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California Tasting (Barrel Tasting and an slight older)
Tasted April 18, 2015 by cab blends with 807 views
Introduction
40 California wines in two hours - this was a "sprinted" tasting of many young California wines with their winemakers or family. Unless otherwise noted, they are all big fruit forward and tannic wines and can afford long cellaring. Also raspberry rather than cassis was noted somewhat predominantly across the spectrum.
My tannin ranking is a personal score which as a simple guide 5/10 is an extremely thin and almost zero tannins with 9/10 almost undrinkable due to excessive tannins (I think I have only once given a wine that and it was a 4 year old Hundred Acre)
Highest score of the day is 96 with the lowest at 89.
Flight 1 - Starting the tasting with powerhouses (12 notes)
Red
2010 Arns Cabernet Sauvignon Estate Napa Valley
94 points
More seductive and smooth than the 2013. This was smooth and drinking beautifully. It had been decanted for 3 hours.
Red
2013 Arns Cabernet Sauvignon Estate Napa Valley
93 points
A light raspberry nose with some strong vanilla body.
Red
2009 Axios Cabernet Sauvignon
91 points
Boiled sweets and bright raspberry on the nose. Tannins 7/10
Red
2012 Axios Cabernet Sauvignon
90 points
Less fruity and raspberry on the nose than the 2009 which I just tasted. Clearly more youthful and heavier too.
Red
2013 Fontanella Family Wines Cabernet Sauvignon Mt. Veeder
94 points
Raspberry fruity nose. Tannins 8.5/10.
Red
2013 Fontanella Family Wines Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer Georges III Vineyard
95 points
Smoother than the Mt Veeder. Dark black fruit with a hint of dark chocolate. Good strong tannins.
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Red
2012 Cliff Lede Cabernet Sauvignon Poetry
96 points
Very fruity but complex. The varietals balance out the strong cabernet fruit.
Red
2013 Blackbird Vineyards Paramour
95 points
Barrel sample. More fruit on the nose than the 2012. Also drier than the 2012. Tannins 8/10.
Red
2012 Blackbird Vineyards Arise
90 points
Less fruity with a lighter nose than the 2013. Slightly more medicinal and acidic on the nose too. More body than the nose would suggest and the fruit does come through on the finish.
Flight 2 - Bevan as Winemaker! (9 notes)
Red
2013 Bevan Cellars Sugarloaf Mountain Vineyard
94 points
Tannic 8/10 but on the lighter sweet side for a Bevan - Drank with Bevans - quite a treat. A classic powerhouse Napa from Russell.
Red
2013 Bevan Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon Wildfoote Vineyard, Vixen Block
96 points
This is far more refined that the Sugarloaf and the Summit. Light cassis on the nose and while still a standard Russell Bevan powerhouse it holds back and I think will develop well.
Red
2013 Bevan Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon
93 points
You must like ultra fruity Napa cabs otherwise this one will not be to your liking. A very light nose yet a body that is powerful and sweet.
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Red
2013 Bevan Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon Tin Box Vineyard
96 points
Light fruit on the nose. large big tannins 8.5/10 but less fruity. The Petit Verdot softens the normal intense fruit.
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Red
2013 Addax Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley
94 points
This just tastes like Russell Bevan. Block Z next to Tench I believe?
Smoother than I may have expected for a 2013. May not lie down as long but definitely good for 5 to 10 years as a minimum.
Smoother than I may have expected for a 2013. May not lie down as long but definitely good for 5 to 10 years as a minimum.
Red
2013 Bevan Cellars Two Dog Knoll
96 points
This was only bottled on Friday so I am sure it is still in shock. This is a powerful yet balanced in your face wine. The nose is light and delicate and the finish has some dryness on it. This is the first year of production. Drank with Russell and Victoria.
Flight 3 (5 notes)
Red
2013 Pahlmeyer Merlot
93 points
This is full of explosive fruit. Young and a fruit bomb. The merlot is normally never my favorite over the Proprietary Red but for the 2013 this may be true.
Red
2013 Pahlmeyer Proprietary Red
91 points
Strong heavy tannins 8.5/10. Hardly any nose - this seems closed and is probably just in a tough patch at the moment. The fruit is closed and it seems to have less depth than normal??
Red
2010 Miner Family Pinot Noir Garys' Vineyard
94 points
This was a surprisingly nice Pinot for my tastes. I am not a pinot fan but do enjoy a strong extracted California style Pinot. This is light and delicate but has not metallic or vegetal finish in the body. Smooth yet light.
Red
2010 Miner Family The Oracle
90 points
A light nose with heavy tannins 7.5/10. A light dry finish. Not as perfectly balanced as the 2002. Maybe a few years will tell.
Red
2013 Miner Family The Oracle
91 points
A hint of black pepper on the nose. Strong tannins 8/10 - very similar to the 2010
Flight 4 (4 notes)
Red
2012 John Anthony Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon Oak Knoll District
92 points
Fruit on the nose - on the lighter side with 7/10 tannins
Red
Red
2012 Ladera Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve
92 points
Young on the nose with big tannins 8/10. A french styled napa cab. Very light on the nose with a subtle hint of fruit. This did not appear to be very complex.
Red
2013 Ladera Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve
91 points
This was a barrel tasting. A little more fruit on the nose than the 2012 but cleary young with significant body. 8/10 in tannins
Flight 5 (9 notes)
Red
2013 Stonestreet Cabernet Sauvignon Bear Point
94 points
First wine today with a hint of clean chalk. Pwerful tannins at 8/10
Red
2014 Ridge Monte Bello
91 points
I found this the most approachable with lighter tannins than the 2012 and 2013.
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Red
2012 Ridge Monte Bello
92 points
Nutmeg on the nose. A dry finish with some spicy coffee like hint in the body. All american oak.