1991 Araujo, Eisele Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley [Rare First Vintage], Magnum (1.5L)

RP96 "I had inserted this wine in a blind tasting. I did not know where it would appear, but I knew it would be in the tasting, and I was able to pick it out when it was served. However, the rest of the tasters thought it was a large-scaled Bordeaux from the Medoc. This magnificent California Cabernet offers that exciting blend of power and elegance. The opaque purple color is followed by copious quantities of sweet, mineral, licorice, floral-laden, blackcurrant fruit, full body, exceptional purity, good underlying, well-integrated acidity and tannin, and a whoppingly long finish. Typical of many top California wines, it combines magnificent richness and ripeness with a sense of gracefulness and complexity. Although young, it is soft enough to be enjoyed. Look for the 1991 Araujo Estate Eisele Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon to age effortlessly for another 20-25 years." RP Dec 1994

LP95 "Sporting a deep brick color, the 1991 Cabernet Sauvignon is wonderfully perfumed with scents of dried roses, licorice, prunes, and dried cranberries, plus wafts of tar, Sichuan pepper, unsmoked cigars, and iron ore. The medium-bodied palate is soft-textured and full of bright, remarkably youthful fruit with a refreshing backbone and fragrant finish. This bottle came directly from Eisele Vineyard’s cellar." LPB for TWI Mar 2024

Robert Parker writes, "I have long been an admirer of this vineyard situated at the base of the mountains in northern Napa Valley just to the south of Calistoga. Long-time readers may remember the ecstatic reviews of the 1974 Conn Creek Eisele Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon, the great 1975 Joseph Phelps Eisele Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon and its successors. The new owners, Bart and Daphne Araujo, who purchased the vineyard from the Eisele family, are intent on pushing the level of quality to new heights." Published: Dec 22, 1994