Philip Togni, Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley

Glass from coravin. Absolutely gorgeous nose of dark fruit and cassis. Lacking a little length and power suggesting this is past its peak, but very enjoyable nonetheless.

1996 vintage

What an astonishingly wonderful wine! This was fabulous from the moment the bottle was opened, and it became even better over the next hour or so. Black plums, fruitcake, prunes, leather, lemon peel, flowers, coffee, oil-cured black olives, pomegranate (this replaced the lemon peel over time), tobacco, black cherries, and sage, all followed by an aftertaste that even from the beginning was fabulously long and intense, and, with time in the glass, became almost endless. I really love this wine! …

1992 vintage

not blind Perfect stored bottle, at his peak, no hurry. Decanted for 1,5 hours. 95

1995 vintage

Had great expectations and it let me down. Good but far from great

2010 vintage

Wedding Weekend of Wine; 10/3/2025-10/5/2025 (Napa Valley CA) : Small glass, brief note. Certainly enjoyable, but getting long in the tooth, and getting slightly dull.

1996 vintage

inky purple color. From rdl Bdx glass. Dark and potent and still very young (a few hours in decanter). Tiny blueberries and sweet blue raspberry and cassis and some pyrwzines - a bit of green pepper, some purple spices and violets. Almost a dusty texture to the nose (thanks AS). /Excellent balance, lots of structure w dark berry fruit and serious pyrazines blended together. Medium+ body - not a bruiser but lots of flavor, and this is run more on …

1995 vintage

Slight fade. Dried herbs and dark fruits on the nose. Dark fruit, earth with a hint of smoke, nice acidity on the finish. Silky light tannins. The epitome of a classic elegant Napa Cabernet with plenty of life left, miles away from the overblown high alcohol cabs so frequently being produced in California nowadays. Left 1/3 of the bottle for the next day. 24 hours later no degradation. Enhanced aromatics with spices floral notes. On the palate slightly increased dark …

1996 vintage

From a blind tasting. Drinking beautifully! Nobody thought this was a 30 year old bottle. Thought it might be a Togni but the the little bit of vegetal did not come out until 3 hours into the evening. Except for the sweet fruit, one always entertains the possibility of a Bordeaux. On the nose- Bordeaux-like funk, coffee, tobacco, dark fruits, herbal tea. All carry onto the palate with a bit of bell pepper showing up after 3 hours. Wine of …

1995 vintage

50th Birthday Dinner Celebration (Eagle Brook CC) : Double decanted off its sediment 1.75 hrs before service and closer to 3 hours by the time I got around to tasting it. As Togni is, this opens with that signature "green" element underneath the red and black fruit, and I love it. Red currants and nicely herbaceous, full and balanced. Excellent, although not quite at the level of a stellar bottle of the 1997 I opened back in November. 93-94 pts.

1996 vintage

Stood up for a month, decanted off 3oz settled sediment. Dark ruby, youthful color for its age of 3 decades; high intensity aromatics with plenty of dark blackberry fruit, classic bell pepper, Togni's herbaceous signature, leaves, some forest mulch; palate is full bodied, blackberry, black currant, herbaceous component, well balanced tannins, medium-plus acidity; medium-long finish. This is an elegant, precise, fruit-forward wine but with tons of additional complexity and interest. This bottle ranks among my best of this wine because …

1995 vintage

Pulled but not consumed

1995 vintage

Incredibly youthful, and still in need of airtime to show itself. Beautiful fruit, tongue-coating tannins, and a long finish. Drank over two days. The last glass was the best. Easily can go another 5-7 years.

2006 vintage

A quietly confident wine, showing the grace and subtlety of aged Napa done right. Aromas of dried cherry, cedar, graphite, and tobacco unfurled gradually, with a restrained earthiness and cool-toned fruit profile that spoke of its mountain origins. Tannins have softened into fine, dusty grip; acidity remains intact, giving lift to an otherwise delicate frame. Medium body and low alcohol by modern standards, this is a cerebral rather than hedonistic experience.

