Philip Togni, Tanbark Hill Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley

Back in 2008 I attended a memorable tasting; a bottle of 1997 Togni was a true eye-opener for me then and I have been a fan ever since. Again, today, it was great as always.

1997 vintage

Juicy and ripe fruits in the classical bouquet. Same on the palate, some chocolate, good acidity and a firm amount of pleasant sweetness. Round tannin and good freshness.

1997 vintage

Pulled

1997 vintage

I tried this wine along with the Philip Togni estate and was surprised how it stood up to its better wine. I ended up putting it away because it was corvina and forgot about it for 8 months. I found it and it really was incredible after it sat opened. It had much more fruit on the nose and more structure and lively acidity with the tannins mellowed out. It has a little more oak than I’d like but it …

2018 vintage

A 1997 that is this thick takes a whole lot of hope to hold. This is still a massive wine, made in the style of the big Bordeaux wines from vintages like 86 and or maybe 99. This very much reminded me of the 1986 Leoville Las Cases, in that its still not there yet, but is starting to lose freshness. Not to be confused with being tired, its very much alive. A deep and saturated color in the glass, …

1997 vintage

So I don’t really know where to begin with this wine , but this was best bottle of all the 90’s Napa valley cabs i have ever had . This particular bottle was one of the 10 year anniversary release that came directly from the winery. This estate bottle of Togni drank like a a great Paulliac , layered with red fruit , forest floor , menthol and lively acidity that drove the finish on your palate for a 30-40 …

1997 vintage

ESTG Year-End Tasting (Newcastle, WA) : Brown sugar, baking spice, menthol, intensely ripe (1997). Group favorite. Stellar.

1997 vintage

From bright and spicy to deep and oaky. Opened up nicely over two hours.

2018 vintage

4th Saturday Brown Bagger (EBCC) : Our penultimate bottle, double decanted off its sediment and served double blind to the group a little over two hours after the cork was pulled. Dark youthful color. Aromas of black currants and sweet tobacco with that delightful green overtone that tells me this is our bottle of Togni. Medium-bodied with soft tannin, this starts a little thin on the palate but I am positive it will flesh out as it breathes. Develops aromas …

1997 vintage

This '97 grand vin from Philip Togni was brought by Freddy for our Weekly Wednesday night dinner. This was served alongside Montrose 2000 & Ormes de Pez 1990 with pork tenderloin. Out of all the vintages I've had of Togni (4 to date), this one surprisingly was my least favorite of the bunch. While I firmly believe Togni leans Old World in style, this '97 actually seemed the most New World. I'll chalk it up to '97 being a hyper-ripe …

1997 vintage

From magnum- 90 minute decant was about right but this continued to improve throughout dinner. Fully resolved tannins leading into a barely identifiable new world wine. Nice depth and incredible balance leads into a long finish. While this is certainly in its prime, the question is how many more decades this drinks well on its balance alone. Some darker fruits throughout continue to dominate but the tertiary notes are creeping in. A testament to good winemaking.

1997 vintage

27 years old, drinking like we expect - with the Togni’s old world approaches, this is like a superb West Bank, marvelous balance between fruit and amongst the best tannic support in Napa. Much happier than the last one we had 6 years ago. We managed to keep our hands off the last bottle of 94,95,96, 99, 2001, and they will come out for special events- this we shared with family for my 77th birthday. Time to drink the good …

1997 vintage

Decanted 30 min Just a bit of brick at the rim Initially closed, but nose develops a lovely blackberry scent with a hint of basement must The wine still has plenty of black cherry and blackberry fruit. Tannins have largely resolved. As the night wore on a hint of green tomato and tobacco leaf become more apparent on the finish. Not necessarily a bad thing, but for me a bit of a negative and I dropped the score from 94 …

1997 vintage

Holiday Champagne Gala (Wilmette Harbor Club) : Tasted at gala alongside 1992. Rich black fruit and spice, while wonderfully balanced. Enough structure just off center with everything nicely harmonious.

