Notes from a tasting of 1994 California (mostly) Napa (mostly) Cabernets. All
wines were tasted blind.

Woodward Canyon - 84% CS, 9.1% CF, 6.9% M. a concentrated nose of dark ripe
fruit, supple on palate with a slightly thick feel to it, long finish. A nice
mouthful with perhaps a hint of astringency right at the end.


Mt. Eden Vineyard (Santa Cruz) - an almost Bordeaux-like nose, medium body with
good acidity, well structured and finishes long but a bit sharp.

Cakebread Cellars - the nose on this one was reticent, the wine dissolute with
nothing much happening, medium level fruit and high acid. Too bad - I've
enjoyed their wines before.

Caymus (regular bottling) - the nose was wood driven, although it developed
some mint with time on the glass. Most tannin so far, made the wine almost seem
lean. It needs time to develop, but I have some concern over the level of
fruit, which is alright now, but may sag by the time the tannins resolve. Wait
and see.

Corison - ripe plummy fruit, sweet and a bit simple with soft tannins. It
drinks well now, and probably won't improve much.

Far Niente - mellow complex fruit nose with vanilla, sweet entry then a hit of
immediate but reasonably soft tannin, good balance and length. My second
favourite wine.

Groth - warm berry nose with a definite hay and tea component, lean and a
slight bit sour, and with unresolved tannins (perhaps a second or third, but
certainly not a first Groth....)

Joseph Phelps - a somewhat closed Bordeaux style of nose, reasonably
concentrated flavours, with firm tannin and dusty fruit. I though it a bit
simple.

Signorello - ripe cocoa nose, medium body, still carrying lots of tannin, but
in balance, good length with a pleasant sweetness that came in right at the
end. My vote for best wine.

Stags Leap Wine Cellars - almost no perceptible nose. Like smelling a glass of
water. An initial mild sweet sensation on palate, then lots of acidity,
balanced, and a long concentrated finish.

On 21 May 2004 14:24:31 GMT, ojunk (Bill Spohn) wrote:

>Groth - warm berry nose with a definite hay and tea component, lean and a
>slight bit sour, and with unresolved tannins (perhaps a second or third, but
>certainly not a first Groth....)

The lowest form of humor. But funny.


Ed Rasimus
Fighter Pilot (USAF-Ret)
"When Thunder Rolled"
Smithsonian Institution Press
ISBN #1-58834-103-8

"Bill Spohn" > wrote in message
...
> Corison - ripe plummy fruit, sweet and a bit simple with soft tannins. It
> drinks well now, and probably won't improve much.

Hi, Bill -

Sorry to hear this. I still have a bottle or two. Last tasting (fairly
recently) I thought this wine was good (not great), but needed time. Maybe
6-10 years. It seemed pretty tannic, but had supporting fruit.

Have you tasted the 1994 Richie Creek Cab lately? I bought a couple, but
have no idea when to open them.

Tom S

>Have you tasted the 1994 Richie Creek Cab lately?

Don't know that one, Tom.

But then there are so many these days......had another one yesterday - Phoenix
Vd. - less than 4 acres. How does one keep up with all the wineries???

"Bill Spohn" > wrote in message
...
> >Have you tasted the 1994 Ritchie Creek Cab lately?
>
> Don't know that one, Tom.
>
> But then there are so many these days......

Ritchie Creek Winery has been around for ~30 years, but it's pretty small.
It's a mountain vineyard, and the wines have the intensity of low yield.
They've managed to hold the prices down tto merely expensive, rather than
completely ridiculous. I think I paid ~$50US for their 1999 Cab.

I've only tasted their Cabernet, but they also make Chardonnay and Pinot
Noir. Here's a link: http://www.ritchiecreek.com/

This is not an endorsement; merely FYI.

Tom S

>Ritchie Creek Winery has been around for ~30 years, but it's pretty small.

Interesting - I'll file that one in the memory banks and watch for it when I
venture down to the land of red white and blue.