Dunn, Howell Mountain, Cabernet Sauvignon 1981 (1.5L)

Into neck; one slightly torn label edge, one nicked label

Dunn Trivia:

Vintages 1979, 1980 and 1981 were made at Caymus Vineyards and then each year, trucked up to their property to age. In 1981 Dunn Vineyards was bonded as a commercial winery.

97 Points CellarTracker Member

It doesn't get much better than this...the best looking 40 yo cork I've seen (~2mm penetration, firm), easily removed by the sommelier with just an ah so.

Bouquet was spectacular, leaping out of the glass from the very first moment. No funk to blow off; ready to go. Aromas of tomato vine, crushed/stewed blue and black fruit. Palate brings all of the above, plus a cornucopia of herbs and loamy earth. Plenty of fruit, good acid and almost but not fully integrated tannin (might this be even better at 50?). Decanted and over the course of the 2.5 hour meal the nose became less elegant and more grounded. Maybe treat this a bit more delicately than we did.

The versatility of this wine was stunning...it worked perfectly from steak tartare to seared foie gras with duck neck confit, veal sweetbreads, lamb meatballs, and beef strip loin. By the end of the meal, there was more pronounced sweetness on the palate, with notes of cedar and humidor on the nose. (9/25/2021)

95 Points CellarTracker Member

What an outstanding wine! Perfect condition. High shoulder/bottom neck fill. Cork was wet most of the way through but firm and was extracted in tact with a Durand opener. Visually the wine looks early to mid-90's. Noticeable color loss on the rim with a very small clear rim and a moderate lavender ring. Decanted for 30 minutes and then consumed over a few hours. Sweet spice nose, blueberry, cherry. Good acidity, structure and finish still. The wine has a cool tone with blue fruit, mineral, cedar, mint. Each taste is different and well balanced. If well cared for, these still have life left in them. There is not enough wine like this left in Napa...or anywhere. (4/7/2020)

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