by Jenise » Tue May 13, 2014 10:46 am
A few wines from the past couple weeks:
2008 Robert Hall Cabernet Sauvignon Paso Robles
Dark purple, dark berry fruit on the nose with a sappy edge. On the palate, youthful mid-range cabernet flavors that are just a little too kirschy--modern, hot and sweet. Not a fan.
1991 Sterling Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon Diamond Mountain Ranch Vineyard
Les' bottle. Dark red with a youthfully Bordeauxish nose of black cherry, cedar and graphite, great midpalate fruit and a long, long finish. A stunning mature CalCab.
2010 Tobias Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon Howell Mountain
Very odd wine. No identifiable flaw here, just a red wine that tastes like rhubarb and cactus juice--certainly not something made from grapes. I paid $30 for this? Excuse me while I go make a voodoo doll of the guy who sold it to me and stick a pin in it.
2009 Buoncristiani OPC Proprietary Red Napa Valley Red Blend
Decanted for about four hours then drunk over two. It improved by the hour and the last sip was the best of all. Very European in style and dry/savory instead of fruit-forward--so showing better with food than without--black cherry is primary with dust, cocoa, mint and a little green tobacco. Good value for a cab blend (includes 30% syrah).
2012 Château Camarsac Bordeaux Red Bordeaux Blend
Dark fruit and loamy; drinks well without decanting. Purchased at Costco for a camping trip; we'd forgotten to pack a bottle and we were at a Costco with very limited choices. An extremely decent claret for $12 (Costco price) that beats any domestic wine I can think of at the same price.
1997 Andrew Will Cabernet Sauvignon Seven Hills Vineyard Walla Walla Valley
Drinkable but clearly fading away at this point. Drink up if you have them.
2007 Kapcsandy Family Winery Estate Cuvée State Lane Vineyard Yountville Red Bordeaux Blend
Neighbor's wine. Oustanding nose, very dry midpalate/modest fruit, Bordeauxish in style but without Bordeaux elegance at this stage--just an awkward phase, I think--as the very high quality is apparent.
My wine shopping and I have never had a problem. Just a perpetual race between the bankruptcy court and Hell.--Rogov