Tag: Cabernet Sauvignon

RNDC Spring Trade Show 2025

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Twice every year, in the Autumn and in the Spring, the distributors of wine and spirits in the three-tier system that we have in New York State have their trade shows. This is where they showcase their products to the members of the hospitality industry.

Depending on the company, this may mean a small, intimate tasting or a tasting in a huge event space to accommodate the dozens, if no hundreds of wines and spirits they have in their portfolio.

On March 25th I attended the Spring trade show for Republic National Distributing Company.

The event was held at The Pool, a restaurant in the Seagram’s Building at 99 East 52th Street in Midtown Manhattan. It’s the site of the former Four Seasons restaurant and yes, there is a small pool in one of the dining rooms.

The distributor represents many wine and spirit companies that were on display this day. They particularly have a nice spirits portfolio with the highlight, in my opinion, was the vertical of vintage Armagnac from Bhakta Spirits that are for sale. They have single vintage Armagnac bottled from 1990 to 1946. It was an amazing experience to sample them.

Some of what I sampled:

2017 Forman Cabernet Sauvignon (Napa Valley): Clear medium red, sweet tar on the nose, silky dark fruit with dark chocolate notes, great structure, long finish.

2018 St. Supery Vineyards Estate Elu Red Blend (Napa Valley): Opaque dark red, purple rim, sweet tar and roast meat on the nose, chewy, silky dark fruit with stone notes, great balance.

2018 Merryvale Cabernet Sauvignon (Napa Valley): Opaque dark red, purple rim, sweet smoke and black cherry on the nose, concentrated fruit with black olive and white pepper notes, nice structure.

2018 Marquis de Caceres Gran Reserva (Rioja): Opaque black, brick rim, crushed red cherry on the nose, chewy black fruit ending with firm, silky tannins.

2019 Forman Cabernet Sauvignon (Napa Valley): Clear dark red, sweet tar and red cherry on the nose, silky red fruit with green herb notes, great balance.

2021 Duckhorn Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon (Napa Valley): Opaque black, purple rim, closed nose of sweet black olives, chewy milk chocolate fruit with crushed stone notes, nice balance.

2021 Clos du Val Yettalil Red Stags Leap District (Napa Valley): Opaque black, purple rim, sweet tar on the nose, chewy black fruit with graphite notes, good balance, long finish.

2021 Black Stallion Estate Cabernet Sauvignon Sam Jasper (Napa Valley): Opaque dark purple, purple rim, nose of sweet crushed red fruit, concentrated black cherry fruit with slate notes, dusty finish, great balance.

2021 Hobbs Family Winery Pinot Noir Eola Amity (Willamette Valley): Clear medium purple, red tar on the nose, tight red fruit with green herb notes, firm tannins.

2022 Chateau Beaucastel Chateauneuf du Pape (Rhone): Opaque dark red, brick rim, closed nose of roasted nuts, chunky, tight dark fruit ending with dusty, crisp tannins.

2022 Clos du Val Cabernet Sauvignon (Napa Valley): Opaque dark red, purple rim, tar and green olives on the nose, juicy red fruit with green herb notes, crisp finish.

Wine Spectator N.Y. Wine Experience 2024 Day 1

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The 43rd anniversary of Wine Spectator’s New York Wine Experience was held on October 17-19 and was sponsored by the wine spectator’s scholarship foundation.

The yearly event began in San Fransico 43 years ago and for a while alternated between San Franciso and New York City until it was decided to make New York City the permanent home for the event.

The event consisted of several vertical wine tastings and seminars in addition to two days of Critic’s Choice Grand Tastings.

The grand tastings were an opportunity to sample over 260 international wines that scored 90+ points from Wine Spectator in addition to be able to speak with many of the owners and winemakers that were pouring their wines.

I would say that this is the best wine tasting event of the year for the consumer. It was a huge event with two floors of wine.

I was lucky enough to attend both days which gave me the opportunity to sample a good amount of really good wine.

