2005 simi alexander valley cabernet sauvignon

http://www.simiwinery.com





the bottom line - fruit bomb! oak and green veggies on the nose, followed by a mid-pallet of luscious sweet cherry and blueberry. A crescendo of oak and fruit on a long elegant finish.







alcohol - 13.5%
total acid - 6.2 g/l
final pH - 3.65
Blend - 91% Cabernet Sauvignon, 3% Merlot, 2% Malbec, 2% Cabernet Franc, and 2% Petite Verdot

aroma - cedar, broccoli, oak
flavor - fruity sweet raw sugar, blueberry, cherry with a nicely balanced long finish.
price - $16.86
verdict - 88, WS82

2005 beringer third century north coast cabernet sauvignon

beringer.com

the bottom line - the mass market cabernet effort of the oldest continuously operating winery in the napa valley. i found it interestingly complex, but distractingly over oaked.

alcohol - 13.9 %
residual sugar - n/a
total acid - n/a
final pH - n/a
blend - n/a
production - n/a

aroma - bright fruit, pepper, cherry, vanilla with green vegetable notes.
flavor -nicely acidic mouth feel with fruity, earthy flavors. The finish presents over the top oak that leaves and unpleasant lingering aftertaste.

price - $13.99
verdict - 85

2005 longview single vineyard adelaide hills devil's elbow cabernet sauvignon

http://www.longviewvineyard.com.au

the bottom line - nice complexity in this australian cab. i found the herbal aroma a bit off putting, but the silky smooth chocolate finish is something special.

alcohol - 14.5%
residual sugar - n/a
total acid - n/a
final pH - n/a
blend - 40% cabernet sauvignon, 60% shiraz

aroma - sweet cherry with some herbal and cocoa notes
flavor -fruity medium bodied, nice acid with a creamy chocolaty oaky lightly tannic finish.
price - $19.96
verdict - 88, WS85

2005 montoya cabernet sauvignon

no web site as far as I can find. I couldn't even find a cabernet label image!

the bottom line - i picked this up because it was advertised as the #1 selling wine at total wine in norfolk, va. It is a nice medium bodied cabernet. a nice flavor profile if oak is your thing.

alcohol - 14.2 %
residual sugar - n/a
total acid - n/a
final pH - n/a
blend - n/a
production - n/a


aroma - cherry, cinnamon, pepper, oak, green
flavor -sweet. cherry, vanilla, slightly bitter on the mid pallet with a chocolate cherry vanilla oak finish. medium body, nice acid structure, a bit too much oak.
price - $12.99
verdict - 86

2005 cline red truck

http://www.redtruckwine.com/

the bottom line - more like a green scooter than a red truck.
alcohol - 13.5 %
residual sugar - n/a
total acid - n/a
final pH - n/a
blend - 100% cabernet sauvignon

aroma - green pepper, asparagus, oak and vanilla nose
flavor -light body, flat on the mid-pallet with an oakey vanilla finish
price - $10.46
verdict - 83

2005 excelsior cabernet sauvignon

http://www.excelsior.co.za/

the bottom line - south african cab. nothing but alcohol and light sweet dark fruit on the nose. flat up front with fizzing black cherry on the mid pallet with a lonnnng tannic, oaky, fruity finish. the finish alone is worth the $9, but loses marks for the one dimensional nose and flavor profile.

alcohol - 14.5%
residual sugar - 3.1 g/l
total acid - .60/100 ml
final pH - 3.63
blend - 100% cabernet sauvignon

aroma - alcohol, cherry
flavor -black cherry, sweet, carbonation sensation on the midpallet with a bold tannic, oaky finish with lingering fruit.
price - $8.99
punt - 23 mm
verdict - 83, WS84

2005 fetzer valley oaks cabernet sauvignon

http://www.fetzer.com/

the bottom line - california cab blend. unoffensive, but somewhat lacking in coherent structure. not great, but a very good value at the $7.49 price point.


alcohol - 13.7%
residual sugar - n/a
total acid - .62/100 ml
final pH - 3.50
blend - cabernet, merlot, syrah, carignane

aroma - green, oaky, starburst
flavor -light, fruity, blackberry soda, a bit flat up front, warms up in the middle with a nice (although somewhat bitter) long black cherry soda, oaky, tannin finish.
price - $7.49
punt - 35 mm
verdict - 83

2005 the little penguin southeastern australia cabernet sauvignon

http://www.thelittlepenguin.com


the bottom line - southeastern australian cabernet. solid simple cab, relatively light in body and somewhat sweet. very well balanced for such a young wine. an excellent value. would pair well with pasta and/or a movie.


alcohol - 13.5%
residual sugar - n/a
total acid - n/a
final pH - n/a
blend - n/a

aroma - juicy, green pepper, fresh cut grass
flavor -light, sweet. moderate tannin, light oak finish
price - $6.96
punt - 38 mm
verdict - 86, WS88