Cabernet Sauvignon

There are a lot of people who would love this wine for $20.  Ruby/purple in color.  The nose has sweet cassis with slight coffee.  On the palate, the sweet cassis continues.  Slight tannins.  To some, this wine will be delicious, slightly sweet and great on the back deck.  For others, this will be goopy and cloying and not a wine made for cellaring.  Both sides are probably correct.  

This had some odd label and I am not sure if we ever properly unwrapped it.  In any event, this is one of the best 2011's from Sonoma and indeed, California that I have had.  Deep magenta in color, ruby at the rim.  The nose has black cherries, cedar, and graphite.  There are firm tannins still.  A supple texture.  14.1% alcohol.  Cassis and very concentrated on the palate.  Delicious and no ripeness issues.  Long finish.  Worked well with eharty foods and some pungent cheeses.  There are always new wineries emerging on the scene but this is one to watch.  

Really great showing for this wine.  Purple in color, slight line of ruby at the rim.  The nose has cassis, coffee, and cedar.  Complex.  On the palate, this is awesome.  It is a big wine but with a nice elegance at this point.  Cassis layered with coffee and earth.  Long finish.  This is delicious and while it is the kind of wine that borders on excessive, as it matures it has calmed down and is integrating nicely.  Still young, this  needs another decade until maturity and has a couple more at the top after that.  It is delicious now and worked quite well with an assortment of cheeses (an

This is a blend of Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, and a little Syrah from three different vineyards in the Red Mountain AVA or Washington state.  At 12 years from vintage it seems to be in a great spot although it should have at least 5 more years before starting to slowly go downhill.  Purple in color.  The nose is nice with cherries, coffee, leather, slight chocolate, cassis and tobacco.  On the palate, this is still fresh with lot of fruit; cherries and black raspberries.  Layers of fruit, damp earth and tobacco.  Nice finish.  This is not a big wine, but not shy either.  Wo

This was from Magnum.  Most anyone who has been drinking Cabernet for any time has run into this wine.  It is a reasonably priced, classic Napa Cab that sells for around $35.  Of course, Magnums often taste better, but maybe that's because there is probably a party going on.  This is a really solid wine that is fairly priced.  It worked well with a wide variety of foods and drank quite easy.  Purple in color, ruby at the rim.  The nose is dusty with cassis and spice.  On the palate, this is medium bodied with medium tannins.  A fine texture.  Cassis with some depth.  Some spice/oak as well.

This is a blend of a whole bunch of leftover grapes.  At $20, this is always a great value but especially so in the better vintages like 2015.  Purple in color.  The nose has black cherries, cherries and spice.  On the palate, this has a nice texture.  Good acidity.  Easy drinking with some depth and varietal complexity.  Good finish.  Very food friendly.  It now comes as a screw cap which is nice.  

Purple in color, ruby at the rim.  The nose has cassis, cedar and char.  On the palate, cassis and tarragon which is nice.  Medium bodied.  Some tannins.  This has some depth and complexity.  This drinks very well right now and would work with a wide variety of foods.  This retails for around $20 and sometimes less making this a great value in California Cabernet.  I would drink in the next few years but it should last five more if well stored.  

This is a Cabernet made by Thomas Rivers Brown, one of Napa's top winemakers.  Purple in color.  The nose has cassis, some pencil lead and a bit of chocolate and spice.  Very tight on the palate, give this time or air.  Cassis fruit and spice.  Very deep.  As it opens up over a couple of hours, it is delicious.  Precise.  Good balance.  Nice finish.  Worked well with food.  This has some upside to it and really shouldn't be opened for a few years.  Should last twenty years though so no hurry.  

This is a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon and Monastrell (Mourvedre).  In its youth, this was a big, sweet, oak drive and tannic wine.  At age 9 it has come together nicely.  It is still drinking youthfully but no longer dominated by oak, there is still plenty of fruit.  It is ripe and there are still medium tannins left.  Purple in color.  The nose has cassis, black cherries, coffee grounds and spice.  On the palate, this has a lush texture.  Juicy black cherry and some cassis fruit.  There is a nice depth here if not (yet) delineated.  An underlying coffee note.  It worked with mildly spiced

Nice to revisit this classic wine.  It has been a long time.  This varies widely in pricing from $25 to $40 at retail.  Purple in color.  The nose has the classic Rutherford dust along with some cassis.  Also a bit of an herbal note.  On the palate, this is slightly sweet cassis fruit.  it drinks easy and is ready right now.  No tannins.  Shorter finish.  It is a fund for immediate drinking and over the next five years.