Notes from a tasting of 2005 Bordeaux wines - Saturday, February 7, 2008, at the Wine Exchange in Orange, CA. Twenty wines were poured for a tasting fee of $29. Prices per Winex the day of the tasting.

Overall impressions: Winex presents 3-4 current-vintage Bordeaux tastings per year, usually with a mixture of price ranges to keep them affordable. This tasting featured a really nice lineup of moderately-priced Bordeaux that included several very nice wines under $40. Interestingly, they chose to present the last seven wines in a blind format. We knew they were 2005 Bordeaux, but nothing else.

Not too surprising, prices seem to be holding firm for better California Cabernet, yet there are bargains to be found. Several wines tasted were priced fairly well, notably the Canard and the Angeline - both under $25 and excellent values. I should also mention the Chateau Rollat and Snowden's "The Ranch" as relative bargains as well.

2006 R Wines, Red Lion Cabernet Sauvignon - California. $12.99. Dark garnet color. Definitely fruit in the nose, but it's largely monolithic. Big slightly tannic mouthfeel, chewy on the palate, but again it seems more about thickness and body than about flavor or texture profile. OTOH, it's not a pricey wine. Wines like this strike me as having had Petite Sirah added to boost the otherwise claret mouthfeel.
Aroma score: B Taste score: B Overall score: B

2006 Angeline Cabernet Sauvignon - Stags Leap District. $17.99. Medium garnet ruby in color. Nice Cab scent in the nose
Aroma score: B Taste score: B+ Overall score: B+

2006 Canard Cabernet Sauvignon - Napa Valley. $18.99. Medium-dark garnet ruby in color.
Aroma score: B+ Taste score: B+ Overall score: B+

2002 Martin Ray - Sonoma Mountain. $19.99. Dark garnet ruby in color.
Aroma score: B+ Taste score: B Overall score: B

2006 Spring Valley Vineyard "Uriah" - Walla Walla Valley. $34.99. Dark ruby in color.
Aroma score: B+ Taste score: B+ Overall score: B+

2005 Chateau Rollat Cabernet Sauvignon - Walla Walla Valley. $31.99. Medium ruby garnet in color.
Aroma score: B+ Taste score: B+ Overall score: B+

2005 Larkin Cabernet Franc - Napa Valley. $49.99. Dark garnet color.
Aroma score: B+ Taste score: B+ Overall score: B+

2005 Halter Ranch "Ancestor" - Paso Robles. $38.99. Dark ruby garnet color.
Aroma score: B Taste score: B Overall score: B

2006 Cielo Cabernet Sauvignon - Malibu, Saddle Rock. $29.99. Very dark ruby color.
Aroma score: B Taste score: B Overall score: B

2006 Fontanella Cabernet Sauvignon - Napa Valley. $47.99. Medium dark garnet ruby color.
Aroma score: A- Taste score: B+ Overall score: A-

2006 Snowden Cabernet Sauvignon "The Ranch" - Napa Valley. $34.99. Medium dark ruby color.
Aroma score: B+ Taste score: B+ Overall score: B+

2005 Paul Hobbs Cabernet Sauvignon "Crossbarn" - Napa Valley. $44.99. Medium dark ruby color.
Aroma score: A- Taste score: A- Overall score: A-

2005 Trefethen Cabernet Sauvignon - Oak Knoll District. $35.99. Dark ruby color.
Aroma score: B+ Taste score: B Overall score: B

2005 Sbrigia Cabernet Sauvignon - Monte Rosso Vnyd, Sonoma Valley. $39.99. Dark ruby garnet color.
Aroma score: B+ Taste score: B+ Overall score: B+

2004 Spring Mountain Cabernet Sauvignon - Napa Valley. $39.99. Medium dark ruby color.
Aroma score: A- Taste score: A- Overall score: A-

2006 Chapellet Cabernet Sauvignon "Signature" - Napa Valley. $43.99. Medium dark ruby garnet color.
Aroma score: A- Taste score: B+ Overall score: A-

2005 Anderson's Conn Valley Cabernet Sauvignon "Reserve" - Napa Valley. $49.99. Dark ruby color.
Aroma score: A- Taste score: B+ Overall score: B+

2006 Snowden Cabernet Sauvignon "Reserve" - Napa Valley. $64.99. Medium dark ruby color.
Aroma score: A- Taste score: A- Overall score: A-

2006 Darioush Cabernet Sauvignon - Napa Valley. $79.99. Medium dark ruby color.
Aroma score: A- Taste score: A- Overall score: A-

2004 Silver Oak Cabernet Sauvignon - Napa Valley. $89.99. Dark ruby color.
Aroma score: B+ Taste score: B+ Overall score: B+