Second Sunday Group: 2007 California Cabs/blends

R&D's
Tasted Sunday, November 9, 2014 by AllRed with 592 views

Introduction

The 2nd Sunday group gathered for the normal double blind tasting. For this group, we are presented some whites, double blind, as warm ups before the main flight. The whites are discussed & unveiled before moving on to the themed main flight.

We spent forty five minutes or so tasting and evaluation the nine wines for the main flight before ranking the wines and then making guesses on what we were tasting. Wines are ranked 1-8, one point for each place, and then unveiled from last place to first place. After the tasting, dinner is served with the additional wines brought by the group, nonblind.

All are shown in the order tasted. For this tasting, we had 14 tasters and the cost was $70.

Flight 1 - Warm up whites (2 Notes)

Tasted double blind.

Flight 2 - Main flight (8 Notes)

Tasted double blind. Our hosts decanted these off their sediment about 3.5 hours before the flight was poured. In hindsight, these needed much more time. They just barely opened up by the time we were done tasting the flight. I guessed we were drinking 2005 CA cabs & blends. I would let these rest another five years or more.

  • 2007 Lewis Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve 92 Points

    USA, California, Napa Valley

    Deep inky crimson color. Aromas of caramel, cassis and brown sugar. Becomes more herbal as it opens, adding an intriguing forest floor note too, with lingering caramel notes underneath. Firm and structured, with chocolate, cassis and black fruit. Hard tannins on the long finish. 92+ pts.

    My #7, Domino's #7
    Group #2, 55 pts

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  • 2007 Pride Mountain Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve

    USA, California, North Coast, Napa / Sonoma

    Notes of black currants, blackberry, red berry and clay. Flavors of chocolate and black fruit with a long finish. Tannins have a chalky texture. Develops a nice sous bois quality, and the fruit turns slightly raisiny. Dense, chewy tannins. A little ripe & chewy.

    My #8, Domino's #8
    Group #8, 79 pts

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  • 2007 Shafer Cabernet Sauvignon Hillside Select

    USA, California, Napa Valley, Stags Leap District

    Aromas of chocolate, incense, clay and black fruit. Flavors of currants, vanilla and chocolate. Structured and quite firm, but with good fruit underneath. Has a subtle ripeness- not as much as wine B. Licorice and black fruit in the finish. Nicely balanced, but so young.

    My #6, Domino's #5
    Group #3, 57 pts

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  • 2007 Arns Cabernet Sauvignon Estate Napa Valley

    USA, California, Napa Valley

    Opens with a subtle beef bouillon note, followed by black fruit, asphalt and herbs. Firm and structured, like the others in this lineup, with flavors of chocolate, cassis and black fruit. Dense, chewy tannin.

    My #3, Domino's #3
    Group #4, 58 pts

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  • 2007 Plumpjack Cabernet Sauvignon Estate

    USA, California, Napa Valley, Oakville

    Notes of dark fruit, sous bois, chocolate and cassis. Flavors of scorched earth, dark fruit, wood and oak. Adds a sour dark fruit aroma and flavors of vanilla and caramel. Long finish. Firm tannins.

    My #4, Domino's #6
    Group #7, 73 pts

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  • 2007 Joseph Phelps Insignia 94 Points

    USA, California, Napa Valley

    Aromas of blue and black fruit and vanilla. Shows a little hot at first, then black cherries and florals. Flavors of chocolate, cassis, black fruit and violets. Subtle caramel note on the finish. Structured, but the tannins are very fine and slightly sweet. Long finish. 94+ pts.

    My #2, Domino's #4
    Group #5, 61 pts

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  • 2007 Dominus Estate 94 Points

    USA, California, Napa Valley

    Aromas of earth, black fruit, red currants and forest floor. Bordeaux ringer? Flavors of black and red fruits, forest floor, coffee and chocolate. Not Bordeaux but definitely made in the old world style. Long finish; nicely balanced. The most open and approachable of the wines in the lineup. I love it.

    My #1, Domino's #1
    Group #6, 67 pts

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  • 2007 Spottswoode Cabernet Sauvignon Estate

    USA, California, Napa Valley, St. Helena

    Notes of cassis, licorice and dark fruit, adding an herbal, floral quality later on. Dense tannins; flavors of dark fruit, vanilla, raisins, and blue fruit. Finishes well.

    My #5, Domino's #2
    Group #1, 54 pts

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Flight 3 - Dinner/dessert wines (10 Notes)

Served nonblind with dinner.

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