We don't do a lot of Cabernet at our house, but when we do, we like to do it right. It was our first chance to get together with Alan Kerr aka Canadian Zinfan since his mum, Sylvia had arrived from jolly old England, so we used the occasion to open something good. There may have been a birthday involved as well, but since we stopped counting those some time ago, we would have popped the corks on these beauties anyway.

By Bastardo

1986 Silverado Napa Cabernet Sauvignon Stag’s Leap District Limited Reserve, 13% alc.: There’s still not much rust to the deep dark garnet color here, but there’s plenty of dust on the nose, along with rich cabernet cassis and black currant. Flavors echo so nicely, with what Alan describes as "autumn leaves, forest and mineral, but not under ripe" fruit, adding impressions of "that honey comb cereal toastiness and a touch of dried mint leaves." The wine is mature, with mostly resolved tannins and a smooth, harmonious texture, but without any tertiary characteristics. Very nice indeed.

1993 Beringer Cabernet Sauvignon Private Reserve, 14.1% alc.: Alan found this dark garnet Cal claret to be "very oak focused," while Kim immediately commented that it’s "a little poopy," and there is a certain barnyard quality in the aromatics, but it blows off to reveal a creamy note over the cassis, black currant and blackberry bouquet. Kerr kept up about the oak, adding that it’s "a touch overdone, with a creamy coat of tannin; the fruit might show through a little more in three or four years." However, I find the oak to be well integrated, lending a cedary element, and the cream comes out more with a bite of the delicious lamb chops hot off the Weber grill. Drinking very well right now, but as CZ suggests, it’ll be even better in three or four years. I’m not a big fan of Beringer, but I really enjoy this wine, as I did at last year’s MoCool. 

1990 Robert Mondavi Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve, 13.5% alc.: Kim liked this dark garnet, explaining that "it’s more French in style than the others," and she has a point; I’ve always enjoyed Mondavi cabs for just that reason. This one shows lovely flavors and aromas of sea air, black currant, cedar and herbs, with fully resolved tannins, a smooth mouthfeel and what Kerr describes as "that little meaty, fleshy quality to it," adding "I like the nose on this more than the other two." This one is right there, right now, a real wine with no tricks and no gimmicks, and it was the unanimous favorite of these three delicious wines. 

1990 Castello Banfi Summus, 13% alc.: I opened this old friend because it seemed like the right thing to do, but it’s certainly in no danger of falling into decline any time soon. Alan picked up on one element of the wine immediately, exclaiming "Wow, I could have sworn that it was a syrah," and in fact, there is some syrah blended in with the sangiovese and cabernet sauvignon. It’s progressing nicely, exhibiting earth, wood (but not oak), leather and fruit, in that order. Alan found it reminiscent of a Côtes du Rhône, whilst I got a big Bordeaux - like plumminess underneath the considerable soft secondary action. CZ went on a roll with descriptors such as "so smoky and pure vanillin, smoked meat, coal dust, blue John (flint), a salty gaminess, black pepper, black currant and blackberry." Another "real" wine, and as good as any of the others tasted on this occasion, but of course, with its own unique characteristics that sets it apart, this is drinking wonderfully well, and should continue to do so for some years yet. 

Imported by Banfi Vintners, Old Brookville, NY

1999 Quilceda Creek Columbia Valley Red Wine, $33.99, 14.5% alc.: A deep purple garnet turning pinkish at the rim, this throws a sweet oak, black currant, black berry bouquet, accented with hints of chocolate, blueberry and mahogany. The decidedly dry, stylish flavors echo, more or less, and the wine strikes a fine balance between the sweet oak and a Bordeaux - like austerity. It’s rich and refined, but the finish is crimped some by drying tannins. As it opens, it smells more and more like my mother’s cedar chest. Kim and Shar Douglas aren’t wild about this, saying that it isn’t worth the money, but I liked it quite well, and it should only improve with another few years in the bottle.

1999 Galleron Napa Cabernet Sauvignon Taplin Vineyard, $79.99, 14.2% alc.: This smoky dark garnet shows subtle sweet oak, cassis and black currant flavors and aromas, with hints of coffee and cedar; it’s actually sweeter on the palate than on the nose. It’s also sweeter and more fruit forward than the ’99 Quilceda Creek Red Wine, and a big note of chocolate comes out in the sweet cabernet fruit as it opens. Some burry tannins and acidity keep it from achieving an opulent texture, so it needs a few years to smooth off the rough edges of what impresses me as being a nice $30 - 35 Napa cab, but that’s all. 

1999 Kathryn Kennedy Lateral California Appellation, 70% Merlot, 20% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Cabernet Franc, $49.99, 13.6% alc.: Ruby garnet in color, this shows a pretty nose of sweet toasty oak (not at all over done), black currant, plum and mahogany that follows through nicely in the medium to medium full bodied flavors with soft tannins, good acidity and a long finish. As it opens, a creamy quality emerges, and the mahogany character becomes more accentuated. Is this a very nice glass of wine? Absolutely. Is it worth $50 a bottle?! No way. 

1999 Stonefly Napa Cabernet Franc, $37.99, 13.25% alc.: This ruby dark garnet cab franc show a pretty nose of red currant, blackberry, cranberry and plum, with flavors that echo nicely on a medium full bodied frame. Moderate tannins, good acidity and contrasting floral notes on entry and earth on the decent finish add bookend complexities; a smoky quality emerges with air, adding another element to the total package. Although this is drinking well now, there’s probably a few years worth of improvement, and if I’d like a little more heft to this, I can’t deny that it’s a fine wine, but $38?! I don’t think so. $25-30 is much more reasonable for what’s in the bottle. 

Frankly, I’ve had ample opportunity to buy more of each of these, and even with a nice discount, the only one I would consider adding to the cellar from heck would be the Quilceda Creek. Anyway, that’s my story, and I’m stickin’ to it.


The Best of the Rest
1990 Opus One, 13% alc.: Kim noted some "stinky sulfur and green bell pepper" on the nose of this ruby garnet, but this mostly blows off rather quickly to show deep, dark cassis and black currant, with a hint of mint and even a little licorice. Some sweet oak makes itself know as it opens, but it’s in a supporting role, and not upfront. Fairly soft, with mostly resolved tannins, good acidity and a nice finish, this can probably continue to improve for 3 to 5 years, but in fact, it’s a very nice blend of Napa and Bordeaux right now. 

2001 Cenay Napa Cabernet Sauvignon Blue Tooth Vineyard, $28.99, 13.5% alc.: I enjoyed this deep, dark garnet Napa "cabernet" quite a bit more than I expected to, given what I’d previously heard of it. I was expecting an oak - bomb, and while there’s a good dose of oak here, I’ve tasted much worse. Rather, what I found is a fruit bomb, with an abundance of cassis, black plum, blackberry and blueberry flavors and aromas; a bit of the barnyard blow off the nose quickly, and a note of coffee comes out with air. Rich, dense and extracted, there’re plenty of tannins and good acidity here, with a nice finish somewhat crimped by the grip. Not what I think of as "typical" cabernet sauvignon, this is almost more like a cross between a big zin and a syrah, with all the sweet, dense fruit, and frankly, I didn't mind that at all. 

Reporting from Day-twah,

Bastardo

Summer Whites

Pinot-centric

Back to the Tasting Notes Index

Back to the Top

© George Heritier August 2004