| Description |
$ / * |
Tasting notes |
2005
Clone 337
Lodi Valley |
12
** |
12/2007
Nice - medium body and fruit. This has good Cabernet character. It is a deal at this price! |
2006
Root: 1
Chile - Colchagua Valley |
10
* |
12/2007
Fair - medium body and fruit. This is a very dark wine, which tastes more like a Syrah than a Cabernet.
Not recommended. |
2004
Hess Allomi
Napa Valley |
25
** |
08/2007
Fair - medium body, little fruit. This is a very dark wine, which seems to be lacking in fruit.
Before 2004, this wine was sold as Hess Estate. |
2005
Hess Select
Napa Valley |
16
** |
09/2007
Fair - medium body, some fruit. This needs more fruit, and more varietal flavor. |
2003
Beaulieu Vineyard
Napa Valley |
17
*** |
09/2007
Nice - medium body, good fruit. This has good balance, and a decent Cabernet flavor. |
2003
Hess Estate
Napa Valley |
25
*** |
08/2007
Nice - medium body, good fruit. This has good balance, and a decent Cabernet flavor.
After 2003, this wine is sold as Hess Allomi, since it is from the Hess Allomi vineyard. |
2004 Valdivieso Reserve
Cabernet Franc
Chile - Central valley |
14
** |
12/2006
Fair - medium body, medium fruit. This
seems a bit acidic, and lacking in fruit.
Not recommended. |
2003
Montes "Alpha"
Chile - Colchagua Valley |
12
** |
12/2006
Nice - medium body, good fruit. This has good balance,
and a decent Cabernet flavor. |
2004
Finca "La Nina"
Argentina |
7
* |
12/2006
Fair - light body,
medium fruit. This doesn't
taste much like a cabernet - we all liked the Santa Rita better.
Not recommended. |
2005
Santa Rita "120"
Chile |
6
** |
12/2006
Nice - light body, medium
fruit. This has a decent Cabernet flavor.
This is a good deal at this price! |
2005
Montes "Classic"
Chile - Colchagua Valley |
9
* |
12/2006
Fair - big body,
medium fruit. This has too much tannin
and not enough fruit for me.
This is definitely
Not recommended. |
2002 Arrowood
Sonoma County |
40
*** |
12/2006 Full body,
good fruit.
The flavor was typical for a Cabernet. This is a HUGE
wine, and I felt it needed a bit more fruit. This is pricey
stuff! |
2003 Casa Lapostolle
Chile - Rapel valley |
14
** |
10/2006
Nice - medium body, good fruit. This has more tannin
and less oak than Luis Felipe
or Valdivieso. |
2004 Luis Felipe Edwards Gran Reserva
Chile - Colchagua Valley |
13
*** |
10/2006
Nice - medium body, good fruit. This has less
tannin and more oak than
the Casa Lapastolle. |
2004 Valdivieso Reserve
Chile - Central valley |
12
*** |
10/2006
Nice - medium body, good fruit. This has less
tannin and more oak than
the Casa Lapastolle. |
2002 Januik
Columbia Valley
Washington State |
40
**** |
10/2006 Full body, good fruit.
The flavor was complex (Cynthia described it as spicy), and it had a very long finish. This wine is
surprisingly drinkable, but likely will improve with age. This is pricey
stuff! |
2003 Ch. St. Michelle
Canoe Ridge Vineyard
Washington State |
27
** |
10/2006 Medium body, medium fruit.
This wine seems fairly light at first. It takes a while to open up, but it does have the body and flavor of a Cabernet.
This is pricey, but may NOT be worth it. |
2003 Ch. St. Michelle
Indian Wells Vineyard
Washington State |
19
** |
10/2006 Light body, good fruit.
This wine may be TOO drinkable. It is very fruity, and more like a Syrah than a Cabernet.
Does not have the complexity of a Cabernet, but it is fun to drink. |
2003
Robert Mondavi
Napa Valley
|
30
** |
07/2006 Full body,
medium fruit.
The flavor was typical for a Cabernet, but there was
not enough fruit. It seemed fairly heavy and tannic, and much overshadowed
by the Januik. This is definitely
Not recommended. |
2002 Henry's Drive
Australia |
36
**** |
12/2005 Full body, good fruit.
