Vineyard Block Estate Block 939 Cabernet

Vineyard Block Estate
Block 939
Cabernet Sauvignon
Napa Valley
Calistoga, California, U.S.A.
2008
14.2%
$19.94 -- Spec's Liquors, Austin, TX

Color: Deep reddish purple
Nose: Plums, stewed black cherry, orange, a little heat
Body: Full
Front: Plum, vanilla
Middle: Cherry, coffee, orange rind
Back: Chocolate, soft tannins
Burns clean?: No -- almost immediate headache after glass 2.
Cap: Recycled cork

This is pretty good for negociant wine. It's full on the palate, but not too cloying; great with grilled rack of lamb and almost as good with a tomato-basil soup. There's a lot of oak, so if you like that, you will be thrilled--there's not much spice or weird earthy flavor, which I prefer, but it's a hedonistic wine at a slightly less-than-indulgent price.

Von Strasser Cabernet Diamond Mountain

Von Strasser Winery
Diamond Mountain District
Cabernet Sauvignon
Napa Valley
Calistoga, California, U.S.A.
2005
14.1%
$39.43 -- Spec's, Austin, TX

Color: Dark cherry red
Nose: Stewed plum, herbes de provence, black cherry pipe tobacco
Body: Medium
Front: Sour cherry
Middle: Roasted fig, orange
Back: Toasted spices, soft tannins
Burns clean?: Yes
Cap: Cork

I got this wine on a bit of a sale; I'd heard good things about the house, and loved a Diamond Mountain cab that I had at Sattui's Castello di Amoroso a couple of years ago.

This isn't a huge wine, but it's complex, and evolves in an interesting (though not quite distracting) way as it opens up. The nose is delightful; like the palate, it combines fruit and herb elements in a seductive way.

Hall Cabernet

Ceramics by Wayne Bates.

Hall
Cabernet Sauvignon
Napa Valley
St. Helena, California, U.S.A.
2006
14.5%
$28.99 -- Costco, Austin, TX

Color: Deep cherry red
Nose: Blueberry jam, cherry, white pepper
Body: Full
Front: Cherry vanilla
Middle: Cream, raspberry
Back: Cafe au lait, blueberries, firm tannins
Burns clean?: Yes
Cap: Cork

This is a large, rich wine, in a big California style. The oak is elegantly balanced, though, with interesting fruit. And it's not cloying or sticky; it has nice texture, and will evolve into a much smoother version of itself over time. The tannins will kick you if you try to drink it too soon after opening, so beware of it at a restaurant and ask for some time to breathe. If so, it's splendid with food--on its own at this age, it's a little too wound up, like having dinner with a smart, talkative humanities graduate student; he's brilliant, but more pleasant when occasionally silent from scarfing down food. Oddly (and maybe it's just my weirdo palate du jour) it was more fascinating with the bleu cheese, tomato, and iceberg salad tonight than the grilled ribeye (though tasty with both).

Wine Spectator gave this wine 94 points, which I can't quite support, and not just because we don't do points here at Caveat Emptyer: but I will say that it's a bargain at the Costco price.

Round Pond Cabernet Sauvignon

Round Pond Estate
Cabernet Sauvignon
Rutherford, Napa Valley
Rutherford, California, U.S.A.
2007
14.5%
$39.00 -- H.E.B., Austin, TX

Color: Deep cherry red
Nose: Cherry
Body: Full
Front: Cherry vanilla, banana
Middle: Clove, cream, raspberry
Back: Heat, blueberries, strong tannins
Burns clean?: Yes
Cap: Cork

Back when I first tried Caravan and liked it, the sommelier at Wolfgang's in Highlands, NC told me I should try Round Pond. I thought, awesome: and then it turned out their Cabs were really expensive. For some reason, this was on sale at HEB, so I went for it.

Admittedly, 2007 was a good year, but this is quite lovely under any circumstances. It takes a while to loosen up, and even then, the Rutherford tannins are still assertive. But the fruit is lovely (some people will hate the banana-vanilla-ish business in it, but I like that) and the oak is tempered. It's great with a grilled ribeye and tomato salad, and makes Band of Horses songs sound even better than usual.

