Wine Chronicles: Five Decades of Napa Cabernet — A Vintage-by-Vintage Retrospective
By Dan Berger
Article Thumbnail: Wine columnist Dan Berger reflects on more than 50 years of tasting Napa Valley cabernet sauvignon, offering a vintage-by-vintage retrospective from 1970 to 2025. He emphasizes how weather, vineyard practices and aging potential shape wine quality, noting both the misjudged and the memorable vintages. Berger critiques overly ripe styles and highlights balance and structure as key to longevity. His insights culminate in a detailed chart intended to guide collectors and spark conversation.
NAPA VALLEY, Calif. – My interest in wine includes a love of numerous styles, including offerings from a dozen countries made in copious designs. And it all began for me more than 50 years ago with Napa Valley cabernet sauvignon.
Cabernet is a grape variety that also produces some of the finest aging red wines in the world. Starting in France’s Bordeaux region, cab now includes fine red wines growing in Italy, Australia, New Zealand and numerous other places where the warm climates and sound soils permit classic kinds of wine to be produced.
Historically, cabernet-based wines were always considered to be fascinating because they were intriguing and challenging when young, but almost never were they considered to be really drinkable early on. This is a grape that is widely understood to be best only after some aging time in the bottle. Few other grape varieties call for as much time to develop.
“I consider this to be the most impressive and under-appreciated vintage in the Napa Valley since I began looking at its wines.” — Dan Berger on 1995
Aging cabernet is an almost magical process. For decades, collectors of cabernet never considered opening a classic bottle unless it was at least 20 years old, especially when it came from a great vintage. And for decades what constituted a great vintage varied from year to year based on weather conditions.
As the old saying goes, everyone speaks about the weather, but no one does anything about it. In general, soil and weather create the variations in wine. And the more people know about grapes and how to grow them, the more we also know about how to avoid some of the worst aspects of weather.
As the decades moved along, wine country areas such as the Napa Valley, Western Australia and Columbia Valley in Washington have had fewer weather problems, allowing for more consistency in the way wines of many grape varieties can be produced.
Although global climate change may present significant problems for cabernet in the future, for now and for the last three decades, horrible weather conditions on the West Coast have largely been avoided. It is one reason that roughly 30 years ago I heard people say (incorrectly), “In California, every year is a vintage year.”
In comparison to Continental-climate Bordeaux, that may seem to have been the case here. Take, for example, the two decades of 1960 through 1980 in Bordeaux when several vintages were considered to be very poor, making tannic, earthy, unpleasant wines. (The French have had far fewer problematic years since then.) In the last 60 years, only one vintage in California was considered a complete disaster for cabernet: 1972.
The sunny, Mediterranean-like climate in California has almost always regularly produced good (fruity) cabernets. For the purpose of gaining mature flavors after bottle aging, however, it was usually said that West Coast wines couldn’t hold a candle to Bordeaux.
But Napa and several other U.S. areas have since proven that incorrect. Great vintages occur when weather conditions are ideal, but it certainly is not only about sunlight and heat. A good vintage usually does not occur when there is excessive heat toward the end of the harvest period.
Winemakers I respect, like the great André Tchelistcheff, do not like to add acid in a hot vintage to correct for deficiencies. Instead, they constantly walk the vineyards throughout the growing year to see how their grapes are doing. It is why growers often refer to their grapes as their children.
Creating a vintage chart for any wine region is a task that requires averaging a complex set of parameters. Take 1984 and 1985 in California. In some areas of Napa, the former vintage was seen as better; in other areas, the latter was. Winemakers love to debate these dichotomies.
Also, any vintage chart is valid for older wines only if the bottles were perfectly stored. Very few Americans have perfect cellaring conditions, so a valid vintage chart only applies to them. (Needless to say, kitchen wine racks rarely are appropriate for aging a fine wine.)
Putting together an observational list of cabernets since 1970 is extremely personal and can only relate to the wines that I have tasted. This is a crucial point because on several occasions I have been asked what the best wine was from, say, 1995. I give an answer. And then they tell me about the greatness of a 1995 wine I have never tried. A reader asked me the other day about the quality of older vintages of cabernet sauvignon from the Napa Valley. I answered with a brief summary of my recollections. They are all generalities. I might be completely wrong, but it’s what I recall.
The following vintage memories are for Napa Valley cabernet sauvignons I have tasted since 1970. But keep in mind that Napa is large, constantly in transition and is adding new wineries regularly, and it is impossible to keep up with the growth. So, my observations only reflect my general feelings from what I can recall.
