Second Sunday Group: 2004 California Cabs

The host provides a couple of warm up wines, and selects a theme of 8 wines, served double blind to the group. The warm ups are tasted and evaluated as members arrive, then unveiled prior to the main tasting. The main tasting is done in one flight- all 8 wines are poured and evaluated, all the while being discussed. Everyone settles on their guess as to the theme, and if possible, specific wines. Each taster ranks the wines from 1 to 8, with 1 point awarded for their favorite. The scores are tallied and unveiled from last place (most points) to first place (least points). After the main tasting we enjoy dinner and a few nonblind reds and dessert wines.

• 2006 Peter Michael Sauvignon Blanc L'Apres-Midi 91 Points

  USA, California, Sonoma County, Knights Valley

  Deep straw yellow color. Aromas of apple and mineral with subtle cotton and citrus undertones. Bright acidity, with cotton, citrus and honeysuckle flavors. Lengthy finish. Very nice. For a fleeting moment I thought perhaps Sauvignon Blanc, but quickly convinced myself otherwise due to a lack of any grassy notes. Tasty, no reason to hold this any longer IMO. 91-92 pts.

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• 2009 Lewis Cellars Sauvignon Blanc 90 Points

  USA, California, Napa Valley

  Straw color. Aromas of banana, apple and mineral with a toasty quality too. Lots of tropical fruit on the palate- coconut & banana. Guessed Chardonnay.

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Shown in the order these appeared in the flight. We were a group of twelve tasters tonight, for a total of 432 points.

• 2004 Peter Michael Les Pavots Flawed

  USA, California, Sonoma County, Knights Valley

  Wine A, bottle number one was corked.

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• 2004 Peter Michael Les Pavots 93 Points

  USA, California, Sonoma County, Knights Valley

  Our host had sufficient stock of this wine that he took the corked bottle away, saw what it was and opened another bottle for the tasting. Inky garnet color. Aromas of chocolate, lavender, red fruit and plum, spice and florals. More chocolate notes as it opened in the glass. Lovely red fruit on the palate, also chocolate, and cassis and baking spices. Long finish. 93-94 pts. Hold until 2015+.
  
  My #5, Domino's #5
  Group #2, 33 points
  
  This and the Hourglass tied for points and number of first place votes. The tie was broken by the number of second place votes.

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• 2004 Betz Family Cabernet Sauvignon Père de Famille 94 Points

  USA, Washington, Columbia Valley

  Inky garnet color. Aromas of forest floor, tea leaf, spice, dark fruit and currants. Lots of lush red fruit on the attack, followed up with plum and cherry qualities. Well-balanced, with velvety tannins and a long finish. More complex and nuanced than other wines in the lineup, and I enjoy the herbal side of Cabernet so this really stood out for me (though playing the part of a ringer tonight). Drink now-2017. 94+ pts.
  
  My #1, Domino's #2
  Group #8, 73 points

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• 2004 Spottswoode Cabernet Sauvignon Estate 93 Points

  USA, California, Napa Valley, St. Helena

  Inky garnet color. Black fruit, florals, plum and cinnamon notes form the bouquet, adding a minty, herbal quality as it sat in the glass. Fine chalky tannins supporting lovely red fruit and black currant qualities with vanilla and spice notes adding to the complexity on the finish. 92-94 pts.
  
  My #8, Domino's #6
  Group #6, 63 pts

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• 2004 Dominus Estate 93 Points

  USA, California, Napa Valley

  Inky garnet color. Notes of pine resin, black fruit- cassis and blackberry; later on, raspberry and herb qualities. Full-bodied with fairly heavy tannins and red and black fruit, plum and vanilla flavors. Nice fruit with a long finish. 93-94 pts.
  
  My #7, Domino's #8
  Group #4, 52 pts

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• 2004 Whitehall Lane Cabernet Sauvignon Silver Anniversary Reserve 94 Points

  USA, California, Napa Valley

  Inky garnet color. Notesof earth, plummy black fruit and clay, Asian spices, blackberry and chocolate; adds a lovely floral note later on. Full-bodied, with lush, ripe red fruit and velvety tannins. Vanilla and spice notes add depth, but the fruit here is terrific.
  
  My #4, Domino's #7
  Group #7, 69 pts

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• 2004 Hourglass Cabernet Sauvignon 94 Points

  USA, California, Napa Valley

  Inky garnet color. NOtes of black currants, cassis, cinnamon, red fruit and spice; chocolate and blackberry aromas develop later on. Full-bodied; cassis, blackberry, plum and chocolate flavors. Long finish.
  
