It's when you experience the same wine from multiple years. This can give you an idea of how the wine will age...better or worse. For me I really love wines around 5+ years old.
The vertical tasting was from Franciscan Oakville Estate, their Meritage blend call Magnificat (is named after a Bach overture) and all three wines with hitting the high notes and we agreed all the wine was magnificent!
The contenders: 2004, 2003 and 2002 Magnificat. Original retail price $50.00. Notice the new label on the '04 vintage.
http://www.franciscan.com/
This is a meritage blend with Cabernet Sauvignon normally the prominent grape and the rest consisting of 4 of the 5 Bordeaux grapes. There have only been two years where there was more Merlot than Cab...the 2000 and 2004 which we're tasting today.
The blends: in order of content.
2002: Cab Sauv, Merlot, Cab Franc, Malbec
2003: 71% Cab Sauv, 25% Merlot, 2% Malbec, 2% Petit Verdot
2004: 50% Merlot, 49% Cab Sauv, 1% Petit Verdot
- Wine opened 30 minutes before tasting at the recommended 66 degrees.
We started with the newest and progressed to the older vintages.
For a wine that was just released this year the '04 hits you up front with great fruit and a smooth clean finish.
Next is the '03 and you can already taste the difference with a lower percentage of Merlot - this is more like a big California Cab - very nice, but so far we digging the '04.
By the time we make it to the '02 that year has had another 30 minutes of aeration. The '02 is a "Wow" Still big up front and a very subtle black licorice finish. Its the only one of the 3 that contains Cab Franc and I feel that is the reason why we all liked this one better - definitely more complex than than the other two.
Second time around we liked the '03 a little better. The consensus was the '04 is great right now and will be amazing in a couple of years. But the '02 was "Amazing" now. And how can you go wrong when you but Cab Franc in the mix...which is always a winner for me.
And most likely after a vertical tasting you'll be horizontal...sooner than later... :)
-Brian
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