QRW’s
23rd Annual
California’s Best of The Best
QRW Tasting Staff
After six months of blind tasting, after tasting eight major varietals, and after more than 740 wines, QRW’s 23rd Annual Best of The Best in California was completed. We tasted what we feel are most of the Best wines, which must be available retail and/or in restaurants. The singular purpose of the tasting is to offer readers the Best wines, and the latest releases of these wines, which they can actually purchase. As always, this means “trophy wines” – those fine but expensively unavailable wines (except by private subscription) – were not tasted. If you want to pay $2,000 or more for a Screaming Eagle Cabernet Sauvignon, fine. But since we can’t buy it, we won’t taste it. The same is true of some non-trophy, but highly sought after wines. Invariably, we get e-mails protesting this, claiming that, since we have not tasted the trophies, we have not tasted the best. But to us the argument is still specious. If you pay a lot for a bottle of wine – and you overpay for trophies – then suddenly it gets more precious to you. You start fantasizing over it. If you rate your “best” by “price,” you’re an investor, not a taster. You know the price of wines but not the value of them. We offer you superior quality, value, and availability. And another thing about trophy wines: most know the auction scheme they often prompt. Buyers will get their hands on two bottles of Screaming Eagle via subscription, drink one and offer the second to eBay, usually returning them the money they laid out for the two. So much for wine appreciation.
The Cabernet Sauvignon 2003 vintage is fine. It is not as grand and as long lasting as the 2001 or 2002, but they deliver. The Caymus Special Selection, a perennial favorite, was as fine as ever, but our blind tasting gave us new and exciting wines, like Parallel, Louis Martini’s Lot 1, and Tom Mackey’s New Wild Oak Wine. And speaking of very fine, you have to know the 2004 Syrah. Here, Rosenblum and Shafer still remain the Best in California, but the great interest in Syrah production has given us new entrées into our Best of The Best ranks, like Austin Hope, Bridlewood, Foley, Michael David, Novy, and Saxon Brown. Pinot Noir is uneven, but we found several 2003 and 2004 to admire; it was, however, a 2005 from Belle Glos that stole the show. Many of the Best wines were found in the red blend/Meritage (rhymes with heritage) tasting. The wines are immense. More new wines emerged: Ferrari-Carano’s Prevail “Back Forty” and Prevail “West Face.” Fisher’s Cameron is stunning wine, as are Girard’s Artistry and Steltzner’s Claret. The point is to buy quality, like Beringer, Caymus, Duckhorn, Phelps, Rosenblum, Shafer, Taylor Peak (new Kendall-Jackson wines), and others we have listed. Even in less than fine vintages, these wineries can deliver superior wines.
QRW designates its very best wine in each varietal wine with a “Best of The Best/Best of Show” moniker. This is followed by our “Best of The Best/Five-Star” selections (the high 90s for those needing numbers), and our Four-Star selections (low 90s for those still needing numbers). A definition of what constitutes Five- and Four-Stars are offered below. Note: Prices here are suggested from the wineries; consumers should expect to pay a few more dollars as prices may vary from region to region.
– Richard L. Elia
CALIFORNIA CABERNET SAUVIGNON
California Cabernet Sauvignon has never been better. As evidence, we offer the following 25 wines. There is not one among them we wouldn’t feel comfortable serving side by side with the best Bordeaux. They are truly “The Best.”
Five-Star California Cabernet Sauvignon
Outstanding: Wines of such remarkable character and quality
as to be in a class by themselves
2002 Beringer Private Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon (Napa Valley), $115. Deep, rich, earthy, well-knit, cassis, coffee and toasted nut flavors.
2002 Clos Pegase Hommage Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon (Napa Valley), $75. Big, deep, rich, powerful, ultra-concentrated, blackberry, mineral and licorice flavors.
2003 Duckhorn Cabernet Sauvignon “Monitor Ledge Vineyard” (Napa Valley), $95. Big, rich, ripe, round, ultra-luxurious, cassis and toasty oak flavors.
2003 Eponymous Cabernet Sauvignon (Napa Valley), $58. Ripe, plump, juicy, elegant, black raspberry, licorice and mocha flavors.
2004 Kendall-Jackson Highland Estates Napa Mountain Cabernet Sauvignon (Mt.Veeder/Napa Valley), $60. Big, deep, dense, power-packed, black fruit, mineral, coffee and dark chocolate flavors.
2003 Louis Martini Cabernet Sauvignon “Lot 1” (Napa Valley), $100. Ripe, pure, round, luxurious, blackberry, cassis, chocolate and nutty oak flavors.
2004 Parallel [Philippe Melka] Cabernet Sauvignon (Napa Valley), $49. 75% Cabernet Sauvignon, 16% Merlot and 9% Petit Verdot. Big, rich, ripe, pure, blackberry, mocha and chocolate flavors – hedonistic to the max!
2003 Merryvale Cabernet Sauvignon “Beckstoffer Vineyard” (Oakville/ Napa Valley), $75. Soft, succulent, round, juicy, blackberry, mocha and nutty oak flavors.
2003 Rutherford Ranch Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon (Napa Valley), $30. Deep, rich, ripe, utterly voluptuous, cassis, mocha and spicy oak vanillin flavors.
Four-Star California Cabernet Sauvignon
Excellent: Wines of exemplary character and quality –
benchmarks of their type
2003 Cakebread Cabernet Sauvignon (Napa Valley), $58. Soft, plump, succulent, elegantly knit, black fruit, nutty oak and spice flavors.
2004 Casa Nuestra Cabernet Sauvignon (Napa Valley), $55. Big, deep, dense, meaty, well-knit, black fruit, dark chocolate and mocha flavors.
2003 Cosentino Cabernet Sauvignon (Napa Valley), $45. Big, deep, rich, roasted, black fruit, licorice and mocha flavors.
2004 Darioush Cabernet Sauvignon (Napa Valley), $75. Lush, ripe, juicy, round, blackberry, chocolate and nutty oak flavors.
2003 Duckhorn Cabernet Sauvignon “Patzimaro Vineyard” (Napa Valley), $95. 75% Cabernet Sauvignon, 15% Cabernet Franc and 10% Merlot. Plush, round, juicy, black fruit, mocha and nutty oak flavors.
2003 Fisher Coach Insignia Cabernet Sauvignon (Napa Valley), $70. Deep, rich, pure, well-focused, blackberry, mocha, chocolate and toasted nut flavors.
2002 Grgich Hills Cabernet Sauvignon “Yountville Selection” (Napa Valley), $135. Big, rich, earthy, mouth-filling, blackberry, mineral and licorice flavors.
2003 Paul Hobbs CrossBarn Cabernet Sauvignon (Napa Valley), $43. Ripe, plump, juicy, elegant, blackberry, mocha and toasty oak flavors.
2002 Kuleto Estate Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon (Napa Valley), $85. Ripe, plush, pure, silky, blackberry, mocha and chocolate flavors.
2002 Raymond Generations Cabernet Sauvignon (Napa Valley), $75. Lush, ripe, velvety, blackberry, mocha and toasty oak vanillin flavors.
2003 Rubicon Estate Cask Cabernet Sauvignon (Rutherford/Napa Valley), $70. Lush, mouth-coating, blackberry, mocha, spice and mineral flavors.
2003 Shafer Cabernet Sauvignon “Hillside Select” (Napa Valley), n Da until Sept. 1st. Ripe, succulent, well-balanced, blackberry, mocha and licorice flavors.
