1992 Cabernet Sauvignon Aida Estate

Moderately saturated medium red. Restrained, initially rather indistinct aromas of red fruits, tobacco, coffee, mocha and musky underbrush gained in clarity with air. Then nicely concentrated and penetrating on the palate, with a surprising acid streak energizing the flavors of red berries, tobacco, spices and mint. I very much liked this wine at my vertical Montelena Estate tasting 20 years ago, but it is evolving much more slowly than I predicted at the time; in fact, today it comes across as even juicier--and less sweaty than the earlier bottle. Finishes firmly tannic, salty, suave and long. (13.9% alcohol)

When I think back to the top California Cabernet Sauvignon wineries twenty-two years ago (1973), it is shocking to see how many of the finest wineries in 1973 have fallen behind today's leading Cabernet producers. For example, Beaulieu, Heitz, Inglenook, Mayacamas, and Freemark Abby were undisputed leaders in the early seventies, but in 1995, they have been surpassed by thirty or forty other producers. I can think of only three wineries that were making fabulous Cabernet Sauvignons in 1973 that have continued to produce great wines, with no qualitative slumps through 1995 - Caymus Vineyard, Ridge, and Chateau Montelena. Because Chateau Montelena is "old" by California standards, it is easy to overlook the extraordinary wines produced by Jim Barrett and his son, Bo. Remarkably, there is not a bad vintage of Chateau Montelena Cabernet Sauvignon to be found. While hitting the peaks in top years, this winery makes fine Cabernets in vintages where other producers flounder. A recent example of this is the 1989 Estate Cabernet, a superb wine that continues to languish on the shelves of retailers. For that reason, an invitation to a vertical tasting of Chateau Montelena's estate Cabernet is one of the most exciting tickets in town. The new vintages of Montelena continue to reflect the fact that this winery has never lost sight of its goal - to make All-American, super-concentrated wines from physiologically ripe fruit. The only change to the Montelena style (a subtle one) has been the movement toward riper, sweeter, more integrated tannin since 1991. The new and up-coming releases are once again top flight, exceptional wines that make Chateau Montelena the Cal Ripken of Cabernet producers. They have been consistently excellent over an unprecedented period of time - by California standards. The up-coming releases of the estate Cabernet Sauvignon (10,000-12,000 cases) are all outstanding wines. Personal preference will dictate which Cabernet Sauvignon readers will prefer. They all possess the tell-tale Montelena house style - huge fruit, massive body, great color, and fabulous ripeness. The 1992 Cabernet Sauvignon Estate is slightly richer than the 1993. There is an extra line on its label honoring Chateau Montelena's 20th Cabernet Sauvignon vintage (1972-1992). The wine's opaque ruby/purple color is followed by a sweet, jammy nose of black fruit and minerals, huge body, a sweet inner-core of ripe fruit, and a long, low acid, opulent finish. Rich and full, this Cabernet is destined for 20+ years of gorgeous drinking. Bo Barrett, not one to boast about the quality of his vintages, feels 1994 is the greatest vintage for Cabernet Sauvignon in the last twenty years. Tel. (707) 942-5105; Fax (707) 942-4221