Groth Oakville-Napa Valley 2009 Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve, $68,41-$89.99, 96 points, appears in the glass as a dense ruby, trending crushed black currant in color with a broad transparent rim.
The nose abounds with floral blackberry, bright red cherry, cedar, and sweet cooking spices.
The near full body is tightly acidic and tannic, but definitely approachable now and far into the future. however, there is this fine silky texture, reminiscent of the best Belgian chocolate, lingering into the finish.
Robust black fruit, plum, red cherry, roses, hints of tobacco and dried herbs are layered and seamless.
An explosive finish, long on rich peppery spice, spearmint, and a touch of oak with a hint of heat (14.9% alcohol) is spectacular and memorable.
It's no-wonder that California can compete with Bordeaux, as Groth vineyard proves.
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Yeah, I know, boring (Not)!
ReplyDeleteTalking to yourself? :) That's not a good sign. Any dill in this wine? Man have I not liked Groth in the past. Can be very vegetal Cabernet.
ReplyDeleteJohn, no dill that I could taste, and if there is any, I'll bet Vinogirl could find it! Typically Cali Cab. have some black currant flavor, but though I'm sensitive to it's vegetal aspect (more so than any other black fruit I know of), I found none in this. John, I was head over heels over the 2008, and the 2009 was so close I had to score them the same.
DeleteAs for the talking to myself, really I'm talking to a wine critic that say reviewing cabs is boring!
No, no dill here...I hear they use French oak :)
ReplyDeleteWelcome BACK!
ReplyDeleteVinogirl, thanks for your helpfulness:)
Reviewing Cabs is boring? I'm happy to taste and be bored anyday.
ReplyDeleteJohn, I'm with you; I'm sure there was some quirky point to be made, but I prefer to try (don't always succeed) and make as much a positive contribution as I can; while diminishing something ("Syrah will never live up to Cabernet Sauvignon", that's the informational side of things-I guess) I prefer to just deal with the wine as it comes and leave the broad brush strokes to controversial folks, as we NH hicks are not up to the nuanced sophistication of cosmopolitan wine writers.
DeleteHey, Cabs aren't boring!
ReplyDeleteGlad to hear it wasn't too vegetal - I've heard that about Groth Cabs. That's a general turnoff for me.
I'd write more, but it's from my PITA tablet.
Claire (Obi-Wanita Kenobi of wine), not vegetal at all, but bella!
Delete"Hi" would have been enough:)
You guys want vegetal? TOGNI
ReplyDeleteIt'll also come with a side of $hit.
John, I'm slow! What does this mean?
DeleteI think it means he's drunk. =P
DeleteI really do crack myself up sometimes.
Obi-Wanita Kenobi, it must be that the dollar sign means it's too expensive, but I ? that notion, but this is where the subjective is interjected!
DeleteAs for the "crack myself up", U R contagious:)
No No No... Togni. His Cabernet literally smells like FECAL MATTER. I was typing politely. And no, you curmudgeonly perv (as in Purveyor) of BoydNBlair, I was not drunk!
ReplyDeleteI never bought Togni and don't know what it costs, though I suspect it isn't cheap. I've had it a few times, and can't get past the nose.
John, I told U I was slow:)
DeletePhilip Togni 2008 Cabernet Sauvignon gets a score of 94-96 points from guess-who, and that's not a Rock and Role band.
I never heard of this winery, but at near $100 a bottle, I'd like more information.
As for Claire? Didn't U laugh?
U've got to love her perspective.
Also, it was kind of U to try and use a bit of camouflage in your remark;)