Anderson's Conn Valley Vineyards, Cabernet Sauvignon Estate Reserve, Napa Valley

From memory. This has developed since my last bottle 5 years ago, when I was pretty dismissive of it. I think it has begun to show some nuance on the nose, and the palate has begun to show some bottle sweetness. There's still some oak character to the mouthfeel, however, and I find it a distraction. That plus the 15% abv suggests that this is an example of the full throttle extraction style of the aughts that has not (yet?) …

2005 vintage

Great showing with dust, cherry, oak, vanilla and spices. Medium to long finish.

2005 vintage

From a bottle that was purchased upon release and cellared under pristine conditions, this deep garnet wine (100% Cabernet Sauvignon) was decanted off of its sediment and tasted over a four-hour interval. Immediately expressive following decantation, it offers an enticing bouquet of Luxardo cherries, fig, Graham cracker crust, bittersweet chocolate, lavender, cigar wrapper and aged leather. Full-bodied, medium in acidity, seamlessly alcoholic (15.1%) and with fully integrated oak, it delivers flavors in line with the nose, wrapped with a modicum …

2005 vintage

Silky smooth now. Excellent

2005 vintage

Part of a Napa Cabernet Night were my wine group had the following in order, the 2021 Tongue Dancer Chardonnay Russian River Valley, 2005 Anderson's Conn Valley, 2013 Larkmead Cabernet Sauvignon, 2014 O'Shaughnessy Howell Mountain, and the 2015 Lewis Cellars. All the reds were opened but not decanted for an hour before pouring. The Anderson's was my favorite. My final bottle, and it was a medium bodied, with a medium length finish. Still some fruit left along with a nice …

2005 vintage

Decanted 3 hours before serving. Lightly sedimented. This was a rich crimson color. Aromatic nose of rose petals. Full bodied with leather and currant notes. Drier finish with integrated tannins. 94 points.

2002 vintage

I'm delighted and not surprised that this 21-year-old estate reserve cab by Todd Anderson ain't close to being over the hill. It's still steadily moving along on the plateau of maturity, and could have another 2-3 good years left. I decanted this about two hours before a sumptuous carnivore's delight of grilled Brazilian picanha and Argentinian entrana, which have replaced ribeyes and filets as my go-to steaks. In the decanter the color was very dark and the smells of leather …

2002 vintage

Still showing plenty of youth, with dark fruit, tar, coffee and earth. Delicious.

2002 vintage

An absolutely stunning bottle. Right away, a deep, deep nose of red fruit, truffle, leather and umami. Just as vibrant on the palate, with hints of cooked mushroom joining mixed red berries. One of those wines I could just sit and smell.

1993 vintage

Brought to a restaurant, decanted for a half hour. Scrumptious; could go for some years more, much like its 2005 siblings in Bordeaux. Tertiary flavors in with the mellow fruit, but this might develop a bit more. Delicious right now though.

2005 vintage

From a bottle purchased upon release and cellared under ideal conditions, this wine was decanted off of its substantial sediment and allowed one hour in decanter prior to tasting over the ensuing three hours. Deep garnet in color, it offers an intense bouquet of tarry black cherries, dark bramble fruits, mulling spices, bittersweet chocolate, lavender and dried herbs. Full-bodied and well cut, it delivers flavors mirroring the aromas and is impressively dense on the mid-palate. At this stage, the oak, …

2002 vintage

Still drinking beautifully

2005 vintage

Part of an odds and ends event for my wine group. All the wines were opened, but not decanted for at least 45 minutes before serving. My next to last bottle of this vintage and it's been a few years since my previous bottle. Time has been kind to this wine, and I have bumped up my score a point. Tied for my favorite wine of the night, with the 2011 Quilceda Creek Galitzine.

2005 vintage

From Magnum. Opened 3 hours ahead. Spice, dark fruits, cedar and herbs on the nose. Medium bodied with a good balance of primary red and dark fruits along with secondary flavors of earth and spices. Still a solid core of acid and smooth tannins with a medium plus finish. From magnum this should remain on plateau for several years. 93 points

2005 vintage

Poured glasses just after opening. Rich colour and very full bodied. Initially it had a port like quality - that sort of richness. With time the dark fruit profile came through. The wine became more fresh, well balanced and delicious. I wish I had a lot more.

