The fourth-annual Cult Cab Classic returns to Chalk Hill Estate on Saturday, February 23rd, drawing Cabernet lovers from near and far who’d like to put their taste buds to the test.
Guests will sit down for a guided blind comparative tasting with a superstar Sommelier panel, going through five cult wines and identifying their favorites without knowing anything about the label on the bottle beyond the fact that they’re all California Cabernets.
“Blind tasting is a great exercise to free your mind of any preconceived notions of quality,” notes Kenny Koda, Sommelier and Senior Hospitality Manager for several of Foley Family Wines’ Napa properties. “It is very easy to let the perception or reputation cloud your judgement when you know the producer, region, variety, and vintage. If you don’t know any of this, you free your mind to decide if you like it or not and why.”
With just over 100 seats available, the event sells out annually and often attracts repeat attendees that are eager to see which Foley Family wines place the highest. “We created this event to showcase Foley Cabernets; our wines stand next to some of the most beloved Cabs in Napa and Sonoma County,” says Breanna Taylor, Senior Special Event Manager for Foley Family Wines.
The Cult Cab Classic is the perfect event for those who prefer Cabernet but want to fine-tune their tastes and identify wine characteristics that they like/dislike. Many attendees are often surprised that they find a producer or vintage that they prefer more than their existing “go-to” favorites.
“Some of our longest standing Lancaster Estate wine club members will swear they guessed which wine was from Lancaster and to see their shock when they realize it was something different is awesome to watch,” says Taylor.
Thinking about attending this year’s event? Koda offers one piece of advice: “have fun.”
“Because this is a single blind [knowing some information: that all wines are Cab-based and from California], it’s fun to really dive into the differences between the wines and figuring out how to verbalize it,” explains Koda.
“This is an engaging and fun event,” says Taylor. “I love watching how the guests engage with one another during the blind tasting, trying to guess what it is. There are always some surprises on which wines end up placing the highest!”
Interested in attending this year’s Cult Cab Classic? Limited seats are still available.
