VINO FINO TASTERS
1998
CALIFORNIA CABERNETS
September 19,2001
We've
been led to believe by wine writers that the 1998 vintage is of modest quality
when it comes to California Cabernets.
Allan Anderson, in a rare moment of silence, prayed
for two things:
1.) His favorite wine in the tasting to be affordable (that is, less than $8 a
bottle) and
2.) Mark Naismith (seen pouring above/left) wouldn't empty the bottles before
Allan got a chance to pour for himself (Mark has the biggest wine glasses).
Wineries have led us to believe the wines are superior to 1996 and 1997
vintages, as they're charging, in many cases, prices that are 10% (or more)
higher than the preceding vintages.
In an effort to get form our own opinion, ring-leader Jacques (Jack) Sweitzer
put together a set of Cabernets and we got down to business.
Here's what we found:
Jack, a professional bean counter, does the math.
No re-count was required.
| The
Wines |
Gerald's
Rank |
GROUP
RANK |
TOTAL
POINTS |
1sts/2nds/
Lasts |
|
BENZIGER
Sonoma
$15 |
6 |
4 |
48 |
2/0/1 |
CAFARO
Napa
$35 |
3 |
5 |
52 |
0/3/1 |
FOLIE
DEUX
Napa
Private Reserve
$28 |
7 |
7 |
57 |
0/2/0 |
HONIG
Napa
$26 |
5 |
3 |
42 |
1/0/1 |
LEWIS
Napa
$49 |
2 |
1 |
37 |
3/2/0 |
LIVINGSTON
MOFFETT
Napa
Stanley's Selection
$28 |
1 |
2 |
42 |
3/2/1 |
MOUNT
EDEN
Santa Cruz Mountains
$24 |
8 |
8 |
62 |
1/1/5 |
QUINTANA
North Coast
$16 |
4 |
6 |
56 |
1/0/2 |
The wines were remarkably good!
Not a stinker in the bunch, you'll notice many wines received first and last
place votes.
8th Place: MOUNT EDEN VINEYARDS
The aromas of Mount Eden's Cabernet were sweet and berryish to start,
with good fruit and vanillin notes and even a hint of cedar. I felt the
wine began to show a slight metallic fragrance, which caused me to mark it
down. The flavors were similar to the nose, though the metallic character
was undetectable. Three to five years of aging would be about right.
One star (on a three star scale, 0 being standard or average quality).
7th Place: FOLIE DEUX Private Reserve
Showing
lots of blackberry and licorice notes, there's a nice hint of wood to this
somewhat "old-fashioned" Cabernet. The tannin level is a bit on
the high side, but the wine may weather the test of time nicely, needing 5-10
years to soften. It's one of the nicest wines I've tasted of this
label. One star.
6th Place: QUINTANA North Coast
You can see the drop in the intensity of this wine. Though I
ranked it higher than many tasters, this does show some of the herbal, green tea
notes that are probably the result of some immature fruit. It has a bit
more tannin than it needs, but is quite acceptable. Three to eight years
of aging potential. One star.
Hanns Hartmann Made a Rare Appearance.
5th Place: CAFARO Napa
I found
this to have some earthy, tarry and tobacco-like notes, along with a sweet,
creamy, vanillin quality from the oak. Quite complex in the aroma.
The wine is certainly tannic and structured, yet seems to have an appropriate
level of fruit on the palate to warrant the lashing of astringency. Quite
complex and deep, this is a wine for a real Cabernet fan. Five to ten
years of cellaring potential. One-and-a-half stars.
4th Place: BENZIGER Sonoma
Lots of berry notes, especially hinting at blackberry. Not
particularly profound, but certainly a pleasant enough wine with lots of fruit
on the palate and mild, softer tannins.
One star.
3rd Place: HONIG Napa
Some people speak of the character of Cabernet fruit from Rutherford as
being "dusty" (there's even a Rutherford Dust Society), but I noted
this as having lightly herbal and 'dusty' notes on its aroma. There's a
creamy texture and some woodsy notes on the palate with a mildly tannic
finish. Five to ten years of aging potential, I gave this a one star
rating.
2nd Place: LIVINGSTON "Stanley's"
What a lovely nose on this wine! Lots of fruit, but also there's
sweet spices reminiscent of cinnamon, nutmeg with a coffeeish note. The
wine is refined and elegant on the palate, a shade lighter than most of the
rest, but so pretty! Good oak, too. Five to ten years aging
potential. Two stars.
1st Place: LEWIS Napa (Non Reserve)
Woodsy
notes dominate the nose, showing a pencil shaving sort of fragrance. I was
reminded of American oak, given the wine's somewhat ashy, woodsy
fragrances. The oak comes through prominently on the palate, with lots of
blackcurrant fruit, too.
Five to ten years of cellaring potential. One-and-a-half stars.