Also, I have many friends who are extremely skilled at wine evaluation and also have good memories for the various vintages that they have tasted, and we talk about these things frequently.
Challenge your vocabulary with this week’s mystery wine word. Submit your answer in the poll, and check the bottom of the page for the correct answer.
The Vintages
1970: A relatively cool year; warm harvest. Wines of terrific balance. Fruit-forward and delicious when young, but many are fading today.
1971: An underrated year; moderate climate. When the wines came out, they were rather tart and very few people held onto them because of some herbal aromas. I liked many early on, and the best are still in decent shape. (I have two left.)
1972: A complete disaster. It rained heavily throughout the harvest. Several wineries had to put out boards in the vineyards so pickers wouldn’t fall down in the mud. Most of the wines washed out. Almost none have survived. I have one bottle left of 1972 BV Private Reserve. The last time I tasted it a decade ago, it was extremely tired. The best wine from this vintage was from Freemark Abbey (a Jerry Luper wine).
1973: Many nicely balanced wines that initially were termed “serviceable” by critics, but many of the wines turned out to be much better than anticipated. Generally, a very good year. A few wines are still alive. Inglenook Cask wines may still be good.
1974: Weather was perfect, slightly warmer than anybody had realized. Most cabernets turned out to be sensational early on and aged beautifully. But as time passed, some wines that weren’t made with sufficient acidity began to fade at age 20. The best are still in good shape.
1975: A much cooler year than 1974. Initial comments were that the wines tended to be a little green. But as time went by, perhaps by 1984, it was clear that this was an exceptionally good and underrated vintage – if people had the patience to wait. (It was a great chardonnay vintage.) My few remaining 1975s are excellent.
1976: The first of two drought years; the vines struggled, and most of the wines were spotty when they came on the market; tannins were awkward. Alcohols were higher than I preferred. The best producers made good wines, but most were best at age 10 or 12. Most are now fading. Louis Martini cabs were excellent.
1977: The second of two drought years, so many of the vines had recovered sufficiently, and several wineries made exemplary cabernets. The year wasn’t seen as great. Very few of the wines remain extant. The two best were 1977 Carneros Creek “Truchard Vineyard” (which was sensational two months ago!) by Francis Mahoney and 1977 Beringer Private Reserve.
1978: A hot year, even warmer than 1974. Many of the wines were plump and rich, but if perfectly stored, several have proven to still be tasty.
1979: Early on 1979 was cooler and with a touch of rain, followed by a heat wave later. The vintage was erratic, but many winemakers made good decisions, and several top producers made excellent wines that were misunderstood by many early reviewers. The Diamond Creek wines were great. The late heat wave shut the vines down and some wines had to be chaptalized (sugar added).
1980: A warm year with some erratic weather toward harvest. Many producers made relatively rich wines, but I always was concerned about acid and pH levels and slightly overripe aromas. I have only two or three left. Considered to be a good year by many.
1981: Some critics did not like these balanced wines. I did because they produced slightly lower alcohol, slightly more herbal characteristics due to the threat of rain, which caused some growers to harvest earlier. I love these wines and still have three cases of random 1981s in my cellar. The wines have all aged gorgeously. I loved Chateau Montelena 1981 from Bo Barrett.
1982: A much warmer year that produced relatively voluptuous wines but some with pH levels that were a little high for me. Still, most wines had sufficient fruit and some are still in good shape. The vintage was highly praised by critics. The best was Randy Dunn’s cab from Howell Mountain.
1983: An El Niño vintage. When the wines came out, many were awkward. But about 1995 I tasted several of the 1983s and found that they had aged nicely. Medium-weight (elegant) wines. The 1983 Raymond cabs from Walt Raymond were excellent.
1984: Another year where rain threatened, encouraging some growers to harvest before the coming storm. I loved some of the wines (notably from Mount Veeder and Rutherford/Oakville). Overall a good year that was underrated. The best was Hess Collection Reserve by Randle Johnson.
1985: An excellent climate year that theoretically made exceptional wines, and some reviewers adored them. But I found that many had tannins in excess of the available fruit. Some are still alive, but they are not as voluptuous or tasty as initial reports indicated they would be. Some are still hard. Many wineries from Spring Mountain made excellent cabernets.
