Theme:Mountain Cabernet Sauvignon - from Napa or Sonoma regions in California
1) Bring a Mountain Cabernet Sauvignon Wine - please check to make sure it is a real Mountain Cab, not just any Cab from Napa or Sonoma. Here is an article on Mountain Cabernets, that may help to clarify what we are looking for: http://www.sfgate.com/wine/article/Higher-ground-Napa-and-Sonoma-s-mountain-2614345.php
2) If you can, stay in the usual TWITs price range (aka: up to $20 for singles, up to $40 for couples).
3) RSVP so we know you are coming.
4) Bring the wine to TWITs, in a paper bag, for blind tasting.
5) Optional: stay after the wine tasting for a pool party!
6) Not Optional: If you are staying for the pool party, please bring a swimsuit, (and sunscreen, flippy floppies, etc- as needed). ;)
7) If you are staying for dinner/pool party, please bring $10 to cover the cost of food. Lynn and Brian are providing a burger from the Vinoburger cookbook and a veggie side dish.
We will be blind tasting these wines indoors - in proper glass wineglasses first - per our usual TWITs format. Then after the wine tasting portion of the event is complete, everyone is welcome to stay and enjoy the pool. However, plastic wine cups are then required (and will be available). If you have a specific wine you would like to bring, just for pool-time, and perhaps one that is not a Cabernet, please feel free to do so.
Tasting Notes:
Welcome Wines (there were 3 and they are pictured below, but I cannot remember them off the top of my head and for some reason I didn't write them down)
Mountain Cabernets are hard to pair, they need meaty foods, earthy, perky cheeses like Gruyere, Peccarino/Romano, Goat Cheese, Gouda, Harder, sharper cheese.
1) 2005 Atlas Peak Spring Mountain Cabernet Sauvignon - $45 on Woot Wine
14.5 % alcohol, 100% Cabernet Sauvignon
tannic forward, malbec-ish, more modern, not overly oaked, darker flavors, heavier aromas, peppery than a usual Cabernet, almost like a Zin, oak, cassis on the nose, for a Cab it is smooth and easy, very balanced, love it, smells amazing, a 1-scoop ice cream vanilla, and 1 scoop blueberry w crust on top.
2) 2009 Martin Ray Diamond Mountain Cabernet Sauvignon - $39.99 Total Wine
14.6% alcohol, 100% cabernet sauvignon
more blue-er, inky color, dusty, leathery, earthy, purple, more alcohol, creaminess, not as big of a nose as the first wine, like oil rolling down the glass, inky, punchy, melts into your mouth, long finish, acidity, a little pepper, yummy, smells like's Val's nail polish remover, pair with food, better for chocolate, rich and creamy
3) 2011 Hedges Red Mountain Washington State - $31 @ Sweetwater
13.5% alcohol, 44% Cabernet Sauvignon, 33% Merlot, 16% Syrah, 4% Malbec, 3% Cabernet Franc
smells milk chocolatey, lighter, well integrated, no alcohol line, floaty, long legs, Marvin thinks this is his wine (turns out he was right), more refreshing, cooler, smooth like a pinot noir, with pepper at the end, almost too smooth, vanilla American Oak?, the tannin is masked, Napa?, balanced, fits the tongue, edam cheese, lactic acid, big time cherries, stone fruits, creamy finish with pepper, very smooth, not tannic, glug-glug wine, very drinkable, some tobacco, "Pay your money and take your chances" - Marvin
4) 2011 Don Chappellet Napa Cabernet Sauvignon St. Helena (Pritchard Hill, Rocky Mountain Terraces) - $45 @ Costco
14.5% Alcohol, 100% Cabernet Sauvignon
sock it to me baby, peppery nose, spicy, high alcohol, vanilla, spicy, peppery almost Syrah Spicy, love it, chewier wine, fruitier, herb, spices, tart cherry, smooth finish, lighter, liked it better after sipping, "a schizo wine"
Pritchard Hill wine http://www.winemag.com/Web-2012/Pinning-Down-Pritchard-Hill/
5) 2011 Mount Veeder Napa Valley (High in the Hills) - $29.99 @ Toco Giant
14% alcohol, 100% Cabernet Sauvignon
blackberry, tobacco, cherry, earthy, not quite like a pinot, oak, so many smells, dried herb, cedar, bing cherry, DAMN good! Heavier Cab than the others, cabby, would drink on purpose, pepper, Italian Herbs, oregano, parsley blend, salinity, brine, olives, minerality, Val's FAVE, my kind of cab, less viscous, bell pepper, some Cab Franc notes, touch of sour, who doesnt' like this? Pepper! hot weather, summer cab, cuban food, don't drink before bed, Fire, red, acidity
6) 2007 La Jota Vineyard, Howell Mountain, Napa - $49.99 @ Smoke Rise
14.5% alcohol, 100% Cabernet Sauvignon
olive, brine, salt, muffaletta, tasty, smoky, earthy, oily mushrooms, olive, truffles, petrol, minerality, umami, pepper, the heat lingers, ashy, tobacco in the throat, cigar wine, tastes like meat, speechless, but I love it, sticking a nose into Grandma's cabinet, old leather, serious wine!
7) 2010 Vinterra Spring Mountain Napa Cabernet - $26.99 @ Hintons
13.5 % alcohol, 100% Cabernet Sauvignon
lighter, weak finish, flaccid finish, flat, doesn't do anything, not very impressive wine, burnt nose, overdone finish, not vibrant, stilted, short, cassis bomb, ribena, kool-aid finish, whiskey-dick wine, poor wine who needs viagra, "don't call me, I'll call you", tastes inexpensive, I dumped it
8) 2010 Hill Family Napa Atlas Peak - $55 @ winery
14.5% alcohol, 100% Cabernet Sauvignon
milk chocolate, pinot noir-ish, light, smooth, chewy, smidge of spice, stable, bunko and friend-zone wine, cotton candy, root veggies, table wine, needs food, not much nose, pleasant, cloying, Ser Jorah Mormont wine, clingy, strictly plutonic wine, no obvious flaws.
9) 2010 Terra Valentine - St. Helena - $29.99 @ Total Wine
14.9% alcohol, 100% Cabernet Sauvignon
spicy, acidic, caramel nose, good temperature, toffee, cocoa, yummy
Recipes from Ms. Lynn
"Here are links to the recipes that I made yesterday. For the most part I did what they said, but I'm not a measuring type so I eyeballed everything.
Mini Beef Wellingtons
I used the gourmet mushroom blend from Publix in the wellingtons instead of cremini, as those are so hard to find and cost a fortune.
Lasagna
I used pork instead of chicken in the lasagna sauce.
Salads
I didn't put flower in the bowls.
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