Brief TN's: Cali Cab night, plus 2008 Pontet Canet

I didn’t take notes, so only brief impressions:


2008 Hestan Cabernet: I had never heard of this wine before. It was a very good Cab, pretty straightforward in its presentaiton with nice fruit, not much complexity. It garned no votes for WOTN, but everyone liked it. A high 80’s scorer.


2007 Shafer Hillside Select: This wine is showing better now that even at release, just a few months back. It was pretty tight originally, but tonight shows more fruit, style and complexity. Performs nicely, and has a huge upside. Right now about 94+


2008 Beringer Private Reserve Beringer Cabs have never done it for me, and this is no exception. Not much too it, and I don’t like the style.


2008 Merryvale Profile Another wine I had never heard of, but this performed very nicely. Really tasted like an Oakville cab to me, but I don’t know exactly where it is from. Good structure and complexity for a California Cab. This is a buy if the price is right. Low to mid 90’s.


2008 Pontet Canet, Pauillac I am shocked at how this wine performed. Dismayed as well. I bought a few bottles, and I won’t be buying anymore. This wine is incredibly soft, light, and ready to drink. No structure, nary a tanin in sight. Drinks like a nice ‘CB’ to be sure, but I can find nice Bordeaux that taste like this at a third of the price. Worst Pontet I have had since 2000. Score it in the high 80’s. If this was a $15 Charmail, I’d be singing its praises, but…


2008 Chappellet Pritchard Hill WOTN for me. Really nice fruit profile with good structure and tannins, yet not so overly tannic as Chappellet can be when young. This is a great wine that can be drunk now or aged a bit. 95 points.

Nice notes. Haven’t had the 07 HSS select yet. I figure it needs time. I have enjoyed prior vintages of CP Hill, but don’t actively seek it out any more. Regarding the Beringer PR, the 2007 was actually quite good.

Bringing a Bordeaux into a Napa Cab line up is like bringing a pocket knife to a gun fight…