TN: 2006 Karl Lawrence Cabernet Sauvignon (USA, California, Napa Valley)

mike_pobega · October 17, 2009, 10:19pm

2006 Karl Lawrence Cabernet Sauvignon - USA, California, Napa Valley (10/17/2009)
From 375. Initially decanted for 1 hour. Dark as would be expected. The nose has some very low key notes of cassis, vanilla, cherry cola, and black cherries. The palate is very subdued with an almost ‘hollow’ feel. After 2.5 hours this opened slightly. When food hit the table, even more so. Admirable cassis filled with eucalyptus, lead pencil , tar and leather. This has a medium weight feel to it. A very lively acidic base with some great ‘things’ hiding out. That’s right, ‘things’.
A nice finish of 1 minute plus. This will never be a ‘showey wine’, but will be sure to please in 3-5 years. (89 pts.)

Humberto_Dorta · October 18, 2009, 4:07pm

Mike, 06 was the one that they declassified everything else right? If it is, I agree, good, not great even for the price.
Have you had the wine in your avatar? I bought a few and Im not sure why I must have seen an impressive TN somewhere.

C_Bowman · October 18, 2009, 5:55pm

the blend on the '06 KL, 73% Morisoli, 11% Herb Lamb, 10% Beckstoffer-To Kalon & 6% Beckstoffer-Dr. Crane and was blended in barrels used for the reserve wines. I thought it was pretty good for the price considering many wines from those vineyards are much more $$$…

As far as the Avatar wine, maybe you saw this review on the Royal City.
"As reviewed by Paul Gregutt 4/27/09: “100 Point Wine…Rich scents of purple fruit, smoked meat, cedar, lead pencil, moist earth and so on proclaim a wine with genuine gravitas……the finest syrah I have ever tasted from Washington State, and in fact as good as any young syrah I have ever tasted from anywhere.”

Humberto_Dorta · October 18, 2009, 6:13pm

Who the hell is Paul Gregutt? I might have been drunk and bought base on that, but I dont even know who he is or where I would have seen it.
As for the KL yeah its an alright wine, but for $50 there are some others Id rather have since I dont drink that much $50 cab. Caymus, (the 06 is particularly good and with some patience can be had for $50ish) Hope and Grace, which you never tried for me Jones the sisters (sick for the price, I believe Mike agrees on that one) to name a few…
Have you tried the Royal thingy Carrie?

C_Bowman · October 18, 2009, 6:21pm

Paul has his own blog and you probably read it somewhere late at night and thought MMMMMM, that sounds like VG I better buy some !

I have not tried the Royal City, I have some some of his other wines but most are too young to pop.
As far as Hope & Grace, keep hoping . I may try it someday

Humberto_Dorta · October 18, 2009, 6:32pm

Cedar? Lead Pencil? Have you HAD VG? VG is more like blue berry compote with blueberries, cinnamon, blueberries, alcohol, blueberries, some berry tastes rather blue ones…and blueberry pie on a stick. And I love it for that. This sounds a little more complex
Im on a CDP buying kick lately anyway

mike_pobega · October 18, 2009, 6:41pm

Berto, the Royal City is the single best Syrah I have ever had. Mine are en route as well and I am buying more retail.

Dark as night, this wine must be tasted to be believed. Its thick and dense, but yet polished and structured. An incredible mouth feel with gobs of black fruits, a hint of licorice, with both black and white peppercorns. A wall of pure Syrah that explodes, but should never be considered a fruit bomb, ever. Complex tannins that have shed nothing, and 3-4 years are warranted.

This is amazing and rare. Only 190 cases were made and none will be made in ’06, so look for the ‘07s when they hit.
95/100

Humberto_Dorta · October 18, 2009, 6:49pm

Hell yeah! thats the TN I saw! Thanks Mike. I got an email from them that they were shipping my three pack and I went and why the hell did I buy that?

Humberto_Dorta · October 18, 2009, 6:55pm

BTW Mike had you given any air to that?

mike_pobega · October 18, 2009, 7:04pm

It was open for about a half hour. It was at a tasting so I can’t be 100% sure.

Seo_S_a_l_i_m_i · October 19, 2009, 4:31pm

Thanks for the notes on the 06. I have a three pack that I’ve been eyeing to pop for a while, but looks like I’ll wait. I opened the 02 on Friday and it was a treat.

I’ve had the Royal City Kitty on a couple of occassions. I love what Charles Smith is doing up there, but lately I’ve found his wines to be too overextracted and over the top for me. Maybe my palate is shifting again. Isnt the Kitty 16%+ alocohol? I remember tasting through all his recent releases a month ago, including the Creator, Roma, Ovide, The Deal, and the El Jeffe. The RCK was the best of the bunch, with The Deal close behind, and the worst being the K Syrah.

Brian_G_r_a_f_s_t_r_o_m · December 30, 2024, 7:07pm

2006 Karl Lawrence Cabernet Sauvignon - USA, California, Napa Valley (12/25/2024)
– decanted approx. 1 hr. before tasting –
– tasted non-blind over approx. 1.5 hrs. –

Dark fruit aromas on the Nose, and dark-fruited on the palate. Clearly showing some tertiary development, but this is still more about the fruit than anything else. Drink or Hold.

Scott_G_r_u_n_e_r · December 30, 2024, 7:39pm

What about the Royal City?