Big Gun Cabernet Sauvignon/Bordeaux Blends Tasting (7/9 CA from Napa, + 1 WA)
San Diego Wine Co.
Tasted Saturday, December 8, 2018 by srh with 276 views
Flight 1 (10 Notes)
Closing
I've 2 more experienced friends who also did this tasting. Both of them *&* I all felt the lone WA wine was superior, which I guess says... something.
2014 Silver Oak Cabernet Sauvignon Alexander Valley
USA, California, Sonoma County, Alexander Valley
97.7% C.S., 1.3% Merlot, 0.5% P.V., 0.3% Malbec, & 0.2% C.F. "Blended in early 2015, the wine was then aged for 24 mos in 50% new and 50% once-used AM oak barrels from our MO cooperage, The Oak. Early blending assures a balanced core and allows the components to achieve a seamless harmony during barrel aging. After bottling in the spring of 2017, each bottled was aged an additional 15 months before being released iAugust 4, 2018."
N: Berries, CREAMY oak atop
P: Med body; RNDISH entry with NICE, ALMOST swtish frt met fairly quickly by puckerish astringency which morphs into a LONG, very, VERY slightly spicy finish with bitter/swtness to the dusty tannins. NEEDS into, poss through '21, then drinking for 4-6 yrs more based upon this bottling's track record for aging. My EXC-. [This vendor's $64.99 is $3 < the next lowest of wine-searcher's MASSIVE posting!]
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2015 Sullivan Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon Estate Rutherford
USA, California, Napa Valley, Rutherford
N: Closed; Berries, poss choc; Pyrazines/toast with swirling
P: LM, poss Med, body; RNDISH entry with NICE, ALMOST swtish frt fairly quickly met by an astringent pucker which stays in touch with the frt as it transitions into quite a LONG, tangy/swt finish to the dusty tannins. Deserves/NEEDS through '20, then making its 10th. Nicely done! 14.8% ABV; My EXC. 9-9.5/10 vinography.com , & probably 91 pts WA (which I was unable to confirm). [This vendor's $69.99 compares EXTREMELY *favorably* with the lone wine-searcher listing, which @ $110 is the same as the winery's price!]
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2013 Corliss Estates Red
USA, Washington, Columbia Valley, Red Mountain
"...a five-varietal flagship blend..."; (Sold out @ the winery)
N: ATTRACTIVE melange of cherries, pyrazines, & poss toast with something I can't quite ID; Intensity lurking?
P: LM body; Rndish entry; Very NICE, almost swtish frt met by an astringent pucker which, without losing touch with the frt, fairly seamlessly transitions into quite a LONG, potentially elegant finish with a tangy/swtness & very, VERY slight bitterness to the dusty tannins. An IMPRESSIVE wine that NEEDS through '21, then making its 15th? My EXC/EXC+. 95 pts Vinous (Tanzer) & 94-96 WA (Dunnuck). [This vendor's $64.99 is $4 < the lowest of wine-searcher's limited postings.]
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2015 Toybox Cabernet Sauvignon Cadden Family Vineyard
USA, California, Napa Valley
166 cases produced
N: CLOSED; Ripe berries, pyrazines, poss toast?
P: Med body; RNDISH entry with nice, ALMOST swtish frt met by astringent pucker which evolves into a LONG, very, VERY slightly bitterish finish with a tangy/swtness to the dusty tannins. NEEDS through '20, then approaching its 10th. My VG+/EXC-, the higher (defensibly) for the *relative* QPR for an estate C.S. from this AVA. [This vendor's $49.99 compares favorably with the winery's $65.]
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2016 Lewis Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley
USA, California, Napa Valley
100% C.S. released September 2018
N: RIPE, JAMMY berries/pyrazines with smoke atop
P: Med body; RNDISH entry with ALMOST swtish frt (threshold R.S. almost a certainty) met by some astringent pucker which pretty much resolves by the LONG, very, VERY slightly tangy finish with a DISTINCT swtness to the few dusty tannins. HOPEFULLY this will improve during '19? Otherwise, for now & through '22? 15.5% ABV; My VG, *if* one gravitates towards a wine of this style. Regardless, *poor* QPR @ this vendor's $84.99, which is $2 < the lowest of wine-searcher's entries.
