Blind Cabernet Tasting with the DC WLTV Forum crew

12 quality Cabernets from 12 quality folks made for a great night.

• 2006 Matassa Côtes Catalanes Cuvée Nougé 88 Points

  France, Languedoc Roussillon, Roussillon, Côtes Catalanes

  Nose of street alley after a drizzle - add a bit of garbage and petrol to mild florals. Citrus in the mouth, big viognier mouth feel, a bit hot on the finish.

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To be fair, these were the wines we drank before any food was put on the table. Bread came in about halfway through the Stonestreet.

• 2004 Corison Cabernet Sauvignon Kronos Vineyard 87 Points

  USA, California, Napa Valley

  Some brine on the nose in addition to vitamin pill and a lot of cedar box. In the mouth, bright red fruit but too much unintegrated oak makes this seem a bit cartoonish to me.

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• 2001 Stonestreet Cabernet Sauvignon Black Cougar Ridge 88 Points

  USA, California, Sonoma County, Alexander Valley

  Touch of olives on the nose, tons of tannin and lots of dry smoke. In the mouth, mostly vanilla with a slightly mentholated finish. Super chewy, mouth coating, nice acidity on a finish of immense length. Tasted blind, thought this was years younger than it was. My rating is based on today - just was so huge I couldn't really enjoy this completely, but it has some great potential. Needs some braised veal or something big enough to stand up to it.

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• 2004 Leeuwin Estate Cabernet Sauvignon Art Series 90 Points

  Australia, Western Australia, South West Australia, Margaret River

  Cocoa Krispies nose - kind of like chocolate covered cherries plus pie crust. In the mouth, fresh and bright fruit but with a nice, full mouthfeel, a bit of meat and smoke right before a shortish finish. The finish was slightly disappointing as a longer, drier one could have added a lot of elegance to a playful wine and taken the score up a couple of notches.

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• 2000 Tenuta Guado al Tasso (Antinori) Bolgheri Superiore 88 Points

  Italy, Tuscany, Bolgheri, Bolgheri Superiore

  Some olives, tobacco and lots of dill on the nose, slightly subdued fruit, medium heavy mouth feel, medium-long finish with just a little unresolved oak remaining.

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• 2007 Quilceda Creek Cabernet Sauvignon 89 Points

  USA, Washington, Columbia Valley

  Cherry vanilla and meat smoke on the nose and a bit of a floral component. In the mouth, vanilla cherry cola - a lot of heat and extra oak made this obvious during a blind tasting that this is young, but the power of the fruit suggests this could get good with a lot of time.

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• 1997 Betz Family Cabernet Sauvignon Alpha 89 Points

  USA, Washington, Columbia Valley

  Bouquet of tobacco and florals, mouth of blueberries and leather - easy to drink, even seems a bit round for a Cabernet, backbone a bit soft compared to others' notes. While the fruit is still bright, I'd say I'm dealing with older-tasting bottles than those cited below.

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• 2006 Rulo Cabernet Sauvignon 86 Points

  USA, Washington, Columbia Valley, Red Mountain

  Nose of smoke and meat - in the mouth, tastes very young with a lot of unresolved oak, cedar notes, a touch of pork belly. Just too much oak and youth to enjoy today.

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These were the wines that we drank once the charcuterie and cheese arrived at the table. I don't think our entrees arrived until around about the last two wines.

• 2000 Gaja Langhe Darmagi 91 Points

  Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Langhe DOC

  Tobacco and pencil, dried rose petals on the nose - really picked up the prosciutto on the table and ran with it - should have been a hint it was the Italian of the blind tasting. Enjoyed the dusty cocoa tannins and long dry finish but would have liked just a bit more fruit.

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• 2002 Leeuwin Estate Cabernet Sauvignon Art Series 93 Points

  Australia, Western Australia, South West Australia, Margaret River

  Interesting nose of concrete dust and jalapeno skin. Big fruit in the mouth is quite well balanced by plenty of rocks and tannin and all that pepper skin aroma. Long, chewy, black peppery finish with a touch of mint. Tasted blind and never would have guessed this Aussie.

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• 1998 Andrew Will Cabernet Sauvignon Klipsun Vineyard 91 Points

  USA, Washington, Columbia Valley, Red Mountain

  This had a bit of basement and tea on the nose but brighter, tarter fruit on the palate than the nose would suggest. Generous body and already-integrated tannin smooths it out and then brings some sort of soy sauce thing into the flavor profile - which kind of takes you back toward that more austere place where you started, before a subdued but slightly bitter finish. The bookends make it interesting for me.

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• 2007 Crushpad Vayniac Cabernet Sauvignon 87 Points

  USA, California, Napa Valley

  Vanilla was nearly over the top on both the nose and palate - nice mix of red fruits - raspberry and cherries, but only slightly chewy, a bit sweet and too little complexity. Could have gone a point lower, but I liked the mouthfeel and bright fruit.

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• 2003 Château Pape Clément 91 Points

  France, Bordeaux, Graves, Pessac-Léognan

  Some florals on the nose, lots of burnt pencil and earth. In the velvety mouth, chocolate cherries and plum, nice finish. Could have done with a bit more fruit, but this was tasted blind after a ton of New World Cabs, so I think I was looking for more brawn than finesse and probably didn't give this its due reflection. Went to get another try at it after the initial small pour but it was already gone...

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Great night with fun folks - the space that Urbana Restaurant provided us was excellent, as was their accommodation of the needs for our tasting. That said, I was a bit disappointed with how long it took to serve us our food, as I felt it really affected the way we perceived the wines. No question those with food were more enjoyable.