Gundlach Bundschu Vintage Reserve Cabernet

Gundlach Bundschu Winery
Vintage Reserve
Cabernet Sauvignon
Sonoma, California, U.S.A.
1996
13.9%
$54.98 -- Twin Liquors, Austin, TX

Color: Deep ruby with a brown tinge
Nose: Cherry, eucalyptus, sage
Body: Medium to full
Front: Raspberry, stewed plums
Middle: Coffee, sage
Back: Firm tannins, leather 
Burns clean?: Mostly
Cap: Cork

It's a special night, let's face it. Time to break out the good shit. This isn't a fat cabernet, though; it's got an old-world vibe, a lightness in the middle and a seriousness about its non-fruit flavors. A cigar-drinker's wine; a foodie's wine. This one is better with pickles and mustard--palate-cleansers.

Martin Ray Cabernet Sauvignon Santa Cruz Mountains

Martin Ray Winery
Cabernet Sauvignon
Santa Cruz Mountains
Sonoma
Santa Rosa, California, USA
2002
14.4%
$24.99 -- Grape Vine Market, Austin, TX

Color: Deep red
Nose: Mint, cherries, tar
Body: Full
Front: Cherries
Middle: Raspberries, chocolate, licorice
Back: Mint, cream, cigar wrapper
Burns clean?: Yes
Cap: Cork

A delightful wine. Balanced and smooth on the palate. There are tannins enough to suggest it can still age longer, and plenty of acid to balance them. The cherry and raspberry flavors beautifully set up the meatier, chocolatier flavors in the mid-palate, and it pairs elegantly with grilled food of any kind.

{Note, in 2014: That is the kind of thing I write when I don't want anyone else to know how good a wine is--at least, as far as I can taste. This wine was heavenly. It poked through the veil of universe and smiled into my little well. If you own some, please, please send it to me.}

Kirkland Stag's Leap Cabernet

DC Flynt MW Selections
Kirkland Signature
Cabernet Sauvignon
Stag's Leap
Napa, California, USA
2007
14.3%
$17.99 -- Costco, Austin, TX

Color: Deep garnet
Nose: Plums, sour cherry, coconut, chocolate, nutmeg
Body: Medium to full
Front: Plum, vanilla
Middle: Cherry, coconut
Back: Black tea, soft tannins
Burns clean?: Yes
Cap: Recycled cork

This is good stuff. It's not huge or hugely complex--a little hollow in the mid-palate--but it's Stag's Leap for sure, and it's cheap as heck. The nose alone is worth it, actually, though the palate doesn't quite live up to it. There I could go for a little more sourness...but here's the thing: if you want a Cabernet that both has interesting flavors and is approachable now, this is hard to beat.

This wine is from a negociant: grapes bought from one or more vineyards that had some to spare and blended by a third party for Kirkland (Costco). I note that the negociant is based in Lake Charles, Louisiana, which oddly makes this a much more local wine than I had thought! Earlier this year, I tried their Mountain Cuvee, which, given that I first saw it in the Girard tasting room a week before it appeared at Costco, I suspect to be largely Girard fruit. It's also a good wine, much like this one in quality and complexity, though interestingly a little more pricey. It is less approachable, though, needing an hour or so to open up.

Clos du Val Cabernet Sauvignon

Clos du Val
Cabernet Sauvignon
Napa Valley
St. Helena, California, USA
2006
13.5%
$21.00 -- Costco, Austin, TX

Color: Deep garnet
Nose: Cherry, vanilla
Body: Medium to full
Front: Cherry
Middle: Cassis, sage, oaky creaminess
Back: Blackberry, cigar wrapper, soft tannins
Burns clean?: Yes
Cap: Cork

I've been unimpressed by Clos du Val lately, but at 21 bucks, I'm thrilled with this. It's not big, but it's interesting; uncharacteristic for Napa, but with strong fruit. Though it's low in alcohol, I didn't find that it was radiantly excellent with food; with roasted vegetables, it was lovely, though.

I'm about due for the Austin wine bar report, my top wines of the last year, and my report on Napa wineries: I swear to my loyal readers that both of you will see these things ere August is out!

