2013 Napa Cabernet Double Blind Tasting at Shane's

On what could have been the most perfect Napa, California-like evening in New Jersey possible, with temperatures ranging between the high 50's and low 70's F (~15-22C) and a clear blue and star filled sky, a group of us had a wonderful 4 course meal created mostly by Shane with some help from the rest of us. I provided some planning and the duck breasts and one of the wines as well as performing several "sous chef duties", Glenn did the Lamb chop Lollipops, Rick Provided a great selection of local and International cheese and Dina handling most of the logistics. It came about after a number of discussions between Shane and I after my recent trip to California. Shane decided he wanted to collect a handful or two of great 2013 Cab's keeping perhaps half of them and perhaps eventually selling half when mature. While Shane is more sensitive to number scores than I, mostly due to the desire to resell at the best prices, I advised to only buy the ones you know that make the style you like (and will age well) or have tasted before buying. So, he picked up some and I contributed one which were all purchased for between $70 and $100 in NJ and had scores from either WA or VM in the 95-100 range. He decided to open 7 wines for us and our wives/significant other's to be tasted double blind while serving a 4 course meal of Cab friendly food. We had the previously mentioned lamb chop lollipops to start, a smoked duck breast with creamed lentils, fig mustard sauce, caramelized cocktail onions, micro greens and foie gras, wood fire grilled porterhouse with ricotta pesto mashed potatoes and zucchini ragu and finishing off with chocolate bread pudding with whipped cream. This was a superb meal, especially the Duck!

The wines poured included:

2013 Gemstone Estate Proprietary Red from Yountville, Napa CA
2013 Peirson Meyer Cabernet Sauvignon from Oakville, Napa CA
2013 Forman Cabernet Sauvignon from St Helena, Napa CA
2013 Philip Togni Cabernet Sauvignon from Spring Mountain District, Napa CA
2013 Kobalt Cabernet Sauvignon from Napa, CA
2013 Spottswoode, Lyndenhurst Cabernet Sauvignonfrom St. Helena also grapes from Oakville area, Nap CA.
2013 Arnot-Roberts Cabernet Sauvignon Fellom Ranch from Santa Cruz Mtns, CA

All served double blind...notes attached, all of which were taken contemporaneously and without looking at any CellarTracker or pro reviews.

• 2013 Forman Cabernet Sauvignon 97 Points

  USA, California, Napa Valley

  Decanted around 2pm, put back in the covered bottle around 5pm then drunk from 6-9pm...served double blind to all but our host for whom they were only single blind. Mostly cabernet sauvignon with a dollop of Malbec. Color is translucent garnet with a crimson edge. Nose is very floral with vanilla/oak, fresh berries, spice, mint and herbs. Bright, vibrant acidity and fine grained but somewhat drying tannins. Bright fruit of black raspberry, black currant, tobacco, pencil shavings. Complex and layered. A bit closed at times over the evening but with plenty of air it has a rich warm mouth feel. Impeccably balanced for along aging! My favorite wine of the night! This will age effortlessly and be stunning with 15+ years in a good cellar.

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• 2013 Peirson Meyer Cabernet Sauvignon 95 Points

  USA, California, Napa Valley

  Decanted around 2pm, put back in the covered bottle around 5pm then drunk from 6-9pm...served double blind to all but our host for whom they were only single blind. My second favorite wine tonight. 100% cabernet sauvignon. Translucent crimson purple color. Black cherry, Black plum, vanilla and graphite on the nose. Fine grain tannins and very layered, complex flavors of licorice, blackberry, earthy mushroom and grilled meat (could have been the meat on the grill near us). Elegant but needs some air to soften up, then is supple and rich. Great with the duck dish! My first time having this wine, but probably not the last.

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• 2013 Philip Togni Cabernet Sauvignon 94 Points

  USA, California, Napa Valley, Spring Mountain District

  Decanted around 2pm, put back in the covered bottle around 5pm then drunk from 6-9pm...served double blind to all but our host for whom they were only single blind. "Margaux-style Blend of cabernet sauvignon, cabernet franc, merlot and petit verdot. My #3 of the night by the end but #5 earlier on as it got better with more air. Medium translucent garnet color. Herbaceous nose with lavender, red and black currant and graphite on the nose. Extremely fine grained tannins, lighter weight than some of the other wines tonight, very well balanced with the right amount of acidity, more reddish fruit on the palate with a lot of lavender, and spice box. a little bitter on the finish early but long and graceful by the end of the evening. Very elegant and precise. Great with the food!

