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Cabernet Sauvignon Challenge held on 05/30/06

Here's the run down from the big tasting last week, which has come to be known as "Big Fat Reds Part 19." Well attended, the guests were truly excited as the anticipation mounted, or at least while we waited for Bradford to arrive. Here's my best recollections from the tasting . . .

2003 Waterbrook Cabernet Sauvignon-Columbia Valley $27.00

Deep, dark ruby with very little variation, this came across as very young. With vigorous swirling some gorgeous aromatics of black cherry, cassis, pencil lead and vanilla arose and after about twenty minutes this was showing very well indeed. On the palate it had pretty stern tannins which only mellowed slightly and flavors echoing the aromas. After ninety minutes it was nearly all red fruit and vanilla with the tannins turning plush. I would cellar this for 2-3 years and it will age for ten if you would wish to do so.

2002 Steele "Red Hills" Cabernet Sauvignon-Lake County $42.00

Deep ruby almost pushing purple, with very slight variation. This hopped up right out of the glass and displayed a more plumy, slightly earthy note than the Waterbrook. Hints of spice and tobacco as well as black cherry, cassis and melted chocolate interspersed the black plum aromas. In the glass the wine was much softer than the Waterbrook as well, though certainly it possesses fine tannic structure and will age nicely for another seven or so years. A few notes on this wine. Why is it fifteen bucks more than the Waterbrook but from a less-prestigious appellation? Well, the Red Hills vineyard is owned and run by Andy Beckstoffer, who is the top Cabernet grower in California. Second, the wine sees extended new oak treatment at the winery. This is a Cabernet of serious character and terrior and was distinctive from all the other wines of the night. If I had to pick one wine from the night to drink tonight, this would be it.

2000 Elderton Cabernet Sauvignon-Barossa Valley $32.00

Medium garnet with some variation, this was the oldest wine of the night and was an interesting contrast in that regard. In the glass it offered effusive aromas of blackberry, black cherry cola, anise, vanilla and that earthiness you always get in Elderton's wines. On the palate it was plush and fairly silky for a Cab. The flavors echoed the aromas with a long, lingering finish. While lderton is known for its Shiraz, this is a serious Cabernet. This drinks well now through 2012.

2001 or was it 2003? Von Strasser "Diamond Mountain" $56.00

This round highlighted the ability to read. Apparently we received two bottles of 2001 and two bottles of 2003 and I didn't notice and so the first bottle poured was 2003, the second 2001 and the third 2003, so everyone basically had different wines and poor Jeff who was in the middle ended up sharing his with all the 03ers and I don't think he ever even got any 01. So . . . I of course had the 2003 which was inky as heck with no variation. It was fairly closed aromatically but with some rigorous swirling I got some lovely black cherry, blackberry, tar and earthy toast. As the tasting progressed I began to tune in on cola flavors in a lot of the wines from California as I revisited them. On the palate the Von Strasser had fairly stern tannins and copious black fruit, it's definitely a baby. I would age it for three to five more years and I expect it to last for fifteen. So optimally between 2010 and 2018. I did get a sip of the 2001 and it was in championship form: super thick and concentrated with effusive aromatics and thick, extracted flavors. The tannins were still huge but the wine with some swirling should have been very drinkable. I wish there were some left.

2003 Chateau Branaire Ducru-St. Julian $70.00

Coming in with fourth growth status and 95 points from the Wine Advocate there was palpable expectation as the crowd waited for their pours. The wine was deep inky ruby with very little variation. I vigorously swirled mine for about 3 to 4 minutes before I smelled it and at that point had tight but glorious aromas of black cherry compote, kirsch, burnt toast, pine needles and pencil shavings. That is to say it was much more unique than what we had experienced up to this point. On the palate the wine was still very unyielding. The tannins weren't as austere as I expected but the wine was clearly very tightly wound. Basically the flavors were very ripe black cherry, black currant, cedar and pencil lead with spicy notes. It was prototypical Bordeaux of an incredibly high pedigree. This wine is drinkable with several hours decanting although it is still fairly tannic. I would suggest cellaring for about five years and it should plateau for another twenty. I'm trying not to gush but let me say this was a stupendous wine, easily one of the ten best I've had so far this year and drinking it was an amazing experience!

2003 Chateau Lafond Rochet-St. Estephe $60.00

Our second fourth-growth Bordeaux comes from the northern-most appellation in the Medoc. As you would expect this was the polarizing wine of the night for most of the crowd. Deep, dark ruby this had virtually no variation in the glass. I swirled the heck out it for about five minutes and wow it was tough to get a whole lot of aromatics out of it. Soft-spoken black cherry, blackberry, wet earth and new oak with hints of mineral were my notes on the aromas. On the palate the tannins certainly hit you first as they're fairly assertive and dominating. Bright cherry notes come around with more swirling as well as nuanced notes of black raspberry, vanilla cola and spice but to my dismay this was one of those wines that saw some people pouring it out after the first sip proclaiming, "that's awful!" After the tasting there was some Lafond left over and we sat around talking and it was still, four hours after I opened it, pretty darn closed down. I think there's serious potential in this wine, it certainly merits 92-93
points, but I think you're going to need to lay it down for a number of years. Bradford is looking for a wine from 2003 for his daughter's 21 birthday party and he thinks this is it. I would agree.

The Cabernets listed above are not always in stock, but if you're interested in them, let us know and we can get them within days. Two usually. So let us know if you would like some for your cellar or your glass.

*All of the wines we taste, no matter what night we tried them…even if it was over a year ago…are available either on our shelf or to special order. We are always very happy to special order a bottle of anything you’re looking for. If you are interested in trying some of these, please email or call us anytime and we will include it on our next order – almost always delivered within two to three days!
 
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