Cellar Favorite: 1997 Philip Togni Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon

BY NEAL MARTIN | JANUARY 13, 2025 

The 1997 Cabernet Sauvignon from Philip Togni Vineyard trumped all else at a charity dinner held at Medlar restaurant in late November. Showing modest bricking at the rim, the nose has an understated intensity. You could analogize it to a car equipped with plenty of horsepower that is content to cruise below the speed limit. Savory scents of game, touches of cigar humidor and Tuscan delicatessen infuse the red fruit, evoking thoughts of old-school California from the mid-1970s. The palate does not disappoint. It is beautifully balanced and mature, yet fresh and vital. Hints of black olive tapenade and tobacco frame the perfectly controlled gamey finish. This 28-year-old Cabernet is à point. Irresistible. 96/Drink 2025-2040

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