Cakebread Cabernet Sauvignon

 Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon can be magic: boysenberry flavours, smooth mouthfeel, silky tannins. Unfortunately, these wines, particularly from the valley floor, are often overripe. In response, a number of wineries  headed for the hills. And then you have the opposite issue. Enter the 2019 Cakebread Cabernet Sauvignon.

2019 was a cool vintage. And despite this wine coming from the valley floor, the blackcurrant flavours are overshadowed by herbal notes. While the wine avoids the gap in the mid palate, it delivers quite a coarse mouthfeel. The finish is quite long, but a bit harsh and not totally pleasant.

Score : 87/0

PS: We all know that Napa Cabernet is expensive. I only buy the occasional bottles from airport duty free stores.

Penfolds Collection 2024

 

                                        

The Penfolds Collection now consists of 22 wines. It is difficult to taste them all. I had an opportunity to taste 9 of these wines. The biggest omissions were St. Henri (small volume?), Bin 707, RWT, the premium Chardonnays, and the French wines.

An overall impression of the red wines is that they seem to be fresher and more energetic than in the past. The influence of new oak is more subdued, and overall the wines are quite drinkable straight away.

I was not too impressed with the white wines I tasted. The 2024 Bin 51 Riesling from Eden Valley was quite broad (90 points). The 2023 Bin 311 is actually quite complex on the palate expressing citrus, white nectarine, strike match and almond flavours. The Penfols notes give more than 10 flavours, but somehow the wine did not grab me as some previous vintages have (92 points).

Of the entry level red wines, the 2023 Bin 23 Grenache was a real revelation. Many Grenaches are too big and too fruity, but this wine is quite restrained. It is medium-bodied, with raspberry flavours and a touch of bubblegum sweetness, only a touch. The mouthfeel is quite velvety and the finish is long - a very attractive wine (94 points). The 2022 Bin 28 Shiraz, the Penfolds workhorse, is pure and plummy, but the finish is short (92 points). 

The American wines are from the wildfires impacted 2021 vintage. The Bin 600 is this curious combination of Paso Robles Cabernet Sauvignon and  15% South Australian Shiraz. Despite the Shiraz component, I felt the hole on the mid-palate. The Cabernet component not very strong. The wine has an earthy taste and the finish is medium (91 points). The 2021 Bin 704 is Napa Cabernet Sauvignon. This is quite a big wine, but it has acidity to match. This is an intense and tannic wine, but it is in balance (93 points).

The 2022 Bin 407 Cabernet Sauvignon is a blend of Cabernet grapes from all major regions of South Australia is quite a step up. It is a fresh wine with good drive, representing the vintage. The cooler year defines this wine. It is much leaner than in previous years, again with a bit of a gap in the middle. However, it is a well constructed wine with good balance (92 points). The 2022 Bin 389 Cabernet Shiraz is quite a step up. The wine is quite fresh, with good drive, showing the characteristics of the vintage.  Blackberry, plum, and mulberry flavours deliver a satisfying mouthfeel. The key feature to me is the very long finish. This wine will benefit from ageing, no doubt (95 points).

Grange; what can you say that has not been said already. this is the 2020 Grange. The first impression; you can actually drink this wine on release and enjoy it. Given the unparalleled grape resources available to Penfolds, it is not surprising that the variability from year to year is quite low. So you expect the wine to be powerful and ripe, which it is, with licorice and dark chocolate flavours adding to the fruit. However, this is not an outstanding Grange, when measured against other vintages. What is missing is the detailed layering you find in the best vintages. Did the 2020 bush fires have an influence? (96 points).

Overall, Penfolds is heading in the right direction with this release. Some key wines were missing in this tasting, so a complete assessment will have to wait.

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              

Three Cabernets, Three Continents

Three very good Cabernets from Australia, France and the US were tasted blind, in this order, as it turned out.

The 2012 Moss Wood Cabernet Sauvignon showed intense blackberry and blackcurrant fruit, cedary notes and spice. It has great purity and elegance. There is sufficient acidity to drive the flavours to a long finish, rounded out by silky tannins. A very good wine, which will unfold its complexity over time (96 points).

The 2015 Chateau Pichon Longueville Lalande is perhaps a bit out of character, reflecting the warm Bordeaux vintage. The primary fruit flavours are similar to the Moss Wood, but the mouthfeel of the wine is totally different. This is a bigger wine, ripe and round. It is a little sweet on the finish. Most thought this was the Napa wine (94 points).

