The Wine Club Saturday Tasting: Big California Red 2004/08/28

Year	Wine	Price	Rating
2001	Solaris Cabernet, Napa Valley Not a familiar name. Sausage, cloves, blackberry, med body, a bit alcoholic, long finish, great concentration. Awesome wine for this price. - so - ws	12.99	****
2001	Mount Eden Cabernet, Napa Valley Mt. Eden has very different winemaking style for each vintage of this Napa valley cabernet, this version has strong french oak, raspberry, blackberry, med body, showing a bit green edge. Good finish. - so - ws	19.99	***
2001	Allora Cabernet, Napa Valley deep, plumy, hidden nose, dark fruit, med to full body, oak, roasted herb - so - ws	23.99	***
2002	Ridge Home Ranch Cabernet, Santa Cruz Mountains Very distinctive cherry amaretto, irish cream nose, plummy, vanilla oak, full body, long finish. I am always amazed by the consistent quality of Ridge wines. - so - ws	23.99	****
2001	Sebastiani Secolo Red, Napa Valley cherry, chocolate, full chalky body, raisiny, long finish. Ultra ripe. Value to price ratio is very high. - so - ws	24.99	*****
2001	Corison Cabernet, Napa Valley cassis, blackcurrant, mint, astringent, acidic, berry, too expensive - so - ws	47.99	***
2001	J. Davies Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley Inagural vintage from a famed sparkling wine producer. I think these new released are way over priced. Hidden nose, raspberry, sweet, blackcurrant, unimpressive. - so - ws	50.99	***
2002	Justin Justification, Napa Valley strong peppery nose with just a touch of earth. teeth gritting, plum, cola, beef finish. Quite stylish and concentrated, but too spicy and peppery for my taste. - so - ws	39.99	****
2001	Anderson Conn Valley Cabernet, Napa Valley lighter color with a garnet tone, unusual for a young Napa cabernet. Complex nose of berries, jammy, plummy, very silky body, chocolate finish. - so - ws	44.99	*****
2001	Liparita Cabernet, Howell Mountain minor (hidden?) nose of cassis and herb, tannic, mocha, astringent, too much power, not enough fruit to balance, chalky meaty finish. - so - ws	32.99	****
2001	Rudd Oakville Red, Napa Valley mocha, powerful, quite hidden long finish, med to full body. Much less stylish than 2000. The $30 price increase is ridiculous. - so - ws	99.99	****
2001	Ridge Monte Bello Cabernet, Santa Cruz Mountains complex nose of oak and earth, jammy currants, cassis, med-full body, very long finish. - so - ws	99.99	*****