Napa Cabernet Sauvignon, Old and New

(PalatePress) - One of the most controversial topics about Californian wine—and thus, one of the most widely discussed by wine lovers—is how much Napa Cab has changed over the years, or whether it has truly been altered. Every time I go to Napa and Sonoma with a group of wine writers, we always end up doing several Cabernet Sauvignon tastings, and questions inevitably arise as to whether the wines being produced now will age as well as the wines from 20 and 30 years ago. When I was taught about Napa in the International Sommelier Guild program in 2000, my instructor, who had lots of California experience, stressed that most of the premium Cabernet nowadays is made very differently from the 70s and 80s. The pH is elevated (often drifting towards 4), the grapes hang longer to get rid of any green character (but this can produce raisined notes and varietal character tends to diminish), and the alcohol is higher (well, that’s just a result of the longer hang time…or is it global warming?). It isn’t just foreign writers who think this. I’ve met quite a few Californians who are convinced this is true. I’ve read many articles about it, and, if I am to believe some of the recent stories, there is a recent move back towards more Bordeaux-style wines, at least among some producers.

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