The second round in the Trader Joe’s bracket of the inaugural Grape Madness tourney continues with the (1) 2004 Chateau Chevalier Napa Cabernet ($15) vs. the (3) 2006 Fetzer Valley Oaks Cabernet ($6).

Once again if you need a refresher on the rules you can find a recap here. The main one two keep in mind here, per the picture above, that these were tasted blind (again I know… single blind). Before we jump in, let’s look back on the first round match-ups to see how these two got here:

• The Chateau Chevalier blew the Trader Joe’s Coastal Cab off the floor in round one 91-70.  My notes recall a balanced and smooth palate with dark fruits and hints of tannins and oak leading to a nice lingering finish.  I remember this wine as humble, being restrained when the winemaker could have pushed the envelope.  Well done.  Looking forward to seeing how it holds up in the 2nd round.
• The Fetzer had a hard fought battle with the Sterling in the 1st round gritting out an 88-86 victory.  My notes recollect a wine that starts tight and tart but softened nicely with the souriness fading into the background.  Good structure hides other potential weaknesses and the almost chewy finish leaves you with pleasant thoughts.   Not much depth here but shaping up nicely.  This wine is one dimensional but it is a good one dimension.  Going to be a tough rode to hoe against the one seed.

With pregame covered let’s see how it went down live via twitter.

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