Had friends over for Tajine slow-cooked, grass-fed tri-tip and no hardcore geeks in attendance so just for our own pleasure we uncorked three Napa Cabs from the prickly 09 vintage. Eric Keating’s Beckstoffer Georges lll killed two board darlings I won’t mention here.
Just a lovely drop: refined while still displaying ripe California fruit and not stepping all over the food, it took big steps to crush this dish but one of the other bottles accomplished this no problem. Wee bit of Rutherford dust and a nice even finish gave this wine its signature.
One of the other Cabs demonstrated too much sweet syrup and the other was too green but Eric’s wine was really terrific. This was the only bottle emptied to the last drop.
Glenn, I’ve only had a few Keating zins, but it sounds like I’m missing out.
I would love to hear the “board darlings” that it slayed and the associated impressions - sweet and green - just for reference sake.
I’ve been blowing through all my 09 Napa cabs as daily drinkers. Fortunately, I didn’t buy a ton that year. Most have been pretty one dimensional, but ok wines. Not worth the tariff, but sometimes you have to buy even in tough years.
Who the heck makes a green Cab these days (in a good year) that’s a board favorite? Dunn? Ridge? I can’t think of many other possibilities?
Overripe could be almost anybody I suppose when put up against a green wine and a balanced wine.
Always liked this vintage, the wines were born open and stayed that way. 2010 had higher highs but much lower lows, and 2008 was surly and never clicked with me. I’ve almost drunk all mine by now, sadly my last 2009 Spottswoode was the best.
For the 2009 vintage, RP 94T and WS 96 (“pure, opulent”) have been beguiling to me. This vintage has been a letdown for me, and like others I’ve tried to drink through most on non-special evenings.
I have a bit more than a case of '09 Napa Cabs in the cellar but have only consumed one lower end Cab to date. It was fine. For my tastes, I usually don’t drink the higher end wines for a minimum of 10 years.
