The Hansen Cab Challenge
Bruce and Hansen Winery has long been toted in the Paso AVA as having fabulous Cabs. Many of our guests go as far as to say Bruce makes some of the best Cabs in California. We obviously agree, but how can we be sure without tasting all the others? Well, after long deliberation (about three minutes), we decided to rectify that.
Beginning March 11, 2016, we began hosting The Hansen Cab Challenge. The first one was an experiment to be sure: a club member brought an 2003 Opus One and we poured our 2003 Cab Reserve. There were only three of us, and though we all agreed (Hansen was best), we kind of did it cowboy style. Great fun, but we figured we should step it up next time and add a few more judges and wines to compare.
We hosted our second challenge in May of 2016. There were 4 club members (8 of us total) and each brought a favorite 2009 California Cab. We had an Opus One, a Silver Oak (Napa), a Hansen Reserve and a Hansen Limited. After about an hour and a half comparing all four wines we were all in agreement: the two Hansens came in first and second, followed by the Silver Oak and then the Opus One. We were all amazed by this, given the reputation and cost of the Opus and Silver Oak.
Our third Cab Challenge was the 25th of June, 2016. We compared 2012 Cabernets: from Napa a Mondavi Reserve, a BV Georges de Latour, a Moone Tsai Howell Mountain, a Frank Family. From Paso Robles there was a Daou Estate Soul of a Lion, a Le Cuvier, as well as the Hansen Vineyards Estate and Vintners Private Selection.
*Please see additional notes of cab challenges under events.
2019 Cabernet Challenges dates
Saturday, November 16th Vintage 2015
