Tasting at a casual Dinner - Little bit of everything with Justin Cab Vertical

This is just about an every 5-6 week occurance. My wife and I get together with another couple and another friend from work and just have a nice dinner and each bring over a few bottles of wine for a tasting. We brought the Justin Cab Vertical (04-06).

• 2007 Vestini Trebbiano d'Abruzzo 86 Points

  Italy, Abruzzi, Trebbiano d'Abruzzo

  This wine was served in a Reidel Red Wine stem right after popping the cork. The color is a clear golden yellow and the wine has a light nose of citrus. On the palate I get a grassy offering of minerals and light citrus during a medimum bodied mouth feel. The finish is a long one that lingers on for 30+ seconds in a very good acid balance and is very satisfying making me want more. I "ding" the wine a bit for the weak nose but it makes up for it in the strong well integrated finish.

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• 2006 Meridian Vineyards Pinot Noir Limited Release White Hills Vineyard 84 Points

  USA, California, Central Coast, Santa Barbara County

  This wine was served in a generic burgandy wine stem after just popping the cork. The color is ruby red with a clear hue throughout. The nose is of earth, black cheery and currant - about what I would expect out of a Santa Barbera County pinot. The palate renders a black cherry fruit bomb with a bit of spice. The body is medium offering a 30+ second finish that has balance and is a bit hot. Could be smoother on the finish and the cherry is a bit over the top for me. I would say lay this wine down to let sit until at least 2011.

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• 2002 Cascina Adelaide Langhe Nebbiolo 91 Points

  Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Langhe DOC

  This wine was served in a Reidel Red Wine stem after a 2 hour decant. The color is a dark purple with a touch of cherry on the rim. The nose offers dark flavors with chocallate, vanilla and cassis. The palate offers fig, plum and cassis followed by well balanced tannins and a medimum bodied 20+ second finish. On the finish I get a well integrated mature wine that is a treat and has me wanting another taste. This is a treat and was my WOTN. Outstanding, 90-92.

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• 2004 Justin Vineyards & Winery Cabernet Sauvignon 88 Points

  USA, California, Central Coast, Paso Robles

  This wine was served in a Reidel Red Wine stem after a 2 hour bottle decant. The color is an almost jet black without any ability to see through it. The wine had a decent amount of sediment, but I got the last glass - it would have been avoided with a less agressive pour into a decanter and then pouring out of the decanter into the glasses so I will try not to let the sediment issue skew the rating/review.
  
  The nose very strong with chocalate and tabacco with a touch of oxidation and black currant. On the palate I get the chocalate, earth and a bit of blackberry. The body is suttle with low tannins and has a great integration. The finish is about 20 seconds and lingers on with good acid balance. Overall a very good wine - it is coming together very nicely.

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• 2005 Justin Vineyards & Winery Cabernet Sauvignon 88 Points

  USA, California, Central Coast, Paso Robles

  This wine was served in a Reidel Red Wine stem after a 2.5 hour bottle decant. The color is an almost jet black without any ability to see through it (same as the 04). The nose is fairly faint and smells of dark flavors of leather, dark chocalate, oak and perhaps coffee. The palate offers star anise and black cherry with a full bodied, mid-tannic feel. The finish is smooth with a touch of alcohol and good balance lasting 20+ seconds. Overall a good offering with a much different feel than the 04 - this feels much more like a "cold weather" wine vs the warmer '04. Drink now through 2014.

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• 2006 Justin Vineyards & Winery Cabernet Sauvignon 87 Points

  USA, California, Central Coast, Paso Robles

  This wine was served in a Reidel Red Wine stem after a 3 hour bottle decant. The color is a dark ruby redish-purple with a slight ability to see through the glass.
  
  At this point in the evening my palate was a bit shot so I had no specific notes. I did this this wine was very young and needs a bit of time. The bottle was starting to come together nicely but I would say don't drink until after 2010.

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Overall the Nebbiolo we had with the main course (4 cheese, meat lasagna) was my WOTN. Of the cab vertical I would rather the 05 better than the 04 and both better than the 06. Perhaps we should have served them in the 06,05,04 order but I went upwards.