1997 vintage

Intense, medium bodied, fresh acidity showing herbaceous notes, white pepper and iron. Old world inspired, well balanced, clean finish. Well done. NI:3, FI:22, FC:8, B:4, L:4

2018 vintage

Always well made and enjoyable, but I don’t necessarily feel it stands out against some of the other big Napa wine names in the same price range. Drinking well, but certainly think it will get better with some age. Red berry, graphite, and oak on the palate. Medium+ body and finish.

2018 vintage

Just an absolutely fantastic bottle of wine from first to last sip. Tannins silky, fruit still present and vibrant, a combination of casis, blackberries, and a meaty quality. Hints of wildflowers on the nose. An absolute pleasure.

1997 vintage

If anyone made a 1997 that should not be too over the top it is Togni. However, this bottle proved that the hedonisim of the vintage is even here in the classical spring mountan producer. Ripe red cherry, blackberry sauce and spice notes. Sandalwood, anise and pencil, but the ripe fruit is our front with a bit of brownie underneath. This no not the pauillac like wine you get in other vintages, but a powerhouse of a rich 10/10ths cabernet. …

1997 vintage

If representative, this hasn’t aged well; since last tasted in 2017 the nose seems more top-heavy and more 97 than Togni. Slightly brassy black fruit, mineral.

1997 vintage

Delicious. Very balanced, full of pencil lead and very integrated on the palate. Others seem to be calling it too young, but this is drinking very well right now. Though I’m sure some time won’t hurt it.

2018 vintage

Way too young, but nice potential. Medium body. Long finish.

2018 vintage

Young.

2018 vintage

Luftet 3 timer i karaffel. Drukket over 1,5 timer på verandaen. Litt spak duft i starten i Zalto Bdx. Når nesene får kalibrert seg, kommer lukt av solbær rett fra busken, kirsebærkompott, bjørnebær, pilotjakke, salvie og vanilje. Etter en stund i glasset dukker også lukten av bålrøyk opp. I munnen er frukten kjølig og vinen føles ikke Napa-svær. Minner om en ung Bdx-blend fra New Zealand (Te Mata Coleraine). Den rå, friske frukten balanseres ikke helt med den høye syra. …

2018 vintage

Only my second wine from Togni but this was a bit of a let down. Great fruit, but too much oak. Wait 5 years+ for the oak to settle.

2018 vintage

Cherries and herbs on nose Red fruit and pencil lead with Medium body on palate Went well with marinara dish

2018 vintage

Nice. Not life-changing. Yet.

2018 vintage

BYO - Erik : Herbaceous, Mint leaves. Delicious.

1997 vintage

Definitely young - wait a year or three, or at least give it plenty of air. Significantly better but still tannic on night two.

2018 vintage

Disappointed with this, I thought it was slightly corked witch accounted for the muted nose and flat palate but this was heavily debated at the table. At any rate, very musty, shrooms, flat and one dimensional, with a hint of wet cardboard. Should be much better. Dal Rae dinner

1997 vintage

Initially quite tannic but with air much better. left half overnight to see what develops

2004 vintage

Super wine. You can’t hide the ripe Napa fruit here. It has blackcurrant, black cherry, sandalwood, nicely polished and resolved, showing well. A little cloudy near the end of the bottle

1997 vintage

More austere styled Cab. Plenty of acid, tannins starting to soften, loads of berries, cherries, wood, spices. Gorgeous nose that gives away some of its age, but this is a wine built for long haul, great freshness and med plus very dry finish. Bravo

1997 vintage

This wine is holding up amazingly, balanced, complex and harmonious. Tried after a 2001 Ramey Jericho canyon. Chucked the Ramey. Flat and monolithic

1997 vintage

A private dinner (Restaurant De Lage Vuursche, Lage Vuursche, NL) : Definitely richer than claret, even from a ripe vintage, cedary and mature, but with much more spicy warmth, nutty, ripe fruit flirting with overripeness, sticky tannins, chocolaty finish. Impressive and deep but with little finesse.

1997 vintage

This is excellent. Color still looks great. Nose with lots of dark berry and, far less of the green pepper I think of from prior vintages. (Not better or worse, just different). Great palate. Long and lingering. Does have some of that cab franc feel to it, although I think it’s all cab? Anyway has aged so well, many years left. Wow.

