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Daily vs. Premium Cab blind tasting

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Tasted November 24, 2007 by borneman with 423 views

Introduction

Four Napa cabs: two higher end 2004's and two daily drinking 2005's, all tasted blind

Flight 1 (4 notes)

Red
2004 Groth Cabernet Sauvignon USA, California, Napa Valley, Oakville
92 points
Nose: Tar, coffee, chocolate, balsamic, syrupy, big.
Palette: Tar, black fruits, dark chocolate, smoky, dry cherry. Complex, not tannic, smooth and velvety.
Red
2004 Larkmead Vineyards LMV Salon USA, California, Napa Valley
93 points
Decanted 2 hours, continued to develop more complexity another 3 hours after that.
Nose: Big fruit, black cherry, liquorice
Flavors: Alchohol at first, then complex fruit and chocolate. Marachino cherry.
Red
2005 Avalon Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley USA, California, Napa Valley
85 points
Nose: Reticent
Flavors: chocolate, black cherry, strawberry, a little spice
Finish: simple and thin
Red
2005 Ghost Pines Cabernet Sauvignon Winemaker's Blend USA, California, North Coast, Napa / Sonoma
84 points
Nose: reticent, a little menthol, eucalyptus and cassis
Palette: Lighter fruit, some coffee and caramel. Simple, short finish

Closing

All four participants clearly identified the two premium wines and the two daily drinkers. There were differing opinions on which of the premuim wines was best and which of the dailys were best. The LMV, being a blend was only 60% cab. At first the Groth was a clear winner but as the evenining wore on, the LMV continued to develop and may have been the WOTN.

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