Bordeaux clowns Cali again (99 Insignia vs 96 LMHB)

[marcs]

At dinner parties I occasionally like to run little comparison face-offs between good Bdx and California cabs of similar vintages. I think I posted here previously about another dinner where we compared the 1999 Spottswoode to a 2001 Pichon Lalande.

The usual result at these dinners is that putting the two regions next to each other makes the California look syrupy and simplistic compared to the greater tension, depth, and complexity of the Bordeaux. Last night I opened a 1999 Insignia and a 1996 La Mission to go with a dinner of lamb shanks, and got basically the same result. This one was particularly interesting since the Insignia is at peak maturity and is very rich and deep, while the LMHB gives the impression of being at early maturity and could possibly fill out even more.

Still, the LMHB was far better. The Insignia was rich but one-dimensional, full of fig and chocolate flavors and sweetness. It did have some counterbalancing greenness to it, sort of halfway between vegetable stalk and mint, but not enough to complicate the impression of a sweet, heavy wine.

In contrast, the LMHB had the classic power without weight, very multi-layered, deep, and savory while still being airy and light on the tongue. The contrast in the heaviness of the initial impression was really striking -- the LMHB danced over your tongue while the Insignia kind of flopped down on it and gave you a big chocolatey kiss. The LMHB had far greater minerality with the sweetness being a counterpoint rather than the main event. Comparing the two wines, it felt like the richness of the Insignia translated directly to heaviness, while the LMHB translated richness of fruit into layers of contrasting flavors, ranging from tar overtones to steely minerality all the way to berry sweetness.

The Insignia was reasonably good with food (the food cut the heavy sweetness of the wine, and the wine acted as a sweet sauce), but the LMHB actually lifted up and enhanced the flavors in a striking way. As one of my guests said, "the food makes the California better but the Bordeaux makes the food better".

With all that said, one of my wines of the year in 2017 was a California Cab, an amazing 1992 Togni that started out sweet but opened up to reveal layer after layer of herbal and mineral complexity. So maybe the next time I try this it should be with a properly aged Togni!

[AKR]

Togni to me is made in a Bordeaux style. Back when they were lower priced it was one of the few Napa wines I would buy. Still have a couple left but the $100-130 current release prices leave me a bystander to their charms.

I do not know if this is true, but I have heard through the grapevine, that there are oceans of modern Insignia still to be sold at the winery.

[AlohaArtakaHoundsong]

Interesting since isn't Pessac in '96 supposed to be one of the least successful left bank communes although obviously there can be exceptions.

[marcs]

In an absolute sense I would say the LMHB was very very good but not great. Given that LMHB is considered the second best Pessac Leognan, occasionally competitive with Haut Brion, and '96 is considered a very good year overall for the left bank that seems compatible with the idea that PL didn't hit it out of the park that year.

That LMHB could still improve a bit with time though. It certainly had the substance and balance.

[Nicklasss]

Very interesting. A few years ago, JeanFred brought a 1999 Insignia at a dinner at my place, and I liked it very much for a Californian. But the 2000 Guigal La Mouline, at the same dinner, was better .

Nic

[DavidG]

For some reason Marcus your note made me think:

Insignia = golden retriever
LMHB = border collie

Not that either wine was a dog...

[AKR]

Bob's ratings of that era. I think the 1998's Graves got a big upward revision at some point. I don't remember them being so well regarded (by him) on release.

Personally I always thought they drank wonderfully, and hadn't looked at the vintage chart in some time (at least for this region/era)

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[danzur]

I've got a couple '98 LMHB and HB that I need to try sometime. I've only got 2 of each and haven't tried either of them. I'm playing this game trying to find the perfect time-just need to get after it I guess.

[marcs]

Very interesting. A few years ago, JeanFred brought a 1999 Insignia at a dinner at my place, and I liked it very much for a Californian. But the 2000 Guigal La Mouline, at the same dinner, was better .

Nic

The Insignia was quite good. If we had it on its own I would have just said that. But what these head to head comparisons show is that while California produces some excellent wines when they're not excessively alcoholic or cloying, it just can't make the leap to the level of depth, complexity, and sophistication you find in the best French wines. This has been the universal opinion of non-wine people I drink these wines with, it's not just me being a Bdx-head (even though I am that ).

Not quite sure why that is.

[DavidG]

Reactions I’ve seen from "non-wine people" to California/Bordeaux comparisons have been more mixed. When California is preferred it’s for its up front fruit over the earthiness and complexity of the Bordeaux. Usually not blind so there could be some inherent label or country bias.

[JimHow]

California excels at the highest levels.
The problem is that it doesn’t compete well at lower prices.
That’s why I find those Ridge zins to be such an exception.

[johnz]

HOLD the '98 HB and LMHB -- they are babies.

--Gary Rust

[Comte Flaneur]

HOLD the '98 HB and LMHB -- they are babies.

--Gary Rust

Agreed.

So what are the top five Cali cabs these days and can they compete anymore with Bordeaux FG/equivalents?

I tend to the view that pure Cabernet Sauvignon wines are hobbled by lack of complexity. They need something else to play off.

[Racer Chris]

So what are the top five Cali cabs these days and can they compete anymore with Bordeaux FG/equivalents?

On Monday I'm going out to a wine dinner organized on Cellartracker Forum. Some red wines I know will be in attendance are 2014 Macdonald, 2014 Maybach Materium, 2014 Calon-Segur and 2000 Peby Faugeres.
The two California Cabs have 3-4 points higher Cellartracker average scores than the third growth St Estephe, however the C-S is priced at way less than half of the Cabs.
I don't know if these two are in the top 5 but they're getting close. I'm interested in knowing how the BWE WOTY compares with a couple of top end Napa Valley wines of the same vintage.

[marcs]

California excels at the highest levels.
The problem is that it doesn’t compete well at lower prices.
That’s why I find those Ridge zins to be such an exception.

Not in my experience. Insignia is a very high level of California wine, not the highest but high, and it couldn't compete with the LMHB at all. Just not as refined.

Had some similar experiences with previous high level Californias.

You drink them alone you don't notice it as much, drink them with Bdx it becomes very noticeable.

[JimHow]

Interesting. Boy, I've never had an Insignia that I did not think was great.