2005 vintage

Still a very nice cab, as are all to Todd Anderson's wines, IMO. It may have been a 96-pointer by RP in 2008, but that was 16 years ago and this is a 375 ml. I had 5 750ml's in the cellar, until I opened one last year at a wine group dinner. Everyone thought it showed very well, for its age, and I rated that bottle a 93+ because I believe it can still improve. Todd's 750mls and large …

2005 vintage

Opened 2 hours ahead. Ripe plum and some spice on the nose. Medium bodied with smooth tannins and good acidity. Sweet black fruits, tobacco and some nice complexity. Fully mature, last of 3 bottles. 93 point

2002 vintage

Drinking beautifully, ripe and delicious red fruit, currant and just a hint of earth, anise and tobacco flavors.

2005 vintage

Opened, but not decanted for about an hour before pouring, as part of a Napa Cabernet night at a steakhouse with my wine group. Very good, but somehow it seemed a little less impressive than the other 3 Cabs (which were 2005 Dunn Napa, 2012 Lewelling Wight, and 2012 O'Shaughnessy Howell). In comparison to the other wines, it seemed slightly oxidized, and a little less lively.

2005 vintage

Hitting on all cylinders. Long finish and layers of napa cab goodness.

2005 vintage

My last of the 2002. Still very youthful with that explosive fruit and vibrancy of Gus Anderson.

2002 vintage

Pop and pour, followed over almost 3 hours. Upon initial opening, a nose of brett blanketed over what seemed like good, mature cab notes. The palate was initially a bit thin and the fruit buried under the mar of brett funk. Frustrating initially and swirling vigorously in hopes the funk would blow off. Only a small amount did and I had almost given up on it. Finally at about the 2 hour mark, the funk blew off to reveal mature …

1990 vintage

This is my third bottle in the past year, but the first time I've bothered to write a note, so clearly this has not made a strong impression. Based on memory, this bottle is similar to the previous two, and is a bit tired. This lacks the vigor of a wine 13 years its senior ('77 Clos du Val) that I had last week, and despite its youthful color, it is well into tertiary development. Better on the nose than …

1990 vintage

Ready to go. Great aged cab profile and mild tannins.

2005 vintage

Drinking nicely, soft silky with fruit still bright favorite of evening

2002 vintage

Very complex and balanced. Fruity nose, full-bodied with oak, mineral, blackberry and cherry notes. Finishes so long and so smooth. I've been holding on to this one for quite a long time. Very much worth the wait.

2005 vintage

Still holding up very well! Mature,soft, well-balanced and alive. Smoke, dark fruit, blackpudding, toast and meat. Lovely.

1996 vintage

Very impressive. Plenty of patina with this but lots of dark Cab fruit as well. Good complexity with aromas and flavors of smoke, earth, funk.

1996 vintage

Maybe a touch off where the last bottle was, but still excellent.

2005 vintage

Tasted blind. Not too much fruit left on the nose with flavors of horse saddle, smoke, some oak, and leather. The palate is much more interesting with good structure from surprisingly drying tannins, blue fruit, leather, and good acidity. There's quite a bit going on, but it feels reasonably balanced. Medium finish.

1996 vintage

Nice wine. Drank it back to back with a 2006 Brunello Montalcino Corte Pavone. This wine is in a good place. Muted nose of cassis, right out of the bottle there was a distinct mustiness to this wine that disappeared after an hour - hour and one half.. From there distinct aromas of dark fruit, black cassis, and cooked meat appeared. In the glass this wine was dark in color with medium to full body. The sediment was present and …

2005 vintage

Drinking beautifully, with cherry, earth and mineral flavors. Excellent balance. Delicious.

2005 vintage

A little funk.

2005 vintage

The wine had to breathe for a while. The longer it came in touch with oxygen the better it got. What a bottle for that age...

1996 vintage

Drank on 28th anniversary. Double decanted. Absolutely delightful. Powerful ephemeral whiff of red fruits on opening. Touch of tobacco. Held up over the evening.