{Note, 2014: The 2010 Clos du Val Cabernet is splendid. They keep raising the price, unfortunately.}

V. Sattui Cabernet Sattui Family

V. Sattui Winery
Cabernet Sauvignon
Sattui Family
St. Helena, California, USA
2007
13.9%
$16.00 -- Sattui Winery, St. Helena, CA

Color: Deep garnet
Nose: Cherry, vanilla, sage
Body: Full
Front: Cherry
Middle: Hazelnut, cherry pie
Back: Blackberry, cigar wrapper, firm tannins
Burns clean?: Yes
Cap: Cork

It's another excellent 2007 Napa Cabernet. It was good with grilled ribeye (note the alcohol content under 14, which helps it pair well with food). My normal tendency with Sattui wines is to downplay their excellence in fear of drawing too much attention to them, but I have it on authority that there's a lot of the '07 harvest to go around, so this time I'll share.

Now, yer wine snobs aren't going to like this one much--indeed, they'll poo-poo many Sattui wines, I'd guess--but since there aren't many wine snobs in the world, we have little to worry about.

Oakville Winery Cabernet

Oakville Winery
Cabernet Sauvignon
Oakville
Oakville, California, USA
2007
14.5%
$34.99 -- Costco, Austin, TX

Color: Deep garnet
Nose: Eucalyptus, cherry, espresso, a tinge of heat
Body: Full
Front: Cherry
Middle: Licorice, mint, orange peel
Back: Cigar wrapper, soft tannins
Burns clean?: Yes
Cap: Cork

Oh, no. Not another excellent 2007 Napa Cabernet. Okay, yes. It's another excellent 2007 Napa Cabernet. Particularly good with a grilled ribeye, and, I suspect, better a few years from now, when the heat will back off and the fruit will step up a bit. But if you can get it at this price, and you like bracing, herby Cabernets, I would say you are getting a good deal even if you drink it tomorrow!

This is my first post in July, and I can't help but notice it's already July 5th! Historically, July is one of the least productive months for posting, the etiology of which I must contemplate. I suspect it's hot, so I'm not drinking as much of my staple red wine; I'm ludicrously busy with my non-wine-related jobs; and I'm always traveling for some reason. But I've got some surprises up my sleeve, O loyal reader!

Powers Reserve Cabernet

Powers Winery
Cabernet Sauvignon
Reserve
Champoux vineyard
Horse Heaven Hills
Kennewick, Washington, USA
2006
14.5%
$21.99 -- Costco, Austin, TX

Color: Medium to deep strawberry
Nose: Cherry, steak (or maybe shrimp?), vanilla extract, mint chocolate
Body: Full
Front: Tart cherries
Middle: Stewed plum, orange, bread
Back: Sage, licorice
Burns clean?: Yes
Cap: Cork

The nose on this wine is lush and really, almost good enough to eat. I know that shrimp may seem like a weird descriptor, but there it is. It's fascinating. I've had good luck with the Champoux vineyard before; it goes into one of my favorite wines, an Andrew Will blend. Go here for a little more on the Powers folks. And go to Costco tomorrow, or you won't get it at this price, because I will beat you to it.

The palate is tasty, too, though I suspect some people will find it odd. The tannins are fine, and seem to be carrying a sort of tangy desert sage thing, which will make some people proclaim against the smoothness of the wine. Of course it needs to breathe, and these will rapidly soften up. It's good with food; the tartness of the fruit came out with the Basque chicken-and-chorizo I made tonight.

Robert Keenan Wine Dinner

ONE OF THE BEST RESTAURANTS in Austin, Mirabelle, is just around the bend from my place (or was; it closed in 2012). The food is excellent, and a few of the entrees are among the best in town. The wine list is really, really good: not vast, but well-designed. It pairs well with the menu, and there are always good deals to be had for someone with a little wine knowledge. Those without such knowledge will be thrilled.

Keenan Vineyards on Spring Mountain, Napa Valley, CA

"You get infected...with this thing in your blood," Michael Keenan told us, about getting into the wine business; "it's like a virus." I agree, and I ain't even in the wine business. I've reviewed Keenan wines before, so I was delighted at the opportunity to meet Michael Keenan and to taste some of the winery's other offerings.

Before reflecting on the event itself--a different experience from my previous wine dinners--let me run down the wines, for surfers looking for opinions about how these wines were drinking:

2007 Keenan "Spring Mountain" Chardonnay: On the nose, some buttercream, a little pineapple, but reasonably tight. On the palate, excellently balanced, with lime, pineapple, butter, even a hint of mint, which was delightful, on the finish. Bourgogney. Splendid with a little crepe, prosciutto and gruyere canape. Circa $25 retail.