1995 vintage

Probably a subtly tainted cork, but all I'm sure of is that there was something wrong with this bottle. The wine started big and bold, with lots of blackberries and leather and bitter touches of rhubarb and licorice, but then died abruptly in the aftertaste. I allowed it several hours in the glass but there was no improvement. This was the third problematic bottle in a row. I know what a good bottle of this wine is like, and this …

1992 vintage

This is big and old school Napa Cab in a good way. Reticent aromatics but show some mint and cut berry. Dark black plum, licorice, tobacco, smokey herb, cassis and saline. Full bodied for sure. Finishes with moderate length with rich fruit and traces of sweet tannin. Decanted 2.5hr.

2005 vintage

Very Bordeaux like. Dark red fruits, cedar, pencil lead. Softer acidity after these years with hints of the original tannin. Well balanced now with a long future still. Almost as good as the '91, maybe a touch better than the '90. Full long finish.

1992 vintage

First sip seemed a bit sour, but after 2 hours decanted all was well. Togni was my first Napa vineyard cellar experience about 14 years ago and I became an instant fan. As charming an old Brit as you could ever hope to meet. This vintage was all I hoped for after buying a case at auction last year. I suspect it won’t get better but not close to turning down.

1992 vintage

Subtly corked--the sort where if I didn't know what a good bottle of this wine is like, I would have blamed the wine, not the cork. (This is the second time I've had this experience with this wine--!!) Poured down the sink. Don't tell me about King Lear--*this* is tragedy!

1992 vintage

fully ready, yet can go another 3-6 years I would guess. As expectable from Togni, a beautiful Spring Mt Cab made in old world mode, complex, lengthy, evolved, wonderful finish, tars, tobacco, maybe dark chocolate, black fruits.

1996 vintage

Drinking beautifully right now. This was opened about 90 minutes before serving, then decanted just before pouring (it threw a considerable amount of sediment in the last several ounces). Cork just barely holding on -- almost saturated. Engaging, herbaceous nose (lots of fennel, mint, and earth), with more black fruit coming through on the palate. Tannins are mostly resolved. Showed above expectations.

1993 vintage

This bottle was good, but disappointing compared with other Togni Cabernets we have opened. Drank side by side against a 2001 Merus, the Togni while still showing nice fruit, but seemed a bit flabby. Blackberries, plums, black cherries, herbalness, green pepper, licorice and leather in the nose and flavor. Medium to full bodied, balanced, and a long finish. Will try another bottle later this year to test whether this bottle was a one off or whether I should drink the …

2005 vintage

super duper example of California Napa Cab. Marvelous. So complete and ready to drink. enjoyed over several hours. just lovely.

1996 vintage

Brambly black fruit. Currants, blackberries, beef, and bell pepper. Leads with lots of acidity and the fruit is fighting to take the front seat. Nice complexity and very fine tannins.

1996 vintage

blind no one at the table guessed it was California. At his peak. Still some black currant notes but the tertiary aromas are dominating. 94

1993 vintage

Still has a great color. Vibrant with a black currant and eucalyptus notes on the nose and palate. Please, mid weight with considerable depth on the finish. Drinking great but no rush--as this seems to be in a long drinking plateau.

2006 vintage

Our 4 encounter in a decade ( Papies 95-97) and once again a magical wine. Elegant, soft but with lots of presence, well evolved but alive and as we always joke for these classically made Napa Cabs of the early 90s this is a Bordeaux with just a more punch and substance. Earthy, leathery, soft spice and just magical. 95++ and what a joy. Another easy decade of life here too

1992 vintage

Still full of vigor and energy at nearly 30 years of age. Dark blackberry fruit and solid grippy tannins. Bright acidity keeps it all in nice balance. Eucalyptus and mint. Not a hint of maturity or much secondary development. This massive wine will last at least another 20 years and is arguably not ready yet today.

1995 vintage

Upon opening: Dirty garnet in color. Green peppers, very herbal on both nose & taste (takes me back to my mother’s stuffed green peppers in 1959). Medium body. Disappointed - doubt decanting or aging will help much. 1 hour: still green pepper on nose & taste. Putting aside to see if the 12 hr decant helps. On to 2003 Rudd Oakville Estate - luscious!

