2010 O'Shaughnessy Cabernet Sauvignon Howell Mountain

Community Tasting Note

ledocq Likes this wine:

94 Points

Thursday, December 26, 2013 - Wow, what an education. Decanted half the bottle, taking a glass as I was pouring -- great nose, terrific, deep, complex aroma that reminded me of the 2009 Lagune. Initial sips were out of this world but also weirdly disjointed - like flipping too quickly through a novel. I could catch brief sensations of deep fruit and an almost Washingtonian funk, and then the wall o tannins came in. 3 hours later, it wasn't that great, honestly. I kept getting cranberry and I wondered if it was my taste buds that were off. Then: second day. Fantastic. Just mellowed, integrated, long and lingering and exciting, not unlike Larkmead, only deeper somehow. This might be one of the best California cabernets I've had. Perhaps needless to say, I'll be waiting some time before drinking the next one.

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4 comments have been posted

Comment posted by dase13:

12/30/2013 1:29:00 PM - Interesting. I enjoyed your narrative. I'm planning to hold mine for a while before drinking. I recall that when we tasted this at the winery it was very wound up.
Comment posted by robertdtwo:

1/28/2014 7:34:00 PM - Thanks for the review! I've yet to pop one; I'll will wait based on your assessment, knowing that if I get curious and can't wait, tons of air will be required.
Comment posted by ledocq:

1/28/2014 7:40:00 PM - Yeah, tons of air is probably the right idea. If you need to open it, crack it the morning of dinner and tell us what happens.
Comment posted by edwilley3:

3/3/2014 1:03:00 PM - It seems like you've discovered what I believe is ESSENTIAL to drinking the big-boned California wines. My friend and I decant wines of this scale and complexity for 8+ hours as a regular matter. For the biggest and best, it's 10-13.

I had a similar next day experience with a bottle of 2002 Verite La Joie. The power and even earthiness in the wine were overwhelming at even 8-9 hours. The next day everything had resolved and balanced. It was glorious, supple, complex wine with a beauty totally unattainable with a few hours in a decanter.

We recently had Marcassin Vineyard Chardonnay and Pinot Noir for the first time. Contrary to the findings of some critics, with some 12 hours of air the PN was a glorious concoction of rose petals, strawberries, cherries, and the like. The aromas were overwhelming, leaping out of the glass. We use a glass most would use for cab. The chardonnay at 12-13 hours was equally aromatic, not at all heavy, and something we could drink with a straw and one of those beer helmets people wear to football games. Only we'd be broke. NO funky smells, burnt rubber (a la Meadows or that obnoxious guy in Norway), chemicals, etc. and really no prominent alcohol at all.