CWG Technical Tasting: Sonoma vs. Napa Presented by Louis Strydom at Engelbrecht Els 7 May 2009 Chardonnay and Cabernet Sauvignon, the leading cultivars in these areas, were compared to see the style differences that occur; as well as to gauge how the styles might have changed over time. Although there were no South African wines, the tasting also served as a platform to evaluate on a personal level how local wines compare to their US counterparts. - Jordan, Sonoma, Chardonnay 2006
Made in a Chablis style with lime, orange peel, floral and classical oak flavours. The wine has good structure and balance with a mineral finish. - Grgich, Napa, Chardonnay 2006
Floral and almond flavours combine well with the barrel char. The wine is well structured with lime and lees flavours and noticeable acidity. - Stonestreet, Sonoma, Upper Barn Chardonnay 2006
A slight reductiveness that blows off revealing pear, chalk and lees flavours. Although well structured with some nutty and creamy flavours, the wine ends slightly short, accentuated by its prominent acidity. - Lewis, Reserve Napa Chardonnay 2006
The wine shows obvious oaking with tropical, orange peel and some lime flavours. It is full bodied and well structured with a long, sweet finish. The oaking is a bit too prominent. - Silver Oak, Alexander Valley, Cabernet Sauvignon 2004
The nose shows bottle-ageing character with tea leaf, coconut and dark berries and a slight greenness. It has a full body with obvious oak and coconut flavour and a sweet, ripe finish. - Silver Oak, Napa, Cabernet Sauvignon 2004
The nose is evolved with berry fruit, toasty oak and coconut flavours. There is a stalky element to the nose. The tannins are bold with a full-bodied mouthfeel and slightly aggressive finish. - Simi, Sonoma, Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon 2004
The sweet toasted oak flavours combine well with blackcurrant, cigar box and savoury notes. The bold structure features prominent tannin with a long, sweetish finish. - Hess Collection, Napa, Cabernet Sauvignon 2004
Ripe dark fruit and berry flavours complemented by integrated oak. A big, powerful wine with firm tannin and a long finish with surprising elegance after the ripe flavours on the nose. - Laurel Glen Estate, Sonoma, Cabernet Sauvignon 2004
A complex nose of blackberry, cherry, sweet fruit flavours and notes of spice. The palate shows a full-bodied wine with ripe fruit, firm tannin and a mineral finish. - Lokoya, Napa, Cabernet Sauvignon 2004
Intense colour with big, ripe fruit, dark berries, cigar box flavours and chocolate and mocha notes. Prominent tannin compliments the full-bodied mouthfeel and long, slightly overripe finish. 11. Stonestreet, Alexander Valley, Cabernet Sauvignon 2005 Blackcurrant, herbal and ripe red fruit flavours are followed by meaty undertones. Firm ripe tannins end in a long finish that shows some elegance. 12. Shafer Hillside, Napa, Select Cabernet Sauvignon 2004 This wine shows ripe red fruit, raspberry and cherry flavours with balanced oak flavours. On the palate the oak is aggressive with very firm, dry tannin with some char. The wine is full-bodied with a sweetish finish. Conclusion: The surprise of the evening were Chardonnays that showed elegance and finesse with more subtle oak use. One expects to be confronted with big, bold oak driven examples and this was delightedly not the case. The Cabernet Sauvignons varied in style, with almost all made to be bold, full bodied styles with copious amounts of ripe fruit and tannin. Although these wines were impressive and not the monster Cabernet Sauvignons of a decade ago, there was a general lack of elegance to be found. A number of wines showed varying degrees of sweet volatile flavours. In some wines this contributed to the overall complexity - with others it was just a bit too obvious. The Sonoma wines were generally more subtle and showed more finesse compared to their bolder riper Napa counterparts.
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