Since I couldn’t possibly sample every wine that was on hand, I narrowed down on what I would try. I decided each day would be devoted to the wines of one particular floor and on each floor, I focused on what I normally do in these massive tastings, I concentrated on Bordeaux and Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon with an occasional outlier.

New World

2008 Lokoya Cabernet Sauvignon Mt. Veeder (Napa Valley): Opaque dark brick, mint, graphite and cooked fruit on the nose, chewy black fruit with mint notes, silky, firm tannins.

2014 Joseph Phelps Insignia (Napa Valley): Opaque dark red with a purple rim, toast, tar and red fruit on the nose, thick with firm tannins and acids.

2014 Staglin Cabernet Sauvignon Rutherford (Napa Valley): Clear medium red with a brick rim, cooked red fruit on the nose, silky black fruit, silky tannins, great balance.

2016 Diamond Creek Cabernet Sauvignon Volcanic Hill (Napa Valley): Opaque black with a purple rim, nose of violets, tar and pickle juice, juicy, chewy red leather fruit with moderate tannins and acids.

2016 Mt. Brave Cabernet Sauvignon Mt. Veeder (Napa Valley): Opaque black with a purple rim, smokey tar on the nose, chunky chocolate on the fruit with nice structure and a long finish.

2017 Shafer Cabernet Sauvignon Hillside Select (Napa Valley): Opaque black with a purple rim, roast nuts on the nose, chunky and chewy dark fruit with dark chocolate notes, good grip.

2018 Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon S.L.V. (Napa Valley): Opaque black with a purple rim, plummy, chewy, chunky with silky acids on the good grip, long finish.

2018 Heitz Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon Trailside Vineyard (Napa Valley): Clear medium red with a purple rim, sweet tar on the nose, juicy dark fruit, firm tannins.

2018 Schrader Cabernet Sauvignon Heritage Clone (Napa Valley): Opaque black with a purple rim, toasty dark chocolate on the nose, chunky and chewy with dark chocolate notes, firm grip.

2019 Outpost Cabernet Sauvignon Howell Mt. (Napa Valley): Opaque black with a purple rim, crushed blueberry on the nose, chewy dark fruit with lip smacking tannins, long finish.

2021 Memento Mori Cabernet Sauvignon (Napa Valley): Opaque black with a purple rim, chewy dark fruit with graphite notes, firm tannins.

2021 Chimney Rock Cabernet Sauvignon Stags Leap District (Napa Valley): Opaque black with a purple rim, roasted nuts on the nose, chewy dark fruit, firm tannins.

2021 Far Niente Cabernet Sauvignon (Napa Valley): Opaque black with a purple rim, closed nose of ripe fruit, tight and concentrated, big tannins.

2021 Favia Cabernet Sauvignon Oakville (Napa Valley): Opaque black with a purple rim, pickle juice on the nose, tight and concentrated with mint notes, big tannins.

Old World

2010 Chateau Haut-Brion (Pessac Leognan): Clear dark red with a brick rim, tar and smokey black leather on the nose, silky, peppery fruit with bitter almond on the long finish, great balance.

2010 Chateau La Mission Haut-Brion (Pessac Leognan): Opaque black with a purple rim, toasty and tarry on the nose, thick dark chocolate fruit with silky tannins and a long finish.

2014 Domaine Faiveley Latricieres Chambertin Grand Cru (Burgundy): Clear medium brick, nose of tar, earth and cooked fruit, silky red fruit with earth notes and red leather on the finish, great balance.

2015 Chateau Chevel Blanc (St. Emilion): Clear medium brick, closed nose of dark chocolate, silky fruit with tight and firm tannins.

2017 Chateau Leoville Poyferre (St. Julien): Opaque black with a purple rim, nose of sweet tar and smoke, bright red fruit ending with big tannins.

2018 Chateau Leoville Las Cases (St. Julien): Opaque dark red with a purple rim, perfume of tarry black fruit, silky dark fruit with cigarette smoke notes, good grip.

2019 Chateau Lynch Bages (Pauillac): Opaque black with a purple rim, dusty tar on the nose, tight, concentrated and silky with black pepper notes, firm finish.

