29th Annual Best of The Best:
California Cabernet Sauvignon and Bordeaux Blends
QRW Tasting Team
California’s finest wines, red or white, continue to be reds based on Cabernet Sauvignon and other Bordeaux grapes. To support that contention, we offering the following gems, all of which are currently in the marketplace.
|
CO-BEST OF SHOW 2009 Profile (Merryvale), Napa Valley 2010 Shafer Cabernet Sauvignon “One Point Five” |
✩ ✩ ✩ ✩ ✩ Five-Star Wines ✩ ✩ ✩ ✩ ✩
Wines of extraordinary character and quality —
in a class by themselves.
2007 Archimedes (Francis Ford Coppola) Sonoma County, $52. Blackberry, black cherry and oak aromas. More of same in flavors but more concentrated. Finely textured. Rounded tannins. Elegant.
2009 Beringer Private Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon (Napa Valley), $135. 98% Cabernet Sauvignon and 2% Petit Verdot. Plush, silky, beautifully balanced, cassis and nutty oak flavors.
2010 Caymus Cabernet Sauvignon (Napa Valley), $65. Mostly Cabernet Sauvignon blended with a small portion of compatible grape varieties. Deep, dense, sinewy, utterly riveting, black fruit and smoky oak flavors.
2008 Corley Cabernet Sauvignon “Yewell Vineyard” (Napa Valley), $72. 100% Cabernet Sauvignon. Big, rich, round, lush, mouthfilling, black fruit and mocha flavors.
2009 Ferrari-Carano Tresor, Sonoma County, $52. Aromas of blackberry, sweet oak, and spice, with flavors of minerality, lace of anise, and cedar. Rich. Complex. Long finish.
2009 Profile (Merryvale) Napa Valley, $160. Cassis/anise bouquet, with blackberry, raspberry, and cedar oak. Deep. Textured. Wonderfully concentrated. Well made. Medium tannins. Complex. Delicious. CO-BEST OF SHOW
2010 St. Supéry Rutherford Estate Cabernet Sauvignon (Napa Valley), $85. 91% Cabernet Sauvignon, 5% Merlot and 4% Petit Verdot. Deep, rich, deliciously complete, black fruit and vanilla flavors.
2010 Shafer Cabernet Sauvignon “One Point Five” (Stags Leap District/Napa Valley), $72. 99% Cabernet Sauvignon and 1% Petit Verdot. Big, powerful, prepossessing, blackberry and nutty oak flavors. CO-BEST OF SHOW
✩ ✩ ✩ ✩ Four-Star Wines ✩ ✩ ✩ ✩
Wines of outstanding quality and character —
benchmarks of their type.
2009 Cakebread Cabernet Sauvignon “Dancing Bear Ranch” (Howell Mountain/Napa Valley), $110. 94% Cabernet Sauvignon and 6% Cabernet Franc. Big, dense, rich, beefy, black fruit and smoky oak flavors.
2010 Caymus Cabernet Sauvigon “Special Selection” (Napa Valley), $130. Mostly Cabernet Sauvignon blended with a small portion of Merlot. Lush, nutty, well-focused — indeed, penetrating — black fruit and smoky oak flavors.
2009 Grgich Hills Cabernet Sauvignon (Napa Valley), $60. 94% Cabernet Sauvignon, 5% Petit Verdot and 1% Cabernet Franc. Tight, svelte, well-concentrated, black fruit and nutty oak flavors; Bordeaux-like.
2010 HALL Cabernet Sauvignon (Napa Valley), $50. About 85% Cabernet Sauvignon blended with other compatible grape varieties. Big, powerful, chewy, black fruit and toasty oak flavors.
2009 HALL Cabernet Sauvignon “Kathryn Hall” (Napa Valley), $110. 80% Cabernet Sauvignon, 15% Merlot, 4% Petit Verdot and 1% Malbec. Deep, rich, lively, blackberry, vanilla and spice flavors; good tight knitting of parts.
2009 J Lohr “Cuvée PAU” (Paso Robles), $50. 73% Cabernet Sauvignon, 15% Malbec, 10% Petit Verdot and 2% Cabernet Franc. Deep, dense, brooding wine (needs time!) packed with chewy black fruit flavors.
2009 J Lohr “Cuvée POM” (Paso Robles), $50. 59% Merlot, 26% Petit Verdot and 15% Cabernet Sauvignon. Lush, “sweet,” well-knit, cocoa and vanilla flavors.
2010 Louis M. Martini Cabernet Sauvignon (Napa Valley), $35. 90% Cabernet Sauvignon blended with other compatible grape varieties. Elegant, velvety, black fruit and chocolate flavors.
2009 Peju Province Cabernet Sauvignon (Napa Valley), $45. 77% Cabernet Sauvignon, 15% Petit Verdot and 5% Syrah, 3% Merlot. Rich, sinewy, well-knit, cassis and damask plum flavors.
Related articles:
• 29th Annual Best of The Best: California Chardonnay
• 29th Annual Best of The Best: Champagne Tasting
• 29th Annual Best of The Best: California Pinot Noir
• 29th Annual Best of The Best: California Zinfandel