1993 vintage

Drinking on its own. Deep with cherry. Tons of swirling licorice, berries, coffee, herbs, abd chocolate. The nose a little floral. Beautiful juicy acidity bringing up the rear. Tannins get a little rough especially drinking in the cold.

2005 vintage

Now deep-to-opaque garnet in color, the 2005 Anderson's Conn Valley Cabernet Sauvignon Estate Reserve continues to impress. This particular bottle was purchased upon release and cellared under ideal conditions. After decanting off of its sediment, it was serially sampled over the ensuing 3-4 hours. Shortly after decanting, the wine becomes effusive of fig, dark bramble fruits, bittersweet chocolate, lavender, licorice and dried herbs. Full-bodied and with medium acidity, it delivers flavors mirroring the nose and stays solid on the middle …

2005 vintage

I like this but others did not. Poor placement in the line-up. Very ripe and it showed almost OZ like.

2002 vintage

Blind Cabs and Bordeaux blends (Zoom, Chicago, IL) : The nose is coming off a bit blocky and rich with some noticeable licorice and oak notes that strike upfront before leaning into black cherries, black raspberries, black currant jam, and mint leaves. The Full bodied feel shows some of the jammy qualities of the nose with medium acidity and stiff, medium+ tannins. The tannins have a bit of woodiness that likely won’t resolve. This was disappointing when revealed as I …

2002 vintage

Wine has outlived its window. Cork was breaking apart. Flavors were muted and color was definitely bricked. Easy to drink but obviously lacked in profile. Would suggest that keeping this wine in cellar is losing proposition

1996 vintage

Drinking perfectly, drink now.

2002 vintage

Right away when I opened this, I knew that we were in for a treat. It just took a few swirls to wake up and let us know that it was ready to give us some business. You could tell the age in the color as it was more ruby in the glass and with some browning at the edges. Upon first smell, all I could think was: I wish more Napa Cabernet was done like this. The fruit was …

2005 vintage

Classic Cali cab. Give it an hour of air to sing in your palette.

2005 vintage

Very nice, this unmistakable Napa Cabernet (though I could swear there’s a bit of Merlot in there as well) comes out already medium-light brick red, nicely showing its 18 years. Telltale notes of black currant, fig and a touch of vanilla easily identify its provenance with the tannins being well polished by now. Acidity low on this bottle. On the finish, long dark fruits, present oak and some elements of autumn leaves, telling me the tannins are indeed fading away …

2002 vintage

Well stored, perfect bottle. Clearly Napa cab. Deep ruby with moderate bricking. Intense nose of warm dark fruits, cassis plum,milk chocolate and some savory herbs, maybe a hint of ash. Palate is full bodied and dense but not chewy. Nice and relatively smooth. Drying tannins with some freshness still on the palate. A tad bit of heat on the finish. This bottle shows years to go and a testament to aged Napa cabs.

2002 vintage

- Brick color with medium forming legs. It's balanced and has flavours of strawberry and black currant with a medium/full body. Angular texture with a long finish.

2005 vintage

Excellent it has held up this long with delicious fruit and mushroom notes. Drink now.

1990 vintage

Quick decant for sediment, then back into the bottle and open for an hour before dinner. Red fruit, earth, mushroom and leather on the nose. Slightly more tired than the last bottle, which was from a prior purchase, this was nonetheless a great example of aged Napa cab. I saved about half a glass and vacuum sealed overnight; it was still holding up on day 2, but was definitely better on day 1.

1993 vintage

Conn Valley Vineyards at its greatest -- the early nineties. No fuss, marketing or cigar swirling machismo. Gus and Phyllis on their back porch overlooking the vineyards. Pure expression of cabernet -- subtle fruit, earth tones, round and balanced in the mouth. A pleasing finish meant to accompany food and conversation. My last bottle...

1993 vintage

Very full bodied, well balanced Bordeaux style Cabernet Sauvignon with plenty of black berry fruit tastes that you will want to roll around your mouth ... currants, boysenberry and a touch of raspberry with well integrated tannins, good structure and long finish. Not a Cab bomb. I am so sorry my bottle is empty. I can’t imagine it aging any better so the time to drink is now!

2002 vintage

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Anderson's Conn Valley Vineyards, Cabernet Sauvignon Estate Reserve, Napa Valley

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