2019 Chateau Haut-Batailley (Pauillac): Opaque black with a purple rim, roasted nuts on the nose, chewy with firm tannins.

2020 Chateau Pichon Baron (Pauillac): Opaque black with a purple rim, smokey stone on the nose, chewy, bright dark fruit ending with crisp acids.

2020 Chateau Smith-Haut-Lafite (Pessac Leognan): Opaque black with a purple rim, closed nose of crushed strawberry, chewy red fruit with firm tannins.

Independence Wine & Spirits Cabernet Portfolio 2022

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Plenty of trade wine tastings at this time of year. In the three-tier system in New York State, a bar or restaurant has to buy their wines and spirits from a distributor. On March 8th one of those distributors, Independence Wine & Spirits held their annual portfolio tasting.

I wasn’t familiar with this particular distributor, so I was curious to see what was in their portfolio, so I attended the tasting.

I was pleasantly surprised at what they carried. They had a huge French presence with many Burgundy, Cote du Rhone and Bordeaux brands. I even had the opportunity to sample one of the Premier Grand Cru of Bordeaux, the 2017 Chateau Lafite Rothschild which was drinking very nicely.

They also had a very nice portfolio of excellent boutique California Cabernets and I decided to focus my time sampling them.

It was a trade tasting and was held at The Metropolitan Pavillion event space at 125 West 18th Street in Manhattan.

Some of what I sampled:

2019 Adversity Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon “Melanson” (Atlas Peak): Opaque black, closed nose of crushed blueberries, chewy with dark mint chocolate on the fruit, long finish.

2019 Adversity Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon “Sage Ridge” (Napa Valley): Opaque black with a purple rim, chewy and chunky black fruit, mint notes on the fruit ending with a long, dark finish.

2019 Adversity Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon “Erba” (Atlas Peak): Black with a purple rim, chewy and chunky with smoky, damp earth on the black fruit, nice balance.

2018 Anakota Cabernet Sauvignon “Helena Montana” (Knights Valley): Dark red to black in color, dark leather on the nose, tight red fruit with firm tannins.

2016 Cardinale Cabernet Franc “Caladan” (Napa Valley): Opaque dark red to black with silky fruit and tannins, great balance.

2018 La Jota Vineyard Co. Cabernet Sauvignon (Howell Mt): Opaque black with dusty, crushed black fruit on the nose with dense and chewy black fruit ending with silky, firm tannins.

2018 Lokoya Cabernet Sauvignon (Diamond Mt): Opaque dark red, crushed rocks and green herbs on the nose, bright red fruit, crisp acids.

2018 Lokoya Cabernet Sauvignon (Howell Mt): Opaque dark red, closed nose of milk chocolate with chewy and dusty fruit ending with silky tannins.

2018 Staglin Family Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon “Salus” (Rutherford): Medium red with tobacco and bacon fat on the nose, silky red fruit with some pickle juice notes on the finish.

2018 Staglin Family Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon “Estate” (Rutherford): Clear medium red, crushed black fruit on the nose, chewy with tobacco note on the fruit, silky tannins.

2017 Taub Family Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon “Morisoli-Borges” (Rutherford): Clear medium red, dusty dried leaf on the nose, silky black fruit with silky tannins on the long finish.

2017 Taub Family Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon “Beckstoffer Missouri Hopper” (Napa Valley): Opaque dark red to black, sweet violets on the nose, silky with a great grip on the balanced, long finish.

2018 Mt. Brave Cabernet Sauvignon (Mt Veeder): Opaque dark red, crushed black fruit on the nose, chewy bark fruit ending with big tannins.

2018 Verité Cabernet Sauvignon “La Jolie” (Sonoma County): Dark red to black, closed nose of tar and tobacco with dense, silky and toasty fruit, firm finish.

2018 Verité Merlot “La Muse” (Sonoma County): Clear medium red, toasty nose with silky red fruit, nice balance.

2016 Beringer Cabernet Sauvignon Knights Valley

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Beringer Vineyards is an iconic winery in Napa Valley with a 144 year history.

They produce a wide range of wines from basic bottlings to high-end single vineyard and reserve wines.

