NYE 2021 Blind Tasting

NYE 2021 blind tasting.

Goals of tasting:
1) Do I have a preference for one Silver Oak Cab over the other?
2) Do I prefer the AVV Cab over a Silver Oak?
3) Do I prefer Alexander Valley or Napa Valley Cab?
4) Do I prefer a domestic vs. French Pinot Noir?

Wines included: 2016 Silver Oak Napa Valley Cab, 2017 Silver Oak Alexander Valley Cab, 2018 AVV Cab, 2018 Williams-Selyem Bucher Pinot Noir and 2018 Domaine Faiveley Mercurey Pinot Noir.

All wines double decanted 90 min before tasting commenced.
Each participant instructed there were three cabernets and two pinot noirs, aluminum foil and brown paper wrapped bottles presented.
Participants were given the list of all wines in tasting.
All that was required of participants was to correctly identify each blinded wine.

• 2016 Silver Oak Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley 91 Points

  USA, California, Napa Valley

  14.2% ABV Deep color, hint of coconut

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• 2018 Alexander Valley Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon 93 Points

  USA, California, Sonoma County, Alexander Valley

  14.0% ABV Great fruit flavors; vanilla, oak, and chocolate.

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• 2017 Silver Oak Cabernet Sauvignon Alexander Valley 91 Points

  USA, California, Sonoma County, Alexander Valley

  14.2% ABV Less fruit forward when compared to 2018 AVV Cab

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• 2018 Williams Selyem Pinot Noir Bucher Vineyard 94 Points

  USA, California, Sonoma County, Russian River Valley

  13.6% ABV Black raspberry jumps from glass

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• 2018 Faiveley Mercurey 91 Points

  France, Burgundy, Côte Chalonnaise, Mercurey

  13% ABV Deep ruby color, low aromatics

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Miss identified all three Cabs.
AVV Cab identified as Silver Oak NV Cab
Silver Oak AV Cab identified as AVV Cab
Silver Oak NV Cab identified as Silver Oak AV Cab.
AVV Cab identified as my favorite wine of tasting.

I don't really have a preference for one Silver Oak over the other.
I prefer Alexander Valley over Napa Valley Cab.
My favorite wine of entire blind tasting was the 2018 AVV Cab.

Both pinots identified correctly.
I prefer a domestic Pinot Noir.

TAKE AWAY- purchase more AVV Cab in the future!