1986: A solid year from the standpoint of weather. Many wines were amazingly approachable when they first were released. I loved the vintage early on, and as they have aged they have surprised me with their persistence. I especially liked Mondavi Reserve and Clos du Val.
1987: A relatively good year, but the wines were not initially highly praised. Soon after release I did a tasting of two dozen and found them a little too tannic. Then about five years later, at the suggestion of San Francisco-based wine judge Wilfred Wong, I did a reevaluation of the ‘87s and found most similar to Bordeaux in style. Excellent, Old-World-style wines.
1988: I have very little recollection about these wines.
1989: A relatively good year until harvest, when it rained for several days, destroying most chardonnays. Initial reports called it a disastrous vintage; the Wine Spectator headline: “The Vintage From Hell.” But cabernet is a hardy variety, and after the rains quit, many vineyards recovered. The weather turned windy and dried out cabernet’s loose-clustered bunches, so there was very little rot in cabernet. Many 1989 cabs are still in fine shape. A great one is Smith Madrone by Stuart and Charles Smith. But most people incorrectly say the reds were devastated.
1990: A nearly perfect year, warm weather throughout the summer, no great heat spikes at the end. Wineries throughout the state almost could not make a bad wine. The 1990 cabernets I still have are prizes. Simply sensational wines.
1991: Almost exactly parallel to the quality of 1990, with a little more variation. Good structures, great balance. Long-lived wines. It is hard for me to separate the two in terms of quality.
1992: Another El Niño vintage. Many wines showed slight awkwardness when they were released, but over time most proved to be excellent to about 25 years.
1993: Slightly more erratic wines with good fruit. I didn’t buy very many of them.
1994: A relatively warm year with absolutely no negatives from a weather point of view. Most wineries made voluptuous, rich, concentrated wines. I selectively liked the 1994s, but found several wines overripe and was wary about how they would age. Some today are too tired because of excessive concentration. Wines that were perfectly stored may still be fine.
1995: I consider this to be the most impressive and underappreciated vintage in the Napa Valley since I began looking at its wines. There was nothing ostentatious about them when they came on the market, but the most impressive thing was their unbelievable balance. Not only were the aromas varietally precise, but tannins were in perfect harmony and acid levels were appropriate. I probably should’ve bought every 1995 cab I could afford. Early on I loved these lighter wines so much I began drinking them. But they kept getting better! A vintage that doesn’t often show up high on others’ vintage charts. But the wines are exemplary. I loved Ted Edwards’ Freemark Abbey “Bosché.”
1996: A very good year with nicely balanced flavors and decent longevity. Very approachable when the wines came out, and they aged very well for 20 years. Many are still alive.
1997: What a conundrum! Weather-wise, this was potentially the best vintage Napa could possibly expect, but it was also a vintage that far too many producers really misunderstood. Most cabs turned out to be among my least favorites. I could write a book about this. (In fact, I am.) One problem with this vintage is that weather was so “perfect” that many wineries did not pick until extremely late, and by that time the acids and pHs had been compromised by too much “hang time,” so raisin-ing was a problem. In 2017, I tasted a famed 100-point 1997 cab with some industry friends. We all agreed that the wine was barely drinkable.
1998: A curious year in which weather patterns were erratic and fairly cool. The result: Some wines were called “serviceable” (the kiss of death) because they were lighter in weight than the huge 1997s. But by about 2004, it was clear that balance and structure often are more important than concentration. Today many 1998 Napa cabs are some of the best for aging. Talk about wine “experts” missing the point! For me, balance beats concentration every time.
1999: A very good year with some great wines. Temperatures were moderate to cool, ripening was even. Many of the wines had tannins that were relatively hard, but the wines aged nicely.
2000 to 2009: There is a long story about why I had almost no interest in most of these wines. (Two of the best wines in this period were the Kronos cabs from Cathy Corison, the 2001 and 2005.)
2010: A perfect start to the vintage with moderate temperatures through July. By August it was possible to do some early harvesting to make classic Napa cab. Few did. Then in mid-August a heat wave accelerated ripening, and wineries that harvested cabernet made some excellent wines. Some wineries that waited for a little more sugar (seeking more alcohol) were trapped by a second heat wave in September, so some wines are overripe.
2011: A very cool vintage with decent weather through the harvest. Some wineries thought the wines would be a little too herbal, but their Euro-classic nature was heartwarming for those who appreciate wines of balance and structure. Many wines are aging well.
