2001 Neal Family Cabernet Sauvignon

I had a simular experience when I opened my first split about a week ago. This is an extremely well made wine but will probably never be in the league of Etude, Pride, or Insignia. Time may reveal the fruit but the heat on the finish is the problem for me. I think it is one of the best in its price range under $50. 89+pts now with potential for 92pts.

It's funny you mention Insignia. Although my experience is somewhat limited, the bottle of 1997 Insignia I had a few months ago continues to be the wine against which all others are measured.

2001 Pride CS comes close.

I didn't get any hot finish on my bottle of Neal, but it's good to hear that I am not the only that, at least to this point, was not awestruck by this wine.

Did you prefer the wine at earlier tastings during the day? Even with the tannins, was the fruit more forthcoming at the earlier sips?

10 hours seems like a long decanting to me, even for a young, deep quality cab. Others may differ, but I never decant cabernets that long.

I decanted that long based on the experience of people on the board who had tried the wine and decanted for anywhere from 60(!!!) hours to zero.

Based on the progression, I thought the wine was tasting best at 6pm (about 8 hours).

Thanks for your post.

You guys are tough. I had this last night and I found it awesome. So smooth and the finish was mind boggling. IMO it blew away the 2000 Dead Arm and 2000 Clos du Marquis that we also had. I give it a 95 and I need to find more. Thank you dbw4 for bring this with you.

I volunteer to collect all of the 2001 Neal that the rest of the forumites don't like!

Wow!

DBW

and with dbw4. This was a fantastic drink and a nose that would not quit. I will take any one that is up for trade. The body has a full and rounded feel with seemingly 0% acidity and a rich palate that blending with a silky texture. A slight spice on the dismount that to me reminded me of some top merlots that I have tasted. As dbw4 mentioned, the backbone was muscular enough to provide aging, but I would never be able to keep my hands off of it to allow it to age. 95 pts.
An absolute pleasure to drink and sniff. DRAB and dbw4 WE OWE YOU ONE!

just received my 12 bottles, hopefully will not be tempted for at least 2 years.

crack one now and torture yourself to see how you will be able to hold back for those years. Or better yet, hate it, put it up for trade so steve8, dbw4, and I can take it off your hands.

ps-how did you get them?

I've already drank 8 of the 24 I bought....

It's pretty good right now, but I can't wait to try in 2 years.

You are torturing me because I know that this will be very difficult for me to find. Am I correct in that it is only available by mail order from the winery? How is their zinfandel? Can the single vineyard wines be better than the Napa Valley bottling? (I will do a search of this forum to look for tasting notes)

Auto. You really should try one now. Like, tonight.

This wine is clearly not ready to drink. I gave in an opened one. Based on what I read, I decanted it twelve hours before dinner and tasted it periodically throughout the day. It took about fourteen hours to soften sufficiently for drinking. This is a clear indication that the wine needs time. 14 hours in a decanter is a means of prematurely aging (oxidizing) the wine. I have 5 bottles left and will wait years for the next. I'd estimate this wine to peak from 10-15 years after vintage date.

Is it a pleasureful wine to drink now? Absolutely, but those who polish this wine off in the next few years will not get to experience the complexity and velvet richness that are yet to evolve.

Just one more sip.

This wine is not to be had the first night. Just pop it open and leave it, cork it or not. The next day you will find very, very dark fruit coming out. Some oak will sweeten the tannin, but will not overwhelm it. The fruit will still rule on the finish. In my book 95+.

Otto

why do we need 100 diiferent tn threads on the same wine . is search that hard to use

http://www.vinocellar.com

Good wine. Good value. But I'm not as enthused as many others. My rating 91-92 points.

I have tasted the '01 Neal Family Cab 5 times now since Pyang brought a bottle to Chicago (link) last fall, and this is the first time that I have been disappointed.

I stood a bottle up to take to the CWM & ORV recent off-line but then I changed my mind. Now I am sorry that I did. It would have been good to hear the others opinions of this bottle.

When I opened the bottle last night, it looked as dark as always, but I knew from the nose that this bottle was different. When I asked Lady Vino Me to smell it she said right away "fresh grass." I know that this sounds funny, but it had that new mown lawn smell that is exactly like NZ Sauvignon Blancs. There was also typical currant smell of Cab, but the grassiness was impossible to miss. Also there was a hint of floral scent that I never noticed before. It reminded me of honeysuckle and it was not unpleasant, only surprising. It was like the floral part of a young Cote Rotie, but that comes from the Viognier and I know there isn't anything like that in the Neal. The wine still has its rich mouthfeel and firm tannins. It still has currant, blueberry and chocolate notes. But now it has that grassy herbal smell and taste that just would not go away, even after 4 hours of being in a decanter. It made me wonder if there might be some Cabernet Franc mixed in the blend, but even for that varietal the herbalness is too strong. It is not completely unpleasant, but it is certainly not something typical in a California Cab, and it is so strong that it is impossible to overlook. I rated my first bottle of Neal Family at 96 points, but no one would give this wine more than 88 points. Many might give it a few less.

I am not certain if this wine is going through a phase, or if it is evolving in a direction that is not expected. We did not finish the bottle. I will leave the last 5 or 6 ounces for a few days to see if there are further developments. Right now, I am just a little bit worried about my other bottles. If this wine cost $15 or 20 it would be all right to drink them up. But at nearly $50 I was hoping to drink these for many more years. Now I am not sure how long these will last.

VM


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Quantum mutatus ab illo!

VM. Was this the first bottle you opened from that case?

Yes, itis the first bottle of a previously sealed case. I am very worried about it. I have thought of calling the winery to see what they think, but what can they say? That the wine isn't going to age well? That I shouldn't have bought it?

I hope this experience won't be repeated.