VINO FINO TASTING ARCHIVE
2007 RUSSIAN RIVER PINOT NOIRS February 2010
A
RANGE OF FRENCH CHABLIS WINES January 2010
HOLIDAY DINNER
& WINE MARATHON December 2009
ROSÉ
SPARKLING WINES November 2009
ARGENTINEAN
MALBECS October 2009
WEST
COAST CHARDONNAYS September 2009
GREEK
RED WINES August 2009
2005
BUDGET BORDEAUX July 2009
CAMPANIAN
WHITE WINES June 2009
MIXED
BAG OF CALIFORNIA PINOT NOIRS April 2009
RIOJA
WINES, MOSTLY FROM THE 2004 VINTAGE March 2009
NORTH
COAST PETITE SIRAHS February 2009
SYRAH
& PETITE SIRAH COMPARISON January 2009
A
VINO FINO CHRISTMAS December 2008
MOSTLY
2005s: NAPA CABERNETS November 2008
SONOMA
COUNTY PINOT NOIRS October 2008
SANTA
RITA HILLS -2006 VINTAGE- PINOT NOIRS SEPTEMBER 2008
NEWLY
RELEASED ZINFANDELS August 2008
WHITE
RHÔNE VALLEY WINES JULY 2008
LOIRE
VALLEY SAUVIGNONS JUNE 2008
FRENCH
CHABLIS 2005-2006 MAY 2008
NORTHERN
RHÔNE SYRAHS APRIL 2008
SANTA
CRUZ MOUNTAINS PINOT NOIRS January 2008
ANNUAL
HOLIDAY CHRISTMAS DINNER December 2007
WEST
COAST CHARDONNAYS November 2007
AUSTRALIAN
SHIRAZ October 2007
SPANISH
TEMPRANILLO WINES September 2007
SONOMA'S
2005 VINTAGE ZINFANDELS August 2007
CURRENT
RELEASE (2004-2005) ZINFANDELS July 2007
ROS
WINES FROM ALL OVER June 2007
ITALIAN
LAGREIN WINES May 2007
ARGENTINEAN
MALBECS April 2007
SOUTHERN
HEMISPHERE PINOT NOIRS March 2007
MOSTLY
2004 CABERNETS February 2007
CRU
BEAUJOLAIS January 2007
A VINO
FINO CHRISTMAS December 2006
CALIFORNIA
ZINFANDELS November 2006
PINOT
NOIRS of VALUE-PRICING October 2006
WORLD
OF SYRAHS TASTING September 2006
AUSSIE
CABERNET-SHIRAZ BLENDS August 2006
ALEXANDER
VALLEY (California) and MARGARET RIVER (Australia) CABERNETS July
2006
CALIFORNIA
PETITE SIRAHS June 2006
2004
NORTH COAST PINOTS and a FRENCH INTRUDER May 2006
AGLIANICO
: BASILICATA & CAMPANIA'S MAJOR RED WINE April 2006
NERO
D'AVOLA - A TASTE OF SICILIA March 2006
UNDER THE
VINO FINO RADAR ZINFANDELS January 2006
HOLIDAY WINE
TASTING & DINNER December 2005
BUBBLIES FROM AROUND
THE WORLD November 2005
NORTH
COAST PINOT NOIRS October 2005
STATE
OF CONFUSION CABERNETS September 2005
TIM
ZAINER'S SIDEWAYS LOOK AT MERLOTS August 2005
LOIRE VALLEY CABERNET
FRANCS June 2005
CALIFORNIA
SYRAHS March 2005
2002
CALIFORNIA CABERNETS February 2005
VINO
FINO HOLIDAY WINE MARATHON December 2004
CHARDONNAYS
OF MODEST PRICE November 2004
SPANISH
TEMPRANILLO October 2004
2002
CENTRAL COAST PINOT NOIRS September 2004
AUSSIE
SHIRAZ-CABERNET BLENDS August 2004
GEWRZTRAMINERS
FROM ALSACE July 2004
2001
SOUTHERN RHNES (7 Chteauneufs & a Vacqueyras) June 2004
AGLIANICO
WINES FROM CAMPANIA & BASILICATA May 2004
MONTEPULCIANO
WINES FROM THE ABRUZZO & MARCHE REGIONS April 2004
SONOMA
ZINFANDELS February 2004
1997
BRUNELLO DI MONTALCINO January 2004
VINO
FINO HOLIDAY BACCHANALIA 2003
2001
CTES du RHNES September 17, 2003
2000
OREGON PINOT NOIRS August 20, 2003
WEST
COAST SYRAHS July 16, 2003
2000
Bordeaux June 18, 2003
2000
CALIFORNIA CABERNETS May 21, 2003
OFF
THE BEATEN PATH SYRAHS APRIL 16, 2003
2002 NEW ZEALAND
SAUVIGNON BLANCS March 19, 2003
1999
California CABERNETS February 19, 2003
VINO
FINO HOLIDAY BACCHANALIA December 4, 2002
AUSTRALIAN
SHIRAZ August 21, 2002
CHAMPAGNES
& SPARKLERS July 17, 2002
Interesting
Paired CHARDONNAYS
May 15, 2002
2001
Southern Hemisphere SAUVIGNON BLANCS Feb. 20, 2002
1999 ZINFANDELS January 16, 2002
HOLIDAY
SEASON BACCHANALIA
December 5, 2001
1999-2000
New PINOT NOIRS November 14, 2001
1999
CALIFORNIA ZINFANDELS October 17, 2001
1998
CALIFORNIA CABERNETS September 19, 2001
1999
LANGUEDOC REDS August 15, 2001
1997
SAUTERNES July 18, 2001
Mostly
1998 NEBBIOLO June 20, 2001
1999 PINOT NOIRS May
16, 2001
1996
SAINT-MILION Tasting April 18, 2001
CARNEROS
CHARDONNAYS March 21, 2001
1984-1985
NAPA CABERNETS/John Vignau Memorial Tasting October 20, 2000
1997
CALIFORNIA CABERNETS September 20, 2000
1998 CALIFORNIA
CHARDONNAYS August 16, 2000
WINES
FROM THE SOUTHERN HEMISPHERE: CLARETS June 21, 2000
WINES
FROM UNDER THE TUSCAN (and Umbrian) SUN Aprile 19, 2000
1997 BORDEAUX: MEDOC May 17,
2000
