Sterling Vineyards Napa Valley Cabernet 1974 (review)

What a treat! Once in a while an unexpected wine is opened that says something about a region and a style. On this particular night, a friend of a friend invited me over near Boston for dinner and good wines. We had some good wines, including a Sancerre, a Burgundy (good but not classic), a Bordeaux (more on that later) and this wine.

A Bordeaux lover would realise upon tasting this, the incredible potential of Napa cab. It was still reddish-purple coloured with hints of brick, a bit of fruit, but mainly secondary characters on the nose and wonderful length on the palate. The classic developed tobacco and a bit of leather, but still some currant like fruits. This was made by a wine maker who was there only a few years.

The wine could live another 5 years at least.

It was not that expensive when it was released compared to other better known Napa producers.