An Aged Napa Cab

1997 Chateau Montelena, "Calistoga Cuvee"
$50
Jen’s Notes

1997 being a banner year for Napa cabernets, Shane and I nabbed this one super-quick, at a wine shop that is happily within walking distance from home (Wine Globe in the Bel Mateo shopping center).

This wine boasts a vivid, deep red color, and smells like well-aged Bordeaux, including scents of cassis, leather and a slight funkiness. On the palate, the flavors include cassis, licorice and smoke. The tannins are smooth and integrated, and the wine finishes long.

Though obviously a well made wine, especially given the fact that it has aged for nine years, Shane and I were somewhat disappointed. While it is concentrated, it lacks that something extra (complexity, for example) that would make it truly great. Also, we suspect that this wine was a better value at its release price (current releases are in the neighborhood of $30.00), and the extra $20 we paid was due to the magic number 1997.