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Overall impressions: here was yet another very nice flight of '99 Cabs; this vintage is looking better and better. Also included in the flight were four '00 Cabs, which provided an interesting contrast. It's seems a bit early to speculate on the overall quality 2000 vintage, but clearly in this flight, the '99s out point them. Each of the wines were very good-excellent, with some obvious separation due to price point. The clear values here are the Salvestrin, the Kelham, and the Liparita - all under $36. My favorites included some old familiar names, as well as some relatively new wineries. But, while I've come to expect very nice offerings from Vine Cliff and Chimney Rock, the Sterling Reserve was a complete surprise. A new entry from Kelham Vnyds (debuted as Kelham-McLean Vnyds in '98) was beautiful, and this was probably the best Salvestrin I've tasted. The only mild disappointments in the flight were from Frog's Leap and Quintessa. Both are nice enough wines. But, the quality seems a little short for their respective price tiers. |
1999 Girard Meritage - Napa Valley. $31.99. Dark garnet color. Moderately complex nose of cassis, oak and a wisp of vanilla. Somewhat sweet-sour mouthfeel, flavors of cherry and vanilla, with a modest oak note, fine tannins and medium-long finish. Aroma score: B Taste score: B Overall score: B 1999
Chimney Rock Elevage Meritage - Stags Leap District. $49.99.
Medium garnet color. Fabulous nose of sweet oak, cassis, and
wood shavings. Sweet mouthfeel, with abundant macerated black cherry
fruit, and a very nice touch of toast oak and long finish. 1999
Frog's Leap Rutherford - Rutherford . $49.99.
Medium dark garnet color. Slightly herbaceous nose of cassis, cheesy
oak, and sweet pea. Sweet-sour mouthfeel, tasty and chewy, with
an obvious dose of oak on the finish. 35% Cab Franc. 1999
Quintessa - Rutherford. $79.99. Medium garnet color.
Lovely - almost seductive nose of cassis and sweet oak. Tasty, slightly
macerated quality to the fruit, with an off-sweet mouthfeel, and
long smooth finish. 2000
Bommarito Cabernet Sauvignon - Napa Valley. $15.99. Medium garnet
color. Sweet and luscious in the nose, with black cherry, vanilla,
anise, and a touch of herbs. Slightly chalky mouthfeel, juicy fruit,
long finish. This previous Whitehall Lane stamp 2nd label is now
officially a vnyd designate. 2000
Clos La Chance Cabernet Sauvignon - Napa Valley. $16.99. Medium
dark ruby garnet color. Nose of cassis, pungent hardwoods, vanilla,
herbs and anise. Chewy and juicy fruit, slightly sweet mouthfeel,
tasty long finish. Nice job! 1999
Atalon Cabernet Sauvignon - Napa Valley. $26.99. Very
dark ruby color. Almost textbook nose of cassis, vanilla, and toast,
though somewhat less effusive. Very juicy sweet-sour mouthfeel,
with flavors of macerated black cherry, vanilla, toast, and a very
long finish. 2000
Provenance Cabernet Sauvignon - Rutherford. $28.99. Dark garnet
color. Herbaceous and fleshy nose of cassis, anise and toast. Chewy,
off-sweet mouthfeel, really nice flavor profile, and long toasty
finish. Made by Tom Rinaldi (Duckhorn). 1999
Liparita Cabernet Sauvignon - Napa Valley. $29.99. Medium dark
garnet color. Nose of cassis, loam, and bittersweet chocolate. Big
and chewy mouthfeel, with sweet flavors of black cherry, chocolate,
and anise, and a very long finish. Here's a wine that actually delivers
more than it promises. 1999
Burgess Estate Cabernet Sauvignon - Napa Valley. $29.99.
Dark ruby color. Very ripe, slightly Porty nose, with aromas of
cassis, and shoe polish. Good mouthfeel, with cassis and nicely
integrated oak through mid-palate, but seems to get a bit coarse
on the long finish. 1999
Downing Family Cabernet Sauvignon - Napa Valley. $34.99.
Dark ruby garnet color. Mostly restrained nose of cassis, herbs
and anise. Off-sweet mouthfeel, with nice fruit, some obvious sweet
oak, very good balance, and long finish. 1999
Mount Veeder Cabernet Sauvignon - Mt. Veeder. $34.99. Dark ruby
garnet color. Slightly high-toned and fleshy nose of cassis, herbs,
and toasted hardwoods. Off-sweet mouthfeel, with flavors of black
cherry, sweet oak, very good blaance and toasty long finish. |
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1999
Kelham Vnyds Cabernet Sauvignon - Napa Valley. $35.99.
Very dark ruby color. Beautiful nose of cassis, vanilla, anise,
and a touch of cocoa. Rich and chewy mouthfeel, loads of black cherry
fruit, excellent balance, and a very long smooth finish. Very nice! 1999
Salvestrin Cabernet Sauvignon - Napa Valley. $35.99. Dark garnet
ruby color. Nose of dusty cassis, toast, vanilla, and anise. Slightly
sweet-sour mouthfeel, chunky fruit throughout, excellent balance,
very long seamless finish. 2000
Hartwell Mistique Cabernet Sauvignon - Stags Leap District.
$48.99. Very dark ruby color. Interesting nose of herbs, cassis,
vanilla and anise. Very concentrated mouthfeel, thick and chewy,
with a beautiful cassis-chocolate flavor, and very long tasty finish.
Declassified Hartwell? 1999
Clos du Val Cabernet Sauvignon - Stags Leap District. $49.99.
Very dark black-ruby color. Nose of cassis, herbs, meat, and toast.
Very chunky and concentrated mouthfeel, fabulous balance and flavors,
very long finish. 1999
Corison Cabernet Sauvignon - Napa Valley. $52.99. Very dark
ruby color. Slightly herbaceous nose of cassis, vanilla, and shoe
wax. Smooth and tasty mouthfeel, elegant and refined flavors and
balance, very long finish. 1999
Seavey Cabernet Sauvignon - Napa Valley. $59.99. Very dark ruby
color. Slightly restrained nose of loamy cassis, vanilla, and anise.
Off-sweet chewy mouthfeel, very integrated and balanced throughout,
flavors of macerated black cherry, vanilla and toast, and a very
long smooth dusty finish. Kudos on the oak treatment here. 1999
Nickel & Nickel - Rock Cairn Vnyd, Napa Valley. $64.99.
Dark ruby garnet color. Nice herbaceous streak, with dense black
cherry and a smoky and charry quality. Chewy mouthfeel, with chunky
black cherry fruit, white pepper, and a smoky-toasty long finish. 1999
Vine Cliff Cabernet Sauvignon - Napa Valley. $59.99. Very dark
ruby color. Nose of cassis, vanilla, anise, orange zest, and a touch
of mint. Sweet-sour mouthfeel, great concentration, slightly dusty
texture, and a beautiful toasty long finish. 1999
Sterling Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon - Napa Valley. $69.99.
Very dark garnet ruby color. Seductively sweet nose, of cassis,
vanilla, toasted grains, and chocolate. Sweet concentrated mouthfeel,
beautiful balance, loads of vanilla and black cherry flavors, and
a smooth long finish. Sterling's back! |
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No original material may be reproduced without written consent Mail & Comments - Eric Anderson |