2006 Keenan Napa Valley Merlot: On the nose, licorice and cherry, with a hint of cinnamon. Chocolate, violets, and black cherry on the palate. I really liked this--I think it was my favorite. For a comparison, see this entry. Even better, as it's still young, with the arctic char and fava bean puree. They cheated by doing a Merlot reduction alongside--but I saw that coming, and tried the wine with the fava bean puree first, and it was a charming combination. Circa $30 retail.

2005 Keenan Napa Cabernet, circa $50 retail: On the nose, briary, smoky, plum-ridden; really intense. On the palate, the usual cherry, licorice, and plum, harmoniously balanced. A caveat: I favor  mountain wines from the Napa/Sonoma areas, as you'll see from some other entries. And this is an '05: it's still young, and it had not been open long--yet it was damn tasty. And the same goes for...

2005 "Spring Mountain" Cabernet, Reserve: Pepper, plum, bell pepper, blackberry, and tar on the nose--though not tremendously focused. On the palate, more focused plum, licorice, smoke, and  charming sage at the close. A charming wine in general, though worth the $90 price tag? Hard to say. Both Cabernets were delightful--and showed better--with the lamb enchilada and espresso crema sauce.

2005 Reserve Merlot, "Mailbox Vineyard": This has the hallmarks of a young vineyard. On the nose, black fruit, but a little sweetness in the aromas, and fascinating desert sage. On the palate, chocolate covered raspberry, plum, orange, and a hint of cilantro. Those with less affection for the mountain style, with its briary smoke, will like this one more, I think; and too, it's young. These wines are built to age, as my previous encounters with them suggested. This paired well, though not perhaps as elegantly as the previous courses, with a beef filet topped with foie gras.

The genre of the wine dinner is still a bit of a mystery to me. I'm tempted to say that its characteristics are not generalizable--that each wine dinner tends to show its peculiarities in relation to the venue. Mirabelle is in a comparatively wealthy, comparatively suburban neighborhood, and its chef is a player in Austin's food and beverage realm. So perhaps it's not surprising that this dinner saw a fascinating combination of established, older folks with younger, mover-shaker business types. I'll do another of these dinners before long, and to test my theory, I'll choose an utterly new venue to me.

I had the good luck to be seated with a charmingly clumsy photographer (who, I suspect, also preferred the Merlot), some mover-shaker folks (who, appallingly, left behind most of their wine and decamped early), and some longtime fans of Mirabelle. I was struck by the appreciation that Mirabelle's owner and head chef, Michael Vilim, showed for his staff, both by introducing them to us during the dinner and by naming all of them--servers, buser, and sous chefs--on the menu. A big small thing. (New York City peeps: please do post a comment if you have been to a restaurant-hosted wine dinner at which you learned the full names of all of your servers and sous chefs.)

Michael Keenan has done a million of these things, you can tell, and he got up three times to talk about the wines, but otherwise hung back or cruised among the tables, informally chatting. That, it seemed to me, was an ideal approach--no pitch, no bullshit, no anxiousness, just passion. Or perhaps, a virus.

Stephanie Cabernet Sauvignon

Hestan Vineyards
Stephanie
Cabernet Sauvignon
Napa Valley
Napa, California, USA
2006
14.9%
$39.98 -- Costco, Austin, TX

Color: Deep garnet
Nose: Plums, sour cherry, violets, sage
Body: Full
Front: Plum, vanilla
Middle: Nutmeg, black cherry
Back: Slim Jim, orange, soft tannins
Burns clean?: Yes
Cap: Cork

This is Cabernet to my taste. The oak is well integrated, as are the tannins. They help structure the palate instead of overpowering it. It's got sourness (a little) and spiciness (a little nutmeg) and beefiness (a little) and they're all distinctly present, emerging as the wine gets a little air. This evening it was lamb chops and a blue-cheese-dressed salad, and with the lamb in particular the wine was a delight. I'm going to go back and get another bottle!

Note, spring 2014: This is even better now; unpacks itself more rapidly, and shows even more depth.

