Well done! While some dismiss Napa wines as being all the same, there are definitely differences in many of the AVAs that become apparent in the wines, especially in a comparison tasting. There are even differences between Howell Mountain, Spring Mountain and Mount Veeder, and even differences between Rutheford (known for the Rutherford dust) and nearby Oakville. The key is selecting wines that show these differences and not just buying a Napa AVA blend and then saying it is just like another Napa AVA blend.
Had the opportunity to taste a couple of fantastic, cabs, 2018 Louis Martini Lot 1 and James Cole Muds Kitchen. I think I'm ruined for life! Absolutely amazing! Soft tannins, but huge full body wines. One of the best days of last year! I have to get back there and get to Beringer! Great video!
Your best video to-date imo. We are Spring Mountain (Pride), Mt. Veeder (Robert Craig) and of course Howell Mountain devotees here. I could almost smell the wine as you tasted them…
Nice video! I knew there were differences between valley and mountain Cabs. But thank you for explaining why! My experience with Napa Cabs is probably a lot more limited to many others commenting here. So I'm not sure if I have a preference on valley vs mountain. But rather focus a bit more on the actual winery. But good to know and to know I need to get some more experience!
Ahhhh thanks. There are subtle differences and it can be difficult to discern the differences between the two with winemaking practices and oak regimes…
Very interesting tasting. There is so much to learn about wine, you can really always go more and more into detail it seems. Personally I still think in broader terms, like Napa vs. Bordeaux or when it comes to other grape varieties it might be as broad as Australia vs. Europe for instance, I need a bit more experience to really get into all the sub-appellations.
Based on you descriptions, the only one I got right was the Oakville. But after the Howell Mountain reveal, this first wine that came to mind was the Dunn Howell Mountain and I thought, of course, Howell Mountain. Another fantastic review. I was hoping for a Rutherford one. I love that Rutherford dust. Thanks Doctor Matt.
What a show! Might have different preferences, when it comes to taste, but fully respect your judgement! Cheers with a Plavac Mali Dingač 2013, that I would not share with anyone! P.S.Seventh day tasting of the same bottle.
You crack me up when you guess correctly but I prefer when you guess incorrectly especially when you explain why you may have guessed wrong. I'm always amazed how different (for good or bad) letting a wine breathe can change how it tastes. Could you do a tasting where you blind taste 5 wines, wait 24 hours and try them again and compare if they improved? Just a thought.
Awesome video! I’ve been bingeing your videos the past few weeks and you can really tell that the quality is getting better and better! And I really liked the idea behind this tasting! Makes me want to find some less expensive bottles to try myself!
should have thrown the reserve from the same year in just to see if it's worth it when comparing blind... Easy for me to say sitting here at my keyboard, just go buy another expensive bottle to add to an already expensive lineup...
I was 3/5 but I said 5 was valley and agreed with you on the rest :). In general I prefer mountain fruit Napa, but I'll crush either. Though, I'm more likely to drink BDX than Napa when given a choice of equal quality.
This is a winery that's been excluded from my pick list for a while since I saw them releasing the bizarre bottles such as bourbon/tequila barrel aged wines. Now I'm on my way to shop those napa gems.
Nice video. From reading about Napa for quite a few years now, I wasn't surprised that the structure and fruit from different sub- appellations varies. As others here mentioned, the big issue with any Napa wines is the price, as 100 US$ is considered to be "entry level." So, while I enjoy reading and learning about Napa Cabernet Sauvignon, it's just not affordable. I remember in a Decanter article a few years ago some investors and winemakers came up with a great CS in the 30-40$ range. That sounds like affordable to most people; I totally agree that these wine are their prices. It's just that the average consumer can't shell out so much for a bottle of wine. And yes, CS is also affected by terroir; one of my favorites came from Austria of all places!
There are a number of good to VERY good Napa Cabs that run in the 35-50 USD range but to get into these AVA designates you have to shell out quite a bit more.
