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California Cult Cabernet dinner
Oak Mill Cafe - Chicago IL
Tasted November 19, 2015 by Burgundy Al with 719 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)
White - Sparkling
N.V. Krug Champagne Brut Grande Cuvée
Small pour, brief note. Tasty indeed as always, although possibly not the most depth I've found from the most recent disgorgements.
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White
2010 Aubert Chardonnay Sonoma Coast
89 points
Fat and very forward stone fruit. Rich and slightly extravagant, particularly at the start. Some heat on finish, but this has good enough concentration to retain balance.
White
2008 Aubert Chardonnay Lauren Estate Vineyard
93 points
Fresh and powerful stone fruit on nose and palate with plenty of spice. Incredibly tasty and dense, I like this now but would be concerned how this mature past another 2-4 years given the clear hints of heat on finish. For now, this is mostly quite nicely balanced.
Flight 2 - Marcassin Chardonnay with Mushroom Soup (2 notes)
White
2002 Marcassin Chardonnay Marcassin Vineyard
Both very ripe and very mature. Nice enough and drinkable, but short of energy and well past its peak. Well cellared by its owner since release.
White
2008 Marcassin Chardonnay Three Sisters Vineyard
88 points
Very large scaled and forward fruit. Easy to enjoy, but I'd really prefer more acidity and balance here.
Flight 3 - 1975s (2 notes)
Red
1975 Simi Cabernet Sauvignon Alexander Valley
Open two hours before serving with a quick double decant. This would probably have benefited from a simple pop-and-pour. Black fruit started off nicely mature, but was losing its interesting character rapidly after 10-15 minutes in glass.
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Red
1975 Heitz Cellar Cabernet Sauvignon Martha's Vineyard
Open 2+ hours with a double decant. Mint and eucalyptus hints. Mushroom with mature black fruit. Came across as slightly dirty, some thought it showed brett. Drying finish. Good, but not exciting for me.
Flight 4 - Shafer HSS Mini Vertical (2 notes)
Red
1997 Shafer Cabernet Sauvignon Hillside Select
95 points
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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Red
2001 Shafer Cabernet Sauvignon Hillside Select
94 points
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)
Red
1994 Bryant Family Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon
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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Red
1990 Bryant Family Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon Proprietor Grown Pritchard Hill
89 points
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.
Flight 6 - Araujo Eisele Vertical 2001-2004 (4 notes)
Red
2001 Araujo Estate Cabernet Sauvignon Eisele Vineyard
95 points
In 01/02/03/04 vertical flight. Open 4+ hours before serving, 1+ hour of which was in a decanter. Espresso, dark chocolate truffle, black plum aromas with tobacco and sweet spice. Very dense and texturally nuanced. My WOTN.
Red
2002 Araujo Estate Cabernet Sauvignon Eisele Vineyard
94 points
In 01/02/03/04 vertical flight. Open and decanted 2 hours before serving, this would benefited from more air. Black fruit, dense and meaty on nose and palate. started very backward, at its best for the final sip.
Red
2003 Araujo Estate Cabernet Sauvignon Eisele Vineyard
93 points
In 01/02/03/04 vertical flight. This was the pleasant surprise of the evening, given the vintage's challenges. Much like the 2001 in terms of flavor profile and concentration, just less complexity. Very good now.
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Red
2004 Araujo Estate Cabernet Sauvignon Eisele Vineyard
flawed
In 01/02/03/04 vertical flight. Not terrible, but this had an odd, tinny character that some thought volatile. While I haven't had this wine in many years, it certainly seemed off tonight.
Flight 7 - Mostly Colgin (4 notes)
Red
2001 Colgin Cabernet Sauvignon Tychson Hill Vineyard
94 points
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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Red
2002 Schrader Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard
90 points
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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Red
2003 Colgin IX Estate
91 points
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.
Red
2007 Colgin IX Estate
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)
Red
2006 Abreu Howell Mountain
Others enjoyed this a great deal, but I found the fruit too ripe and slightly too roasted. Not my style of wine.
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Red
2002 Abreu Madrona Ranch
Powerful black fruit that also manages to show restraint. Very good balance, length and textures. I enjoyed this a lot and thik it has upside potential from here.