A wine enthusiast said: That’s a juvenile Pichon Lalande there!  I didn’t know it was legal to drink one that young. I enjoyed this.

The 2013 Dunn Vineyards Howell Mountain was the wine of the night for everybody. Apart from the black fruit flavours, blueberry and lavender add interest. The highlight is how the wine is framed. The flavours are intense and ripe, yet tight at the same time. The firm tannins create a well integrated package. Another unexpected highlight is the lift on the very long finish (97 points).

Cabernet Sauvignon has lately been a bit neglected as a variety. This tasting showed this should not be the case, when well made. Hail the king of grapes!

International Cabernet Tasting

Top Australian Cabernets were put against some pretty smart Bordeaux from excellent vintages and a few Napa wines. Two French wines came out on top (not just in my opinion) against Australian wines, which many 'independent' wine critics have given 98 points plus. Does this mean the French were 102 points? It goes to show how ridiculous the rating system has become in Australia. It seems only the www.winefront.com.au keeps to a sensible scoring system.

The best wines were the 2000 Chateau Palmer, Margaux and the 2005 Chateau Prieuré-Lichine, Margaux. Both wines had plenty of rich and lush blackberry fruit and cassis. The fruit is concentrated, yet elegant on the palate. These wines had silky tannins and a long finish. The Palmer was a bit more reserved, with the Prieuré-Lichine offering a full-bodied mouthfeel.

My favorite Australians were the 2015 Cullen Diana Madeline, which I reviewed in a recent post below, and the 2014 Lake's Folly Cabernets, from a 100 year vintage in the Hunter Valley. This is the first time I tasted this wine. The palate is complex, with dark fruits, cedar, and a hint of Christmas cake. Impressive is the stylish long finish.

In the next category would be the 2015 Te Mata Coleraine with its soft, feminine features: an elegant wine with good length. The 2005 Chateau Montrose is elegant, but with a strong tannic backbone. I also liked the 2012 Matthiasson Oak Knoll District Napa Cabernet Sauvignon. It is very aromatic with beautiful fruit on the palate, and a slightly uneven finish. The 2014 Yeringberg Cabernet is impressive. This is an elegant wine, with good depth and some grip. I preferred it to the Mount Mary.

The next group was still very good, but my choices would obviously be the wines above. It included the 2014 Mount Mary Quintet, the 2010 Chateau Latour le Pauillac de Latour (3rd level wine), 2012 Mount Eden Cabernet (Santa Cruz Mountains), 2013 Stonestreet Cabernet Sauvignon (Alexander Valley).

I was less impressed with the ??SC Pannell Cabernet/Shiraz (too fruity), the 2011 Man O War Ironclad Bordeaux Blend (a bit simple), the 2008 Puriri Hills Reserve (fruity and alcoholic), the 2014 Rockford 'Rifle Range' Cabernet Sauvignon (sweet), and the 2012 Mount Brave Cabernet (alcoholic).

Joseph Phelps Insignia Cabernet Sauvignon

This post should be read in conjunction with the previous one.

The other wine I took home from that Napa Valley trip was the 2007 Joseph Phelps Insignia. This is one of the famous and very consistent Cabernet Sauvignons from the Napa Valley, in its chunky, standing out bottle.

This wine has more depth than the Stags Leap SLV, and a big mouthfeel. The blueberry and blackberry flavours are quite clean and elegant. Paradoxically, this wine is less complex than the SLV, with a focus on fruit intensity and concentration. The tannins are firm and well integrated. The finish is quite dry. This wine needs protein.

Score: 94/++

Two Exciting Cabernets To Compare: Achaval-Ferrer and Stag's Leap Wine Cellars

I missed World Malbec Day, which was 10 days ago. However, it is a good marketing idea. Therefore, belatedly, I pulled the best Malbec out of my cellar.

Strictly speaking, the 2011 Achaval Ferrer Quimera is not a Malbec, but a Malbec blend, with Cabernet Franc, Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon and a bit of Petit Verdot making up the remaining 50%.

This wine is utterly modern, with freshness and superb elegance. It is clean, crisp and very defined, with a shape which runs down the palate, rather than engulfing every possible taste bud. Blackcurrant flavours, black cherry, blackberry and white pepper blend in with fine grained tannins. The finish is very elegant. 

