Terroir-istes International - USA - California, Napa South

The first of 4 tastings. There will be some for the Valley Floor and then Mountain fruit.
Tonight is Oak knoll, Yountville, Stags leap. This is an area in the South and is far cooler than Calistoga in the north. Highway 29 bisects the valley.
Most lie at foot of mountains. Many purchase grapes from a multitude of places, etc thus difficult to always know where it comes from.
Styles: Cabernet Sauvignon exhibits a layer of richness.

• 2009 Hendry Cabernet Sauvignon Hendry Vineyard 87 Points

  USA, California, Napa Valley

  (Tasted Blind): Deep black-red colour extending to the rim.
  Engaging aromas of chocolate and mocha dominate, with ripe black fruits and a significant presence of spices and new oak.
  A glossy, richly textured palate marked by the dominance of spicy oak yet still shows blackcurrant and blackberry. Super ripe, full-bodied with a medium-plus acidity. Crafted ambitiously, it lacks charm as the oak overpowers the wine, detracting from its balance. The sweet tannins are forgiving, but the wine feels fat and not structured, with alcohol warmth and glycerol taking away some appeal. A bodybuilder style of wine, all shiny and rippling, yet the oak and spices feel more rugged. Closes with Christmas pudding notes.
  Oak Knoll is a cooler Ava created in 2004, mostly on valley floor in the South. Breezes cool the area. Merlot grown here is promising,

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• 2012 Grgich Hills Cabernet Sauvignon Yountville Selection 85 Points

  USA, California, Napa Valley, Yountville

  (Tasted Blind): Deep black-red colour tapering towards the rim.
  Powerful aromas of cassis, blackcurrant and raisin with a hint of cedarwood. Less oak interference. A more vibrant entry shows a polished texture, full body, overripe fruit and generous alcohol. A core of almost raisin-like fruit has some flesh but feels baked with more extract, leading to a density to the sweet, grippy tannins. Closes with tarry notes and a nod to a port-like quality. I found it all instead forced and somewhat cumbersome.
  From Yountville and some Rutherford grapes, % is organically certified.

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Two wines of the same producer but several years difference and a further well known producer in the area.

• 1998 Regusci Cabernet Sauvignon Stags Leap District Flawed

  USA, California, Napa Valley, Stags Leap District

  (Tasted Blind): Sadly this wine was badly corked.

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• 2010 Regusci Cabernet Sauvignon Stags Leap District 80 Points

  USA, California, Napa Valley, Stags Leap District

  (Tasted Blind): Tar-like aromas join molasses and soy, leading to the impression of oxidation. The palate rendered cough syrup and a syrupy textured note with glimpses of sour cherry and blackberry. Overall, the evolution detracted.

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• 2013 Stags' Leap Winery Cabernet Sauvignon "The Leap" 89 Points

  USA, California, Napa Valley

  (Tasted Blind): Opaque, with a black colour transitioning to a deep red-black rim. The aromas of sour black cherry stalk, blackcurrant, graphite, cigar, cassis, and stewed fruits were lifted.
  The entry has a melted chocolate texture joined by a touch of spice, cedarwood and tobacco.
  Firm, powdery tannins supported by a fresh lemon-edged acidity give a grip and structure, although the wine feels altogether extracted. A long finish redeems what is a powerful, sturdy wine.
  Sourced from blocks 25 years of average age on rocky soils and loamy soils.

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• 2010 Shafer Cabernet Sauvignon One Point Five 88 Points

  USA, California, Napa Valley, Stags Leap District

  (Tasted Blind): An opaque black-red through to rim. Perfumed aromas of black cherry transition to red cherry, with hints of cough syrup, blackcurrant pastilles, and wine gums.
  A somewhat over-the-top style dominated by pastille flavours on entry with sweet, juicy bilberry, damson and spice cake, all enhanced by generous alcohol. With firm, grippy tannins with reasonable length, the wine is slightly unusual, focusing on syrupy, jammy fruits, some coffee notes and spice detracting from inherent complexity. It was a rounded, plump, heavyweight style that felt a little volatile with a watered-down palate compared to the previous wine. Closes with sour cherry and Ribena notes led me to think this is a crowd-pleaser and formulaic in nature.

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• 2007 Shafer Cabernet Sauvignon Hillside Select 92 Points

  USA, California, Napa Valley, Stags Leap District

  (Tasted Blind): A deep black-red wine reaching to the rim. Powerful nose again with a focus on blackcurrant, liquorice, creme de mure and some wood smoke and tar. It appears fresher than some, with lovely intensity.
  Enjoyable depth on the palate, there is an abundance of ripe rich fruit showing blackcurrant and blackberry towards a smear of vanilla pod and mocha. Excellent concentration, a lively acidity to move the wine forward and enough extract to provide structure with the fruit coating the mid-palate nicely whilst showcasing its big bold flavours and long winding length.
  However, a source of contention is that the alcohol feels hot, spiky, and notable (almost spirity). Perhaps it detracts a little from the wine, but I didn't feel it was so disjointed to score so much lower. It did have some over-extraction that gave a sense of harshness that the alcohol amplified, but it closed with some savoury edges and chalkiness and with enough fruit to render it workable.
  Very little topsoil exists so the roots hit the white tofu volcanic soil base at a shallow depth of 50cm, This is an argument favouring why the wine has so much intensity. Spends 32 months in 100% new French oak.

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• 2007 Joseph Phelps Insignia 86 Points

  USA, California, Napa Valley

  (Tasted Blind): Deep, almost opaque to the rim. Bouquet of damp wood, tar, dried spices, forest floor, wild berries and some liquorice. Fairly intense, the palate seems dried out with fruit and more towards tertiary notes. Lacks vibrancy, falling flat with drying out tannins despite some existing richness. A bit more acid would help lift it. It closes with some meaty notes but shows port-like connotations.

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