1997 vintage

From magnum. Leather, cigar box, cassis, underwood, and a hint of plum on the nose. Fully integrated tannins and good acidity. Flavors of ripe dark fruit, leather, tart berries, and tobacco on the palate. Long finish. A beautiful aged old school Napa Cab, I love it!

1997 vintage

Kleur: Diep robijnrood met een subtiel oranjebruine verkleuring. Aroma / bouquet: Net als 9 jaar geleden ervaar ik het bouquet van deze wijn als gesloten. Heel subtiel, heel verfijnd en prachtig gebalanceerd. Aangenaam. Maar in niets uitgesproken. Smaak / Afdronk: In de mond is deze wijn weer werkelijk briljant en uitzonderlijk harmonieus. Zacht frisse zuurgraad, prachtig gerijpte tannines en verrassend bescheiden met 12,5% alcohol. Indrukwekkend lange afdronk. Algemeen / potentieel: Teleurstellend bouqet, bevredigende smaak. Als blinde 'piraat' tijdens een verticale …

1997 vintage

Shows rather leafy to the nose. Palate is holding together. Med/- tannin, but the fruit has faded away.

1997 vintage

Decanted briefly off its sediment and enjoyed over an hour with dinner. Aromas of mint, eucalyptus and currants. Medium-bodied, the tannins have softened nicely and left red fruit, plum and mint flavors. There's a slight hollowness on the palate which fills out with dinner. Adds a worn saddle leather note as it sits. 89-90 pts. Drink now.

1997 vintage

for the traditional cab drinker. gobs of green pepper. silky. liked it.

2004 vintage

This wine was rich wtih flavor and plenty of tannins. Wish I had more of these!

1997 vintage

WineGavel Tasting (San Francisco Wine Center) : Full black fruits, balanced; a little hollow on the palate. 83

1997 vintage

WineGavel Internet Auction Tasting of Lots from Weekly Online Auctions (San Francisco Wine Center, San Francisco, California) : Bricking opaque red violet color; cedar, cassis, plum nose; cedar, tart cassis, tart plum palate; medium finish 87+ points

1997 vintage

The thing about Togni’s wines is that they are somewhat like him: you’re just never sure what you’ll get when you encounter him. We encountered this particular bottle on a good day. The color of ox blood, but the nose is all eucalyptus, cigar wrapper, cassis, roasted tomato and roses. Excellent balance from start to finish with the interplay of acid and alcohol never once upstaging the other. If the wine has a fault, the length never quite extends to …

2004 vintage

A deep claret red with a clean and clear look to it. Rich on the nose with red and black fruits of raspberry and plum with some cassis thrown in for extra interest. Cedar and tobo follow suit. The finish comes up abruptly. But otherwise, the wine is in a good spot just now. No sediment .... yet. With char-grilled ribeyes with rosemary butter and sauteed mushrooms. Recommended.

2004 vintage

Excellent, but we drank it way to young. The tannins were still very firm and the wine was very tight. Last tasted mid-2002.

1997 vintage

Opened and not decanted. Brooding dark aromas of chocolate and fruit rise from the glass. On the palate tannins are well integrated and acid level is high despite the warmth of the vintage. Beautiful Spring Mountain fruit here with years left before this wine begins to fade. Enjoy folks!

1997 vintage

Slowly but surely starting to come around. Love the fact that these wines are so Bordeaux in style. Warm spices of cinnamon and clove, sour cherry, light gaminess, and lots of damp earth explode from the glass. The palate is evolving, complex and very refined. Red currant, high minerality, dust, sandalwood, all wrapped around a still firm tannin structure. Will this wine ever settle down?? I am convinced that all Togni wines will outlast their owners.

1997 vintage

CT shows wine to be consumed by '05. Tasted last night with nice hints of chocolate.

1997 vintage

Very good. Initially with slight chocolate aroma....as it opened up gave way to strong vanilla flavors...Can't elaborate much more as drinker had had one too many glasses for the night.

1997 vintage

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Philip Togni, Tanbark Hill Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley

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