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THE 2002 CALIFORNIA CABERNET SAUVIGNON VINTAGE RATES VERY GOOD TO EXCELLENT The 2002 California Cabernet Sauvignon vintage rates VERY GOOD TO EXCELLENT based on my tasting of over 40 barrel samples provided by the California Cabernet Society at their annual tasting on May 12, 2003. This vintage follows the outstanding 2001vintage, and possesses excellent concentration of fruit and flavor, but is overall more tannic than 2001. This is reminiscent of the relationship between the 1994 and 1995 vintages in which 1994 represented wines with concentrated fruit and soft tannins and 1995 concentrated fruit with harsher tannins. The 95 vintage is now very drinkable but still possesses remnants of the astringent, tannic backbone from which it came, whereas 1994, one of the three best vintages of the 1990s, along with 1991 and 1997, is better balanced with lush fruit and flavors and soft tannins in the background. Although 2002 is an excellent vintage, the better producers will make outstanding wines. Since barrel samples were tasted, many are not the final blend and may undergo significant changes before bottling. Some wines will experience further blending or different aging or processing regiments that will affect their outcome. As always, the “proof of the pudding” will be in the bottle when the wines are released.
My general impressions of different producers are separated into Outstanding,
Excellent and Good potential. There is a fourth category for those
wines that were too tannic to evaluate at this time, but which merit further
evaluation at a later time. All wines are 2002 vintage. Most are Cabernet
Sauvignon or a blend with CS as the principal varietal component. My favorite
favorites were Whitehall Lane and Chimney Rock. WINES WITH OUTSTANDING POTENTIAL (Producer, appellation): Chimney Rock, Reserve, Stags Leap District, Napa Valley (May be their best ever!) Geyser Peak, Reserve, Sonoma County Robert Mondavi, Reserve, To-Kalon Vineyard, Oakville, Napa Valley Rudd Winery, Estate, Napa Valley Whitehall Lane Winery, Reserve, Napa Valley
WINES WITH EXCELLENT POTENTIAL: Arns, Napa Valley Beaulieu Vineyard, Georges De Latour, Private Reserve, Napa Valley Beringer Vineyards, Private Reserve, Napa Valley Diamond Creek, Volcanic Hill, Napa Valley Far Niente, Napa Valley Judd’s Hill, Napa Valley Justin Vineyards & Winery, Paso Robles Merryvale Vineyards, Profile, Napa Valley Mount Veeder, Napa Valley Ravenswood Winery, Pickberry Vineyards, Sonoma Mountain Ritchie Creek Vineyard, Napa Valley Silverado Vineyards, Limited Reserve, Napa Valley Silver Oak Cellars, Soda Canyon Ranch, appellation? St. Clement Vineyards, Napa Valley Staglin Family Vineyard, Rutherford, Napa Valley (blend preview) Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars, SLV4 Center, Napa Valley (Component of Cask 23) WINES WITH GOOD POTENTIAL: Alexander Valley Vineyards, Alexander Valley Arrowood Vineyards & Winery, Sonoma County Amizetta Vineyards, Napa Valley Barnett Vineyards, Napa Valley Cain Vineyard & Winery, Cain Five, Napa Valley Jordan Vineyard & Winery, Sonoma County Kenwood Vineyards, Artist Series, Sonoma County La Jota Vineyards, Howell Mountain, Napa Valley Nickel & Nickel, Dragonfly, Napa Valley Robert Craig Wine Cellars, Mt. Veeder, Napa Valley St. Francis Vineyards & Winery, Reserve, Sonoma Valley Trefethen Vineyards, Napa Valley OTHER WINES WITH POTENTIAL but too tannic (astringent) to properly evaluate at this time. They definitely merit future consideration after the tannins have a chance to soften. Liparita Cellars, Napa Valley Von Strasser Winery, Diamond Mountain, Napa Valley |
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