THE STORY
Stopping in at Chesebro last fall, my server Nic had some wines for me to blind taste. I love to do a blind tasting, as you can approach a wine with no preconceived idea of the varietal, the region, the producer or the vintage. For some reason, I said it looked like a Cabernet Sauvignon and that it smelled quite old. I was detecting tire rubber (now, that’s a new one!) and dark berries on the nose, followed by a deeply delicious, smooth palate. I fell out of my chair when I saw it was a 1988 Durney Cabernet Sauvignon! And then he had an even older one to share with me. What an unexpected privilege! Thanks, Nic!
I’ve written about Durney before as, to me, it represents the legacy of early Carmel Valley winemaking at its finest. My last post with major discussion of Durney was here:Massa Estate – the Legacy of the Durney Vineyards Continue!
According to the Historic Vineyard Society, Durney was the first vineyard planted in Carmel Valley ad their wines were served in the Reagan White House during the Reagan Administration! With some of the most precious Cabernet Sauvignon vines in all of Monterey County, they made some of the best local wine.
We used to visit their tasting room in Carmel Valley Village, but I don’t think we grasped the significance of their vineyard – until after they were gone. We even had some half bottles of their precious Cabernet Sauvignon in our collection. I think if we had known or understood then what we know now, we would have collected more of their wine.
I’m not the only one to have tasted this wine. You can read another review including a rich history of Durney here: Grapelive: Wine of the Day November 26, 2025.
THE WINES
Today, I am presenting the 2 Durney wines I tasted that day. Any errors are mine and mine alone.
1988 Durney Cabernet Sauvignon, Durney Vineyard, Carmel Valley AVA, Monterey County, 13.5% ABV (#1712)
Grapelive: “A brilliant bottle that has aged much better than expected from a less than perfect vintage, this dark garnet 1988 Durney Vineyards Private Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon shows off a deep and complex medium/full palate of earthy mulberry, dried currant, dark berry and baked cherry fruits, along with spicy cedar, loamy notes, sage, potpourri and pipe tobacco. Fresher and more elegant than I would have hoped, this was a lovely Bordeaux like experience.”
My Review: I tasted this blind. In my opinion, it looked like a Cabernet Sauvignon in the glass. It smelled much older than it looked – I got tire rubber and dark berries on the nose, a strange mix. The palate was a sharp contrast to the off-putting nose. It was excellent in flavor, with a nice, smooth palate. This is a worthy wine – if you can find it anywhere. November 2025
1983 Durney Cabernet Sauvignon, Durney Vineyard, Carmel Valley AVA, Monterey County, 13% ABV (#1713)
My Review: Very port-ish fruit. Vanilla, whiskey, and smoked meat on the nose. All following over to the palate. November 2025
© Decanting Monterey 2026
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