New World Cabs

Good people.. What should I be looking for in New World Cabernets? Particularly from Argentina/Uruguay?

Good people.. What should I be looking for in New World Cabernets? Particularly from Argentina/Uruguay?

From Argentina I'd be looking for Malbec ahead of Cabernet. From Uruguay - Tannat made from a forward-looking producer. Chile makes some good Cabs, you could start with the Cuvee Alexandre from Casa Lapostelle.

From California, I like many of the Spring Mountain appellation Cabs (Keenan, Cain, Schweiger, Marston, for starters). Napa Wine Company makes solid valley Cab for a reasonable price; Buehler offers good QPR for Napa; Corison Cabs are a very fine mixture of intensity and balance, requiring age. In Sonoma, Christopher Creek's Dry Creek Cab, Sebastiani's Sonoma Valley, and some of the Cabs from Bradford Mountain AVA are good value. Duckhorn and Provenance are making good Cab, the Duckhorn Howell Mountain is stunning. Gundlach-Bundschu's Cab Franc is tasty.

I haven't tasted many Washington Cabs recently, but found Columbia to be nicely balanced and reasonable QPR. Don't know much about Aussie or South African Cabs.

margaret river (australia) is the place to go. Lots of serious Cabs there - e.g. Moss Wood, Cape Mentelle, Cullen, Howard Park, Leeuwin

Good people.. What should I be looking for in New World Cabernets? Particularly from Argentina/Uruguay?

I can't tell from your profile where you are [USA or UK or EU?], but if you're in the USA, then I highly recommend this [it's from Chile]:

Palomo Peak 1997 Cab Reserva Privada

If you're not in the USA, then I highly recommend this [although it's 5X or 6X as expensive]:

1995 Mondavi Reserve

If you've got lots and lots of $$$'s to burn, then I recommend this:

Fisher Wedding

I'd also recommend Philip Togni, but to get a Philip Togni which is ready to drink now, then you're going to need to go back to the 1970's vintages.

His 1990's era wines won't be ready for another 20 or 30 years [or more].

I'd also recommend Philip Togni, but to get a Philip Togni which is ready to drink now, then you're going to need to go back to the 1970's vintages.

His 1990's era wines won't be ready for another 20 or 30 years [or more].

I like Togni, but didn't know he had wines from the 70s, earliest I have seen is about 1985. Late 80s ones are young, but certainly drinking nicely.

Stuart,
do you have a target price range? Makes a big difference.

Good people.. What should I be looking for in New World Cabernets? Particularly from Argentina/Uruguay?

Hi Stuart -are you interested in straight Cabernet Sauvignons, or straight Cabernet Francs, or blends of both with Merlot, Malbec, etc.

Some good Cabernet Sauvignons come out of Hawkes Bay, New Zealand in the right year, although very few 100% Cab Sauv varietal wines are now produced.

I'd also recommend Philip Togni, but to get a Philip Togni which is ready to drink now, then you're going to need to go back to the 1970's vintages.

His 1990's era wines won't be ready for another 20 or 30 years [or more].

I like Togni, but didn't know he had wines from the 70s, earliest I have seen is about 1985. Late 80s ones are young, but certainly drinking nicely.

He was at Chappellet until 1973.

To this day, the 1973 Chappellet might be the best red wine I've ever had.

Hi Stuart,

I've been drinking the 2004 Chateau Souverain. Nice Cali Cab in low $20 range. Medium bodied and well balanced in the oak treatment.

Richard

some Cabs from Argentina for you to consider...

Famiglia Bianchi Cabernet Sauvignon
El Cocodrilo Cabernet Sauvignon (Vinia Cobos)
Alamos Cabernet Sauvignon
Catena Cabernet Sauvignon
Pascual Toso Reserva Cabernet Sauvignon

and some Cabernet dominated or Cabernet relevant blends....

Trapiche Medalla
Felipe Rutini Apartado
Uxmal Cabernet Malbec
Alamos Reserve Cabernet Malbec

Please note the above lists are from wines that are exported.... tons of local market labels that I would recommend but that will be hard to impossible to find in your local market.