California Cult Cabernet dinner

Oak Mill Cafe - Chicago IL
Tasted Thursday, November 19, 2015 by Burgundy Al with 721 views

Introduction

Fun dinner focusing on "cult" Cali Cabernet, wine I rarely drink. Some wonderful wines with old and new friends.

Flight 1 - Before Sitting Down (3 Notes)

Flight 2 - Marcassin Chardonnay with Mushroom Soup (2 Notes)

Flight 3 - 1975s (2 Notes)

Flight 4 - Shafer HSS Mini Vertical (2 Notes)

  • 1997 Shafer Cabernet Sauvignon Hillside Select 95 Points

    USA, California, Napa Valley, Stags Leap District

    Served alongside the 2001 vintage. Ripe black fruit, engaging spice, lots of vanilla and dark chocolate. Structure is in the background, but firm enough to provide balance and enable everything to come across as harmonious. One of my favorite wines of the night. Very good now, and I think this should drink great for another 5 years, perhaps longer. More pleasure now than the 2001, but I'd expect the opposite to be true in a decade.

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  • 2001 Shafer Cabernet Sauvignon Hillside Select 94 Points

    USA, California, Napa Valley, Stags Leap District

    Plum, blackberry, huge spice. Lots of dark chocolate. Started as rather backward despite a couple of hours in a decanter, but still mostly balanced. Still has upside from here. Much better than the last time I tried this in 2013.

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Flight 5 - Bryant Family Mini Vertical (2 Notes)

  • 1994 Bryant Family Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon

    USA, California, Napa Valley

    I understand why many people loved this wine at dinner tonight, but I find it ultra extreme, ripe and hot. Lots of fruit to enjoy but slightly one dimensional, then finishes with clear signs of alcohol. Stayed persistent over the course of several hours in glass. served alongside the 1990 version, which was never commercially released, but bought in the 1990s from Bryant by the generous friend who brought it tonight.

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  • 1990 Bryant Family Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon Proprietor Grown Pritchard Hill 89 Points

    USA, California, Napa Valley

    This wine was never commercially released, but was purchased directly from Bryant in the 1990s by a generous friend who brought it tonight. Elegantly styled with maturing black fruit, moderate depth and good overall balance. Fresh when first poured, this shortened with more time in glass. Served alongside the 1994 vintage.

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Flight 6 - Araujo Eisele Vertical 2001-2004 (4 Notes)

Flight 7 - Mostly Colgin (4 Notes)

  • 2001 Colgin Cabernet Sauvignon Tychson Hill Vineyard 94 Points

    USA, California, Napa Valley

    Open 5+ hours before serving, of which 1 hour was in decanter. Blackberry, black currant, mushroom hints, anise. Very persistent, moderately long, very elegant. This will continue to age gracefully.

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  • 2002 Schrader Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard 90 Points

    USA, California, Napa Valley, Oakville

    Very tasty and enjoyable black fruit, but slightly simple in the context of this great flight. Nicely balanced. Most likely at its peak.

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  • 2003 Colgin IX Estate 91 Points

    USA, California, Napa Valley

    Fun and forward black fruit, hints of cassis. Fruit is ever-so-slightly roasted, but the wine still retains energy and good balance. Drinking nicely now, I don't expect upside from here.

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  • 2007 Colgin IX Estate

    USA, California, Napa Valley

    Open and decanted for two hours before serving. Dark cherry, currant, anise, mint. Massive in every way that comes across as slightly jammy today, but clearly with great potential to evolve as it loses some more baby fat. Some loved this wine tonight, and while I enjoyed it, I agree it has 95-96+ point potential. I will hold my bottles until 2020 or later.

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Flight 8 - Abreu (2 Notes)

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