Minneapolis Wine Club US Cab Challenge “The Notes”
- on 04.21.10
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2005 Provenance Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer To-Kalon Vineyard
Region: California > Napa Valley > Oakville
Date Tasted: 4/19/2010
Notes: I decanted this wine 3 hours and I would imagine it would have tasted better day 2.
Color: Medium purple
Nose: Cherry, spice, oak and vanilla
Taste: A juicy palate with good acidity.
Finish: Medium finish
Evaluation: Solid wine with plenty backbone. (92 pts.)
2004 Spring Valley Vineyard Frederick
Region: Washington > Columbia Valley > Walla Walla Valley
Date Tasted: 4/19/2010
Color: Medium purple
Nose: Earth, spices, vanilla and red pepper
Taste: Spices, vanilla, oak and red peppers
Finish: Medium finish and tannic.
Evaluation: Lacks typical Washington State fruit. (90 pts.)
2003 Owen Roe Cabernet Sauvignon DuBrul Vineyard
Region: Washington > Columbia Valley > Yakima Valley
Date Tasted: 4/19/2010
Notes: Still tannic and decanted for 3 hours.
Color: Medium purple
Nose: Leather, spice, cherry and pepper
Taste: Very complex palate with leather, spices, pepper, and oak.
Evaluation: This wine is drinking really well and should age nicely for 10 plus years. (92 pts.)
2005 Anderson’s Conn Valley Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon Estate Reserve
Region: California > Napa Valley
Date Tasted: 4/21/2010
Color: Medium purple
Nose: Spice, oak, vanilla, smoke and cherry
Taste: What a powerhouse wine on the palate and shows a tremedous upside down the road.
Evaluation: While I enjoyed Conn Valley wines young they certainly get better with age. (93 pts.)
2004 Flora Springs Cabernet Sauvignon Out-of-sight-vineyard
Region: California > Napa Valley
Date Tasted: 4/21/2010
Color: Medium purple
Nose: Floral, cherry, chocolate, and spices
Taste: Very balanced wine and the palate has flavors bouncing all over the mouth.
Finish: Really nice use of oak and there is a medium finish on the wine. A bit of chalk comes into the finish which was interesting.
Evaluation: Wow! Well made wine! (94 pts.)
2007 Robert Craig Cabernet Sauvignon Affinity
Region: California > Napa Valley
Date Tasted: 4/21/2010
Color: Medium purple
Nose: A simple nose with spice, pepper and floral.
Taste: Good flavors but nothing like out of the bottle.
Evaluation: An interesting wine that out of the bottle was great but 4 hours of decanting it lost its edge. I will cellar the remaining 2 and see what happens. (90 pts.)
2002 Quilceda Creek Cabernet Sauvignon
Region: Washington
Date Tasted: 4/21/2010
Notes: Decanted 5 hours.
Color: Medium purple
Nose: Forest floor, spices, coffee, cherry and earth dominate the nose.
Taste: Very integrated wine with tons of complexity.
Finish: The finish is long and shows spice, floral, coffee, cherry, plum and leather.
Evaluation: Another great showing. No flaws on any part of the wine. This wine has it all and is drinking well now but I will revisit down the road. (95 pts.)
2005 Star Lane Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon
Region: California > Central Coast > Santa Ynez Valley
Date Tasted: 4/21/2010
Color: Medium purple
Nose: Spice, floral and minerals
Taste: Palate is solid.
Finish: Medium finish
Evaluation: This is the first Cab I have tasted from Santa Ynez Valley and I think with some time this could improve a few points. (89 pts.)
Like It
Love It
- Dislike, Not Drinkable
- Okay, Would not Recommend
- Like It, but Nothing Special