Rutherford Hill Cabernet

Rutherford Hill Winery (Terlato Wines)
Cabernet Sauvignon
Napa Valley
Rutherford, California, USA
2004
14.2%
$19.00 -- Costco, Austin, TX

Color: Dark garnet
Nose: Black cherry, Dr. Pepper, coffee, violet CrayolaTM crayon
Body: Full
Front: Plum, chocolate
Middle: Raspberry, orange, black tea
Back: Soft tannins, cedar
Burns clean?: Yes
Cap: Cork

I'm a big fan of Rutherford Hill wines, not so much because they're the tastiest things ever -- though they're pretty good -- as because they are solid, characteristic Napa wines at reasonable prices.

I'm having a bit of a strange struggle with myself as I drink this, respecting whether I prefer the Cabernet or the Merlot, especially given that in general the 2004 Merlot is a couple of bucks cheaper. They share many features: they're both generously oaked, and they're both from fruit grown in the same vineyards (probably all over the Valley), which gives them a strong personality. This one is probably a little more complex, but not as charming as the Merlot: so there, I finesse the question!

Note (3-8-2010): Had the 2003. 13.5% abv. Cherry, cedar, asphalt, and a hint of mint and NyQuil on the nose; plenty of oak, with a bit of cherry and cassis on the palate. I think I preferred the slightly more diverse palate of the 2004. On day 2, though, the mint and chocolate and wood leapt from the glass: fascinating!

Grgich Hills Cabernet

Grgich Hills Estate
Cabernet Sauvignon
Napa Valley
Rutherford, California, USA
2005
14.7%
$38.99 -- Costco, Austin, TX

Color: Dark garnet
Nose: Cherry, licorice, cigar
Body: Full
Front: Ripe plum, cassis
Middle: Cedar, cafe Americano
Back: Vanilla, firm tannins
Burns clean?: Supremely
Cap: Cork

After one of the longest days ever, it's nice to have a stout Cabernet.  This one is beautifully structured, dark and dense, and likely to be really fantastic in a few years. If you drink it now, it needs air -- a couple of hours. And beware, it is throwing sediment. Tasty sediment.

It wasn't the perfect pairing with extra-moist brisket, but went pretty well with mashed sweet potatoes and deliciously with French bread. I'm pairing it with Toni Morrison, which I think is going to work out. Morrison would never end a sentence with a preposition. If you find an exception, send it on.

Casa Lapostolle Cuvée Alexandre Cabernet

Casa Lapostolle
Cuvée Alexandre
Cabernet Sauvignon
Apalta Vineyard
Colchagua Valley
Santa Cruz, Chile
2006
14.5%
$21.99 -- Grape Vine Market, Austin, TX

Color: Deep garnet
Nose: Mushrooms, thyme, blackberry jam
Body: Full
Front: Black cherry
Middle: Plum, firm tannins
Back: Licorice, herbes de provence
Burns clean?: Yes

Cap: Cork

So far, this is my favorite Chilean wine. The second Cuvée Alexandre I ever had was described in my last post. It was the Merlot, and I liked it, though I think it did not move mountains and part seas for me. It was luscious but well-balanced, and went well with food. In fact, at times it kind of tasted like one of my favorite foods, bacon.

So what of the Cabernet? This wine is from the same year, same maker, same vineyard, costs the same, and has the same alcohol content as the Merlot. This is a true varietal test right here.

If you blindfolded me, I probably wouldn't have guessed that the Merlot was a Merlot--perhaps Malbec. And if you gave me this, I might say it was a Cab, but if you told me it was a Merlot I wouldn't be shocked. They're quite similar in terms of structure and the taste profile: a little fruit up front, some herby earthiness, then a little anise and interesting tannins towards the end. Indeed, the tannins are the biggest difference for me--these are classic Cabernet tannins, while the Merlot had odd, engaging, but chunky ones (and it wasn't in good shape on day two).

With a prime (actually 'choice,' but nicely roasted) rib the herbiness of the wine really came out, a lovely effect.

