Cabernet Sauvignon Wine Tasting Notes

1997 Byington
Bates Ranch Vineyard Santa Cruz Mountains Cabernet Sauvignon
Score: 92.0
"A beautifully structured wine with intense fresh blackberry and dark chocolate aromas, moderate tannin, and seamless integration of oak, giving subtle vanilla and sweet spice notes to tthe complex, lengthy finish. Appealing on its own, it would pair easily with grilled meats, and pasta with tomato sauce."

1996 Buena Vista
Carneros Cabernet Sauvignon
Score: 90.0
"The structure and mouthfeel of this cool climate Cabernet is sublime. Its light and silky on the palate, showing juicy black currant fruit with a hint of bell pepper in the background. Long and high pitched, its an excellent value."

1995 Beringer
Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon Private Reserve
Score: 93.0
"There is a spicy edge to this full-flavored Cabernet. Deep, concentrated blackberry, ginger and nutmeg give the wine layers flavors, while subtle vanilla and toast pop up in the long finish. Improves considerably with aeration. A wine with a bit of charisma. Serve with curry or lamb. "

1997 Balbi
Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve
Score: 87.0
"Rich dark chocolate and blackberry flavors, moderate tannin, deep fruity finish. "

1996 Stags Leap Wine Cellars
Fay Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon
Score: 93.0
"A triumph in a difficult year, I only hope you can afford it, as Fay vineyard is once again on top of the heap. Intense aromatic blackberry and spicy French oak aroma. On the palate it shows berry, dark chocolate and a hint of bell pepper, with moderate tannin and a warm, mouthwatering finish. "

1996 Stags Leap Wine Cellars
SLV Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon
Score: 92.0
"Nearly the equal of Fay, the SLV has an opulent aroma of ripe blackberries with a lower layer of cassis, following through to the palate with a toasty note. Moderate tannin on the mid-palate becomes more obtrusive through the finish. It would be hard to imagine a dry wine with more fruit than this. It should last another 15 years, and be near its peak by 2005."

1997 Napa Ridge
Central Coast Cabernet Sauvignon
Score: 88.0
"A very elegant and unusual Cabernet displaying huge raspberry, loganberry and orange peel flavors and subtle oak spice, moderate tannin and firm structure."

1996 R.H. Phillips Toasted Head
California Cabernet Sauvignon/Syrah
Score: 87.0
"R.H. Phillips is an underrated producer, as this non-traditional blend of Cabernet (55%) and Syrah (45%) attests. Full-bodied, smooth, with soft tannin, the fruit is all berry and plum with a wisp of green olive. It has excellent balance and a tart fruity finish. Begs for steak."

1996 Concha y Toro Don Melchor
Maipo Valley Chile Cabernet Sauvignon
Score: 87.0
"Herbaceous with cedar and chocolate notes, dry, medium-bodied and quite long. Enjoy with game, roast beef and cheese."

Louis M. Martini
North Coast Cabernet Sauvignon
Score: 92.0
"This wine defies the accepted 'wisdom' that single vineyard, single appellation wines are always better. This is a classic-quintessential Cabernet Sauvignon character of cassis and olive, complimented by subtle oak spice in a perfectly proportioned package, with even intensity from nose to finish. More evidence of Martinis resurgence as a major, if under-appreciated player on the California wine scene. Need we say, a bargain at the price?"

1996 Carmenet Moon Mountain Reserve
Sonoma Valley Cabernet Sauvignon
Score: 89.0
"Despite a devastating vineyard fire in '96, Carmenets '96 Cabernet is an excellent wine, augmented with grapes from neighboring vineyards owned by Louis Martini winery and actor Danny Glover. The structure is firm yet yielding, the fruit a compact expression of cherry and red currant (as well as enticing notes of watermelon), with well-integrated tannin, smokey oak and a never-ending finish. Age another decade, or serve now with grilled portabello mushrooms, roast beef or strong cheese."

1996 Beringer
Knights Valley Cabernet Sauvignon
Score: 86.0
"Lush blackberry with a little cassis in the background, the Knights Valley is also quite tannic at the moment. There is plenty of fruit to assure graceful aging over the next decade, but if you want to drink it now, decant and aerate it first. Its a natural for red meats and pasta in tomato sauce."

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