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2015 Hestan Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon Meyer Vineyard
USA, California, Napa Valley
N: A melding of creamy oak, berries, & pyrazines; Intensity lurking
P: Med body; RNDISH entry with NICE, ALMOST swtish frt met by some astringent pucker which loses the BULK of its bite by the LONG, Slightly spicy finish with a tangy/SWTNESS to the dusty tannins. Deserves/needs into '20, then drinking for 3-4 yrs more. My EXC-. 93 pts WS. [This vendor's $69.99 puts it in the top 1/3 of wine-searcher's postings.]
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2016 Chappellet Cabernet Sauvignon Signature
USA, California, Napa Valley
79% C.S., 12% P.V., & 9% Malbec harvested Sept 19–Oct 27, 2016 @ 23.0°–27.0° Brix; 14.5% ABV, 0.59g/100ml T.A., & 3.75 pH
N: FRAGRANTLY *ripe* berries/pyrazines with an overlay of smoke; Intensity lurking?
P: Med body; RNDISH entry with NICE, ALMOST swtish frt (approaching threshold R.S.) met by an astringent pucker which transitions into a LONG, very, VERY slightly spicy finish with a tangy/swtness to the dusty tannins -- & ULT a PLEASANTNESS. Deserves/NEEDS through '20, then approaching its 10th. Artfully done! My EXC, & one certainly COULD argue for more based upon relative QPR for *this* AVA. 96+ pts WA & 93 pts Vinous (Galloni). [This vendor's $59.99 is ~ $10 < the lower of wine-searcher's 2 current entries!]
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2014 Rombauer Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon Diamond Selection
USA, California, Napa Valley
"A reserve bottling representing the best lots harvested each growing season." 94% C.S. & 6% Petit Verdot from the St. Helena (50%), Stags Leap (20%), & Calistoga (30%) AVAs; "Destemmed & optically sorted; Primarily barrel-fermented, then gently basket-pressed before being racked to FR oak barrels (100% new) for malolactic fermentation & aging for 16 mos." 27.0 ave brix @ harvest & 14.8% ABV; Released October 2017
N: Slightly closed; Creamy oak with notes of smoke atop berries/pyrazines; Intensitly lurking?
P: LM body; Rndish entry with NICE, almost swtish frt met by some puckerish astringency which SOMEWHAT resolves by the LONG finish with a tangy/swtness & POSS a burgeoning quasi-bitter flatness to the dusty tannins? Deserves/NEEDS through '20, then approaching its 10th. My EXC-/EXC, certainly the higher IF the finish resolves rather than slides. 93 pts ea WS, kenswineguide.com, & WE @ $100, and 90 ea WA & Decanter's Panel. [This vendor's $79.99 puts it in the TOP 10% of wine-searcher's postings.]
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2016 Caymus Cabernet Sauvignon
USA, California, Napa Valley
N: CLOSED, but SEEMS *ripe* with pyrazines
P: Med body; RNDISH entry with NICE, ALMOST swtish frt (approaching threshold R.S.?) met by just a TOUCH of astringent pucker which QUITE resolves by the LONG, pleasantly balanced finish with a DISTINCT swtness to the dusty tannins. For now & through '21, + MIGHT improve a tad for a few mos. 14.6% ABV; My VG+/EXC-, arguably the lower for QPR since, even with the Napa AVA, one SHOULD be able to obtain a similarly styled C.S. for ~ 1/2 the price. (E.g., Freemark Abbey's C.S., or for that matter, their Merlot, which should be avail @ ~ 1/3 the price of a Caymus C.S.) [This vendor's $75.99 puts it in the top quartile of wine-searcher's MASSIVE posting.]
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2016 Orin Swift Papillon
USA, California, Napa Valley
A blend of C.S., Merlot, Petit Verdot, Malbec, C.F., & Petite Sirah, aged 15 mos in FR oak (45% new); 15.7% ABV
N: Slightly closed, but seems ripe/smoky; Intensity lurking?
P: Med, poss LM, body; RNDISH entry with NICE, ALMOST swtish frt met by astringent pucker which loses virtually all its bite by the LONG finish with a tangy/swtness & burgeoning quasi-bitter flatness to the dusty tannins. Deserves through '19, then drinking for 3 yrs more. My VG+/EXC-, the lower for the QPR of this vendor's $59.99, which puts it in the top 10% of wine-searcher's postings.
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