Cabernet Sauvignon

Another slowly developing 2000 Bordeaux.  Deep ruby in color, mostly opaque and bright.  The nose has cassis, cigar box, leather and spice.  Full bodied.  Light to medium tannins.  On the palate, black cherries and cassis with some leathery notes and underlying forest floor.  Nice complexity.  Good finish.  Drink over the next five to seven years.   Better with food, this would work nicely with Beef Wellington.  

A good vintage if better on the right bank, this wine is drinking at or maybe slightly past peak, but still very nice.   It is a blend of 55% Cabernet Sauvignon, 35% Merlot, 8% Cabernet Franc and 2% Petit Verdot.  Old school in style.  Purple in color with ruby swirls, mostly opaque and bright.  The nose is nice with tobacco, cassis, forest floor and spice.  Full bodied.  On the palate, cassis, tobacco with underlying earthiness.  Good texture.  Complex.  Long finish.  This is great on its own and will work nicely with lamb chops.  Drink over the next few years.  

The grapes sourced for the Cabernet is like a who’s who of exceptional areas: Pritchard Hill, Howell Mountain, Calistoga – all definitive Cabernet growing areas. This wine offers rich and deep blackberry, black cherry, boysenberry with back notes of plum, macerated black currant, red raspberry and cocoa powder. Though the oak influence is evident  (aged 22 months in 82% new French oak) it is not overwhelming. This drinks beautifully - the kind of pure enjoyment you want in a Napa Cabernet. 663 cases. ORIGIN: Napa Valley. ALCOHOL: 14.5%

This is a nice value in Cabernet Sauvignon.  Purple in color with ruby swirls.  The nose is nice with cassis, slight vanilla, dust and spice.  Full bodied.  Light tannins.  On the palate, this is a nice easy drinking Cab.  Cassis and black cherries.  Moderate finish.  Drink over the next few years.  A nice with with a (veggie) burger.  

This producer is more known for their Pinots and Chards but now also produces an excellent Cab.  Purple in color, mostly opaque and bright.  The nose is nice with cassis, spice, bell pepper and slight tobacco.  Medium to full bodied.  Medium tannins.  On the palate, cassis, black cherries and bell pepper.  Some depth.  Nice texture.  Good finish.  This is drinking well now and should drink well for another ten to fifteen years.  Nice on its own, this will work well with Szechuan beef.

This is their middle level Cabernet.  Purple in color, some ruby at the rim, opaque and bright.  The nose is great with cassis, coffee, graphite, dark chocolate and spice.  Full bodied.  Medium tannins.  Good balance.  On the palate, this is seriously good.  Lush cassis, graphite and spice.  This drinking great and should continue for ten to fifteen more years.  Great on its own, it will work great with Prime Rib.  

Detert is more known for it Cab Franc, but this was excellent as well.  Purple in color, opaque and bright.  The nose is nice with cassis, spice, coffee, and slight earthiness.  Full bodied.  Firm tannins.  good balance.  On the palate, this is delicious.  Cassis, baking spice and slight tobacco.  Deep.  Long finish.  Ripe but not a fruit bomb.  Drinking well now, it will get better over the next five years.  Drink over the next ten to fifteen years.  Nice on its own, this will work well with pork chops.

When Jerry Lohr started planting Cabernet in Paso Robles in the 1970s most people thought he was crazy. But it turns out that Paso Robles has been quite an exceptional AVA for Cabernet in the Golden State. The combination of Jerry’s years of working with this grape is now seen inside this bottle. It offers wonderful dark fruits - blackberry boysenberry, and huckleberry with only slight elements of red fruit like black cherry and raspberry. On the back palate there is noticeable chocolate/tobacco notes.

This is made from grapes on the terrace just south of the winery.  At age 21, it is drinking beautifully.  Purple in color, ruby at the rim, mostly opaque and bright.  The nose is nice with black cherries, cassis and spice.  Full bodied.  Light tannins.  On the palate black cherries and cassis.  Clean.  Nice complexity.  Long finish. This should drink well for another five to eight years.  It will work well with Lasagna.  

Purple in color, ruby at the rim, mostly clear and bright.  The nose is very nice with black cherries, cassis, slight spice and slight black olives.  Medium to full bodied.  Light tannins.  On the palate, this is still fresh and vibrant.  Tasty.  Some depth and complexity as it unwinds in the glass.  Great balance.  Good finish.  Drinking well now, it should go another five to seven years with no trouble.  Nice on its own, but better with food.  It worked well with eggplant parmigiana.