Burgess Cellars, Cabernet Sauvignon Vintage Selection, Napa Valley

This is 40! An exploration of 1986 wines; 1/21/2026-1/29/2026 (San Francisco) : I have a very sentimental attachment to this specific bottle. This had been stored in a cool, dark places since purchase (which was likely 1996), but never in a proper wine fridge or wine cellar, until I rediscovered this bottle last year and put it in a wine fridge on its side. In spite of that, the condition of this bottle was amazing. Fill level still in the …

1986 vintage

The Good Old Stuff (Taverna Khione, Brunswick, ME) : Not bad. Deep color but protruding acidity

1984 vintage

Surprising. Much better than expected.

1984 vintage

Still holding some fruit and balance.. enjoyable

2007 vintage

Pop and pour! So tasty! The 98s have so much more acidity that keep these wines fresh with the secondary and tertiary flavors.

1998 vintage

Nice fruity nose deep color strong smooth finish Delightful with standing rib on Christmas day

1994 vintage

It’s been a long time since I’ve had an OG, Bill Sorenson made Burgess Cabernet. I’ve always appreciated their classic California sensibility. This double-magnum of the 1998 vintage was generously provided by a buddy to accompany our lunch of Morgan Ranch Wagyu burgers. Initially a bit musty and for a second, I thought it might be slightly corked. However, the bouquet freshened up after about 30min of air the palate was ripe and delicious, no signs of TCA taint at …

1998 vintage

Deep color faint fruit on the nose strong smooth finish well balanced

1994 vintage

Shot. I don’t mean to shock you but right now, about ten years into this drinking wine thing, it has occurred to me that there are people who buy a case of Burgess Special Selection (or anything, I guess) and then at some point fail to store it properly. And then they try a bottle or two and it’s terrible. And then instead of calling that tuition or experience they then sell the rest of it. I’m not saying that’s …

1991 vintage

Totally pass its peak

1998 vintage

Tasted blind. Slightly funky nose of red fruit, leather, some green notes, and licorice. Good acidity left on the palate with red fruit, iron, a hint of forest floor, and good structure. Nice finish. Didn't feel like a 43 year old wine. Perfectly aged and drinking really nicely.

1977 vintage

Opened an hour before grilled steak dinner. Well balanced, tannins and fruit - not musty, none of the unpleasant notes of an old wine. A long way from done. Delicious and gone. Everyone loved it.

1991 vintage

Wine is clearly past it’s prime not terrible, just on its way out.

1994 vintage

We quite agree with CFK below. Beautifully integrated, and all in balance. We wish that Napa cabernets were still made — and priced — like this.

1977 vintage

Fresh, precise Cabernet fruit, still with structure but not tannic. Quite an amazing 42 year-old wine from an era when California Cabernets were so different from the way they are today. Cellared since original release.

1977 vintage

Another superb showing. All the parts have melded into a luxurious, sublime, velvety treat.

1984 vintage

Birth year wine for my brother - I thought this was drinking very well, perhaps the fruit was a bit dried/raisiny compared to some of the younger bottles we popped, but that isn't a negative. Still alive and balanced and with enough fruit that even some of the non-wine geeks very much enjoyed it.

1984 vintage

Simply sublime. These old Burgess are still holding their own. Smoky, vibrant black fruit, a bit of liquorice, sous bois, and a decent level of acidity. Lucious, satiny texture that you want to keep rolling around in your mouth.

1984 vintage

Superb. Showing 10-15 years younger than it is. Vibrant fruit, zippy acidity, excellent weight and depth, beautifully balanced. The profile of a left bank Bordeaux. So much better than it has any right to be.

1984 vintage

Camomile, mint, sweetness, milk chocolate, licorice, porcini, great!

1977 vintage

A spectacular showing. Drank alongside a 1978 Burgess CS, and they were both in fine shape. It was clear they were the same wine, but the '78 had a very slight note of green pepper.

1994 vintage

In exactly the right place. Drink or hold.

1994 vintage

Peppery, herby, tannins gone and living on acids, red currant fruit, fun and a good value. B/B+

1977 vintage

A fantastic showing and much, much better on day two. Really tight from the get go and some initial marks of oak that dissipated after a few hours. Dark blue fruit, cool and collected, subtle notes of tobacco and underbrush. Good structure, good balance, a great deal of complexity. Understated. Wish I had more than the 2 bottles I have left in the cellar.

1994 vintage

A big wine w depth of fruit but resolved tannin and nice depth of red and dark cassis fruit. Really pleasing and delicious. My last btl and it killed with summer burgers off the grill.

1984 vintage

Drinking very well. Berries, soft tannins and good acidity.

1984 vintage

Nice enough traditional style cab. Drink or hold.

