Knightsbridge Bordeaux and US Cabernet Tasting
Northbrook, IL
Tasted Sunday, October 26, 2014 by Burgundy Al with 749 views
Introduction
Knightsbridge and its distributors opened a great cross-section of wines at various price levels from the US and Bordeaux. I only had time to taste perhaps 1/4 of the wine being poured and only took notes on half of those. Another educational and fun event.
2010 Honig Cabernet Sauvignon Bartolucci 90 Points
USA, California, Napa Valley, St. Helena
Tasting, brief note. Good cross-section of black berries and plum with flavors that develop and unfold in glass with good energy. Nice.
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2011 Spottswoode Cabernet Sauvignon Lyndenhurst
USA, California, Napa Valley, St. Helena
Tasting, brief note. Leaner styled black fruit on nose and palate with new oak nicely integrated. Very good now with lots of simple elegance.
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2011 Spottswoode Cabernet Sauvignon Estate 90 Points
USA, California, Napa Valley, St. Helena
Tasting, brief note. Black berries on nose with some dark chocolate and dark roast coffee, then very subtle spice. Similar flavor profile with and intriguing hint of tapenade and green pepper that I'd attribute to the CAb Franc and Petit Verdot. Very harmonious.
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2010 Revana Cabernet Sauvignon
USA, California, Napa Valley, St. Helena
Tasting, brief note. I had never heard of this wine before, so was expecting some cultish Cabernet. So I was pleasantly surprised and pleased to to find a cross-section of balanced black fruit with well integrated new oak spice. Very good concentration, power and balance with the potential to cellar nicely.
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2010 Château Lescalle 87 Points
France, Bordeaux, Bordeaux Supérieur
Tasting, brief note. Plum and black currant aromas, flavors. Simple and forward, but very good balance for this level of wine. Very easy to enjoy.
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2010 Château Barreyre 87 Points
France, Bordeaux, Bordeaux Supérieur
Tasting, brief note. Mostly Merlot. Another very balanced, restrained young wine. Rounded black fruit that will be very easy to enjoy on its own or with meals for the next few years.
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2010 Château Maurac
France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Haut-Médoc
Tasting, brief note. Ripe, black plum and currant with very good balance. Meaty fruit textures on palate. Very good value.
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2009 Domaine de Saint-Guirons 89 Points
France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Pauillac
Tasting, brief note. From Grand-Puy-Lacoste as a private label type wine for a negociant. Black currant with some tobacco notes. Forward, easy start with some firming notes in the middle and finish. Drinking well now with some upside going forward.
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2011 Château Rocher-Bonregard
France, Bordeaux, Libournais, Pomerol
Tasting, brief note. Mostly Merlot with some Cab Franc. Fatter fruit to start with some rough, rustic edges I didn't really enjoy.
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2011 Pavillon de Léoville Poyferré
France, Bordeaux, Médoc, St. Julien
Tasting, brief note. Black fruit on nose and palate with woodsy spice and very firm tannins that will need some time and most likely soften while fruit is still fresh.
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2010 Château St. Georges St. Georges-St. Émilion
France, Bordeaux, Libournais, St. Georges-St. Émilion
Tasting, brief note. Another very good entry level, young drinking Bordeaux today. 60% Merlot with equal parts Cab Sauv and Cab Franc. Very pleasant with some interesting nuance and textures.
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2009 Château Laroque Margaux
France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Margaux
Tasting, brief note. Another entry level 2010 that is both approachable and substantive. Also a good value wine.
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2012 Chappellet Mountain Cuvée
USA, California, Napa Valley
Tasting, brief note. Fat fruit start on nose and palate, slightly more jammy vs what I'd prefer, but with balancing tannins and acidity coming through in the middle. Good.
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2011 Hall Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley
USA, California, Napa Valley
Tasting, brief note. Good black currant and cherry with oak spice and dark chocolate. Modern styled but with good balance for near term pleasure.
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2011 Quilceda Creek Red Wine Columbia Valley 90 Points
USA, Washington, Columbia Valley
Tasting, brief note. Easy and accessible, in contrast to the Quilceda's Estate wine in most vintages, which I find powerful, dense and cellar-worthy. This is very enjoyable now with a good combination of black fruit, subtle spice and subtle structure.
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2008 Casa Piena Cabernet Sauvignon
USA, California, Napa Valley
Tasting, brief note. Massive black fruit with lots of new oak, then a little more new oak. Some heat on finish. Certainly a well made wine and easy to enjoy in its style, just not my preferred style of Cabernet.
