The wine carries a high score from Wine Spectator (93 points), has wide availability (18,901 cases produced), comes from a hyped-up vintage in a popular category, and for those skeptics out there is produced by a prominent advertiser in the publication. How did it miss?
The 2007 Ramey Claret and the 2007 BV Tapestry were both rated 93 points in the October 15, 2010 issue and neither made the Top 100 list. The 2007 Ramey Annum was rated in the August 31st issue and did make the Top 100 list so perhaps that explains it. Who knows? Maybe these are early candidates or speculation on the 2011 Top 100 list!
Diving into the number and looking a little more closely at the other 93WS 2007 Napa Cabs we see 30 wines ranging from $38 (07 Ramey Claret) to $300 (07 Hundred Acre Arc Vineyard) with an average release price of $126. Not only is this wine's release price very low price compared to its quality - it's readily available for around $30 if you shop around. I purchased mine at The Wine Cellar of Stoneham for $32.99.
The wine is pretty rough and chewy at this point but I can see it being beautiful in just a couple of years. You know that coarse, synthetic yellow rope that's like a quarter of an inch thick? Imagine soaking that in delicious, dense red wine then rolling it in a mix of savory spices and then chewing on it. That's what this wine is to me now. But I'd bet money it'll soften up beautifully in coming years to reveal an intense, powerful, and refined Napa Cab. Here are my notes:
2007 Beaulieu Vineyard Reserve Tapestry
Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Malbec, Petit Verdot
14.9% Alcohol
18,901 Cases Produced
$50 Release Price
A little rough and tumble at this stage but I like it. Deftly ping pongs between sweet and savory. The nose goes more in the savory direction whereas the palate delivers the fruit. Ample acidity, then a long vanilla-laced finish. Multi-faceted. Well done and quite a value if you can find it just north of $30.
93/100 WWP: Outstanding
Recommendation: Buy 3 bottles. Try one now and wait a year before opening the next.
Find it on Wine-Searcher
CellarTracker reviews
Update: I pinged Wine Spectator Executive Editor Tom Matthews on Twitter. He said that their December 31, 2010 issue was the cut-off for the 2010 Wine of the Year which makes sense but also confirms that both the Tapestry and the Ramey Claret were considered for the list but didn't make the cut. I think this creates a buying opportunity for these wines. If they landed on the Top 10 they surely would have been much harder to find.
Have you had this wine? If so, what did you think? If not, what are some other 2007 Napa Cab value plays you've found in the $30 range?
No comments:
Post a Comment