned…
I started buying my ’97 CS when they were released in ’99 and ’00. I made many of my purchases based on wine scores from the Wine Spectator. At the time, I thought these were solid recommendations. Let me tell you something about wine scores and reviews…when I was a child I believed in wine scores, but when I became a man, I put away my childish things, including my faith in wine scores.
Anyway, I purchased the ’97 Napa CS and put them away under relatively humane cellaring conditions. I started opening the ’97 Napa CS last year. Things looked good. The wine showed well. The balance was there and my investment was solid. As Frank would say, “It Was a Very Good Year” But over the course of a year, things have changed. Now, a year later, as Public Enemy would say…”Don’t Believe the Hype”
My precious ’97 Cabs are killin’ me. It’s vinocide. My cases? A wine genocide. Three and out! Give me back my wine! My local parish would not accept this stuff for Sunday communion.
What am I drinking tonight? What started this blog-o-log? You should not have asked. Franciscan Oakville Estate, Magnificant, 1997 Cabernet Sauvignon. I kept this bottle under ideal conditions and it’s horrible. The nose? I could barely sneak up on the glass to get a whiff. The colour? A 1997 Thuderbird. On the palate? I would not drink this stuff with your…
But not to discriminate, the vast majority of my ’97 Napa Cabs were underwhelming, i.e. bad. Groth, Whitehall Lane, Rine Ridge, Clos Pigase. All down the drain. This afternoon, I opened 6 bottles of ’97 Robert Mondavi Oavkille and pourded them all down the drain. A waste? Not enitrely, I recycled the bottles. So far I’ve poured about two cases down the drain and I will not look back. Lesson learned. Only my Joseph Phelpes has been drinkable. As for the Joseph Phelpes ’97 Insignia, haven’t open any yet, but my expectations are low. The 1997 Napa Cabs are out of balance.
On the other hand, my Sonoma 1997s CS, that were actually rated lower than the Napa ’97 CS have been outstanding. Two weeks ago, I opened a bottle of St. Francis 1997 CS (non-resrerve) and it was fantastic. Round, lush, and well balanced. The same can be said for Chateau St. Jean.
In an effort to recover, I was forced to open a bottle from one of my favorite producers, Merry Edwards. A Russian River Valley, 2003 Pinot Noir. This made my day. Merry Edwards is from Somona county, she specializes in Pinots, but also makes a standout Sauvignon Blanc. I have been a member of their wine club for the past 4 or 5 years. I usually consume the Sonoma Coast Pinot upon release and hold the vineyard designate Pinots. Quoting Merry Edwards, the ’03 Russian River Valley Pinot: “Striking aromas direct the wine’s rich frutiness, a blend of raspberry, blueberry and plum. Chocoate and black pepper add attractive dimension. Succulent from start to finish, this smotthly textured wine has great weight on the palate”. Enough said. I believe this wine would have improved over another one or two years, and held it’s own for another 4 years.
A recent edition of of the Wine Spectator (November 15, 2007), reviews Napa Cabs. It gives the ’97 Cabs an overall score of 99 (100 pt scale) and the ’97 Sonoma vintage a 90. I would (in retrospect) give the Sonoma Cabs 92 pts and Napa 86 and falling. This, of course, is of the wines I’ve tasted.
The WS gives the 2006 Napa CS a rating of 88-92. Don’t Believe the Hype. Develop your own opinions.
More on wine ratings later.
Yesterday, November 3rd, I spent the day with my family in Dry Creek Valley (Sonoma). It was a beautiful Fall day. Best wishes to our friends, Gloria and Tom Kaiser. The photo is of my wife and daughter, deep within the Zinfandel vines of Kaiser Knoll.
Zinfully yours
Reg
my 1997’s are drinking fine.
which Napa ’97 are you talking about?