Cab Ride Around the World
@ Bin 604 Wine Sellers

Cabernet Facts and Opinions:

1. The finest Cabernet Sauvignon is cultivated in Bordeaux’s Medoc and California’s Napa Valley.

2. The most over-priced Cabernet comes from Napa Valley where start-up wineries routinely charge $50-75 a bottle for wines with no track record.

3. Although Australia (particularly the prime growing regions of McLaren Vale and Barossa Valley) is rightfully best known for Shiraz, the Cabernets can be superb as well as far less expensive than those from California’s North Coast.

4. Most Cabernet Sauvignon is blended with Merlot and Cabernet Franc (and to a lesser extent Petit Verdot and Malbec) to make “Bordeaux-style” red wines. Years ago, Napa Valley Cabernets were often 100% varietal but this is less and less the case.

5. Up-and-coming regions for Cabernet are Washington, South Africa, Italy, Argentina, and Chile.

6. Virtually all top-flight Cabernets (and blends thereof) are aged in oak barrels, usually French. In Bordeaux, the so-called first-growths are typically raised in 100% new barrels as are many of California’s boutique Cabs (Harlan, Colgin, Bryant Family, Screaming Eagle, etc.). These wines are also produced from relatively low yields, producing more concentrated wines which can easily absorb the oak. Lesser producers often attempt to use new oak to cover up under-fruited Cabernets with a veneer of vanilla toast presumed to hide their deficiencies. This is where the phrase “over-oaked” originates whereas the more proper term is “under-fruited”.

7. Vintages do matter. One only needs to taste Napa Cabernets from 1998 or 2000 or Bordeaux from 1991, 1992, 1993, and 1997 to grasp the importance of sunlight and the absence of harvest rain on quality.

8. Bordeaux producers typically charge less in weaker vintages. In California prices move in only one direction.

The Wines:

1. Sagelands Cabernet Sauvignon “Four Corners” 2000, Columbia Valley $14.99
This is an excellent example of what can be routinely achieved in Washington’s Yakima and Columbia Valleys where harvest rains are almost never an issue and land is relatively inexpensive. Good wines - fair prices.

2. Pascual Toso Cabernet Sauvignon “Barrancas V’yds” 2002, Mendoza Argentina $16.99
We discovered this wine just two weeks ago. The deep color, red currant aromas, and layers of ripe fruit, suggest this wine should be a lot more expensive.

3. Dieu Donne Cabernet Sauvignon 1999, South Africa $19.99
South Africa seems to produce Cabernet which is stylistically between Bordeaux and Napa.

4. Les Hauts de Pontet Canet 2000 Pauillac $23.99
This is the “second” wine of Chateau Pontet-Canet, a 2nd growth Pauillac selling for triple the price. After the selection is made for the “first” or “grand vin” what remains is bottled and in great years like 2000, can often be a superb value.

5. Catena Cabernet Sauvignon “Agrelo Vineyards” 2000, Argentina $20.99
The Catena family are Agentina pioneers in the production of fine wine and they remain at the top of the hierarchy today.

6. Stanley Brothers Cabernet Sauvignon 1999, Barossa Valley $19.99
We think this is the best value in the entire tasting. The wine possesses superb depth, ripe, plummy fruit, and great length. At the Bin it is affectionately known as “The Ugly Boys” Cabernet (take a look at the label).

7. Mason Cabernet Sauvignon 1999, Napa Valley $25.99
This is the best under $30 Napa Cabernet we’ve been able to find in a long time.

8. Killibinbin Cabernet Sauvignon 2002 Langhorne Creek $33.99
From the Grateful Palate portfolio, this wine was a hit in 2001. The 2002 is even better.

9. Chateau Duhart-Milon 2000 Pauillac $39.99
This 4th growth from the great 2000 vintage will evolve for 15+ years and live for 30. It’s a great value in classified growth Bordeaux.

10. Caymus Cabernet Sauvignon 2001 Napa Valley $69.99
Caymus was the first California winery to pass the $100 a bottle mark in 1991. This example, from the superb ‘01 vintage, the best since ‘94, shows they can still cut the mustard.

11. Falesco Marciliano 2000 Cabernet Sauvignon, Umbria $56.99
Owner/winemaker Riccardo Cottarella possess exceptional talent. This is just the second vintage of Marciliano, a blend of 70% Cabernet Sauvignon and 30% Cabernet Franc.

12. Montevetrano 2001, Colli di Salerno $74.99
Unquestionably the finest red wine of southern Italy, this blend of 75% Cabernet Sauvignon and 25% Aglianico routinely receives 95 point scores in The Wine Advocate. It has tremendous aging potential and should easily last for 40-50 years.