Tasting Report: 2011 California Cabernet Sauvignon
This year’s California Cabernet Society barrel tasting event was considerably smaller than in previous years (many producers are probably skipping it outright), though this at least gave me a little more time to spend with each winery on hand, all pouring barrel samples of their 2011 vintage bottlings (plus a number of older wines on hand for comparative purposes).
As usual, these wines are developing slowly – remember most won’t even be released for two more years – but from this vantage point the year looks to be a modest one at best, impacted by a very cool summer, late rain (= rotting grapes), and very late ripening and picking. While it will go down as one of the worst years in decades for California (alongside 1998), many winemakers seem to have salvaged something good from the year nonetheless. Still, most wines aren’t measuring up to the 2009 and 2008s many were pouring, both of which are going to be classic years for California Cab.
Thoughts follow on all wines tasted.
Tasting Report: 2011 California Cabernet Sauvignon
2011 Ackerman Family Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon / B+ / lots of violet, green pepper
2011 Adelaida Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon Viking Reserve / B / not done, very tart, has some promise
2011 Bell Wine Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon Georges III Vineyard / A- / mild, easygoing
2008 Bell Wine Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon Clone 6 / A / great drinking, red berries
2009 Bell Wine Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley / A / lush, delicious
2011 Blue Rock Cabernet Sauvignon / B / lots of tanin
2011 Cain Five / C- / skunky as always
2009 Charles Krug-Peter Mondavi Family Winery Generations / B+ / mild, some fruit, sweet finish
2008 Charles Krug-Peter Mondavi Family Winery Generations / A- / nice body
2011 Chimney Rock Cabernet Sauvignon Ganymede Vineyard / B+ / daunting now, big tannin, but balance in there
2011 Corison Cabernet Sauvignon / B+ / big mint notes, fruity finish
2011 Cornerstone Cabernet Sauvignon / B+ / tart, still cooking
1999 Cornerstone Cabernet Sauvignon / B+ / showing age, still tannic
2011 Diamond Creek Cabernet Sauvignon Red Rock Terrace / A / a bit tight, showing wonderful future
2009 Diamond Creek Cabernet Sauvignon Red Rock Terrace / A+ / unbelievable, a perfect wine, immense fruit and great structure
2011 Dry Creek Cabernet Sauvignon Endeavor / A- / good structure
2011 Faust Cabernet Sauvignon / B+ / light
2011 Guilliams Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon / A- / smoky nose, earthy body, good structure
2011 Hendry Ranch Winery Cabernet Sauvignon / B+ / still cooking, lighter
2011 Hidden Ridge Cabernet Sauvignon / A- / quite good, understated, a simple wine
2007 Hidden Ridge Cabernet Sauvignon / A / chocolate nose, progressing well
2011 Jericho Canyon Cabernet Sauvignon / B+ / some earth, still cooking, showing port-like character
2011 Keenan Cabernet Sauvignon / B+ / jammier style, herbal finish
2011 Kenefick Ranch Cabernet Sauvignon / B / barnyard nose, thin body
2011 Kristine Ashe Cabernet Sauvignon / B+ / light, fruity, tart finish
2011 Linked Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon / B+ / minty style, a bit dusty
2011 Louis M. Martini Cabernet Sauvignon Monte Rosso / A- / lots of fruit, big strawberry notes
2009 Louis M. Martini Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley / A- / chewy, solid
2008 Louis M. Martini Cabernet Sauvignon Monte Rosso / A- / rich, port-like finish
2011 Mario Bazan Cabernet Sauvignon / B / dusty, drying
2011 Merryvale Cabernet Sauvignon / B- / very dusy, earthy, menthol notes; balance is off
2011 Mi Sueño Cabernet Sauvignon / A- / lovely, light, floral, airy
2011 O’Shaughnessy Estate Winery Cabernet Sauvignon / B+ / earthy nose, still developing, big fruit core
2009 O’Shaughnessy Estate Winery Cabernet Sauvignon Mount Veeder / A / lovely chocolate finish, plummy
2011 Peju Cabernet Sauvignon Virgo Block / A- / surprisingly easy, fruity, ripe cherries
2011 Piña Cabernet Sauvignon Firehouse Vineyard Rutherford / A / nice balance, grape jam, cocoa finish
2009 Piña Cabernet Sauvignon Firehouse Vineyard Rutherford / A / drinking well, great strawberry notes on a big body
2011 Raymond Cabernet Sauvignon / A / really nice balance, blackberries
2008 Raymond Cabernet Sauvignon Generations / A- / cedar, evergreen notes
2011 Rutherford Hill Cabernet Sauvignon / B+ / strong mint nose, fruit cobbler on body, still developing
2011 Sequum Cabernet Sauvignon Kidd Ranch / A- / earth and fruit in good balance, tobacco character
2008 Skipstone Cabernet Sauvignon Oliver’s Blend / B+ / big Port character
2011 Star Lane Cabernet Sauvignon / B+ /
2011 Steven Kent Winery Cabernet Sauvignon Clone 30 Ghielmetti Vineyard / B+ / soapy notes on the nose, body is clean, fruity
2011 Stone Edge Farm Cabernet Sauvignon / B+ / still cooking, big fruit
2011 Ty Caton Cabernet Sauvignon Estate “Barricks” Block / A- / tart, big raspberry
2011 Viader Cabernet Sauvignon Block “B1” Estate / A- / smooth, rounded, silky
2008 Viader Cabernet Sauvignon / A- / developing Port-like character quickly
2011 Volker Eisele Cabernet Sauvignon / B+ / solid fruit, minty finish
2011 William Hill Cabernet Sauvignon / B+ / some Port notes, tannic edge