2001 Dunn, Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley.
The 2001 Dunn Napa Cabernet was stunning from Magnum and is close to perfection, this wine has to be one of my favorite vintages and wow is it drinking well. 2001 was a fairly tannin filled year and some of these wines needed some cellar time, but now, they are just fantastic, I still remember having 2001 Harlan and thinking it was one of the greatest wines I’ve ever had, and I can tell you the Dunn Napa is not far off, even though it is not as flamboyant in style. I usually like the Howell Mountain better at Dunn, though I do not feel in 2001 there is much of a gap between the pair from this iconic winery based on Napa Valley’s glorious Howell Mountain. Randy Dunn is a hall of fame selection and is one of the all time great California winemakers and he has quietly become a lower alcohol leader, he has always spun out natural alcohol that he deemed too high, and it is rare to see a Dunn Cab over the 14%, he is a firm and true believer in balance and making a wine that can age. For me Dunn and Diamond Creek, plus Ridge Monte Bello are the standards needed in any cellar collection of great California Cabernets with many of these wines from the 80’s and early 90’s still drinking as well as any First Growth or better. I was able to access the 2001 Dunn Napa from a big bottle, and a bottle that had been opened a full 24 hours and it was rock solid and fresh from first sip to the last, this wine is spectacular with a dark garnet and purple hue and a lightly floral nose with a faint whiff of smoke, tea spice and black currant leading to a full palate of opulent black, blue and red fruits, sweet tobacco leaf, licorice and cedar notes. This is pure and deep Cabernet with a lingering finish that has some dusty plum, cherry and creme de cassis on the amazing aftertaste. This wine has many years left, especially in bottle format bottles, but anyone that owns it should drink a bottle of two now to see just how wonderful it is, and benefit from the rewards of patience, this is a great great wine, drink now through 2020.
($160-200 Est. 1.5L Magnum) 95 Points, grapelive