The California-Australia Wine Shootout™

Cabernet Sauvignon

St Supery Vineyards & Winery 2000 Limited Edition Rutherford Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley, California, $70.00
610 cases produced

Lush aromas of cedar box, tobacco, mahogany bookshelf, bright cherry, and berry lead to a plush textured wine with rich cassis flavors with a touch of cola. A wine of depth and concentrated flavors. Pretty damn tasty!

(92)

Gallo of Sonoma 1999 Frei Ranch Cabernet Sauvignon, Dry Creek Valley, California, $30.00
3,033 cases produced

Bright, cherry, plum, cassis, tobacco and wild mushrooms from the outset. Cherry entry through mid-palate, soft and well balanced with lots of tannin on the long finish.

(90.5)

Gallo of Sonoma 2001 Cabernet Sauvignon, Sonoma County, California, $13.00
70,000 cases produced

Opulent aromas of violet, lavender, integrated wood, cassis, and blueberry. The fruit is vibrant and this wine has great concentration and depth, nice acidity and back bone.

(90)

Yellowtail 2003 Cabernet Sauvignon, South East Australia, $6.99 30,000 cases produced

Ruby in color and initially closed aromatically, the wine opens to violets, black berries, and blueberries. The flavors are fresh and slightly jammy…concentrated cassis and bright berry ripeness with back notes of dark chocolate and vanilla. Deep and complex with substantial tannins.

(90)

Barefoot Reserve 2001 Cabernet Sauvignon, Dry Creek Valley, California, $15.99
1,949 cases produced

Pretty notes of cherry, blackberry and a hint of floral. The palate is tight with hints of chocolate, dark cherry, and vanilla. Dense good structure, packed with fruit.

(89.9)

McWilliams Hanwood Estate 2002 Cabernet Sauvignon, South East Australia, $11.00
26,000 cases produced

A juicy wine with depth. Pleasant aromas of toasty nuts, red currants, plum, cherry, and mint. Meaty, chewy tannins, blueberries are dominant - bright on the palate both elegant savory.

(89.6)

Icaria Winery 2001 Cabernet Sauvignon, Northern Alexander Valley Hillside, California, $38.00
750 cases produced

A youthful wine – lightly floral and muted cherry on the nose with dark fruit in the mouth. Well balanced fruit, oak, tannin ratio.

(89)

Louis M. Martini 2001 Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley, California 36,000 cases produced

An elegant wine with smoky, ripe black fruit aromas, appealing cherry, berry and vanilla flavors. The texture is soft and appealing.

(89)

McWilliams of Coonawarra 2000 Cabernet Sauvignon, Coonawarra, Australia, $30.00
1,976 cases produced

Black fruit, cassis, cedar, and vanilla aromas deliver the same onto to the palate with additions of coffee and herbal notes. The fruit is balanced by a solid tannin structure on the long finish.

(89)

St Supery 2000 Dollarhide Limited Edition Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley, California, $70.00
1,200 cases produced

A rich and graceful wine. Black currant with tar and coffee notes. Full body with seamless continuity and length.

(88.7)

St Supery Vineyards & Winery 2000 Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley, California, $24.00
41,000 cases produced

Barnyard, oak and berries on the nose develop into flavors of black plum and cassis with cigar box and chocolate backnotes.

(88.7)

Flora Springs 2001 Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley, California, $30.00
8,800 cases produced

Ripe black cherry, black plum, and black currant on the nose and in the mouth with mocha integrated tannins.

(88.5)

Pedroncelli 2000 Morris Fay Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon, Alexander Valley, California, $16.00
2,150 cases produced

Bright ruby in color with coffee, vanilla and herbal notes on the nose. The flavors are black fruit with hints of cherry and coffee. Herbs are quite prominent on the palate.

(88.5)

Katnook Estate 2000 Cabernet Sauvignon, Coonawarra, Australia, $22.00

Juicy and ripe with generous black cherry fruit, slightly minty with good balance and a long finish. The wine is rich and structured, very Bordeaux-like in character.

(88.2)

Rodney Strong 2001 Cabernet Sauvignon, Sonoma County, California, $18.00
187,924 cases produced

Red cherry, cassis, licorice, and mint aromas developing into Aussie-style fruit on the palate - deep juicy, woody red plum and cherry, good earthy herbs and dusty tannins on finish .

(87.8)

Reynolds 2002 Cabernet Sauvignon, New South Wales, Australia 8,200 cases produced

Peppermint, sweet red currant and red bell pepper aromas. Slightly cooked black fruit with coffee on the back palate. Refreshing acidity. Lots of tannin that could integrate with time but right now, not enough fruit mid-palate to please our panel.

(87.8)

Peters Family Winery 2001 Gardner Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon, Sierra Foothills, California, $40.00
200 cases produced

Ripe, open and lush with blackberry flavors. The finish has lots of tannin but this wine is balanced and should age nicely.

