California Night

I wasn't taking as many notes as I normally do for no real reason. These were the only real notes that I took on the night

• 2008 Jemrose Viognier Egret Pond 90 Points

  USA, California, Sonoma County, Bennett Valley

  nose: succulent fat and oily nose with rich tones of white peaches, spices, some white floral tones, along with limes and some bits of cream tones. Nice and round too on the nose that really draws you in with real good depth
  
  taste: delicious medium feel with excellent tones of white peaches, limes, creams, white florals, oils, and various citrus tones. Very well balanced with good depth and a nice, fat mid-palate, but also a slight touch of heat on the backend that is showing itself with it being at room temp
  
  overall: the heat just sneaks up, but it isn't too bothersome. Its still a delicious viognier with real good depth on both the nose and palate

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• 2007 Walter Hansel Winery Chardonnay Cahill Lane 86 Points

  USA, California, Sonoma County, Russian River Valley

  nose: very toasty and oaky nose that dominates with some tones of mangoes, lemons, and spiced pears hiding underneath. Too much toast and oak on the nose for me as it just dominates the fruit
  
  taste: full bodied with big and rich tones of toasted oak, lemons, and spiced pears. Again, the oak dominates, but what is underneath the oak is nice
  
  overall: The oak doesn't completely overwhelm the fruit on this, but it sure does try to. The fruit underneath the oak is nice and that is what is saving the wine

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• 2005 Vinifera Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon 89 Points

  USA, California, Napa Valley

  nose: tight nose with tones of red cherries, red currants, berries, and some bits of red fruits. Good pure fruit with real nice balance to it
  
  taste: smooth medium feel with a real good red fruit base with balanced tones of red cherries, berries, and red fruits. Good definition on the fruit with nice tannins
  
  overall: a real good cab. It could use some more depth on both the nose and palate, but this is a quality cab that brings some real nice aromas and flavors

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• 2006 The Seventy Five Wine Company Cabernet Sauvignon Amber Knolls Vineyard 88 Points

  USA, California, North Coast, Red Hills Lake County

  nose: nice and balanced nose of red currants, oak, dark red fruits, black currants, and dark berry tones. Good depth with real good tones
  
  taste: excellent medium/full feel with good tannins and tones of red currants, oak, dark red fruits, and black currants. Real good balance with excellent depth as well
  
  overall: a quality cab for under $20. Real good balance and good tones on both the nose and palate. This really punches above its weight and is perfect for everyday drinking

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• 2007 Caymus Cabernet Sauvignon 91 Points

  USA, California, Napa Valley

  nose: sleek and polished nose that is a bit tight, but very good with excellent balance and tones of black and red currants, dark red fruits, oak, cherries, and bits of anise. Excellent depth with a good richness to it
  
  taste: full bodied with a real smooth feel to it. Good supporting tannins and good depth with tones of black and red currants, dark red fruits, oak, and some tones of anise. The tones are very vibrant right now
  
  overall: young, but very delicious. Well balanced and comes off as needing some more time, or a lengthy decant. There is a real attractive dark profile to it that gives it a sort of mysterious quality

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• 2005 B.R. Cohn Cabernet Sauvignon Olive Hill Estate Vineyards 89 Points

  USA, California, Sonoma County, Sonoma Valley

  nose: full and more rustic with tones of cedar, dark red cherries, cassis, and some bits of methol. Good balance and brings a more bordeaux profile
  
  taste: well balanced and full bodied with good tannins and tones of dark red cherries, sour berries, cedar, some earth tones, and bits of menthol. Good depth as well, this does come off fairly young
  
  overall: Could use some more time to round into shape. A cab that is much more for bordeaux drinkers, this also shows its being from california as well with a sort of warmness to the fruit.

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• 2007 Edge Cabernet Sauvignon Alexander Valley 86 Points

  USA, California, Sonoma County, Alexander Valley

  nose: good nose of dark red fruits, dark red cherries, oak and cranberry tones. Good tones but doesn't have that much depth
  
  taste: nice medium/full feel with good and solid tones of dark red fruits, dark red cherries, and oak tones
  
  overall: a solid cab. Pretty standard and does everything well enough, but is far from a memorable cab

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• 2005 Signorello Estate Cabernet Sauvignon 91 Points

  USA, California, Napa Valley

  nose: real good depth with an expressive and rich nose of spice tones, dark red cherries, black currants, dark red fruits and some bits of cedary tones. Has real good polish on the nose though it is a bit tight
  
  taste: rich medium/full feel with good and firm tannins along with tones of dark cherries, black currants, and dark red fruits. The tannins are pretty chewy right now and cover up the tones and mid-palate a bit
  
  overall: needs a couple of years to really get together, but has the ability to really develop. Good and chewy tannins right now give it a good spine and they are fairly tough right now

