TN: 2005 Karl Lawrence Cabernet Sauvignon (USA, California, Napa Valley)

WINE TALK
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  • 2005 Karl Lawrence Cabernet Sauvignon - USA, California, Napa Valley (11/26/2013)
    This was pretty good last night, if a little tight. Boy howdy is it good tonight! Wow! Classic Cali. Cab. nose: cassis/blackberry hints of creamed corn. The palate is uber thick with black fruits, leather, maybe a little mint, a kiss of oak, some dusty tannins and a long satisfying finish. Too bad they went the way of the Dodo. :frowning: I could drink this all night… sounds like a good plan. :wink: (92 pts.)

Posted from CellarTracker

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I should add → There is enough structure to keep this going for many many years. I believe it will age into a spectacular example of what California Cab. can be. It will be interesting to see how this is drinking in 15 years. My guess is it will be a stunner!

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Now that you’re the new mayor of Seattle I thought you’d be drinking more Washington State wine. Posting notes on Ca. is not a way to win re-election.

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Having already won Washington I’m setting my sights a little lower next time. Moon Beam here’s notice - I’m heading to Califor-i-a next! [drinkers.gif]

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Thanks for the note. I have one in my cellar, waiting for the 10 year mark.

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I opened my last one last night. Great bottle of cab at a reasonable price. Will this continue to improve…maybe, but it is definitely in it’s peak window so I’m not sold on waiting another 7 years or even 3.

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This were bruiser-like out of the gate; so much so I never thought it would come around. Glad to hear it’s doing good. I still have a few to check in on.

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Considering the bottle I opened was WAAAY better on day 2, with just a vacuvin, I’m inclined to say it will go at least another 10 years. flirtysmile

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Not the same experience here. This was drinking great on day 1 for me. Will it go another 10 years…depends on how you like your cab. This is in a very good place now and my point is if you enjoy a well structured CA cab with good fruit that is not jammy or roasted I would not recommend waiting many years. As always, YMMV.

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I should have prefaced my comments with the fact that I like it when a Cali. Cab. transforms such that the tertiary elements dominate: cigar box, leather, mushroom, earth. I think this can and will get there. However, in 10 years the tannins will definitely soften and the fruit will yield to those tertiary elements. Jammy/roasted this is not, nor will it ever be. [cheers.gif]

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Thanks for the note, Ed. I have three bottles of this in storage and will likely continue to sit on them for a few more years.

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2005 Karl Lawrence Cabernet Sauvignon - USA, California, Napa Valley (5/27/2016)
– decanted one hour before initial taste –
– tasted non-blind over a couple hours –

NOSE: rich, concentrated purple/black berries; stony mineral note; beef jerky/beefy smoke.

BODY: sediment present; medium bodied.

TASTE: raspberry liqueur; black cherry; medium-low to medium acidity; tannins are very fine and hardly there (“polished”); 14.2% alc. not noticeable; not hard/tough/young, but still primary. Drink or Hold. For my preferences, this is a Hold for another 5 to 10 years.

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Whatever happened to this producer?

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I think they are no more.

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Arv, the last vintage was 2010.

I have not even touched my 1997’s.

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The winemaker (Mike Trujillo) is now making Trujillo - just as good but more expensive. The KL label was purchased but does not have the same vineyard sources or winemaker.

I’m also a huge fan.

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Correct. Ric Henry, one of the original three KL partners, owns the Karl Lawrence name, and produced a 2013 cab.

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Was it 2005 like the title or 2008 like the picture?

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my note was for the '05; don’t know about the OP, who started this thread 2.5 years ago.

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2005 Karl Lawrence Cabernet Sauvignon - USA, California, Napa Valley (10/2/2023)
– decanted 1.25 hrs. before initial taste –
– non-blind over 2.25 hrs. –

NOSE: rich, dark fruits; touch fumey; medium-light aged aromas of leather and baked fruits; pretty expressive; light notes of peated whisky and lavender/mint; here-and-there whisper of cigar (not cigar wrapper; not cedar).

BODY: violet-garnet color of great depth, with slight bricking throughout; medium to medium-full bodied.

TASTE: tannins resolved; medium acidity; non-descript purple fruits – little bit juicy; not light; not funky; no noticeable mineral aspect or pencil shavings. This strikes me as being in a nice spot, and I don’t see it getting better from here; Drink Now and over the next 5 years. (labeled at 14.2% abv; fruit from Gary Morisoli, Beckstoffer, and Herb Lamb vineyards)

50, 5, 12, 16, 8 = (91 pts.)

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