This one comes from the Knights Valley appellation which is located in North-East Sonoma County.

 

2016 Beringer Cabernet Sauvignon Knights Valley

88% Cabernet Sauvignon, 5% Merlot, 5% Cabernet Franc and 2% Petite Verdot. 

Opaque dark red with a purple rim, with roast meat, metal shavings, tobacco and red licorice on the nose, thick with black silky fruit with mint notes on the nicely balanced finish. 

 

 

2017 Robert Mondavi Winery Cabernet Sauvignon “Oakville” Napa Valley

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Robert Mondavi was one of the most famous wine makers of Napa Valley. This is from their Oakville appellation series of wines which is in the heart of Napa Valley. 

The wine is a Bordeaux blend of 76% Cabernet Sauvignon with Petit Verdot, Cabernet Franc, Malbec and Merlot rounding out the rest of the blend. 

2017 Cabernet Sauvignon “Oakville”

Dark red to black in color with a purple rim, on the nose, notes of slate, roasted nuts and meat and crushed black fruit. Silky black fruit and tannins, and crushed black fruit and dark chocolate on the fruit. A bit astringent on the long finish. Opened a couple of hours before the tasting. 

 

 

 

2016 Buehler Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley

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Buehler Vineyards is a 4th generation run vineyard perched on a mountain East of Saint Helena in Napa Valley.

This is their entry level Cabernet Sauvignon and is 90% Cabernet Sauvignon and 10% Merlot.

2016 Buehler Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon: Opaque dark red, red leather, red licorice and roast meat on the nose, silky dark red fruit of crushed rocks with crunchy tannins and green herb notes on the moderate to long finish.

 

 

Winter Wine Crawl On Long Island

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It’s that time of year, after the holiday rush when things slow down a bit including social events, but not completely this is New York City after all. I decided to spend a chilly Sunday afternoon in wine country. Usually I have a theme that guides me in tasting decisions but this time around I had none. When I got to wine country I decided on Cabernet Sauvignon.

 

 

Mattebella Vineyards  46005 Main Road, Southold

Mattebella is a small, family farm whose motto is “wine, passion, craftmanship”and who make “old world style wines” using sustainable winemaking practices. To get to the tiny tasting room you walk through a garage-sale motif yard.

NV Famiglia Red Blend: 932 cases produced, a blend of Merlot and Cabernet Franc. Dark purple to black in color with slate and crushed blueberries on the nose, thick and juicy with gun-metal and  dark chocolate on the balanced fruit with soft and silky tannins.

 

Lenz Winery  38355 Main Road, Peconic

Lenz winery was established in 1978 making it one of the founding fathers of the industry out east, the tasting room is an old barn. They are known for their old vine Merlot but today I sampled a Cabernet Sauvignon.

2014 Cabernet Sauvignon “Estate”: 2014 was an excellent year on Long Island. The wine is black in color with dark chocolate and slate on the nose, thick and chunky with moderate tannins, red cherry and slate notes on the finish, an enjoyable glass of wine.

 

Pellegrini Vineyards  23005 Main Road, Cutchogue

Winery with an Italian cloister design courtyard and building with a cellar and barrel room that you can take a self tour of. You sample the wines in a two-story, cherub strewn, wood-beamed tasting room.

2014 Cabernet Sauvignon “Estate”: Dark red to black with a purple rim, roasted coffee and ripe red fruit on the nose, thick and chunky with ripe red leather notes on the fruit with moderate tannins and acids.

 

Sherwood House/Hound’s Tree Vineyards  1291 Main Road, Jamesport

Finally, a tasting room with a proper wine glass and a nice one at that. I wish that tasting rooms would realize that their wines would show better in a wine glass that wasn’t thimble sized. The cozy tasting room is in a 1870’s farm-house with a fireplace and is attached to an antique/art store so there’s always some funky artwork on the property. They serve wines from two wineries.

2016 Hound’s Tree Cabernet Sauvignon: Dark red with an amber rim, roast bacon and hazelnuts on the nose, clean, fairly neutral fruit with moderate to light tannin and acids, easy drinking.