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WTN: Any love for Cameron Hughes?

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Jim Grow

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WTN: Any love for Cameron Hughes?

by Jim Grow » Sun May 12, 2013 7:56 pm

I am just now finishing a bottle of Cameron Hughes Lot #400 2010 Napa Cabernet and although very young, it is very promising with lots of black raspberry essence, a bit of black currant and very well balanced. I also liked the Lot #300 with it's touch of anise and many others from less famous sites. What do others think about this negociant?
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Dale Williams

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Re: WTN: Any love for Cameron Hughes?

by Dale Williams » Sun May 12, 2013 9:24 pm

I've had CH wines that I thought were good, others I thought OK, a few I thought pretty bad (but based on style more than "quality", not sure I've ever had a CH wine I thought was technically flawed).
I generally wouldn't buy a CH wine without trying. The one exception I can think of was when I local retailer offered a discounted CH mixed case with a portion going to a good charity, I got the case. Didn't love the wines, but mostly ok value.
It's just very difficult to say "I like" or "I dislike" CH wines. It's not like a negociant (Drouhin,Jadot, Selbach) who has a defined area of interest and expertise, and generally lots of contacts and contracts within their regions. It's just someone buying cleanskins or barrels. You might really like one, but the next one has a totally different winemaker and style. It' s more like OddLots than a specialty merchant.
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David M. Bueker

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Re: WTN: Any love for Cameron Hughes?

by David M. Bueker » Mon May 13, 2013 5:56 am

Never seen or tasted one.
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Dale Williams

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Re: WTN: Any love for Cameron Hughes?

by Dale Williams » Mon May 13, 2013 10:23 am

Looking back, highest score I've given a CH is a B-, which is ok for the $10-ish bottles, not so good at the $15-20. Of course, tastes vary, others obviously like the wines much more. But I think Jim's tastes and mine don't match up:
2009 Cameron Hughes "Lot 300" Cabernet Sauvignon
For me this is a wine to define gloppy. Heavy, sweet fruit, thick and oaky. About as not my style as one can get. C

edited to make "mind" "mine",oops!
Last edited by Dale Williams on Mon May 13, 2013 11:32 am, edited 1 time in total.
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Jenise

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Re: WTN: Any love for Cameron Hughes?

by Jenise » Mon May 13, 2013 11:25 am

Dale Williams wrote: You might really like one, but the next one has a totally different winemaker and style. It' s more like OddLots than a specialty merchant.


Exactly. My next door neighbor is a fan. But he's a fan because a) he LOVES the convenience of clicking on a website and having the wine show up at his front door and b) as he's confessed, he'll drink anything. Loves wine but can't tell modern from traditional from manipulated--it's all just wine and he rarely spends more than $15 a bottle anyway, so the issues you mention are immaterial to him. He's their perfect customer.
My wine shopping and I have never had a problem. Just a perpetual race between the bankruptcy court and Hell.--Rogov
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Doug Surplus

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Re: WTN: Any love for Cameron Hughes?

by Doug Surplus » Mon May 13, 2013 7:36 pm

These show up at Costco from time to time. I tried a few, but wasn't impressed.
Doug

If God didn't want me to eat animals, why did He make them out of meat?

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