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• 2013 Kobalt Cabernet Sauvignon 92 Points

  USA, California, Napa Valley

  Decanted around 2pm, put back in the covered bottle around 5pm then drunk from 6-9pm...served double blind to all but our host for whom they were only single blind. Opaque crimson purple color. Huge nose of vanilla, blackberry and spice. The color clings to the glass. Fruit forward on the palate with relatively lower acidity and tannins than the others at this tasting. A little bitterness on the finish that went away over the course of the night. Plenty of ripe black fruit on the mid-palate, perhaps the best current drinker of the tasting, but I note that I don't think this will be the long ager that others including Parker believe.

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• 2013 Spottswoode Cabernet Sauvignon Lyndenhurst 91 Points

  USA, California, Napa Valley, St. Helena

  Decanted around 2pm, put back in the covered bottle around 5pm then drunk from 6-9pm...served double blind to all but our host for whom they were only single blind. Bordeaux style blend of 92% cabernet sauvignon with the balance malbec, petit verdot and cab franc. My 4th or 5th ranked wine of 7 but very close to the next higher rated one. Dark garnet with a crimson edge. The wine "looks very balanced" (I know I was called out on this when I said it but that's what It looked like to me...not over done in any dimension). The nose was very fragrant almost Wow...with vanilla, red fruit and a hint of chocolate. On the palate it was elegant and feminine with a little vanilla, cherry, blackberry and chocolate on the finish which I thought was a bit short compared to the others. Several of us thought there was more Cab franc in this but turns out only 2%. More of an early drinker in my mind but certainly will do well for 10 more years, probably getting better.

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• 2013 Gemstone Estate Red 88 Points

  USA, California, Napa Valley, Yountville

  Decanted around 2pm, put back in the covered bottle around 5pm then drunk from 6-9pm...served double blind to all but our host for whom they were only single blind. One of the 2 wines I didn't care for as much tonight among the 7 we tasted. A classic Bordeaux style blend with 66% cabernet sauvignon, 26% merlot, 6% cab franc and the balance petit verdot. Dark opaque garnet crimson color. Vanilla, menthol and alcohol on the nose. Overwhelmingly tannic to the point of obscuring the details of the fruit. Pretty one dimensional. Over the top extraction?? Some taste of violets on the finish. Muted fruit overall. I gave this several chances through the evening but I found it never really opened up and mellowed enough to be really enjoyable. Maybe it needs lots of time in the bottle to get where it needs to be but I am not sure it will ever be great. Out off balance now. Some of the others attending thought it better after getting some air. I did not.

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• 2013 Arnot-Roberts Cabernet Sauvignon Fellom Ranch 85 Points

  USA, California, Santa Cruz Mountains

  Decanted around 2pm, put back in the covered bottle around 5pm then drunk from 6-9pm...served double blind to all but our host for whom they were only single blind. 100% cabernet sauvignon. Opaque garnet color. Stunted nose of fermenting juice/ carbon dioxide (secondary fermentation??) others didn't see any flaw. Extremely dense. Tannic, flavors of tar and earth with a chalky mouth feel. I find it has downright offensive flavors on the finish. I didn't like this one but others didn't react the way I did. Tried it several times throughout the evening but had the same off-putting flavors every time for me. Not a fan on my first ever drink of this producer from an area, Montebello Ridge in the Santa Cruz Mountains that I usually like.

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As my CellarTracker handle would indicate I am not fond of young wines ("infanticide" I call drinking them) and I have the luxury of a deep cellar from which to always be able to extract a fine aged bottle, but this was very useful for me in gathering more information about some wines I had not yet tried from what is an epic vintage in 2013 for Cali Cab. The second year of draught brought spectacular quality and still good quantity whereas the 2014 and 2015 vintages, I fear, will prove over-ripe, stressed and/or low in quantity especially the 2015's. From what I observed in 2016, it looks like the winter rains were enough to rejuvenate the vines (if not cure the state-wide draught) and the growing conditions with warm days and cool nights in the last few weeks before harvest will make for a splendid, classic vintage.

The best of the night for me were the Forman, Peirson Meyer, Philip Togni, Kobalt and Spottswoode Lyndenhurst (their "second" wine....The estate bottling which I tasted at the winery earlier in the month is awesome and close to a perfect wine in my mind...see that review separately). I was not fond of either the Gemstone or Arnot-Roberts, though others felt differently including one of my respected fellows who thought the Arnot-Roberts was among the best.

Thank you Shane, et al for a wonderful evening!!