Friday, December 21, 2012

Sequoia Grove Napa Valley 2006 and 2008 Cabernet Sauvignon



Sequoia Grove Napa Valley 2006 and 2008 Cabernet Sauvignon, $26.34-$32.99, 92+ points, either of which is wonderfully constructed, and though here is my first tasting of these wines, hopefully it won't be my last.
Since these wines are quite similar, I'll note the differences within one review.
Let me just note that the corks were like night and day, with the 2006 dark brown and the 2008 light beige in color.
Both vintages have a dense black currant color trending pomegranate red toward the broad transparent rims.
Aromatically, the 2008 is a bit brighter, and while the 2006 has earth notes, the 2008 replaces that with tobacco notes; otherwise both Cabernet wines display a lovely glass filling spicy cherry aroma.
A smooth medium-plus body beautifully balances good acidity with moderate tannin, though the 2008 is more noticeable and persistent.
Herbal and fruit flavors are rich and numerous, with dominant black currant, pomegranate, cranberry, blackberry, and a gentle floral component highlighting these pure and harmonious wines. The 2008 adds a bit of black licorice to the flavor profile.
The + (plus) in the scoring is due to the accelerating long spice finish, which is a bit more tart in the 2008.
These are great wines, and as a gift for that tree-hugging, wine loving environmentalist, will reward the two of you.
Index-of-reviewed-wines
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5 comments:

  1. Absolutely! A great value at under $30. This is one of our favorites from Napa.

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  2. Sequoia Grove do a pretty good job with Syrah and Cabernet Franc also.

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  3. I was very impressed with their Chardonnay (2010 I believe). The price on this one sure looks nice.

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    1. Nick, I just commented on your latest post, and my comment holds true to these wines as well: plum and licorice have started to dominate, with subtle flavors submerged. Still good, just not what they were when I opened them yesterday.
      I was talking to a manager of a restaurant who opens a bottle of red wine, and if it is poured for glasses, and not all used, he'll cork it and use it for up to three days; "I'll take a bottle of this please." Good reason to buy by the bottle!

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