Community Tasting Note

• Collector1855 wrote: 91 points

  August 13, 2021 - Tasted blind. After the Vega Sicilia Valbuena No5 this was yet another step up in sweetness. We were all guessing new World CabSav. This wine felt too sweet for my palate, but after this bottle an Amarone was served which was even more over the top. Interestingly, when I then went back to this wine my palate was somehow re-calibrated by the Amarone and the 14.6% CabSav did not feel so sweet all of a sudden. What is nice with this wine is that there is a lovely green pine note which freshens up the ripe fruit.

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2 Comments

• slimvine commented:

  11/13/21, 1:26 PM - The Secret Clone Cabernet has never been made with any sweetness at all the wine is totally dry. Your perception is the fruit. This rare clone is a more exotic clone of Cabernet Sauvignon that is the rarest clone of Cab existing in Calif. It is still made by Winemaker Mitch Cosentino of pureCru Napa Valley Winery BUT NOT at or for Cosentino Winery which he has had no affiliation with for a decade. He does not make any Bordeaux reds or for that matter any wines with any residual sugar!

• Collector1855 commented:

  11/13/21, 5:52 PM - Sweetness here does not refer to RS. Alcohol (C2H6O) is a different chemical form of fructose (C6H12O6) and that is why higher alc wines especially when made in the New World style with late harvest, extensive extraction and generous oaking feel sweet. That is the curse of the New World Bordeaux blends (and some fallen angels of St.Emilion garagistes) in the post-Parker era. The world has moved back to more delicate, savory, food friendly wine. Hence the steep price increase of all things Burgundy. In Bordeaux it's back to Classic Medocs since the 2016 vintage. Interesting side fact, it was the the Chinese and Japanese who were among the first who figured that out.

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