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• 2005 Terra Valentine Cabernet Sauvignon Spring Mountain District 89 Points

  USA, California, Napa Valley, Spring Mountain District

  nose: good red fruit core with real nice tones of red currants, red cherries, cedar, bits of chocolate, and a touch of menthol. Good balance and complexity, but lacking some depth that would really help it
  
  taste: excellent medium/full feel with good tannins and well balanced tones of red fruits, red currants, cedar, and red cherries. Very good tones, but lacking depth again
  
  overall: An excellent cab, but just doesn't have that next gear. Real attractive red fruit base on both the nose and palate, the wine is very nice and fun to drink

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• 2005 White Rock Vineyards Claret 91 Points

  USA, California, Napa Valley

  nose: real smooth and polished nose with a elegant and plush quality to it with really good tones of red currants, red fruits, smoke, fresh picked berries, and sleek tones of red cherries. Good depth and the red fruit base is really attractive
  
  taste: polished and silky medium/full feel with good tannins and well balanced tones of cedar, red currants, red fruits, berries, and red cherries. Excellent depth that has a real roundness on the palate
  
  overall: A real quality Bordeaux Blend. Well balanced with a real attractive red fruit core

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• 2007 Beckmen Vineyards Syrah Estate Santa Ynez Valley 90 Points

  USA, California, Central Coast, Santa Ynez Valley

  nose: very smokey nose along with black fruits, meaty tones, black cherries, and some dark berry tones. Good medium depth with good tart fruit to go with the smokier part of the nose
  
  taste: good full bodied feel with good tannins. Well balanced with tones of charcoal, smoke, black fruits, black cherries, and some black licorice. Good richness but with a balance at the same time, this is far from a massive fruit bomb.
  
  overall: A real good syrah at a excellent price. It also has good fruit to it but it holds the fruit well while also bringing in some classic syrah tones as well. Real good full body to it, this has good balance and excellent tones all around

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• 2006 Jemrose Syrah Cardiac Hill Bennett Valley 92 Points

  USA, California, Sonoma County, Bennett Valley

  nose: rich and filling nose of smoke tones, bacon fat, black cherries, black pepper, and a touch of dark spices with some sour berries that seem to lurk in. It doesn't explode out of the glass, but instead melds together well with a northern rhone sensibility
  
  taste: full bodied with great ones of black pepper, bacon fat, char-grill tones, black cherries, black fruits and some bits of smoke. Explosive on the mid-palate and back end with a real rich and fat style to it along with it
  
  overall: this has consistently performed. Its young for certain, but is oh so tasty that makes it hard to keep your hands off of it. Very smokey and peppery, this is for those that enjoy this style of syrah, as it is far from a fruit bomb, but instead, a great hybrid syrah that will play to all of the northern rhone lovers out there

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• 2006 Hartley-Ostini Hitching Post Generation Red 86 Points

  USA, California, Central Coast

  nose: nice nose of dark red cherries, dark berries, cedary oak, and some dark red fruits. While the tones are nice, they are more surface tones
  
  taste: solid medium feel with decent tones of dark red cherries, berries and dark red fruits. Lacking any real depth, but there is a bit more on the palate
  
  overall: Smooth and very drinkable, but was fairly straightforward. The tones on both the nose and palate lacked any real discernible depth

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• 2007 Hartley-Ostini Hitching Post Pinot Noir Cork Dancer 7.1 Santa Barbara County 87 Points

  USA, California, Central Coast, Santa Barbara County

  nose: nice and balanced nose of spice tones, vanilla bean, cola, and tart tones of raspberry and having decent depth
  
  taste: balanced medium feel with nice and solid tones of dark red cherries, cola, raspberries and some bits of spice
  
  overall: a nice and solid pinot. Good balance with nice classic californian tones with a tart expression added to them

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• 2007 Paraiso Vineyards Pinot Noir Santa Lucia Highlands 88 Points

  USA, California, Central Coast, Santa Lucia Highlands

  nose: very nice nose of dark berries, spices, dark red fruits and some bits of sour cherries
  
  taste: excellent medium feel with good tones of dark berries, spices and sour cherries. Nice depth with good balance and tartness on the tones
  
  overall: A very good pinot. Good balance to it with good tones on both the nose and palate

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A good tasting. Some real nice wines and a couple blase' ones. Can't really complain too much as the quality was decent for an less expensive tasting