Justin Cabernet

Justin Vineyards & Winery
Cabernet Sauvignon
Paso Robles
Paso Robles, California, USA
2007
13.5%
$19.99 -- Costco, Austin, TX

Color: Dark reddish-purple
Nose: Mushrooms, vanilla, car seat, cherry
Body: Medium
Front: Plum
Middle: Espresso, cherry cola, soft tannins
Back: Licorice, herbes de provence, graphite
Burns clean?: Yes
Cap: Cork

This wine makes me happy. It's not a mind-bender, but it's not overoaked and it will go well with food. I'm not sure I'd put it up against a grilled steak; the body is a little lighter than some. It is certainly a California wine, in the sense that it's bold and fruity. But it's one of the more structured Cabernets from Paso that I've had, and certainly among those with the most interesting palates at this price from that region.

Franciscan Cabernet

Franciscan Winery
Cabernet Sauvignon
Oakville Estate
Napa Valley
St. Helena, California, USA
2004
14.1%
$19.99 -- Franciscan Winery, St. Helena, CA

Color: Dark garnet, a very faint hint of peach at the edge
Nose: Coffee, sour plum, raspberry
Body: Full
Front: Plum, roasted fig
Middle: Broccoli, espresso
Back: Licorice, easygoing tannins
Burns clean?: Yes
Cap: Cork

I'm astonished to find that I haven't reviewed a Franciscan wine before. I've bought at least three cases of them; have examples of the 2003 and 2004 Cabs carefully stored away; am a fan of their "Cuvee Sauvage" naturally fermented Chardonnay; and like the Magnificat blend a lot. They are owned by the same folks that own Mount Veeder winery of whose wine I have spoken highly--so what happened?

I don't know. But I'm more distressed to find that I've consumed all but two bottles of my stash of the 2004 Cabernet. I remember thinking when I first tried it at the winery a few years ago that it had potential to be tasty as all get-out in a few years, and lo, I was correct. So why didn't I wait?

Because you can't wait forever. Life is short, my friends, and writing this blog entry will do good work if it reminds me of that. This is a French-style wine, which I suspect has a good dose of Merlot and a little Cab Franc in it. It has a rich (but not overripe) dark fruitiness balanced by distinct (and pleasant, to me) vegetal flavors, herbs, and coffee. Great with food, it will make a wide variety of drinkers happy. If you find some, save it for me.

A query for my readers: How the hell did this winery get the franciscan.com domain? I realize St. Francis committed to a life of poverty, but surely bogarting the franciscan.com domain--especially were it *not* to sell anything--would have been consistent with that apostolic intent?

Chateau Ste Michelle Cold Creek Cabernet

Chateau Ste. Michelle
Cabernet Sauvignon
Cold Creek Vineyard
Columbia Valley
Woodinville, Washington, USA
2006
14.1%
$19.99 -- Costco, Austin, TX

Color: Dark purpley garnet
Nose: Sage, blackberry jam, Dr. PepperTM
Body: Medium
Front: Espresso, black tea
Middle: Black currant cream
Back: Licorice, leather, firm tannins
Burns clean?: Yes
Cap: Cork

This one's going to be a bit tannic for most folks I reckon, unless it's given a long time to open up, or a year or two in the cellar. I do think it'll age, but I'm going to leave it open for about four hours tonight as I drink it and see. This is my service to the world.

If, however, you like the gritty and earthy Cabernets, you might like this one without any cellaring. The pizza I had tonight wasn't up to the challenge of this wine, which looks sweet but is a bit of a bully at this point.

Note: Day 2, the nose opened up to more fruit, but the palate, while acquiring a little blueberry, didn't really more complex or rich. With a year more, perhaps it would flower?

Coppola Director's Cut Cabernet

Francis Coppola Presents
Cabernet Sauvignon
Sonoma
Alexander Valley
Geyserville, California, USA
2006
14.1%
$23.99 -- HEB, Austin, TX

Color: Dark peachy garnet
Nose: Blackberry paste, espresso, thyme
Body: Medium
Front: Plum
Middle: Chocolate, ripe dark cherry, peach
Back: SkittlesTM, soft tannins, Nerf football
Burns clean?: Yes
Cap: Cork

Right away I need to say that the SkittlesTM flavor I'm getting may be a product of synergy with the cheese I'm eating this late Friday evening: Beecher's Flagship Reserve. But it's fascinating, and indicative, I think, of the way this wine will integrate well with food. I'll be overrevelatory here: I haven't had great reactions to Coppola wines before, so this one is a surprise.

All in all, I think this is a good value, because it'll please many different palates, the oak isn't overdone, and it's going to pair well with a range of foods.