WHAT: 2012-13 Lake County Cabernet Sauvignon
WHERE: The Vine Wine & Tapas, 135 Parrott St., San Leandro
WHEN: Sat. Oct. 13 at 6 P.M.
HOSTS: Bob & Sandy Simoni
Based on the memory of long-term members in attendance, this was the first tasting of Lake County wines ever held by the Cellar Society, and with the favorable reviews received, it appears to have been a success! There were 15 members and 7 guests in attendance, with 18 actual tasters.
The voting showed a clear favorite for #1, the 2013 Beaver Creek Horne Ranch Cabernet Sauvignon which at $39 is a great value. As for wines #2-7, they were all very close, only differing by 12 points. In fact, there were two ties, one of which of needed to be broken by counting not just the number of 1st place votes, but also the number of 2nd place votes. There was a clear least favorite, the 2012 Noggle Vineyards which was 20 points worse than the #7.
Here’s the final voting with everyone’s individual preferences, which varied as usual. Even the group’s #1 wine had 1 person who thought it was their #8, and the group’s #8 wine had 1 person who thought it was their #1.
Click on this link to see full descriptions of all the wines: 2018-10 Lake County Cabs Descriptions & results
A map of the 7 AVAs (American Viticulture Areas) in Lake County along with descriptions of the soil types of each region was distributed at the event and can be downloaded by clicking on these links:
Lake County AVA map
Lake County AVA Descriptions
Here’s the final tasting lineup in order with group choice #1 on the left, except that the last bottle on the right should be in the 6th position. 
The hosts Bob & Sandy Simoni
Group photo of everyone all at one table in the wonderful venue
Long-term member Genie pours some wine for others at dinner
The hosts with their guests Richard & Micheline on the left
ANNOUNCEMENT
WHAT: 2012-13 Lake County Cabernet Sauvignon
WHERE: The Vine Wine & Tapas, 135 Parrott St., San Leandro
WHEN: Sat. Oct. 13 at 6 P.M.
HOSTS: Bob & Sandy Simoni
Come join us we taste the best Cabernet Sauvignon that Lake County has to offer from the 2012-2013 vintages. Vintners in Napa Valley, Sonoma County and elsewhere long have appreciated the expression, structure and power of Cabernet Sauvignon grown in Lake County, which lies just to the north of Napa County. They bought most of it and added it to Cabernets and Bordeaux-inspired blends that bore the name of their own appellation, with no acknowledgment on labels front or back that a substantial chunk of the wine actually had originated in Lake County.
In recent years, however, Lake County has been developing its own winery scene, and is hanging on to more of its Cabernet Sauvignon, though about half of it still is being exported to vintners in Napa Valley and elsewhere. Compared with Napa Valley, Lake County vineyards are higher, warmer and exposed to more sunshine, rarely getting the kind of fog that hovers over vines to the south. Vineyards typically range in elevation from 1,400 feet to 2,600 feet and many are located in the volcanic soils near the extinct volcano Mt. Knocti.
For a description of all the wines we will be tasting, click here: 2018-10 Lake County Cabernet Sauvignon descriptions. For more information on wine-making in Lake County, see this link.
We will be using the same place used last year for our tasting: a spacious, wine-themed private room at a wine bar called The Vine which is attached to the Englander Pub in San Leandro. The room can fit 45 people so we will have plenty of room for our tasting. We will also have exclusive use of the outdoor patio which might be nice for the pre-tasting if the weather permits. Parking is free and is available in front or on nearby side streets. It is also .4 miles from the San Leandro BART should you want to take public transportation (a ride could surely be arranged back to the BART afterwards). Their website is at: http://www.thevinewineandtapas.com/
The cost of dinner is $50. This is a single bottle tasting so we are limited to 24 tasters but can easily accommodate more diners. The cost of the tasting will be relatively inexpensive (approximately $35 per taster).
Here’s the menu (Please choose one main course with your RSVP):
APPETIZER
Assorted cheeses and baguettes (served with Pre-taste).
House salad with a champagne vinaigrette.
MAIN COURSE
RIB EYE STEAK
Twelve ounce USDA choice rib eye steak, charbroiled to your specifications, served with a baked potato & mixed vegetables
SEAFOOD MIXED GRILL
A tasty combination of shrimp, scallops & salmon grilled to perfection
served on a bed of spinach with rice pilaf
CHICKEN BREAST WITH MUSHROOM SAUCE
A chicken breast with a white wine mushroom and garlic sauce served with rice pilaf and mixed vegetables.
DESSERT
German chocolate cake
RSVP: Please RSVP by Oct. 6 with the number of diners, tasters and your main entrée selections.
Cellar Society of San Francisco 