1980 Estate Cabernet Sauvignon
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Tasting notes
Medium red with a hint of amber. Red berries, coffee and earth on the fragrant nose, lifted by a minty nuance. Lively and firmly built, with its red berry and tobacco flavors conveying an attractive sweet/savory quality. This, too, struck me as a bit Saint Julien-like. Building tannins spread out to saturate the palate. A very nice showing. This vintage had a brett bloom in the bottle, admitted Barrett, "but it ultimately went away." (13.5% alcohol)
Critic scores
Stephen Tanzer, Vinous
Lisa Perrotti-Brown MW, Wine Advocate
More reviews and scores
Medium brick colored, the 1980 Cabernet Sauvignon Estate has a delicate, very pretty nose of dried roses and red cherry preserves with hints of old leather sofa, baking spices, dusty soil and bay leaves. Medium-bodied, firm and chewy, the palate has lovely restraint and freshness with a long, well-poised finish. On the edge but still holding in there!
About the producer
Chateau Montelena is a historic Napa Valley estate that rose to global fame after its 1973 Chardonnay won the 1976 Judgment of Paris. Renowned for both its Chardonnay and Estate Cabernet Sauvignon, the winery continues to produce elegant, age-worthy wines with a legacy of excellence.