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+--- Thread: Couple David Arthurs (/thread-5067.html)
- oostexan - 08-18-2006
Took a group of really good customers out to dinner last night and, becuase they are really into Napa cab, we tried a lot of good juice. Had the 2002 David Arthur Napa Cabernet and 2002 Meritaggio. This was only my second time to try the David Aurthur stuff. We also had the 2001 Altamura Napa Cab, 2003 Caymus Napa Cab, 2002 Flora Trilogy, and finally a 1999 Rocca Syrah to mix it up.
Sorry in advance for the light tasting notes as I was not in position to write anything down. But we did have a fun time ranking them all.
I will give you the concensus of the group, then give you my rankings:
1. David Arthur Napa Cab - super rich and heavily concentrated. Dark fruit, great nose, all the adjectives. A high flyer Cali Cab.
2. David Arthur Mertiaggio - Great fruity juice with good structure and excellent body. A glass of wine that is both fun, juicy, and a little out of the ordinary in a good way.
3. 2003 Caymus Napa Cab - great juice, a little restrained for my taste (probably youth), but the group loved it.
4. Flora Trilogy - Well documented on this site.
5. Altamura - I really like the understated elegance of this wine. Not a fruit bomb, but still very concentrated and elegant with a touch of smoke on the front of the palate.
6. Rocca Syrah - The group I was with was just not into Cali Syrah. Still a very good bottle of juice.
My rankings are very different from the group's. BTW, all the wines were fabulous and I would pleased to own any of them.
1. David Arthur Meritaggio - I just found it super interesting and different in a good way. Will drink well for another couple years.
2. Altamura Napa Cab - I think I liked this the best of the Cabs becuase it is drinking the best right now.
3. Flora Trilogy
4. David Arthur Napa Cab - Has great long term aging potential. Very young.
5. Caymus - Same as above, we drank this too young and it turned me off a little due to the heavy concentration and tannin.
6. Rocca Syrah - Just out of place in this tasting.
I was surprised to put the Caymus so low given that I really do like their Cab, but this was pretty high flying company and I think I am at the point where I appreciate trying something new. Once again, all of this juice was great.
We washed all this down with great beef and spent the evening in the cigar bar drinking booze and laughing until the early hours. Lots of fun.
Mark
- wondersofwine - 08-18-2006
Thanks for the notes. Was this a Caymus Special Selection? I don't know if they make a regular cab as well as their high end one.
- Glass_A_Day - 08-18-2006
Haven't broken into my 02 Arthur's, but am looking forward after reading your notes.
- oostexan - 08-20-2006
It was the regular bottling of the Caymus Napa Cab, not the Special Selection.
GAD, those DA's are going to be very, very good in a few years.