1994 vintage

probably past its prime but still very drinkable

1994 vintage

Opened 3L at a party last night. Modified Pop-n-pour: Lost some cork in the bottle, but sent thru aerator / strainer into decanter and then directly into glasses. Significant sediment toward the end of the bottle. Brick color typical of aged wine, light in color for a cab. A bit musty on nose, light, tart, dry, short finish. Drank more like a Pinot. Everyone at the party liked, at least that's what they said!

1984 vintage

Picked a later than modern times, 23.9 Brix, 13.2% alcohol ( info from bottle). Bottle in immaculate condition. Another 70's unicorn! Seemed like a 90's cab- the table guessed 1994 blind. Color a perfect, dark vosne romanee. Flavors taking on elements an aged brunello. Crystaline texture, tannins hidden but still has intact backbone. Ripe cherry, a little pencil lead....Really quiite amazing. Best to drink in first 15 mins to 1 hr.

1977 vintage

Absolutely delicious Fruit and tannins beautifully integrated Tertiary flavors lingering in the background Smooth and velvety mouthfeel What a wonderful treat

1984 vintage

OK Disclaimer, I like old wine. What I like about old wine is that they tend towards lovely aromatics. This did not disappoint. Lots of sediment, not particularly complex, it did have a nice cherry, berry flavor with tertiary spicy elements in spades. Sage, herbal flavors but oh, those violet, floral aromatics. Yum. Still good ruby wit slight browning color. Dis was ol' scool, brah!

1984 vintage

Wow, this is still developing!! Plenty of life left- great juice!

1984 vintage

Bricking medium dark red violet color; mature, tart currant, tobacco nose; tasty, mature, tart currant, tobacco palate; medium-plus finish (13% alcohol; pH 3.43) 91+ points

1984 vintage

6ft under, R.I.P.

1984 vintage

Drank very nicely for 36 year old bottle! Also, much better than previous tasting of 1978 Burgess regular release cab, tasted 12/30/12! Conclusion, "Vintage Selection" is a meaningful difference for this winery. Tasted in Evanston along side 2008 Burgess regular release Cab.

1977 vintage

Extremely Bretty aromatically. I liked it, but I'm not sure if there's good value in a Brett-style wine at this price point. Tannins are well-resolved, and there's good balance without heavy weight. Might be more for old world fans than modern Napa aficionados.

1998 vintage

A fully matured cali cab of smooth tobacco and leather...but very one-dimensional, no character or depth to it.

1998 vintage

Very very nice. We thought there would be nothing left, but we were wrong.

1998 vintage

Surprising smooth and well aged. Not much depth but turned out to be a great choice for a summer evening.

1998 vintage

Really nice showing, the fruit still in the forefront, there is good structure and tension here. Can live for a lot longer.

1994 vintage

Drinkable but well past its time.

1998 vintage

78% Cabernet, balance Franc and Merlot. Clearly aged on the nose, in a good way, actually nice to just smell it and think. Lovely aged layers, solid tertiary components alive now, some soft funk, carpet background to go with dried black and red fruit layers. Definitely a drink now, this is either peak or slightly past. From their estate vineyards on western Howell Mountain.

1998 vintage

Found this in my cellar - most likely one I bought 25 years ago so well stored. Cork perfect! - wine stain only 1/8 inch up! Color a deep ruby with garnet rim. Initial nose very shy. After an hour, toast and an earthy/dusty mature cab nose with background notes of cherries. First sip very tart and tannic. After an hour, still tannic but lots of fruit and complexity with a long finish - still very restrained though. I almost …

1984 vintage

Over the hill. Flat. Not drinkable

1998 vintage

Tenure Celebration : Mid shoulder fill, cork was soaked and quite difficult to remove but did come out (in two pieces). An interesting foil to the cabernet-based Ducru. The Burgess showed lots of black pepper and other spices, a lovely wine with reasonable complexity, though it clearly suffered from being tasting along side the Ducru.

1977 vintage

We drank this wine with some roast beef. I was stunned how tightly wound the wine was still. It really could have used a good decant or even another 3-5 years in bottle. Regardless, it was a good wine with smoke notes, dark fruit, and structure.

1998 vintage

Slowly opened. Gingerly poured into the glass. Used a spoon to carefully removed pieces of disintegrated cork. Looks mostly brown, with a touch of red. Cloudy. Nose like the dank soil under a rock that has sat for many years. Cautiously take my first sip. Not as awful as the last of these I opened. Some chocolate, some cherry, some moldy leaf pile. Grainy and a mild tart. Heavy. Lingers. Lingers some more... This one has made up for the …

1984 vintage

Very elegant wine but I think we all agreed it wasn't as complete as the 99

1998 vintage

Still holding up very well. Lovely nose on this of burned caramel and leather. Cmpared against '98 and '99 library releases of Burgess on the same tasting, and holds its own. Sightly acidic, but really quite complete, expressive and lively.

1977 vintage

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Burgess Cellars, Cabernet Sauvignon Vintage Selection, Napa Valley

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