1996 Cult CA Cab Tasting -- Are they worth the bucks?

[Bucko]

Spearheaded by Matt Mabus, over 60 enophiles converged on Matthews Cellars last night to the second annual "Mother of All CA Cult Cab Tastings." As usual, the starter and finishing wines that people brought far outstripped the event wines (for me anyway). There were far too many wines to report on all, but some real standouts for me were:

1989 Krug Champagne, Clos du Mesnil -- Simply stunning, with complex flavors toasty and a very long, lovely aftertaste. I did not find out who the generous soul was that brought this wine.

1993 Robert Weil Riesling TBA out of a 750ml -- Another stunning wine that approaches perfection. Still a baby yet, but has everything going for it, with luscious fruit, viscosity, and lazer sharp acidity to balance the R.S. Thanks to Bryan Loofbourrow for this gem.

1922 Bual Madeira brought by the Madeira hound himself, Chuck Miller. I am not an avid fan, but this one was darn tasty, simply loaded with toffee and hazelnut flavors that have you looking for a chocolate dessert.

Now, on to the 12 1996 wines of the night's event. 10 were top CA Cabs, two ringers, one supposedly a Leonetti, the other a Margaux. First number is how I placed the wine, second number is the group standing. There was good agreement in the first flight. The second flight was all over the place, with close voting.

Flight 1:

1,1 -- Ripe blackberry nose, very well-balanced, complex fruit flavors, silky tannins, and obvious but integrated oak. Yummy.
Phelps Insignia.

2,3 -- Hints of cedar and dusty aromas, blackberry and black cherry flavors, currants, sweet oak and modest tannins.
Ridge Monte Bello

3,6 -- Cinnamon and oak on the nose, quite tanic with black cherry, anise, chocolate and a strange, fleeting mango type of taste. Unusual.
Colgin

4,4 -- Anise and vanilla on the nose, chocolate, sweet oak blackberries, very tannic.
Pride Reserve

5,2 -- Blackberry and cherry nose, sweet black cherry fruit, overoaked, with a hot finish. Pass.
Peter Michael Les Pavots

6,5 -- Oak and cinnamon nose, red currants, spice and a lot of dill, bitter.
Surprise -- Margaux!

Flight 2:

1,5 -- Floral bouquet, blackberry and black cherry flavors, well-balanced, supple tannins, long aftertaste. Tasty.
Etude

2,4 -- This was actually tied for number one by me, but no ties allowed. Vanilla cherries and a chalky mineral nose. Big chalky, dusty flavors with blackberries and moderate tannins. Does not taste like CA, but does not taste like Leonetti?
Surprise -- Matt lied. He did not put in a Leonetti, rather this wine, Matthews Cellars (WA).

3,2 -- Blackberry and blueberry aromas and flavors, moderate tannins and sweet vanilla oak.
Dalla Valle Maya

4,1 -- Cherry vanilla nose, with acetone, currants and vanilla, finishing with soft tannins. Pass.
Araujo

5,3 -- Black cherry and cinnamon aromas, way overoaked with vanilla obscurring the cherry fruit. Silky tannins. Pass.
Screaming Eagle

6,6 -- Big barrel char nose, with huge smoky oak flavors, very sweet cherries, just simply horrid. A caricature of wine.
Bryant Family

Overall impressions -- Not a wine in the lot that I would even pay $40 for save for the Insignia, Etude and Matthews. I am amazed that these wines are commanding the dollars that they are......

Bucko