We haven't been back to Sequoia Grove in nearly five years. From my recollection, their wines were largely overpriced and lacked depth of fruit character, dominated instead by the prodigious use of American oak and the spiciness that comes with it. In many ways, they aren't any better. Their higher-end wines have gone the complete opposite direction, with deep fruit complexity without the tannic balance you might expect out of a cabernet. That's not to say their wines were without merit, quite the contrary. Moreover, the recent remodeling has elevated their image and their ability to accommodate a tasting crowd.
2010 Carneros Chardonnay $28/$22/$31
Lovely, fresh nose, with some creaminess. Scents of lemon
and pear, and subtle hints of toasted oak. Clean palate consistent with a
stainless steel fermentation process. The acidity appears after a little food
(in this case a bread stick).
2009 Rebellious Red $34/$27/$33
Every year is a different wine. The nose is enigmatic as if
it’s playing hide and seek in the vineyard. There’s something very different
about it. The blend is unusual and almost completely indistinguishable. It’s a
fun wine to consume with notes of dark fruits and a bright raspberry finish.
There’s still a dusty finish, that implies a cab or merlot.
2009 Stagecoach Vineyard Syrah $34/$27$/32
The nose is hiding again on this one. There are subtle notes
of forest floor, but the fruits are hard to identify. The tannins are full and somewhat earthy. The
cassis and blackberry flows forth throughout the finish.
2009 Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon $38/$30/$42
Lisa: Very green
hit-you-in-the-face nose. Not green
pepper, but still a big young nose; definitely screams lay me down, but if you
drank it now, you’d think it might be a good syrah. If you drink it later, you’ll love it.
The cassis and redcurrant flush the palate leaving a peppery
finish, attributed to the American oak with which they aged this wine.
2007 Lamoreaux Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon $90/$72/$40
Much more subdued and
balanced than the Napa Cab, but still has some very good spices. The palate is far too light and subtle for
the nose; however, the feel of it is big, the taste to it is light. A little confusing.
The nose is hard to find, again…I’m detecting a
pattern. After tasting it, I know why I
couldn’t find it. There’s no acidity to transport the flavors to the nose. You
can drink this all day, every day, but it is atypical of a Napa Valley Cabernet
Sauvignon. The fruit is balanced, well-integrated, and humble, unlike the
quasi-fruit bomb from Cakebread.
2007 Stagecoach Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon $90/$72/$41
Same style. No acidity means no nose, and you only find the
fruit on the palate. Peppery finish, but mildly so. Blackberry, cassis, and a
little tobacco on the palate.
2007 Morisoli Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon $90/$72/$40
So we have definitely established a pattern with the nose
and fruit. The palate is smooth, but flat with accessible fruit.
2010 Sample of Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon
Not yet bottled. Been in the barrel since November 2010.
Still a barrel sample, but it’s been blended.
Seems like there’s a little mint on the nose. This’ll be
nice…
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