Cab Showdown: Michigan v West Coast

Chateau Vino Me
Tasted Friday, October 6, 2023 by AllRed with 76 views

Introduction

Vino Me gathered a few of us together for a cabernet tasting, the theme being Michigan and all others. Vino Me provided the MI wines and the rest of us were tasked with bringing cabs/cab blends from other areas. We were small group of eight- Vino Me, otisabdul, billhike and our wives.

Flight 1 - I (3 Notes)

Enjoyed with a charcuterie board and selection of cheeses

Flight 2 - II (1 Note)

Enjoyed with a tossed salad, courtesy of m/m billhike

  • 2005 Jean Noel Gagnard Chassagne-Montrachet 1er Cru Morgeot 91 Points

    France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Chassagne-Montrachet 1er Cru

    Courtesy of VinT via billhike. Darker age-appropriate color with notes of lemon rind, lemon Pledge and stone. Full-bodied and rich, with wet stone, pear and mineral flavors. With air there's a hint of something hinting at TCA but it never worsens and seems to disappear altogether after another thirty minutes in the glass so I am not willing to say this was tainted. The musty note gives way to bright citrusy lemon notes. I kept an ounce or two in the glass for the better part of the evening and this was better the more air it received. Perhaps...just maybe...this wasn't a perfectly pristine sample, but I like what's here and hope to have another crack at this someday.

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Flight 3 - III (8 Notes)

Enjoyed with Lady VM's Italian pot roast and vegetables- a perfect dish for the season's first cool fall evening in the Chicago area. The wines were arranged randomly and lettered, and we sipped and poured these casually as we ate.

  • 2013 Andrew Will Cabernet Sauvignon Mays' Discovery Vineyard 93 Points

    USA, Washington, Columbia Valley, Horse Heaven Hills

    Double blind. Deep color. Aromas of plum, incense and black raspberry. Full-bodied. Flavors of raspberry, plum and chocolate. Develops a subtle herbal note with air. Medium tannins have a little way to go to fully integrate, but there's a nice plush quality here as well. Lingering finish dominated by an abundance of rich dark fruit. Easy to pick out as a domestic non-MI cabernet.

    My #1
    Group #1, 15 pts
    (B&D)

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  • 2017 Domaine Berrien Cellars Crown of Cab 87 Points

    USA, Michigan, Lake Michigan Shore

    Double blind. Light color. A dominant green/under-ripe cabernet aroma with red berry fruit underneath. Light-bodied with flavors of tart red fruit. Medium finish. I don't mind the green elements here, and this is better with food than on its own. Easy to pick out as a MI wine.

    Group #5, 3 pts.
    (VM)

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  • 2020 Haven Pointe Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon Scottdale Vineyard 89 Points

    USA, Michigan, Lake Michigan Shore

    Double blind. Aromas of cranberry, strawberry and currants. Light- to medium-bodied, more substantial than wine B. Herb and red berry fruit flavors on the palate. A little thin to start, this fleshes out nicely with air. I am fairly certain this is another of the MI wines, but it's quite good and I find myself wanting to pour another taste.

    Group #2, 13pts.
    (VM)

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  • 2020 Del Dotto Cabernet Sauvignon Caves 92 Points

    USA, California, Napa Valley

    Double blind. Deep color. Chocolate, incense, plum and cassis with hints of vanilla underneath. Full-bodied with flavors of ripe plum, currants, licorice, vanilla and barrel spice. Long finish. Definitely not a MI wine.

    My #2,
    Group #3, 9 pts.
    (O&A)

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  • 2007 Stefania Cabernet Sauvignon Santa Cruz Mountains 92 Points

    USA, California, Santa Cruz Mountains

    Blind. Dark color. Nice plummy dark fruit to open, followed by waves of cherry cordial, raspberry and chocolate. Full-bodied with a plush texture and flavors of plum and dark fruit. This had been double decanted off its sediment about three hours earlier.

    My #3,
    Group #4, 5 pts

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  • 2017 Karma Vista Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve 91 Points

    USA, Michigan, Lake Michigan Shore

    Double blind. Deep color, opening with notes of herbs and dark fruit. Medium-bodied. Black currant, red plum, black cherry and herbaceous tones on the palate. Given the herbal qualities here I thought this might be a blend containing some cab franc and thought perhaps this was a Wyncroft Shou. Very nice, and drinking quite well at the moment.

    Group #n/a, 0 pts.
    (VM)

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  • 2017 Modales Lamastus 90 Points

    USA, Michigan, Lake Michigan Shore, Fennville

    Double blind. Garnet color with a light meniscus. Notes of dark fruit, boysenberry, red fruit and something a little sweet/candied. A touch thin across the palate, but shows nice fruit- cherry and currants- with a solid finish. I believe this is another MI wine.

    Group #n/a, 0 pts
    (VM)

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  • 2012 Hedges Family Estate Red Mountain 90 Points

    USA, Washington, Columbia Valley, Red Mountain

    Blind. Dark crimson red. Aromas of black fruit, herbs, cedar and spice. Develops a subtle herbal note with air. Full-bodied and integrated, with flavors of candied red and dark fruit, sandalwood and Asian spice.Finishes with good length. This had been double decanted three & a half+ hours earlier. Easy to pick out as non-MI.

    Group #6, 3 pts

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Flight 4 - IV (1 Note)

With pear frangipane and chocolate ganache tarts from the Cocoa Bean in Geneva.

Closing

Many thanks, m/m VM, for gathering us together for a very fun evening.

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