Football & Domestic Cabs @ Howard's 2013

WHITES

• 2008 Aubert Chardonnay Lauren Estate Vineyard - USA, California, Sonoma County, Sonoma Coast
  This was fabulous and one of the deepest, most riveting domestic Chardonnay's I've had. Nice hints of custard and cream, but this is well buffered by citrus notes and laser-like acidity. A hint of lees on the palate adds complexity. Outrageous length. (96 pts.)
• 2008 Aubert Chardonnay Larry Hyde & Sons - USA, California, Napa / Sonoma, Carneros
  Lovely wine with clarity, crispness and subtle yeasty notes. Wonderful wine, but eclipsed on this night by the Aubert Lauren Chard from the same vintage. (91 pts.)

OLD

• 1995 Pride Mountain Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve - USA, California, Napa Valley
  Seems like a lot of notes here mention TCA and this bottle indeed has that tell-tale mustiness, especially on the nose. A bit cleaner on the palate, but this seems definitely off. Others thought this to be fine, but it's corked in my book. (FLAWED)
• 1997 Chateau Montelena Cabernet Sauvignon The Montelena Estate - USA, California, Napa Valley
  This was an odd wine, in that is showed depth, elegance and a complex, Bordeaux-like character early on. Dried herbs, leather and well-resolved tannins. When I revisited it later in the night it seemed to have deteriorated quite a bit. Not rated.
• 1994 Venge Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon Family Reserve - USA, California, Napa Valley, Oakville
  Similar to my previous note from 5 years ago. Thin, light and on the down-slope, with fading fruit and sharp structure. Drink up. (80 pts.)

MIDDLE_AGED

• 2002 Shafer Cabernet Sauvignon Hillside Select - USA, California, Napa Valley, Stags Leap District
  Such a well-endowed wine, with fresh, fleshy fruit and loads of structure for the long haul. Cassis, blueberry and violets abound. A bit too intense for me for current consumption but this has such great promise. Score is based on future potential. (95 pts.)
• 2003 Hourglass Cabernet Sauvignon - USA, California, Napa Valley
  A bit angular and medicinal with a bit of nail polish remover on the nose. Unbalanced and sharp on the palate... this must be a defective bottle. (FLAWED)
• 1999 Shafer Cabernet Sauvignon Hillside Select - USA, California, Napa Valley, Stags Leap District
  Pop and pour. An excellent Hillside, but perhaps not as plush as other vintages I've had. This is a bit stern, with the fruit taking a slight backseat to the structure. Very nice minerality, but I think this needs air or more cellar time to soften the tannins... I just hope the fruit holds up. (92 pts.)
• 2004 Switchback Ridge Cabernet Sauvignon Peterson Family Vineyard - USA, California, Napa Valley
  There's some enjoyable red fruit here, but a significant alcoholic note detracts what might have been an excellent wine for me. (86 pts.)

YOUNG

• 2009 Robert Foley Cabernet Sauvignon - USA, California, Napa Valley
  Very modern, with flashy fruit, chocolate, oak spice and ripe cherry liquor. A bit too youthful and brash right now, but with some cellar time this might integrate into something interesting, given the quality of the tannins... big, yet fine-grained. (91 pts.)
• 2008 Paloma Cabernet Sauvignon - USA, California, Napa Valley, Spring Mountain District
  Medium bodied, good intensity and length. A bit of sharp acidity detracted a bit. A good wine, but unremarkable. (87 pts.)

EXTRA WINES

• 1991 Dominus Estate Napanook Vineyard - USA, California, Napa Valley
  I've been lucky enough to enjoy this bottle on various occasions throughout the years, so I am somewhat confident that this is an off bottle. This doesn't have that claret-like elegance and driving intensirt of previous bottles. Rather this was a bit musty and milky. Not a representative bottle. (FLAWED)
• 1992 Shafer Cabernet Sauvignon Hillside Select - USA, California, Napa Valley, Stags Leap District
  One of the best wines for current consumption. This has started to gain secondary and tertiary notes of earth, leather, forest floor and tea leaves, but still retained a healthy amount of fruit. The tannins are well resolved... silky smooth. Gorgeous wine. (94 pts.)