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2010 Chateau Montelena Cabernet Sauvignon The Montelena Estate 92 Points
USA, California, Napa Valley, Calistoga
Tasting, brief note. One of my favorites today. Blackberry and black currant with some tobacco and cassis hints. Restrained start with expanding flavors. Very good acidity and elegant tannins. Good now with clear upside potential.
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2010 Seven Stones Cabernet Sauvignon
USA, California, Napa Valley, St. Helena
Tasting, brief note. Impossible to mistake for anything other than Cali Cab. Fun, forward and ultra lush, I just found it slightly monolithic. But I understand why others really enjoy this style.
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2012 Caymus Cabernet Sauvignon 40th Anniversary
USA, California, Napa Valley
Tasting, brief note. As dark as molasses. Others enjoyed this, while I found it over-the-top and off center.
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2011 Altamura Cabernet Sauvignon 90 Points
USA, California, Napa Valley
Tasting, brief note. Blackberry and black currant on nose and palate with good balance and an overall charming, understated character. I like the restraint of the wine as well as the vintage.
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2011 Château de Sours Bordeaux Supérieur La Source 85 Points
France, Bordeaux, Bordeaux Supérieur
Tasting, brief note. Fat fruit with a woodsy note that is fun and easy to enjoy without taking too seriously.
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2008 Ségla
France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Margaux
Tasting, brief note. Slightly lean black cherry and berries. Well textured, well balanced with ok fruit Good now, but perhaps not a great value.
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2009 Clos Canon
France, Bordeaux, Libournais, St. Émilion Grand Cru
Tasting, brief note. Chateau's 2nd wine, I liked the fruit quality and density here, but was slightly surprised by some firm tannins. Good potential but I would think this better in a few more years.
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2010 Château Belgrave
France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Haut-Médoc
Tasting, brief note. Has the fresh fruit, spice and floral notes I like in so many 2010s, but a slightly rough edge on finish I enjoyed less. Cellar for at least a few years.
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2011 Sojourn Cabernet Sauvignon Spring Mountain District
USA, California, Napa Valley, Spring Mountain District
Tasting, brief note. Fresh black fruit, modest spice, well supported with acidity and elegant tannins. Drinking well now. I appreciated the good restraint and balance of mountain fruit and the vintage.
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2009 Château d'Agassac
France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Haut-Médoc
Tasting, brief note. Ripe and juicy. A very good value young-drinking Bordeaux for current consumption. I preferred its leaner 2010 counterpart
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2010 Château d'Agassac
France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Haut-Médoc
Tasting, brief note. Tasted just after the fatter 2009 vintage, this was leaner, longer and better textured. Good now with some upside. Also a very good value Bordeaux.
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2011 Les Tourelles de Longueville
France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Pauillac
Tasting, brief note. Pichon Baron's Merlot-driven kid sibling. Ok black fruit, leaner style, some cocoa background notes. Good young. Its 2009 counterpart was much better, certainly worth the 20% higher price.
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2009 Les Tourelles de Longueville 90 Points
France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Pauillac
Tasting, brief note. Big fruit with spice, liqueur hints. Good concentration, drinking well now with aging potential. One of the better wines of the day.
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2011 Turnbull Cabernet Sauvignon Oakville
USA, California, Napa Valley, Oakville
Tasting, brief note. Moderate black fruit with equally restrained black, another good 2011 in good balance for early drinking pleasure. More power and concentration on finish.
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2011 Tuck Beckstoffer Mad Hatter
USA, California, Napa Valley
Tasting, brief note. Lots of concentrated black fruit and plenty of spice, but imperfect balance for my preference and a slightly sweet character I didn't adore.
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2010 Alpha Omega Proprietary Red
USA, California, Napa Valley
Tasting, brief note. Very large, dense and modern, but able to avoid seeming overripe. I understand the Alpha and Omega represent the combination of Old and New World attributes. Maybe slightly more New vs Old World. A bit firm right now, I'd expect it will be better in another year or two.
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2009 Corison Cabernet Sauvignon 90 Points
USA, California, Napa Valley
Tasting, brief note. Lots of black cherry, liqueur hints, anise and clove. Very good balance with elegant tannins. Very good.
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2010 Cadence Ciel du Cheval Vineyard
USA, Washington, Columbia Valley, Red Mountain
Tasting, brief note. 39% Cab Franc really comes through with some intriguing gamy and barnyard hints. Very good power to start, seemed to lose some steam rather quickly in the middle, but i expect this will come into greater harmony in a few more years. Easily 90+ point potential.
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