One night. Two 2002s. One from Napa. One from Bordeaux.

One night. Two 2002s. One from Napa. One from Bordeaux. Identically priced at $159 on a relatively pricey restaurant wine list. Of course, not too much should be read in this head-to-head tasting. Comparing a vintage from two different wine regions is an imperfect comparison at best.

2002 Corison Cabernet Sauvignon – USA, California, Napa Valley (1/30/2010)
Full bodied and lavishly flavored as expected from the 02 Napa vintage, but beyond just a big boy party wine, Cathy Corison has crafted a wine that causes pause for thought as well. Aromas of a bowl of berries burst from the glass but those flavors are well in balance on the palate accompanied by black cherry, dark chocolate, and cinnamon with secondaries of clove and mellow sweet oak. It’s a little early for this wine: it’s lovely now with and hour of air, but will be awesome in 2012 and wonderful for years to come. (92 pts.)

2002 Alter Ego de Palmer – France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Margaux (1/30/2010)
Reticent nose. Soft and refined flavors, but lacks distinction. Currant, tobacco, cedar closet, black olive and a touch of stemmy greenness. Medium finish. Very good wine that doesn’t quite eek out excellence. Drink now though 2012 because I think it’s drying out. (88 pts.)

Posted from CellarTracker

By the way, neither of these wines are their winery’s flagship wines. Cathy Corison makes a single vineyard Cabernet from her Kronos Vineyard. Palmer, of course, makes the famous Chateau Palmer Margaux.