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From: dlb@druxv.UUCP (Dave Bauer)
Newsgroups: net.wines
Subject: tasting notes - California Cabernets and Chardonnays
Message-ID: <87@druxv.UUCP>
Date: Fri, 10-Jan-86 10:00:03 EST
Article-I.D.: druxv.87
Posted: Fri Jan 10 10:00:03 1986
Date-Received: Sat, 11-Jan-86 02:47:52 EST
Organization: AT&T - The Right Choice, Denver Colorado
Lines: 40

I recently participated in a blind tasting of 7 wines from the top of the
Wine Spectator quarterly review that they just published -- 3 chardonnays and
4 cabernets. All were served blind.  Prices listed are actual purchase prices
in Boulder Colorado, less tax.    Notes:

Chardonnay - 
84 Innisfree Napa Valley Chard, $6.99  my rank 2nd, group rank tied 2nd
  (88/100 from Wine Spectator)
84 DeLoach Russian River Valley Chard, $12.71, my rank 1st, group rank 1st
  (90/100 from Wine Spectator)
83 Sonoma-Cutrer Russian River Ranches, $9.95, my rank 3rd, group rank tied 2nd
  (95/100 from Wine Spectator)

All were good.  The De Loach had a nice wood/butter/acid balance that
everone liked.  The Innisfree was fruitier, the Sonoma-Cutrer a bit
oakier, and people chose between them based on personal bias toward a
particular style.

Cabernets -
82 Johnson Turnbull Napa Valley, $14.14, my rank 4th, group rank 4th
  (probably too young, 1 dimensional, grapy, a touch mint and chalk, dark color
  86/100 from Wine Spectator)
82 Innisfree Napa Valley, $7.36, my rank 1st, group rank tied 1st
  (nice blue-black color, a hint of veggie, complex flavors, excellent! - 80/100
  from Wine Spectator)
82 Pine Ridge Rutherford Cuvee, $12.77, my rank 3rd, group rank 3rd
  (garnet, cherries and green pepper nose, herbal, comparable to BV Rutherford -
  86/100 from Wine Spectator)
82 Sequoia Grove Napa/Alexander valley, $12.22, my rank 2nd, group rank tied 1st
  (lighter bodied, some cherries, good tannins, elegant - 83/100 from Wine
   Spectator)

All 7 wines are good.  The Innisfree cabernet, at $7.36 less a case discount,
is a steal.  I've added some to my cellar.

Enjoy!

-- 
  dave bauer    (303)538-4482          AT&T's Information Systems, Denver 
ihnp4!druxv!dlb                11900 N. Pecos St., Room 30J28, Denver, CO  80234