VM


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Quantum mutatus ab illo!

Isn't there an effect of VA that can cause this? Maybe it is just the bottle - please be the bottle- eek


DBW

quote:

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Originally posted by Vino Me:
Yes, itis the first bottle of a previously sealed case. I am very worried about it. I have thought of calling the winery to see what they think, but what can they say? That the wine isn't going to age well? That I shouldn't have bought it?

---

From everything I've read and heard about Mark Neal, I would be surprised if he responded like that. You might want to call him. Or perhaps he will respond to you here as he seems to post regularly.

If you would have said that you had already opened a bottle from that case and it was fine, I was going to offer to alleviate your worries and buy the rest from you. Sorry, I'm sure you don't need jokes about it.

VM
based on a very recent conversation with Mark, I believe you are removed from the mailing list and will no longer be offered wines from Neal.

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www.winebid.com
2004 Whirlwind Tour

Sounds like they slipped some Canadian juice into that puppy.

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Cheers.

Sounds like a VM April Fools day joke to me. He knows how many people on this board bought this wine. I can hear him chuckling right now as everone who bought in is worrying about their wine. I don't believe him for a minute.

Of course, I'm also a Cubs fan and known to suffer from delusional optimism.

Be quiet, Seaquam, or I will tell Board-O that you mentioned Canadian juice.

Pyang, I know that you are a big fan of this wine, but to tell you the truth, if it is going to start moving down the herbal path, then maybe being removed from a mailing list is not so bad. I did not enjoy the wine much, and I am now concerned that this may be an unexpected quality of the entire release.

I will try what is left in the decanter tonight I think, and maybe I will open another bottle just to see what's going on. I hope my fears are wrong.

VM


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Quantum mutatus ab illo!

VM,
You could always create a "$6.00 Vino Me Bargain Bin" at your hacienda in which to place your Neals, etc. and then invite us all over . . . I will pay cash.

Cheers,
Blue Oval

Actually Blue O, I will be downstairs in my workshop sanding a small project tonight, so I could build that bin. Unfortunately, I think I will have to price this wine much higher than you have suggested. That would be a lot of money to lose. Anyway I am not ready to put all of these bottles up for sale.

Yet.

VM


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Quantum mutatus ab illo!

Come on guys, this is only 1 bottle! There is no need to freak out. If the 1999 is any guide, this wine will certainly age beautifully.

-Brettay

well vino me,
hope this is an april fools joke, cause on march 20 i open a bottle and found this on of the best cabs yet this year. check the what are you drinking notes. i have had three bottles so far and have a problem keeping my hand off the one in my cellar. you should check it again. so if you want to sell let us know!
thanks

Vino Me,

How many time do I have to tell you not to taste anything else after your palate and nose is ruined by drinking Chateau Vino Me on the rocks.

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"From wine what sudden friendship springs!"

When I read Pyang's response I also wondered if this wasn't an April Fool's joke. It just didn't sit right. C'mon VM (and Pyang), fess up.

I don't think it matters, steve8. Like Brettay wrote, one bottle is not conclusive of anything.

Unless, of course, Robert Parker has just tasted it, and no one has bought any yet.

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Cheers.

Thanks to Mark & Gove for being good sport on this one. Happy April Fool's Day.

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www.winebid.com
2004 Whirlwind Tour

Yes. Thanks. Just to clarify. I have never had a bad bottle from Neal. Especially the 2001 Napa Cab which is a special wine to say the least.

Seaquam was a very bad boy for pulling such an April Fools Day prank. Now can I please get back on the mailing list.

VM

Mark Neil and Grove Celio were at the McArthur CA Barrel tasting last week and joined us for dinner at the Mendocino Grill afterwards. They brought a bottle of their 98 CS Napa Valley and the 2001 Second Chance Vineyard. Both were excellent. The SCV was still young, but with a little age on it will be a stunning bottle of wine. Complex but well structured with firm tannins. Lots of fruit, yet quite integrated even now. The 98 was amazing, showing well for a wine that saw so little airtime. Several of us picked it as our wine of the night, which considering the competition was quite a feat.

Have to say that both Mark and Grove are great guys, interesting to talk to, I learned a lot.

When in doubt, open another bottle.

[QUOTE]Originally posted by Vino Me:
Now can I please get back on the mailing list.

Vino Me;

What mailing list?

mjneal

Mark, what do you suggest as a drinking window for the '01s?

I hadt his wine for the second time tonight -- was decanted for 8 hours...

Sweet nose of currant, black raspberry, and maybe just a hint of blueberry and strawberry. Rich mouthfeel with mostly black fruits -- a bit of red currant as well, though. Long finish. I think I rated this 92 before and I stick by that. I might rate this 91.5 but with the clear ability to improve. In 4-5 years this could be a 93 or perhaps even higher. For $45/bottle, it is hard to keep my hands off this when I want a nice Cab, but this will deffinitely be better in about 5 years.

a

"What contemptible scoundrel stole the cork from my lunch?" -- W.C. Fields

Bump

We had this on Thursday night. I opened it at 9:00 a.m. and had a tiny sip. All I could taste was oak and tannin. Poured it into a decanter and let it sit. First taste was about 7:00 (10 hours decant time). It was well-rounded perfection, but still a hair tight. I'll open another in six months.

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I'm what Willis was talking about!

We had this at a restaurant in NYC last night with grilled ribeye over arugula with rosemary sauce, and sauteed veal with three types of wild mushrooms in a marsala sauce.

It was dark purple with a truly great nose of plums, cedar, and baking spices. On the palate, the wine was tannic and not as rich as the previous bottle. It was is still quite youthful, just not as complex as desired. I'd like to have tasted it another hour or two later, but it was all gone with the entree. Possibly closing down a little? Me 90. My wife 91.

Just one more sip.