Big berry nose
Fruity palate of berries and black cherry
Strong, chalky tannins on the finish
At a recent dinner, I had the opportunity to enjoy three well-known Napa Valley wines. Of the three, this was the worst. Interestingly, though, it would rate as a slightly above-average wine if it didn't have such strong tannins on the finish that dry the palate and make the lips pucker. Even my colleague who isn't really into wine was commenting on this. Yes, it could just be that the wine is still very young and needs to be rounded out from a few years in the cellar. But it didn't seem like that was the story here.
Grgich Hills has produced some really terrific wines over the years. In fact, Mike Grgich helped pioneer the modern styles of Chardonnay and Cabernet Sauvignon in Napa Valley in the late 1960's and early 1970's. This one is just a little funny with such a chalky finish. The store price is approximately $55.
For 2001 Napa Valley Cab, though, it's worth taking some risks to find out what you enjoy. Once you do, buy a bunch and enjoy it over the next decade or more. Raise a glass!
I agree. We just had dinner last night at 555 Steak House in Long Beach and this wine was horrible. To top it off they had the nerve to charge $110.00 for this bottle. What a rip off.
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