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<< Passport To Cabernet - 2002 Barrel Tasting >>

The California Cabernet Society is an alliance of select wineries committed to expanding world-wide regard and appreciation for California Cabernet. Each Spring the Society holds a major barrel tasting showcasing barrel samples of their most recent vintage. The event is open to members of the trade and press only. 

Some 80 wineries participated and each poured their current release along with their 2002. We tasted almost 150 wines in total and nearly 70 from the ‘02 vintage. I’d have to say that we were rather pleased with most of what we tasted.

The ‘02 Cabernet vintage may become known as a “study in ripeness.” There were some challenges as fruit hung on through heat spikes waiting to be picked until truly ripe aromas and flavors developed. Many of the winegrowers suggest that, in time, the ripe, intensely flavored wines will prove to be an exceptional vintage. This event represents the first opportunity to see if the spectacular ripeness that many vineyards achieved translated into equally spectacular wines. In general, we felt the wines offered lots of high tones berry fruit along with good concentration and ripe tannins.

With our languid economy and the generally slow demand for premium Cabernet, we’re sorting out the great wines from the good wines from the wannabees. Here we feature what we consider to be some of the best. Also, after the tasting we headed over to visit with Norm Kiken of Reverie and then Charles Thomas of Rudd Estate. 

Here are the A-List wines we tasted:
One of our absolutely favorite Napa wineries is Arns. Located on lower Howell Mountain, just east of St. Helena. Arns has 9 acres of Cabernet Sauvignon originally planted in the 50’s. Grower, John Arns and winemaker Sandi Belcher are not newcomers to the valley. John has been farming grapes for over 30 years and Sandi has been in the industry for the past 28 years. Mature fruit and minimal handling of the fruit lends a wine that is powerful but full of finesse. Their wines have power and depth combined for a sense of balance and proportion. We claim that their ‘98 was the wine of the vintage, the ‘99 was stunning and the just released ‘00 is just a hair better than the ‘99. If you aren’t buying Arns, then you are making a mistake. The ‘02 will be their 10th release. The ‘00 is currently available for $49.99.

]Arguably the wine of the day was the ‘02 Clark-Claudon. This 100% Estate Grown Cabernet is crafted with the highest level of commitment from Tom Clark and Laurie Claudon-Clark. With 29 years of experience as a vineyardist in Napa Valley, Tom Clark knows that exceptional wine begins with exceptional fruit. This profound mountainside Cabernet is known for it’s elegance, incredible aromas, full-bodied richness, perfect balance and lingering finish. The ‘99 is currently available for $79.85.

Another store favorite is Hendry Ranch Winery. Located on the benchlands between Napa’s Carneros and Mt. Veeder viticultural districts. With over 40 years of growing grapes, George Hendry has observed significant differences in the wine produced from different parts of the vineyard and has divided his vineyard into small ‘blocks’. Starting with the ‘92 harvest, George started holding back small lots of fruit from his best vineyard blocks for the Hendry label. We believe his wines represent the best of Napa and at a fair price. His ‘99 Block 8 Cab is available for $35.49.

Back in our January newsletter we presented our Top 100 Wines of the Year. The #1 wine was ‘99 Neal Family Vineyards Cabernet. Mark Neal, president and owner of Jack Neal & Sons vineyard management, has been managing vineyards for the past 35 years. Today, Mark is also dedicated to producing Cabernet from special sites throughout Napa. For the last 5 years, Mark has been looking for specific vineyard sites that best express the true nature of Napa Cabernet. Mark has selected unique vineyards within the appellations of Howell Moutain, Rutherford, Mount Veeder, Coombsville, Altas Peak and St Helena. Each vineyard is owned and/or managed by Mark to ensure that the fruit is grown to Neal Family Vineyards exacting specifications. Gove Celio, formerly with Liparita, recently joined the winemaking team. We toured the property back in January and concluded that this is one of the most dedicated and serious wine projects in Napa. The ‘99 sold out very quickly and they are not releasing a ‘00. The ‘01 Napa will be released in February ‘04. Mark you calendars.

Another perennial favorite is Robert Craig. He, along with winemaker, Rudy Zuidema produce limited quantities of three wines. Affinity, his Bordeaux-style Cabernet blend, is created from outstanding vineyards in the Combsville, Rutherford, Oakville and Carneros areas. The Mt Veeder and Howell Mtn Cabernets are produced from exceptional single-vineyard sources within these appellations. We consistently rank Robert Craig among the top Napa Cabernet producers. Currently available is the ‘99 Howell Mtn for $44.22.

Last, but not least is Rockledge Vineyards. We received their ‘99 Reserve (their first commercial vintage) back in December ‘01 and it heralded the quality of the vintage. Prior to that, owners Peter and Linda Snowden sold all of their fruit to Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars. John Gibson, legendary winemaker, formerly with Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars crafts the wines. The wine is 100% Cabernet Sauvignon made from what they consider to be the best parts of their vineyards. Currently available is their ‘99 Napa Cab $22.17

The ‘no-brainer’ award of the day goes to Rudd Estate. Anyone who has tasted these wines is very aware of their amazing quality. They were one of the flagship wines of the event.

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