Napa Valley Barrel Tasting Previews : 1986 Chardonnays, Cabernets Match ’83 and ’84 Harvests

The most important aspect of Napa Valley’s recent charity wine auction was the preview barrel tasting featuring wines to be released in 1987 and early 1988. Principally 1986 Chardonnays and Cabernets were offered, a vintage that easily could have been a disaster but is apparently turning out to be a match for the much better-than-average harvests of 1983 and 1984.

Flora Springs Winery co-proprietor Julie Garvey said: “The bottom line on the ’86 is that the harvest was difficult, but because of tough decisions in the vineyard, sufficiently good wines were made to really consider it as successful. The mild January and the warm February floods conspired to produce an early bud break, but the growing season was excellent with only four or five days reaching temperatures over 100 degrees.”

Tom Eddy, Christian Brothers’ enologist, described the harvest as “the year of the great Napa flood, yet from my point of view, conditions could not have been better. The same type of seasonal weather which caused the flood in February also changed the growing pattern and ultimately the harvest. The key was plenty of water for early spring development and relatively warm growing conditions continuing through a moderate-temperature summer, helped by cool nighttime temperatures. The Cabernets should be first-class.”

Quality Cabernets

As I taste more ’86 Cabernets I am convinced of their quality and that if positive development continues, competitive and reasonable pricing for the greater-heralded 1985s will be assured; notwithstanding that some are already primed for major price escalation.

Although the ‘86s will not have the lovely fruit concentration, nor the supple, chewy textures of the ‘85s, they will be lean, with more than satisfactory fruit and solid backbone for aging. If nothing else, the ‘86s will be a welcome price-leveling agent.

Of the 12 tasted, there was nary a “bum Cab,” which, of course, speaks well for the harvest. In descending order of preference, Vichon showed subtle cherry aromas in a lean, yet intensely flavorful, style reflecting little tannin. It should age for at least five years. Villa Mt. Eden, reflecting a black currant nose with greater structure and power, promised a much longer future. Cakebread, very cherry-like in nose and flavor, showed even more fruit concentration, yet with muscle and a lot of tannin for long-term cellar aging. Flora Springs provided light spice in the aroma and massive fruit but needs to come together as inevitably it will in several years.

Pine Ridge has a long future and is already showing some roundness plus nose and forward flavor development of eucalyptus and cherry. Conn Creek, in a clean, lighter style, is very silky and claret-like, whereas Sunny St. Helena reflects a more powerful mode with a lot of fruit for aging and complexity.

Mondavi ’86 sports an excellent cherry flavor concentration in an intense, lean, non-angular mode. It is not a blockbuster for long-term aging. Mt. Veeder shows a subdued nose and a lighter-than-usual style, less massive structure but with ample tannin and some heat finish.

Short Future

Least favored were Rombauer, with good fruit, sufficient for the considerable aging it requires; Pecota, with a quiet nose, lean texture and a smoother, more mellow style than most, and Della Valle, showing a bit of tannin but in a lighter style of pleasant, not massive, fruit, suggesting a short future.

The 1986 Chardonnays did not show as well as the Cabernets but there were special choices. In descending order of preference, Raymond Vineyards was excellent in a fat, luscious style with fine depth and appeal for today’s drinking. Freemark Abbey, back on the track after a fine 1985, showed a lovely apple-like nose and lovely tropical fruit tones, all in good balance. Chanter exhibited assertive apple flavor, a bit of heat, yet finished nicely crisp.

Carneros Creek reflected assertive wood tones, a more austere taste, a lean rather than luscious texture and with considerable heat finish. It is a big wine and will need time. Anderson sported a subtle, apple-like nose, a bit of spritz in an easy, generous style but without the flavor definition to come. Revere offered the kind of austere nose I prefer, but apparently needs more time than the rest since it was still in a dull state. It has obvious good structure awaiting a bright future. Barrel tastes are often like that.

Sixteen 1985 Cabernets were also tasted for development review. Developing best is Phelps ’85 with big cherry and light eucalyptus flavors all in harmony, a supple, rich, concentrated wine. Others also developing well are William Hill with generous, forward cherry flavors; Louis Martini, Monte Rosso, showing smooth and silky with a promise of earlier pleasure; Whitehall Lane with plenty of eucalyptus nose and taste, lean, firm and attractive; Charles Krug in a silky, lean, lighter style and Clos du Val, rich and bigger backboned than most with a need to come together.

Most Underrated

The most underrated and overlooked Cabernet in recent years is Franciscan, but the ’85 stands to do well with yet-unyielding, intense cherry flavor and slight wood tones at the finish. Martin with light cherry tones will be agreeable early, whereas Frog’s Leap lacks fruit and depth, and Cain, a big wine of substance with an earthy taste, may require a decade’s aging. Silky smoothness marked Inglenook with flavors not yet developed but plenty of fruit underneath, coupled with tannin for future development.

Lean, concentrated, possessed of a fine future and somewhat big in an excellent harmonious style is Groth, whereas Monticello, also showing future promise, presented a cherry nose and flavor in a rich, forward, big-textured style. Nearly as good is St. Clement with a slightly lighter structure, good cherry flavors and ample tannin for cellaring. Girard seems to lack the depth and good massive fruit of the others.

Evaluating young Cabernets is a lot like engaging in the hazards of predicting the future. Tasting the ‘85s and the ‘86s together makes it easier, providing a taste experiment from which wine lovers will surely find benefit and pleasure. The stylistic differences imposed by vintage may ultimately be a question of personal taste, thus providing consumers with a barrel-full of solid options.