2001 California Cabernet Retrospective

Otis, his wife and kids came to visit us at our cottage in South Haven, Michigan last weekend and we chose a wine theme of 2001 California Cabs to drink with dinner on Saturday night. After spending the day at the beach with blueberry vodka lemonades and labatt's blue we headed back to the cottage to relax and regroup. It was then off to catch the sunset with a 2010 Cloudy Bay SB and a 2006 Cloudy Bay Te Koko (notes already posted) before starting dinner. That morning we bought ribeyes from the local butcher and local vegetables from the farmers market. With the ribeyes we had peaches and cream sweet corn, stir fried green beans and Otis potatoes cooked on the grill. I also cooked some sweet candy onions on the grill but we forgot about them (I wonder why). None of the wines were decanted although most of them could have used it. Most also seemed to be going strong. Here are my notes:

• 2001 Neal Family Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon 89 Points

  USA, California, Napa Valley

  7th time I have had this wine over the last 8 years. It seems to be getting less and less impressive. This wine should not fade like it seems to over such a short period. I gave this wine scores of 96 and 95 in 2003 and 2004. Gone is the superripe fruit and fantastic nose. This wine is now a medium red color with a hint of orange around the edges. Not decanted. More earthy with plum notes. Some bitterness on the finish. A good wine on its own but it finished 4th for me in the lineup of 5 2001 Cal Cabs. 89 points.

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• 2001 Cosentino Winery Cabernet Sauvignon CE2V Secret Clone 88 Points

  USA, California, Napa Valley

  Otis brought this wine to our Cal Cab retrospective. 1st time I have had this wine. This finished last for me among the 5 wines tasted. I actually liked the 2000 Secret Clone which I had 8 years ago better than this 2001 despite 2000 being considered a lesser vintage. Perhaps this wine is better when young. Not decanted. Dark red color. Sweet fruit with distinct dark chocolate covered cherry notes. Somewhat dusty tannins. 88 points.

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• 2001 Kathryn Kennedy Cabernet Sauvignon 95 Points

  USA, California, Santa Cruz Mountains

  Otis brought this wine to our 2001 Cal Cab retrospective and it was my favorite in the lineup of 5 wines beating the Pride, Neal, Insignia and CE2V Secret Clone. 2nd time I have had this wine. Last time was in 2005. The creamiest and most complex of the 5 wines. Ripe fruit with notes of blackberries and currant. Firm but approachable tannins. Rich texture and a long finish. 95 points.

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• 2001 Pride Mountain Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon 92 Points

  USA, California, Napa Valley

  3rd time I have had this wine Not decanted and it really needed it. Not nearly as good as when I had it in march 2008. Not as creamy and lush. Tannins seemed less approachable. notes of mocha and black fruit.. 92 points.

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• 2001 Joseph Phelps Insignia 92 Points

  USA, California, Napa Valley

  Otis brought this wine to our Cal Cab retrospective. 3rd time I have had this wine going back to 2004. Not decanted. Dark purple color. Probably the tightest and most tannic of the wines in this lineup and could have used some decanted like the Pride. This had some vegetal and herbal nuances on the nose. Notes of cassis, tar and charcoal. Solid tannins. 91-92+ points.

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