1994 Viader Cabernet Sauvignon/Cabernet Franc Blend
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Tasting notes
Medium red. Aromas of bitter cherry, mint, flowers, licorice, tobacco and iron; very Cabernet Franc! Juicy and light on its feet, conveying good intensity to its spicy flavors of redcurrant and tobacco. On the lean side--more Médoc than Napa in texture--but minerally and firm. Finishes elegant and fresh, with earth and herb nuances and slightly drying tannins. Drink soon, as this wine appears to be just past its peak.
Critic scores
Average Score
Robert Parker
Stephen Tanzer, Vinous
More reviews and scores
Smoky, sweet, black and red currant aromas jump from the glass of this intriguing, saturated purple-colored wine. Some new oak is noticeable in the background. The wine's attack exhibits terrific purity of fruit, more acidity than many 1994s, and sweet, ripe tannin, all packed into a tightly wound, medium to full-bodied wine that only hints at its ultimate potential. This is not a large-scaled 1994, but it is a beautifully etched wine with considerable personality. I suspect it will be accessible when released in 1-2 years, but it will benefit from 4-5 years of cellaring. It is unquestionably another 20-year effort from this vintage. Viader's elegant, complex, stylish wines often require more introspection than some of the more boldly-styled blockbusters that emerge from Napa. The objective at Viader is to produce the Cheval Blanc of Napa Valley. I will let readers be the judge of whether or not they are on the right track. Note: Prices are listed only for those wines that are being pre-sold as futures by MacArthur Beverages in Washington, DC, the first American wine shop to offer California wine futures, which they have done for eleven consecutive years. Tel. (707) 963-3816