1994 Napa Cult CabSav dinner in Singapore

The 1994 vintage stands as one of Napa Valley’s most celebrated, defined by its balance, finesse, and extraordinary longevity. A near-perfect growing season—with warm days, cool nights, and no significant heat spikes—produced wines of intense concentration without over-ripeness. The resulting Cabernet Sauvignons, in particular, are lauded for their purity of fruit, velvety tannins, and harmonious structure. These wines exhibit hallmark notes of cassis, blackberry, cedar, and graphite, with a restrained elegance that balances power and refinement. Even after nearly three decades, many 1994s remain vibrant, showcasing the vintage’s outstanding aging potential.

In contrast, contemporary Napa vintages often contend with the challenges of a warming climate, including hotter growing seasons, early harvests, and higher alcohol levels. While modern techniques allow winemakers to mitigate some effects of climate change, today’s wines often emphasize ripeness and opulence over the restrained elegance seen in 1994. That vintage exemplifies a pre-climate-change era in Napa Valley, marked by a cooler growing environment that allowed for gradual phenolic ripening and balanced acidity. As a result, 1994 serves as both a benchmark and a reminder of the unique conditions that once defined Napa’s golden era.

The Fine Wine Experience, a Hong Kong based Merchant, organized a wonderful 1994 dinner in Singapore with fully mature and top drawer Napa CabSav from this heralded vintage. Linden Wilkie, Founder/Managing Director, curated the dinner and walked us through the flights. It was a fabulous night. I am much more of a Bordeaux guy, but these 1994 were wonderful, pre-global warming in style and not as heavy as in the years thereafter, most of them with excellent balance.

The group’s vote (non blind) for the WOTN went to:
1. Screaming Eagle
2. Robert Mondavi Reserve (my personal favorite)
3. Dalla Valle Maya
4. Caymus Special Selection

Tasting notes

Flight 1

1994 Robert Mondavi Winery Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve, 97 Points
The first wine of the first flight was my WOTN. Expressive nose of cassis, forest floor, like a great Pauillac from a top vintage. Really classic, nothing overripe about this wine. Had a lot of fans and was the WOTN#2. Long finish with a touch of eucalyptus. The fruit here is apparently from the To Kalon Vineyard back then. The cheapest wine by far and up there with the Gorillas. I had the 1997 the other day and it was stellar to. I know where the Smart money for Napa Cab should go. No brainer.

1994 Opus One, 96 Points
Expressive nose. Earthy, spicy, some pepper as well. A touch denser with a bit more oak then the Mondavi Reserve next to it. Very good balance here as well. Excellent showing.

1994 Dominus Estate Cabernet Sauvignon Napanook Vineyard, 95 Points
John Daniel Jr. sold this old and famous vineyard to Moueix family. Another stet up in richness from Opus one. Blueberry, Xmas cake, licorice. I felt a little volatile acidity as well. Still very good if you like it a touch richer.

1994 Caymus Cabernet Sauvignon Special Selection, 97 Points
Expressive nose of Cassis, lots of spices, stays fresh. Enters the palate rich, generous fruit in the middle, figs and then again some forest floor and mint on the finish, making it fresh. Wild and deep aromatics here. Absolutely stellar wine. WOTN#4. Great showing.

Flight 2

1994 Shafer Cabernet Sauvignon Hillside Select, 95 Points
Expressive nose of oak, vanilla, ripe fruit, earth, spices, black forest cake. There is very good acidity here, not as sweetish as the younger vintages. Stays in check overall. Very good, but did not have the complexity for points beyond 95

1994 Joseph Phelps Insignia, 92 Points
Really ripe nose with a touch of oxidation from my view. Stewed fruit combines with dark fruit and spices, some forest elements. Did not fancy this too much, but may be not the best bottle. 92?

1994 Araujo Estate Cabernet Sauvignon Eisele Vineyard, 95 Points
Expressive nose of ripe fruit, oak, vanilla, cherry. Full bodied on the palate and a touch dry on the finish. Among the riper wines of the night. Did not possess the complexity of the best wines.

1994 Screaming Eagle Cabernet Sauvignon, 97 Points
Not a big fan of this wine, but tonight it delivered. Elegant nose with licorice,spice, dark fruit. Very precise on the palate, elegant, racy. Long finish with complex tertiary aromas. A dream CabSav and WOTN#1. Don’t you hate when the most expensive wine is the WOTN 🙂

Flight 3

1994 Bryant Family Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon, 95 Points
Expressive nos, rich wine here, roasted aromas, toasty oak. Full bodied palate but with a spice element that keeps it fresh. Good but not among the best tonight, confirming my overall assessment of this wine.

1994 Harlan Estate, 96 Points
Now we really enter the full throttle territory. Really rich wine here with dark fruit, the “more of everythign” Cru of the night. Lovely on the palate, the balance is there but an alcoholic touch on the finish made me make some deductions.

1994 Dalla Valle Maya, 96 Points
Next to the Harlan, this was rich as well. What I liked here was the polished palate, really silky tannins. A bit of a show off wine, good for sure, but not with the complexity of the very best. Still found many friends and was WOTN#3.

Linden Wilkie making some introductory remarks on the 1994 vintage