2012-2014: Warm, large vintages producing a lot of very good, rich wines with substantial alcohol levels (semi-drought conditions). I believe many wines from these years have insufficient balance to age very long.
2015: Slightly cooler earlier than the prior three vintages, but no other problems and the harvest was uneventful. Good wines still aging nicely.
2016-2018: More warm years of good quality with 2018 rated as plump and rich.
2019: A welcome rain started the year, followed by moderate warmth and cool mornings. Cabernet developed nicely late in the year, and acids were a little higher than most of the wines from 2012 to 2018.
2020: A potentially great vintage because of a wonderful spring was interrupted in August and September by two wildfires that conceivably posed offensive smoke taint issues. As a result, many wineries were forced to reduce their production to only those wines that had no smoke odors. Rainfall was sparse.
2021: Drought conditions continued, reducing the crop size. Many wines show good balance.
2022: A hectic harvest because white grapes were late and reds were early. Good structure in many red wines, but apparently high alcohols made many wines astringent, requiring aging. Most wines are nowhere near ready to try.
2023: One of the longest growing seasons in the valley’s history because summer was warm, not hot, and no heat waves forced earlier picking. A generally cool year producing wines of great balance. None have yet been released, but I anticipate some exciting wines.
2024: Welcoming rains helped get the year started, and sun and warmth all season gave growers smiles. An easy harvest; vineyard issues were nonexistent.
2025: An extremely cool year from start to an erratic finish. Not unlike 2011, with winemakers forced to assess flavor maturity in the vineyards, making it a time-consuming process. Most wines remain in a state of flux, and wineries are unprepared to make a statement about the quality of the vintage. Winemakers who have courage will not try to manipulate the wines to try to avoid some natural herbal-ness, which could produce some very exciting “Old World” style wines. I expect to see some wines with less than 14% alcohol. I anticipate many excellent balanced wines.
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Dan Berger has been writing about wine since 1975.
Wine Discovery:
2023 Charles Krug Sauvignon Blanc, Napa Valley ($23)) – In the last several years, far too many domestic sauvignon blancs have been produced for wine buyers who do not like sauvignon blanc. A legitimate wine from this important grape should offer at least a trace of herbal character or perhaps a bit of lime. And to go with food, it should be dry. However, the de facto style that has become incredibly popular is neutral in aroma and usually finishes slightly sweet. This includes some of the most applauded (and often inexpensive) New Zealand versions. Although that Southern Hemisphere nation produces some fabulous wines from sauvignon blanc, my favorites are usually a little more expensive and worth the extra few dollars.
Charles Krug SB has always delivered racy herbs and a dry finish, which this one displays with a nice, fresh new-mown hay/green pea aroma. Although the wine is not sweet, the balance of sugar and acid is perfect and the flavors are superb when paired with lighter vegetable dishes. Don’t serve too cold.
Today’s Polls:
This Week's Word Challenge Reveal:
The correct answer is C: “Grows above ground level.”
“Epigeal” describes plant structures or organisms that develop above the soil surface. While not commonly used in casual wine talk, it appears in ecological and botanical texts to describe visible shoot or leaf growth. In vineyard contexts, understanding whether parts of the vine are epigeal or belowground (hypogeal) can help inform pruning, canopy control and disease management strategies.
The word comes from the Greek roots “epi,” meaning “upon,” and “ge,” meaning “earth.” It first appeared in English in 1861 in botanical writing and has since been used in scientific fields to distinguish between growth habits. Though more common in botany than viticulture, it captures the importance of aboveground development in many agricultural systems — including Napa’s vineyards.
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The views, opinions and data presented in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the official policy, position or perspective of Napa Valley Features or its editorial team. Any content provided by our authors is their own and is not intended to malign any group, organization, company or individual.
I really enjoyed your NV Cabernet vintage recap which coincided with my own tasting experience as i was Sales Manager at Sterling Vineyards 1973-1980. I acquired then and have tasted Cabernets from the 1960s (Louis martini, Krug, BV, Chappellet, & Sterling Vineyards.
FYI=The 1972 vintage WAS very wet for Cabernet, but our Merlot was harvested before the rains and Ric Foman put together a classic Merlot which topped Petrus in the NYC Peter Morrell tasting in 1974. The 1970 Mayacamas won many tastings but was massively tannic
The 1960s I tasted in 2015 were all low alcohol (labels showing 12.5%) but surprising intact with appealing noses. Thanks for your recap!