(87.5)

Rosemount Estate 2001 Show Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon, McLaren Vale, Austalia, $24.00

Concentrated fruit with deep dark flavors and big tannins. The mouth is full - cherry, violet and eucalyptus. Lovely!

(87)

Rodney Strong 1999 Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon, Northern Sonoma County, California, $40.00
5,971 cases produced

A lively berry and woody blackberry nose, jammy and ripe in the mouth with a dark berry palate.

(86.5)

Burlwood 2002 Cabernet Sauvignon, California, $7.99
25,000 cases produced

Dark tarry aromas with pepper and spice lead to a juicy, ripe wine. The finish is slightly short.

(86)

Katnook Estate 1999 Odyssey Cabernet Sauvignon, Coonawarra, Australia, $48

Appealing oak aromas overlay plum, black fruit and green pepper. A good food wine – everything is in balance - good acid and medium tannins.

(86)

Cloverdale Ranch 2001 Cabernet Sauvignon, Alexander Valley, California, $22.00
1,113 cases produced

A soft and simple wine with graham cracker, sawdust and ripe red fruit on the nose. Ripe boysenberry on the palate.

(85.5)

Aquila Estate 2001 Cabernet Sauvignon, Margaret River/Blackwood Valley, Australia, $18.00
5,000 cases produced

Plum and green notes on the nose repeating on the palate with eucalyptus and spicy oak notes.

(85)

Eberle 2001 Estate Cabernet Sauvignon, Paso Robles, California, $25.00
1,016 cases produced

Sweet caramel and chocolate over ripe black fruit on the nose and mouth. Aggressive tannins and lots of acidity on the finish.

(85)

Louis Martini 2000 Monte Rosso Cabernet Sauvignon, Sonoma Valley, California, $55.00
3,000 cases produced

Slight barnyard and herbal notes over concentrated berry and cherry fruit aromas and flavors. The fruit is nicely balanced with acid.

(85)

Wolf Blass Yellow Label 2002 Cabernet Sauvignon, South Australia, $12.00
50,000 cases imported

A soft style Cabernet Sauvignon with sweet currant, lavender and red currant on the nose. A lively palate showing red and black plum and herbal notes in the mouth. Good length.

(85)

Miramont Estate 2002 Celestial Cabernet Sauvignon, California, $19.50
1,406 cases produced

Deep purple almost black in color with berry and oak flavors, supple tannins. This Cabernet Sauvignon is quite pleasant and fruity.

(84.8)

Wynns Coonawarra Estate 2001 Cabernet Sauvignon, Coonawarra, Australia, $15.00

Nearly opaque. A pure and simple wine with cassis and blackberry. A bit lean, more fruit is needed to offset the tannins.

(84.6)

Gallo of Sonoma 1999 Estate Cabernet Sauvignon, Sonoma Valley, California, $75.00
1,200 cases produced

A big, tannic wine. Deep black currant with herb and earthy backnotes replicate on the palate.

(84.5)

Black Swan 2003 Cabernet Sauvignon, Southeastern Australia, $8.00
175,000 cases produced

Grapey and simple…a rustic style of Cabernet Sauvignon.

(84)

Rodney Strong Single Vineyard 1999 Alden Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon, Alexander Valley, California, $30.00
4,043 cases produced

Opaque, black-red in color with a garnet rim. Nice bright fruit in the mouth and big oak on the finish.

(84)

KitFox 2002 Cabernet Sauvignon, California, $14.00
3,000 cases produced

Cooked black fruit aromas, ripe fruit in the mouth accented by herbs and toasty oak.

(83.4)

Frei Brothers Reserve 2001 Alexander Valley Cabernet Sauvignon, Alexander Valley, California, $24.00
33,000 cases produced

A Cabernet Sauvignon with touches of chocolate, eucalyptus, mint, plum, dusty, herbs, and oak on nose. Ripe and rich, deep fruit in the mouth. A touch of sulfur detracts.

(83)

Rockledge 2001 Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley, California, $29.00
920 cases produced

Opaque and red in color with a red rim. Bright blackberry with pencil shavings in the nose. Barnyard over shadows the fruit in the mouth. Lots of tannin.

(81)

Howard Park 2001 Leston Cabernet Sauvignon, Western Australia, $19.99
1,384 cases produced

Lots of tannins surround the red tangy fruit. Some black cherry and leather on the finish.

(79.4)

Carmenet 2001 Cellar Selection Cabernet Sauvignon, California, $9.00
30,000 cases produced

A soft and simple wine. Sweet red cherry fruit on the nose and on the palate, drinkable now.

(78.8)

Howard Park 2001 Scotsdale Cabernet Sauvignon, Western Australia, $19.99
1,711 cases produced

Lots of acid and tannin on this wine. Under ripe black fruit with tar, wintergreen and eucalyptus notes.

(74.7)