Napa Valley Wine Tasting Notes

1998 Robert Mondavi Winery
Napa Valley Chardonnay unfiltered
Score: 95.0
"Heres a majestic Chardonnay that shows how an accomplished, mature winemaker can do more with less-less oak, less sweetness, less alcohol. Unlike big, oaky, alcoholic monsters this complex and refined wine is entirely in balance, displaying tart citrusy fruit and complex yet subtle oak, mineral and spice. The finish is long and satisfying."

1998 Robert Mondavi
Napa Valley Fume Blanc unfiltered
Score: 87.0
"A good value from vintage to vintage, the '98 is smoky and herbal with light neutral citrusy fruit, lean on the mid-palate and minerally on the finish. More austere than previous vintages, it still possesses a fine sense of varietal character."

1997 Turnbull Wine Cellars
Oakville Napa Valley Sangiovese
Score: 90.0
"One of the best Sangioveses in California. In some respects its more like Barbera, with rich plummy fruit, soft tannins, superb depth and spice. Very nice."

1997 Silverado Vineyards
Napa Valley Sangiovese
Score: 88.0
"Zippy cranberry fruit and spice, lean, racy and long. A perfect match for marinara sauce."

1997 Shafer
Napa Valley Merlot
Score: 89.0
"Powerful and spicy, like cherry-berry fruit sprinkled with cinnamon and nutmeg, yet soft and silky on the palate. A pleasure for both novice and connoisseur. "

1997 Robert Mondavi Winery
Napa Valley Merlot
Score: 81.0
"Not one of Mondavis best efforts, this is a surprisingly blocky, tight wine, dry with fuzzy tannins. The finish is long and enticing, with dried cherry and vanilla notes, suggesting the wine might have potential, but for now its merely a mediocre offering."

1997 Pine Ridge
Carneros Napa Valley Merlot
Score: 89.0
"Lovely and lush with bright black cherry fruit, superb structure and fuzzy tannins that will take about 3 years to resolve. "

1996 William Hill
Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve
Score: 93.0
"A wine for special occasions-exceedingly complex, yet restrained. Its has an expanding aroma of cassis and toast, while on the palate it adds licorice and graham cracker spice. Moderate tannin, light bodied for a Cabernet, its so good now that theres no need to wait, but it should age gracefully for the next 8 to 10 years."

1997 William Hill
Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon
Score: 88.0
"The tight plummy nose begins to loosen up on the palate, bringing forth lush blackberry fruit with subtle oak shadings. Its a very good wine now, but Id prefer to lay it away for another year to see if the nose opens up."

1996 Venezia
Regusci Vineyard Napa Valley Chardonnay
Score: 89.0
"Rich vanilla, toast, pineapple and apple on the nose. Velvety texture, tropical fruit finish. Very elegant."

1996 Stags Leap
Napa Valley Petite Syrah
Score: 86.0
"Dense, concentrated blackberries, chewy tannins, a hint of vanilla, tight and restrained. Calls for another 5 to 7 years in the bottle. Good balance and potential."

1997 Stags Leap Winery
Napa Valley Syrah
Score: 91.0
"A terrific wine!-full flavored, properly balanced, complex with lots of forward fruit. Cherry and cassis on the nose, following through to the silky palate with leather and pepper notes, sweet well-integrated tannins, and a long fruit and pepper finish. Good now, yet age-worthy, it would pair especially well with steak or wild mushrooms. A great special occasion wine."

1995 Silver Oak
Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon
Score: 87.0
"Tart blackberry and black currant, tight, balanced, medium tannin, spicy oak and fruit finish. Holding back at this early stage, it really opens with some aeration, revealing more layers and subtlety. Cellar at least for another 5 years. Rated for current drinking"

1998 Salmon Harbor Reserve
Napa Valley Chardonnay
Score: 86.0
"Pear and pineapple fruit with a touch of smoke. Crisp and lean, this is a good wine to pair with fish or prosciutto."

1997 Pine Ridge
Howell Mountain Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon
Score: 88.0
"Concentrated blackberry fruit with shadings of licorice and toasty oak, full though soft tannins and a chewy finish. Good as it is now, this is a wine designed for longterm ageing. My best guess is that it will be at its peak between 2005 and 2012."

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