2004 vs. 2005 Cabernets & Bordeaux-Style Blends >/=$50, October 30, 2008

Our October tasting of 2004 and 2005 California cabernet sauvignons and Bordeaux-style blends over $50 turned up some outstanding wines, including a notable bargain, but produced no clear winner between the two vintages. The top wine, by a slight margin (and the bargain wine of the night) was the 2004 Provenance, Rutherford, cabernet. It was a ringer because its retail price was about $30. Second place went to the relatively unknown 2005 O'Shaughnessy, Howell Mountain, cabernet which was in a virtual tie with the 2005 Shafer One Point Five cabernet. All the wines were cabernet sauvignon, except for one blend.

1. 2004 Provenance, Rutherford (ringer) (3 firsts, 1 second, 1 third, 1 fourth, 18 points)
2. 2005 O'Shaughnessy, Howell Mountain (2/2/1/0, 16 points)
3. 2005 Shafer One Point Five (1/3/1/1, 16 points)
4. 2004 Sherwin Family (1/1/1/1, 10 points)
5. 2004 Revana (1/0/2/1, 9 points)
6. 2004 Etude (0/2/0/3, 9 points)
7. 2005 Vineyard 29, Cru (1/0/0/3, 7 points)
8. 2004 Lancaster (0/1/1/0, 5 points)
9. 2005 Palazzo, Red Wine (1/0/0/0, 4 points)
10. 2005 Pride Mountain (0/0/2/0, 4 points)
11. 2004 Wolf Family (0/0/1/0, 2 points)