  My #3, Domino's #1
  Group #1, 33 pts
  
  This was tied for points and number of first place votes with the Peter Michael Les Pavots, but this had more 2nd place votes and thus finished first tonight.

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• 2004 Lewis Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve 93 Points

  USA, California, Napa Valley

  Inky garnet color. Aromas of violets, cassis and currants followed by baking spices and plum. Full-bodied. Firm, chewy tannins have a sweet edge; flavors of cassis and black fruit, oak and spice. Lengthy finish; balanced. 93-94 pts.
  
  My #6, Domino's #4
  Group #3, 51 pts

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• 2004 Robert Mondavi Winery Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve 94 Points

  USA, California, Napa Valley

  Inky garnet color. Cassis, black fruit, licorice, Asian spice and currant aromas. Full-bodied; firm, sweet tannins with lush red and black fruit across the palate. Also shows flavors of spice, cherry and vanilla. Long finish.
  
  My #2, Domino's #3
  Group #5, 58 pts

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As noted, the DRC and Heitz were tasted double blind, while the rest were nonblind, served with a very tasty lamb and sausage cassoulette and a pumpkin bread pudding with caramel sauce.

• 1990 Domaine de la Romanée-Conti Richebourg 88 Points

  France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Richebourg Grand Cru

  Tasted double blind with dinner. Faded rusty ruby color, near identical to the color of the 1995 Laurent Clos de Beze that was also opened. Aromas of cinnamon, red fruit, cherry and tea leaf. The palate follows the bouquet- tea leaf, cherry and red fruit flavors with plenty of acidity. Guessed older Pinot, likely Burg.
  
  Bottle number 3826, opened by a very generous member of the group who was the original owner of this bottle, purchased on futures as part of the mixed DRC case.

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• 1989 Château Siran 88 Points

  France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Margaux

  Garnet core with some bricking. Notes of red fruit, tobacco, mushroom and wet forest floor. Medium-bodied, with red fruit and funky, wet earth flavors- mushroomy.

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• 2007 Domaine Denis Bachelet Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Cru Les Corbeaux Vieilles Vignes 91 Points

  France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Cru

  Red fruit notes dominate the bouquet. Well-balanced showing flavors of cherry, earth and minerals. Good underlying acidity with a nice finish. Very pretty. Drink now-2017.

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• 2007 Pyramid Valley Pinot Noir Growers Collection Calvert Vineyard 92 Points

  New Zealand, South Island, Otago, Central Otago

  Notes of rhubarb, cherry, red fruit and spice. Bright flavors of cherry and red fruit across the palate, with balancing acidity. Lengthy finish.

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• 1995 Dominique Laurent Chambertin-Clos de Bèze 90 Points

  France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Chambertin-Clos de Bèze Grand Cru

  Faded rusty ruby color. Notes of cherry, tea leaf and spice. Flavors of red fruit and cherry with fairly high acid.

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• 2008 Domaine Alary Cairanne La Font d'Estevenas 91 Points

  France, Rhône, Southern Rhône, Cairanne

  Red fruit and spice aromas with a nice underlying funky/earthy quality. Has some weight on the palate; spices, red and black fruit and a nice finish. Balanced.

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• 2005 Saxon-Brown Pinot Noir Hayfield Block Durell Vineyard 90 Points

  USA, California, Sonoma County, Russian River Valley

  Deep color. Cherry, clay, spice and earth aromas. Flavors of cherries, clove and red fruit with bright underlying acidity.

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• 2006 Robert Mondavi Winery Cabernet Sauvignon Oakville 92 Points

  USA, California, Napa Valley, Oakville

  Deep garnet color. Aromas of currants, dark fruit and spice; has a slight ripeness to the bouquet. Firm, sweet tannins are not obtrusive; dark fruit and plum flavors dominate. Long finish with black fruit and spice qualities.

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• 1998 Château La Tour Blanche Sauternes 88 Points

  France, Bordeaux, Sauternais, Sauternes

  Light golden yellow color. Aroams of pineapple, mango and tropical fruit. The palate follows the bouquet though needs a little more acidity. Tasty, but feels flat. Drink now.

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• 1974 Heitz Cellar Angelica 89 Points

  USA, California

  Tasted double blind with dessert. Brownish color - looks like a sherry; has some sediment. Notes of maple syrup, brown sugar, caramel and apricot syrup. Rich texture, with flavors of maple candy, fig and caramel apple. I think most of the group guessed sherry. 89+ pts.

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