By Tasting Panel

Fresh oak, blueberry and plum aromas. A bit compact and holding back, however; loaded with cherry fruit and vanilla extract. Excellent length and balance with a slight peppery note that should iron out with time.

By Robert Whitley

Once upon a time I considered Chimney Rock a monumental underachiever, consistently promising more than it delivered. The Chimney Rock Cabernets of recent vintage, however, have been nothing less than stellar; among the finest produced in the vaunted Stags Leap District and certainly one of the closest in style to the prized reds of Bordeaux. This vintage exhibits a lush cassis aroma on the nose, with a hint of cedar/lead pencil, ripe blackberry and boysenberry on the palate, smooth tannins and a touch of mocha on the finish. One of the most complex Cabs I've tasted from this vastly underrated vintage.

By Robert Whitley

The Chimney Rock cabernets of recent vintage have been nothing less than stellar, and are among the finest produced in the vaunted Stags Leap District and certainly among the closest in style to the prized reds of Bordeaux. This vintage exhibits a lush cassis aroma on the nose, with a hint of cedar-lead pencil, ripe blackberry and boysenberry on the palate, smooth tannins and a touch of mocha on the finish.

By Robert Whitley

The Chimney Rock cabernets of recent vintage have been nothing less than stellar, and are among the finest produced in the vaunted Stags Leap District and certainly among the closest in style to the prized reds of Bordeaux. This vintage exhibits a lush cassis aroma on the nose, with a hint of cedar-lead pencil, ripe blackberry and boysenberry on the palate, smooth tannins and a touch of mocha on the finish.

By Robert Whitley

The Chimney Rock cabernets of recent vintage have been nothing less than stellar, and are among the finest produced in the vaunted Stags Leap District and certainly among the closest in style to the prized reds of Bordeaux. This vintage exhibits a lush cassis aroma on the nose, with a hint of cedar-lead pencil, ripe blackberry and boysenberry on the palate, smooth tannins and a touch of mocha on the finish.

By Robert Whitley

The Chimney Rock cabernets of recent vintage have been nothing less than stellar, and are among the finest produced in the vaunted Stags Leap District and certainly among the closest in style to the prized reds of Bordeaux. This vintage exhibits a lush cassis aroma on the nose, with a hint of cedar-lead pencil, ripe blackberry and boysenberry on the palate, smooth tannins and a touch of mocha on the finish.

By Joshua Greene

Relatively light and brisk in its red fruit character, this young cabernet feels supple and sexy, with finesse to the tannin that places it firmly in Stags Leap. Rather than expanding with air, it contracts around its tannins, suggesting this will need a lot of time to develop. Check on it again in ten years.

By Lyn Farmer

Quite reserved aromas of dried cherry, smoke and chewing tobacco open with time. Full flavors of date, plum, orange peel and chocolate. Ripe berries highlight the finish.

By Nicholas Ponomareff

By Steve Heimoff

Expensive yes, but this is a wine of very high quality. The Cabernet Sauvignon shines through, showing enormous black currant flavor, and then there are the wonderfully ripe, smooth tannins that make the wine glide like velvet. It seems to be best now, but should hold for some years. Editor's Choice.

By Elin McCoy

Made from the best tasting fruit on the estate in each vintage, the reserve has layers of concentrated black fruit and cassis flavors and an elegant spine of tannin. Small percentage of Merlot and Petit Verdot were included.

By Joshua Greene

This takes the generous black cherry and black earth character of Stags Leap fruit and focuses it with clean intensity. The depth of the flavor is apparent when the wine is first poured, developing length and brighter red tones to the fruit as it takes on air. A gracious wine to cellar for ten years, and to drink at any point along the way.

By Jim Gordon

Pure but sophisticated fruit flavor pours out of this sleek, well-balanced and full-flavored Cab. Not tricked up with too much oak or extract, but it tastes natural and flowing and good from the aroma to the finish. Medium-full bodied, just tannic enough. Best now through 2010.

By Nicholas Ponomareff

Medium-dark ruby color; attractive, forward, plummy, cassis and black cherry fruit aroma with notes of cedar and tobacco; full body; forward, rich, ripe, plush, chocolatey, tarrish, plummy, ripe black cherry and blackberry fruit flavors with overtones of creamy oak; well balanced; medium-full to full tannin; lingering aftertaste. Very approachable and appealing to drink now, though it deserves several more years of bottle aging. Very highly recommended.

By Charles Olken

Sweet touches of crme brulee and vanilla lend a noteworthy boost in richness of the very deep and well-focused curranty fruit that runs the length of this carefully crafted young Cabernet. And, while complex and compelling from beginning to end, the wine is in no way threatened by runaway ripeness. It is full-bodied and finely balanced with a nice sense of polish, and it cannot but improve as it matures gracefully over the next four to eight years.

A highly distinctive wine. Likely to be memorable.

By James Laube

1997 California Cabernet Retrospective Tasting Notes:

"Complex aromas of ripe plum and black cherry fruit that unfolds gracefully