Pre-1997 Cabs from Santa Cruz Mtns - Berserkers Offline

The Palace Steakhouse, SF
Tasted Wednesday, October 14, 2015 by RajivAyyangar with 412 views

Flight 1 - Chardonnay (1 Note)

  • 2008 Mount Eden Vineyards Chardonnay Santa Cruz Mountains 86 Points

    USA, California, Santa Cruz Mountains

    Medium gold. Day-bright.
    Explosive nose - vanilla cream, lemon, slightly lifted lemon vinegar, slight reduction. flint
    spritz of pear and star-fruit.
    Med body, slightly elevated alcohol - 13%? Well held.
    Acid is just medium plus, not holding up to the alcohol. Unctuous and a bit heavy.
    Lovely development - seared mushroom. Long.

    Score: Around 8.5

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Flight 2 - Assorted Cabs (3 Notes)

  • 1994 Kathryn Kennedy Cabernet Sauvignon 90 Points

    USA, California, Santa Cruz Mountains

    Medium ruby to a garnet rim.

    Slight development (bruised apple), slight pyrazine (extremely ripe stewed bell pepper). Blackcurrant and blackberry liqueur, pure and intense. Slight brett spice. Sweet cedar from new oak, sweet tobacco. Blackberry juice.
    Seductive nose - intensely perfumed and slightly spiced.

    Alive! Elevated acid, medium plus tannins - plush and grippy.
    Beautiful - around 9.

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  • 1994 Mount Eden Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon 92 Points

    USA, California, Santa Cruz Mountains

    Decanted at 5pm
    Medium plus ruby with some garnet.
    Pure and strong fruit - blackcurrant, hints of blackberry. Some development - sweet tobacco, pronounced cedar (well-integrated oak).
    Lithe and elegant in the mouth with rounded tannins - only moderate tannins. Elevated acid - definitely a freshness to this. Alcohol is well under control - I'd guess 13%.

    Long on the finish.
    This is supple, savory, pure and clean - New World style, but with age and oak. Brilliant and shows signs of being able to go the distance.
    Score: Between 9 and 9.5
    --------
    Mt Eden at the tasting:
    Explosive nose of sweet blackcurrant, sweet tobacco, sweet fig - confected almost.
    There's a warm dusty character to this. Perfectly balanced, plush and regal.

    Score: Between 9 and 9.5
    I love this. It's singing more and more. More red fruit.
    Floral, dried rose pou pourri.

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  • 1992 Dalla Valle Maya 86 Points

    USA, California, Napa Valley, Oakville

    50 cab, 50 cf - original napa valley cult wine.
    Nose is a bit diminished. Some earth, some cedar, some black fruit - not super pure. Slightly in the ripe olive direction.
    High tannins, straight up high. Papery.
    Elevated alcohol, a bit mentholated, hot - 14.5%? Hints of robitussin and Ruby Port.
    I'm not a fan of this - extremely tannic, medium or even slightly diminished acidity, fruit quality is a bit muddy, and slightly overripe.
    Score: Around 8.5

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Flight 3 - Ridge! (3 Notes)

  • 1992 Ridge Monte Bello 91 Points

    USA, California, Santa Cruz Mountains

    Seems bustling with density of fruit on the nose. Slight dusty baked earth, laden with intense blackcurrant and blackberry,
    A bit tannic and also maybe lean on the palate, but I like it.
    Super sweet vanillin and toast, slight toasted coconut.
    Score: Around 9

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  • 1994 Ridge Monte Bello 91 Points

    USA, California, Santa Cruz Mountains

    A bit tight on the nose, but plenty of blackcurrant liqueur.
    On the palate, structured and slightly mentholated alcohol.
    Slight mint. Slight gingerbread. Blooming into ripe and spiced aromas. I
    Score: Around 9.

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  • 1996 Ridge Monte Bello 90 Points

    USA, California, Santa Cruz Mountains

    Super toasty - coffee, Slight buttered toast. Beautiful roasty coffee with cedar and blackcurrant. Slightly dirty - slight brett.
    Tighter - leaner. Same well-knit intense fruit on the nose, but seems closed. More air?
    Bloomed into awesome brett savoriness, but then some reduction was uncovered.
    Score: Around 9.

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