Great video ! Tasted a lot of Napa cabs . Oakville is the classic . Also like the Rutherford dust. But the Howell mountain wines , with the crispness and purity that age very well are my favorite now ! Do you have a favorite producer ?
I suggest Cade, Howell Mountain, I posted about the 2015 15.2ABV in a blind taste and Ian M. posted his experience with 2018 15.6 ABV and Doc responded that Cade is a great producer. There is another TH-cam that suggested Cade winery due to architecture as far as tours on their video about suggestions on which wineries to visit in Napa.
Great video as always! I second what you said about the difference between Oakville and Stags Leap. Being so close geographically I thought the profiles would be similar, but I was blown away by the differences. My favorite out of Stags Leap has been Shafer Hillside 2018; have you had a chance to try it?
The ones i enjoy the most in Napa are Mt Veeder, Stags Leap, Rutherford! Love Maycamas CS less oak, more fruit and spices and Stegs Leap Cask 23. Really good stuff!
Well done! While some dismiss Napa wines as being all the same, there are definitely differences in many of the AVAs that become apparent in the wines, especially in a comparison tasting. There are even differences between Howell Mountain, Spring Mountain and Mount Veeder, and even differences between Rutheford (known for the Rutherford dust) and nearby Oakville. The key is selecting wines that show these differences and not just buying a Napa AVA blend and then saying it is just like another Napa AVA blend.
Agree, unfortunately the wines aren’t so affordable for a lot of wine drinkers
Had the opportunity to taste a couple of fantastic, cabs, 2018 Louis Martini Lot 1 and James Cole Muds Kitchen. I think I'm ruined for life! Absolutely amazing! Soft tannins, but huge full body wines. One of the best days of last year! I have to get back there and get to Beringer! Great video!
Ahhhh a couple of nice wines there!
Your best video to-date imo. We are Spring Mountain (Pride), Mt. Veeder (Robert Craig) and of course Howell Mountain devotees here. I could almost smell the wine as you tasted them…
Wowww, coming from you that means a lot
This is such a fun experiment! I love Beringer Private Reserve
It is a gooood wine!
So the guy in the pinstripe suit at 5:45 is a friend of mine here in SA. He's a bad ass somm! I remember him going to Premiere Napa a few years ago.
Ahhhh nice. He definitelt knew his stuff and was very personable.
Nice video! I knew there were differences between valley and mountain Cabs. But thank you for explaining why! My experience with Napa Cabs is probably a lot more limited to many others commenting here. So I'm not sure if I have a preference on valley vs mountain. But rather focus a bit more on the actual winery. But good to know and to know I need to get some more experience!
Ahhhh thanks. There are subtle differences and it can be difficult to discern the differences between the two with winemaking practices and oak regimes…
Very interesting tasting. There is so much to learn about wine, you can really always go more and more into detail it seems.
Personally I still think in broader terms, like Napa vs. Bordeaux or when it comes to other grape varieties it might be as broad as Australia vs. Europe for instance, I need a bit more experience to really get into all the sub-appellations.
Sub Appellations is pretty hardcore geek stuff that only us crazy people love 😜
Based on you descriptions, the only one I got right was the Oakville. But after the Howell Mountain reveal, this first wine that came to mind was the Dunn Howell Mountain and I thought, of course, Howell Mountain. Another fantastic review. I was hoping for a Rutherford one. I love that Rutherford dust. Thanks Doctor Matt.
Ahhhhh nice that you got that based on descriptor!! Not an easy task
What a show! Might have different preferences, when it comes to taste, but fully respect your judgement!
Cheers with a Plavac Mali Dingač 2013, that I would not share with anyone!
P.S.Seventh day tasting of the same bottle.
With Coravin / Repour, or just slowly working through it?
Which producer?
You crack me up when you guess correctly but I prefer when you guess incorrectly especially when you explain why you may have guessed wrong. I'm always amazed how different (for good or bad) letting a wine breathe can change how it tastes. Could you do a tasting where you blind taste 5 wines, wait 24 hours and try them again and compare if they improved? Just a thought.
