S&E Wine Club - Battle of the AVAs: Howell Mountain vs Stags Leap District

Solid selection for the evening, we definitely want to experience more of each to see what they have to offer but SLD came out swinging.

• 2011 Kosta Browne Chardonnay One Sixteen 89 Points

  USA, California, Sonoma County, Russian River Valley

  Warm up wine for Howell Mountain vs Stags Leap District. Clear pale yellow. Nose started out with some creamed pears, honey, sweet citrus and some light hay. As it had some time to open up it added more aromas of white and tropical fruit. Sharp moderate acidity (7/10) with a moderate body. Definitely needs to integrate further. Thinner than expected and not buttery at all. Crisp finish with a little metallic feel in the finish. Loved that it was not a butter explosion but the metallic notes in the finish and sharpness of the acidity knocked this wine down a few points. Drink till 2019.

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• 2006 Cimarossa Cabernet Sauvignon Riva di Ponente Vineyard 89 Points

  USA, California, Napa Valley, Howell Mountain

  Was actually a bit disappointed from what I had heard. Tasted blind in a Howell Mountain vs Stags Leap tasting. Deep red with a dark core but seems to be thinning on the edges. Nose was a big turn off. Dirty, which is fine but not when it changes to straight wet potatoes. Moderate tannins (7/10) and moderate body. Seemed tight and closed up, just some slight savory notes. Will definitely give our next bottle a long decant. Maybe 6 hours or so to see if it wears that nose off and opens up the palate some more.

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• 1998 La Jota Cabernet Sauvignon Anniversary Release 91 Points

  USA, California, Napa Valley, Howell Mountain

  Second wine of the tasting and second from Howell. Definitely more impressive than the first. Garnet almost brick red with slight brown on the edges. Nose started off stinky and with a dirty cellar and tobacco. Opened up to sweeter almost candied dark fruits. Moderate tannins (6.5/10) with a moderate body. Light soft dark fruits to start but then opened up to truffles and some mushrooms. Still seems to have quite a bit of life left in it. Moderate plus finish. Drink till 2020.

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• 2011 Pine Ridge Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon Howell Mountain 92 Points

  USA, California, Napa Valley, Howell Mountain

  Third wine and third one from Howell Mountain. Definitely seemed to have the fruit of a valley floor wine. Ruby red core. Fruit forward with a bunch of cassis on the nose. Definitely needed the time over the evening to open up. Moderate tannins (7/10) with a moderate body coated in dark cherries, spices and cinnamon. Slight heat on the palate in the long finish. Drink till 2028 maybe longer.

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• 2009 O'Shaughnessy Cabernet Sauvignon Howell Mountain 92 Points

  USA, California, Napa Valley, Howell Mountain

  Fifth wine of the tasting and fourth Howell Mountain wine. Solid ruby red with slight herbs and dark berries on the nose. Moderate plus tannins (7.5/10) and max a moderate body. Definitely needs time to open up. Some light mushrooms and dark berries on the attack. Slight heat and acidity in the long finish. Would love to try this in two or three years. Drink till 2026.

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• 2005 Neal Family Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon Fifteen-Forty 91 Points

  USA, California, Napa Valley

  Eighth wine and sixth from Howell Mountain. Deep garnet red. Very tight initially on the nose with some undertones of red fruits, slight vegetal characteristics and some metallic elements. Heavy tannins (8/10) with a moderate body that leads to a long dry finish. A little bit of minerality, some earthiness and vegetal notes apparent throughout. Tannins still lingering into the finish. Drink til 2023.

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• 2012 Odette Cabernet Sauvignon Estate 95 Points

  USA, California, Napa Valley, Stags Leap District

  Fourth wine this evening and first from Stag's Leap District. Deep and dark ruby red with purplish hues. Pretty tight to start on the those. Some light floral notes began the attack on the nose and slowly changed to darker fruits such as cassis and other dark berries. High tannins (8/10) but are quite well integrated, not sharp at all. Coated in dark berries and fruits with slight forest notes. Beautiful texture, voluptuous and silky smooth. This is made up of 75% Cabernet Sauvignon, 13% Merlot, and 11% Petit Verdot. We can only imagine how good this would be with a 6+ hour decant. Drink till 2035.

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• 2011 Pine Ridge Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon Stags Leap District 92 Points

  USA, California, Napa Valley, Stags Leap District

  Seventh wine and second one from Stags Leap District. Moderate intensity in the red shade with slight brownish edges. Sort of a fiend for this kind of nose. Started of with a slight vegetal/bell peppers on the nose and opened to a more dirty cellar and some lighter dark fruits. Moderate plus tannins (7.5/10) with moderate plus body. Slightly dry in the month finish but the body was coated in solid dark fruits and balanced acidity. Nice bit of spices too. Drink till 2030.

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• 2001 Stag's Leap Wine Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon Fay 92 Points

  USA, California, Napa Valley

  Last wine of the evening and the third from Stags Leap District. Deep garnet red with browning on the edges. Soft and elegant nose with light fruit and floral notes, very light. Smooth with a slight vegetal nose as well. Moderate tannins (6.5/10) and low to moderate body. Great fruit on the palate, very well integrated and smooth. Light vegetal notes near the moderate plus finish. Drink till 2019.

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• 2008 Outpost Zinfandel Howell Mountain 90 Points

  USA, California, Napa Valley, Howell Mountain

  Sixth wine and fifth one from Howell Mountain and a curveball for this evenings wines. Garnet red with a low intensity around the rim. Dark chocolate, a little creme de cassis and light candied fruit on the nose. Slight cigarettes too. Moderate tannins (6/10) with quite a bit of acidity and moderate body. Definitely more going on in the nose than the palate. Moderate plus finish. Would be interesting to see what happens in a year or so but would drink within the next 4. Drink till 2020.

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• 2010 Bevan Cellars EE Cuvée 93 Points

  USA, California, Napa Valley, Oakville

  Ninth wine and doesn't fit into the theme but nonetheless the first from Oakville. Dark ruby red with a purplish hue. Complex nose with light white and purple floral notes which airs out and develops into vegetal notes and bell peppers. Moderate plus tannins (7.5/10) and moderate plus body. Solid earthiness and bell peppers on the palate that added in some dark fruit qualities. Long and lingering finish pretty smooth. Drink till 2025.

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