2001 Chateau Montelena, The Montelena Estate Cabernet Sauvignon, Calistoga, Bottle (750ml)

AG96 The 2001 Cabernet Sauvignon Estate, tasted from magnum, is superb. It's more than that. The 2001 is exactly what a 20 year-old Napa Valley Cabernet should be. Hints of bay leaf, tobacco, incense and licorice meld into a core of brambly dark fruit. There's plenty of structure and old school classicism to admire, not to mention more than enough power to ensure another two decades of very fine drinking. The 2001 has been a controversial wine in some settings, but this magnum is pristine. This is a tremendous showing.