The flavor was complex (Cynthia described it as spicy), and it had a very long finish. This wine is
surprisingly drinkable, but likely will improve with age. This is pricey, but worth it. |
| 2001 Newton Claret |
17
** |
02/2005
Medium body, medium
fruit. This
has a little varietal character, but seems unripe to me. It is not
worth buying.
Not recommended. |
2002 Santa Rita
Reserva - Chile |
14
** |
01/2005
Medium body, medium fruit. This
does NOT have a
typical nose, and does not taste like a Cabernet - more
like a Syrah. It is not a bad wine, but not what I expected. |
| 2001
Ravenswood Vintners Blend California |
10
** |
12/2004
Medium body, good fruit. This
has a little varietal character. It is worth buying at this low price. |
2002 Francis Coppola
Diamond Series
Black Label Claret |
17
*** |
11/2004 Full
body, good fruit. This has a typical nose, and good varietal flavors.
This wine is surprisingly drinkable, but likely will improve with age. |
| 2001
Rodney Strong Sonoma |
17
*** |
05/2004
Medium body, good fruit. This has a
typical nose, and good varietal flavors. |
2000
Sebastiani
Sonoma |
17
** |
05/2004
Medium body, good fruit. This has a
typical nose, and good varietal flavors. |
| 2002
Liberty School California |
16
** |
05/2004
Medium body, good fruit. This
did not have much varietal flavor compared to the Rodney Strong and
Sebastiani cabernets. |
| 2000
Hogue Genesis Columbia Valley |
14
** |
05/2004
Medium body, good fruit. This
did not have much varietal flavor compared to the Rodney Strong and
Sebastiani cabernets. |
2000 Sterling
Napa |
20
*** |
11/2003 Full body, good fruit. This has a
typical nose. The flavor is fairly complex, with berry notes. This wine is
surprisingly drinkable, but likely will improve with age. This is
definitely worth buying at this price! |
2000 Chateau St. Jean
Sonoma |
26
*** |
11/2003 Full body, good fruit. This started
with a "dusty" nose, which also had earthy and leather notes.
The flavor was complex, and it had a very long finish. This wine is
surprisingly drinkable, but likely will improve with age. This is a bit
pricey, but worth it. |
2000 Ch. Semonlon
Haut Medoc - France |
15
*** |
09/2003 Full body, good fruit. This has a very
nice nose, and excellent
varietal flavor, but it is slightly tannic. This is a great deal for the
price! |
| 2000 Los Vascos Reserve - Chile |
15
*** |
02/2003 Full body, medium fruit. Excellent
varietal flavor, but it tastes a little young. Will improve greatly with
two more years of age. This was the favorite versus the Santa Ema, and the
Blackstone. |
1998 Blackstone
California |
10
*** |
02/2003 Medium body, medium fruit. This had
good varietal flavor, and a nice aroma. This wine has benefited greatly
with two more years of age, compared to the Los Vascos. This was the
second best wine versus the Santa Ema, and the Los Vascos. |
1999 Santa Ema
Reserve - Chile |
11
** |
02/2003 Medium body, medium fruit. This is a
nice wine, but it does not taste like a Cabernet. Still a good buy
for the price. This was the third best wine versus the Santa Ema, and the
Los Vascos (above). |
| 1999 Los Vascos Reserve - Chile |
15
*** |
10/2002 Full body, medium fruit. This wine is
thick and viscous in the glass. This tastes fairly
mature, and more impressive than the 1998 vintage. |
| 1998 Los Vascos Reserve - Chile |
14
** |
05/2001 Medium body, medium fruit. This tastes fairly mature,
and is one of the few medium priced cabernets I really like drinking. |
| 1995 Bodega Weinert |
18
*** |
07/2000 Big body, medium fruit. This tastes fairly mature,
and does not have enough fruit to warrant waiting any longer. Seems a bit pricey! |
| 1995 Chateau Souverain |
17
*** |
02/1999 Medium body, good fruit. Needs about 2 years more
age, but drinkable now. Seems a bit pricey! |
| 1994 Saucelito Canyon |
17
** |
02/1999 Medium body, light fruit. Not much varietal
character.
Not recommended. |
| 1995 Eberle |
17
*** |
02/1999 Medium body, good fruit. Some varietal character,
nice touch of oak. Drinkable now. Seems a bit pricey! |
| 1996 VeraMonte Cabernet (Chile) |
10
*** |
05/1998 Medium body. Not quite varietal fruit. A hint of
chocolate, and herbs. A good buy at the price. |