Thanks! Already have done that video on the channel !
Awesome video! I’ve been bingeing your videos the past few weeks and you can really tell that the quality is getting better and better! And I really liked the idea behind this tasting! Makes me want to find some less expensive bottles to try myself!
Wowww thanks so much for the compliment
i see you use an aerator, can you recommend one please?
It’s a Coravin not an aerator. I like wines to breathe naturally in the glass over time vs using an aerator
@@drmatthewhorkey Great!, thanks I'll look at the products
Well Done
Thanks!
When you say leafy do you mean green?
Yes a blend between capsicum and kale like flavors
should have thrown the reserve from the same year in just to see if it's worth it when comparing blind... Easy for me to say sitting here at my keyboard, just go buy another expensive bottle to add to an already expensive lineup...
😂
I was 3/5 but I said 5 was valley and agreed with you on the rest :). In general I prefer mountain fruit Napa, but I'll crush either. Though, I'm more likely to drink BDX than Napa when given a choice of equal quality.
Ahhhh good call
This is a winery that's been excluded from my pick list for a while since I saw them releasing the bizarre bottles such as bourbon/tequila barrel aged wines. Now I'm on my way to shop those napa gems.
They produce a lot of cheaper wines and supermarket labels which are BLAH IMO but their high end stuff is excellent
Very nice! The good napa cab is outstanding, the over oaked cab awful! Had a Stags Leap 2013, opened it in 2022 it was outstanding!
Ohhhh niceee
Nice video. From reading about Napa for quite a few years now, I wasn't surprised that the structure and fruit from different sub- appellations varies.
As others here mentioned, the big issue with any Napa wines is the price, as 100 US$ is considered to be "entry level."
So, while I enjoy reading and learning about Napa Cabernet Sauvignon, it's just not affordable. I remember in a Decanter article a few years ago some investors and winemakers came up with a great CS in the 30-40$ range.
That sounds like affordable to most people; I totally agree that these wine are their prices. It's just that the average consumer can't shell out so much for a bottle of wine. And yes, CS is also affected by terroir; one of my favorites came from Austria of all places!
There are a number of good to VERY good Napa Cabs that run in the 35-50 USD range but to get into these AVA designates you have to shell out quite a bit more.
@@drmatthewhorkey Agree. I picked up a few bottles from Last Bottle Wines of the Beringer Distinction Series 2018 for $45 ea. 91 Dunnuck, 90 Vinous.
Great video ! Tasted a lot of Napa cabs . Oakville is the classic . Also like the Rutherford dust. But the Howell mountain wines , with the crispness and purity that age very well are my favorite now ! Do you have a favorite producer ?
You are right on Howell Mountain fruit!
I suggest Cade, Howell Mountain, I posted about the 2015 15.2ABV in a blind taste and Ian M. posted his experience with 2018 15.6 ABV and Doc responded that Cade is a great producer. There is another TH-cam that suggested Cade winery due to architecture as far as tours on their video about suggestions on which wineries to visit in Napa.
Great video as always! I second what you said about the difference between Oakville and Stags Leap. Being so close geographically I thought the profiles would be similar, but I was blown away by the differences. My favorite out of Stags Leap has been Shafer Hillside 2018; have you had a chance to try it?
One of my all time favorite Napa Cabs
The ones i enjoy the most in Napa are Mt Veeder, Stags Leap, Rutherford! Love Maycamas CS less oak, more fruit and spices and Stegs Leap Cask 23. Really good stuff!
Ahhhh two really good wines there!
Great video! It would have been great if you went through each AVA in the beginning and talked about their some of their defining characteristics.
Thanks for the suggestion…
This is one of thosse I'd love to taste along with! I'm glad you like one of the same subregions I do as well (has Ghost Block and Schrader)
Big fan of those two producers as well
Nice video. Did you say they are all around $150?
Yeppers
@@drmatthewhorkey That's pricey. I'm not able to get hold of Napa cab here, but at $150, hmm. I'd be wanting something very special for that price.