2004 Chateau Ste. Michelle Cabernet Sauvignon

My sister and I ventured up to Portland City Grill a few nights ago. I haven't been there in months. The view was nice to see again, and we managed to score a giant booth just inside the door. We munched on fries and had conversations about the usual things.

2004 Chateau Ste. Michelle Cabernet Sauvignon (Columbia Valley, WA)
I really tried to get a sense of this wine. I noticed it was a bit alcoholic on the nose which made me question the flavor before I'd even tried it. I found this cab to be smooth and dry at the same time with a hint of cherry. My sister said she could tell it was barreled in Oak but I have difficulties sensing woodiness sometimes. There were very minimal tannins with only a very minor alcoholic hint at the end of the swallow at the nose. What I found most intriguing was the faint aftertaste of grape skins. Usually, I find it difficult to discern a particular flavor.

After wondering for a while whether my assessment was correct, I asked to see the bottle. It described the wine as tasting of black fruits, so I was on with the cherry. It also did mention Oak barreling so my sister was also correct. At $8.50 a glass I would recommend it, though after a quick web search found the price for a bottle varies from $13.50 to $25.

2005 Los Vascos Cabernet Sauvignon

I didn't really feel like having any wine tonight but since starting this blog, I feel compelled to try it if the bottle is open.

2005 Los Vascos Cabernet Sauvignon (Colchagua, Chile)
Like the Argentinean Malbec, this wine has an alcoholic nose. It smells a bit of jam, and recalls the memory of my mom making jam at home out of huckleberries. Having now tried two South American wines I can sense a subtle spicy flavor that other wines don't usually have. This Cab seems to have a shifted flavor from others due to said spice. Also like the Malbec, this wine is dryer than the others I've reviewed. At the back of the tongue it finishes spicy and then alcoholic. The tannins are present but not overt enough to detract from the wine. Overall, it most simply tastes like a Cabernet, went well with steak and is equally enjoyable as an after dinner drink.

2000 Altamura Cabernet Sauvignon

Last night we were treated to a fantastic dinner. Out with friends, we had dinner more the way the Italians do. Things came in courses; I was full before my dinner got to the table, so I brought almost all of it home as leftovers. The restaurant, Bugatti's in West Linn, had a nice atmosphere and was packed---an affirmation that the food there is good. And it is.

The real surprise, I must admit, was the wine, however. We tasted several and I had saved the corks so I could remember what they were called. (Unfortunately, the waiter took them as he cleared the table and I didn't realize until it was too late.) Having not brought a pen, I had no way of writing down the information on the wine, so thinking smartly, I took a picture of the last bottle (which I liked the best) with my cell phone so I could at least remember the name.

2000 Altamura Cabernet Sauvignon (Napa Valley)
This vintage is basically unobtainable with the oldest on their website being 2003. I have never tasted wine this expensive before. The waiter poured me a taste because (stupidly) I wasn't planning on drinking and since I had to get up very early, I didn't want to get tipsy. Had I been smarter, I would have demanded a full pour and then hoarded the bottle. Curse my sensibilities!

I like wine, and especially Cabernet Sauvignon. But I don't know the first thing about it. My palate is probably the most underdeveloped of anyone I know. I swirled the glass, I checked the density of the color, I breathed it in. When I tasted it, I found it to be the most beautiful and pleasant wine I've had thus far, and at this time I didn't know it was a Cab because the bottle was on the other side of the table. But no matter how much I tried, I couldn't pick out one definitive flavor---it was just...really good. It had a full flavor that didn't taper off into tannins as I swallowed it. It didn't make my tongue feel "squeaky clean" (like those old Tupperwear ads) as some other wines tend to do. Finally, I asked them to pass me the bottle whereupon I immediately knew why I liked it---my favorite varietal, Cab. Also I found the bottle itself to be appealing to the eye. Taller than I'm used to and slender, it seemed suited to the contents.