2005 vintage

Double decanted 12 hrs prior but needed more time and aging. Medium ruby color. Medium body. 👃🏻 soil, menthol, leather, strong initial bell pepper herbal notes faded into wet stone and sandalwood 👅 sandalwood, tobacco, pyrazines faded after 1.5 hrs, with 35-40 sec finish This is very similar to a Beta wine that is opened a bit too early. I suspect several more years of aging may tame the pyrazines and make this more approachable. More air and careful food …

2005 vintage

Deep garnet color. Pronounced intensity on the nose. Developing. Notes of violet, green bell pepper, blueberry, blackcurrant, smoke, tobacco, vanilla, sweet cream, black plum, herbs, spice, and cocoa. On the palate, dry, pronounced intensity, high alcohol, full body, medium + acid, medium tannins, long finish. Can drink now but has potential for further ageing. Wine is still slightly austere and would benefit from another 5 years in the bottle. Needed a 3-hour decant to show well. Quality - very good.

2006 vintage

Aerosol nailed the tasting notes (loved his description and flavor profile so I have nothing to add since I agree with everything he said though I had the score a little higher. This wine tasted really fresh as well. Could easily go another 10-15 years in my humble opinion. Was surprised at how amazing this bottle turned out to be although I really shouldn't have been. Togni is a world class producer that makes really age worthy wines. Drank alongside …

2006 vintage

A delayed Father’s Day for me and son-in-law, father of my grandchildren. Enough about that. The wine is so good - elegant, good depth, welcoming. Hard for me to know what an end date is on this wine but I think it’s quite a while from now. I am NO fan of Napa cabernet, generally. But this wine is superb, beautiful, engaging and thought-proving, Entirely lovely.

2010 vintage

Good wine, too vegetal IMO. Popped and decanted through cheesecloth, high quality wine for sure, Togni is an OG and wish I liked his juice more. Celery, bell pepper, not a ton of fruit, good balanced mouthfeel with a long finish. Keep rocking Togni, if Cristophe Baron is your music, this will be perfect for you.

2005 vintage

Quite tertiary, lots of woody leather but still with some good fruits of the forest fruit alongside. Blind I would say left bank Bordeaux, though it is ageing faster than a Bordeaux. If it were Bordeaux I would estimate an age of 25 years. This would have been full bodied but is now between full and medium as the fruit has begun to recede. There is enough structure here to give interest and further life. Long with complexity. Drink now, …

2005 vintage

A Cali favorite of the 90's. Tremendous complexity as the previous comment stated. Very Bordeaux like. Softer acidity after these years with hints of the original tannin. Well balanced now with a long future still. Almost as good as the '91, maybe a touch better than the '90. Full long finish.

1992 vintage

Absolutely loved this, shared with a friend over great conversation. Gorgeous blue fruit, menthol, eucalyptus nose. Palate has plenty of smooth acidity and cool fruit. Almost liquid and free flowing in texture (bad descriptor because clearly this is a wine). Showing a nice touch of savory age on the finish. Thought this has plenty of life ahead. Really lovely bottle from a classic and classically styled producer.

2005 vintage

Continues to be stunning! No change from the bottles of 3/3/2024, 6/2/2023, and 1/14/2923, so, rather than repeat myself, I'll just refer you to the full descriptions there.

1992 vintage

Presented to me double-blind at Tasting Group. The wine pours a deep ruby color with a somewhat translucent (fine sediment), near opaque core fading out to a garnet with a slightly watery rim. Medium+ viscosity with pretty significant staining of the tears. On the nose, the wine is developing with notes of plums, cassis, dark cherries tobacco, some leather, some faint pyrazines, dried purple flowers, clay-like earth and fine baking spices. On the palate, the wine is dry with medium+ …

2005 vintage

I really love this wine. Stunning even immediately after opening-- blueberries, black tea, black cherries, pomegranates, black olives, a hint of tannin, and toasted walnuts, with wonderful richness and immediacy, and a strikingly long and rich aftertaste. Over the next hour and a quarter, blackberries, orange peel, fruitcake, cocoa, black plums, roses, a touch of fennel, and a flash of red apples all joined in, as the aftertaste got longer and longer with a distinct note of raspberries a little …

1992 vintage

Decanted sediment out, put back in bottle and had 1.5 hours later. Amazing how young this wine appeared. Great color still plenty fruit on the palate. What a joy to drink. Can't believe it's 28 yrs old!