The different grape contributions are seamless. What is surprising is that only the Cabernet Sauvignon grapes come from high altitude, but there is no sweetness, thickness or over-ripeness in this well made wine.

Score: 95/+++

One of the exciting, and still affordable wines I brought back from a trip to Napa Valley around 2010 was the 2007 Stag's Leap Wine Cellars S.L.V. (Stag's Leap Vineyards) Cabernet Sauvignon. This is of course the winery which won the legendary 1976 tasting challenge against Bordeaux wines (with the Cask 23). The 1973 vintage of this wine was named an 'Object that made America' by the Smithsonian National Museum of American History.

Like with Australian Shiraz, there is always some doubt how well Napa Cabernet Sauvignon can age. And in 10 year old tastings, the scores are mostly lower than on release. However, on opening the bottle, the signs are good. The colour is dark and looks fresh.

This wine comes from a warmer climate than the Quimera, and it shows. The wine is darker, richer, and broader. The flavours are quite complex. Red- and blackcurrant, plum, and cedar mix with earthy notes, cinnamon and chocolate. The structure is holding up, and the balance is good. Coarser tannins lead to a full-bodied finish.

Score: 93/++

Choosing between these two wines really comes down to preferences. The freshness and raciness of the Quimera vs. the richness and full mouthfeel of the S.L.V.  

Stag's Leap Wine Cellars S.L.V. Cabernet Sauvignon

After the disappointment with Pahlmeyer, I opened a bottle of the second wine I brought back from the Napa a few years ago, the legendary S.L.V. Cabernet Sauvignon. Legendary because it was this wine which won the famous 1976 Paris tasting against French Bordeaux.

The 2007 Stag's Leap Wine Cellars S.L.V. Cabernet Sauvignon comes from a vineyard now up to 40 years old, with quite varied soil, from alluvial to volcanic. This is a full-bodied wine, but not overblown. Blackcurrant flavours dominate on the front palate. The mid-palate is a bit flat, as is often the case with Cabernet Sauvignon. On the back-palate, there are savoury and mineral notes, matched with balanced tannins.

There is nothing striking about this wine, but it is well made and enjoyable to drink right now.

Score: 93/++

Pahlmeyer Red Wine

And this is of special interest to my US readers.

The Pahlmeyer Red is the flagship wine of this highly regarded Napa Valley winery. It is a Cabernet Sauvignon based Bordeaux blend. The 2007 Pahlmeyer Red achieved very high ratings on its release for its fruit intensity and elegance.

Alas, six years in only, and the fruit flavours have largely gone. What remains is a highly alcoholic wine, the blackberry fruit tastes burnt and dead. I do not find this a pleasant drink and had trouble finishing one glass. On the second day, the sharpness had gone somewhat, and the wine became more drinkable, but the sense of over-ripeness remained. I have seen the vineyard, which is immaculate. The problem is clearly with too much of an extended hang-time of the grapes and possibly too heavy handed winemaking. This wine tasted good to me on release, but it is one of many examples that Napa Valley Cabernets are not built to last.

Score: 83/---  

Joseph Phelps Insignia

The allure of Napa Valley Cabernet is to a significant extent based on hype: a clever approach to produce very low volume single vineyard wines, which one can only buy when on the mailing list, which is oversubscribed. Some of these wines are outstanding, but there are significant variances from year to year and it is unclear how long they can be cellared successfully.

I have been on the lookout for wines which have great consistency and cellar well. I took two wines back to Sydney from the outstanding 1997 vintage. One of them was the 1997 Joseph Phelps Insignia. This is a blended wine with a good track record.

Yesterday, I opened my second last bottle. As expected, this is a big wine. This Cabernet based Bordeaux blend tastes of red cherry, plum and fruitcake. It has quite a fat, but attractive mouthfeel. The wine is well balanced with firm, but not coarse tannins and acidity providing some backbone. This wine is still drinking well. My gripes are: the wine displays virtually no savoury characteristics and has not mellowed much (it is under cork!). As such, it is not very differentiated.

The Insignia (as other Napa Cabernets) is closer to a South Australian Shiraz than a Margaret River or Coonawarra Cabernet. From this perspective, it is understandable that Americans find Australian Cabernets green and thin. Incidentally, I had a 1996 Henschke Mt. Edelstone the night before. While it had matured faster, it displayed more berry flavours and overall complexity.

This may all sound a little negative, but I quite liked the Insignia. I went very well with the lamb tenderloins.

Score: 93/++