1996 vintage

Deep gorgeous slightly cloudy ruby. Sour raspberries on the nose. Notes of sour plums and stale raspberries with a touch of cocoa powder; it is definitely on the downhill side of its life.

2005 vintage

Excellent. Old school sensibilities but needs an hour plus in the decanter

2005 vintage

This bottle was a bit wilder on the palate (perhaps a bit of brett) than the last one I opened, but still showing amazing depth and complexity. It a classy wine drinking very well now.

1992 vintage

The Return to the Ledbury (The Ledbury, London) : 5 years since we had this and this time from a beautiful magnum that did not fail us. Needs a bit of time to hit its full stride so maybe a 30 minute decant is ideal as beyond that it is purely joyful and dare we say magical. Soft and elegant, round , earthy, leather but still with that beautiful extra dollop of Napa ripeness that carries through 30yrs later. Superb …

1993 vintage

Pulled the cork 90 minutes before dinner of Rack of Lamb and drank alongside an 03 Calon Segur. This had much more fruit than the Calon. Mature Napa Cab. Not as layered as the Calon but the better fruit profile made this better but it was very close. Many at the table liked the Calon better.

2005 vintage

Holiday Champagne Gala (Wilmette Harbor Club) : Tasted at gala alongside 1997. Firm from start-to-finish making it seem slightly austere, but with good+ depth and power. Some richness on finish. At its peak.

1992 vintage

I liked this wine from Togni, a highly renown producer, but it was a bit circuitous in getting there. I’ve always found his wines to have that vegetal, green pepper note to them that I have found off putting. This wine was the same but it more or less blew off after a couple of hours. Color is still nicely dark purple-red. Nose has aforementioned “green” notes but also some pleasant baked cranberry, cassis, and pencil. Very classically styled as …

1996 vintage

Kleur: Diep donkerrood. Aroma / bouquet: Stoer bouquet, klassiek Bordeaux, Smaak / Afdronk: Een iets beperkte zuurgraad, stoere en krachtige Bordeauxblend met een romig mondgevoel, serieuze maar aangename tannines. Harmonieus, verfijnd en met nog zeker 10 jaar ontwikkelingspotentieel. Algemeen / potentieel: Ik ken weinig wijnen uit Napa Valley die werkelijk in alles zo ongelofelijk 'Frans' lijken als Philip Togni. Bij werkelijk èlke blinde proeverij met Bordeaxblends uit Bordeaux en Napa zet deze wijn ook de serieuze kenners op het verkeerde …

1993 vintage

Dark garnet color with only minimal bricking at the rim Intense aromatics - red/ black fruit with secondaries of graphite/ cigar box/ leather with mint and jalapeño pepper - barely notable and well integrated oak aromas as well - very complex nose with secondaries and even tertiary notes present but with plenty of bright fruit remaining Medium plus bodied with palate of red cherry and dry herbs with hint of green pepper Medium plus tannins - fine and well integrated …

1995 vintage

Double blind tasting Dark garnet with bricking Aromatics medium +. Dry herbs and vegetables. Dust. Bell pepper. Dark plum. Graphite. Some well integrated new oak. Palate has a medium + body. Acid medium +. Tannins medium +, medium grained on upper palate but well rounded at this stage. Alcohol medium. Cherry, plums and green bell peppers Finish has a medium + to long length. Balanced I guessed a left bank Bordeaux, 2011. Seemed like a nice example for me of …

1995 vintage

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Philip Togni, Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley

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