L'Aventure Cabernet Sauvignon Estate 2009

Paso Robles
91% Cabernet Sauvignon
9% Petite Verdot
15.5% alc

$75

Deep saturated color. Broad, ripe nose of blackberry, cassis, herbs and grilled bread. Dense, well delineated flavors of dark fruits, minerals, spice and soy coat the palate and are buttressed with firm, yet sweet, tannins. Pretty floral notes from the Petite Verdot come across on the lengthy finish ending with complex mineral notes. Well balanced, with enough fruit and structure to handle the hefty alcohol. Rustic, but in the best sense of the word.

http://www.aventurewine.com/

Meyer Family Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon Fluffy Billows 2009

$48.99

Oakville Appellation 14.08%
Karen & Matthew Meyer, winemakers

Matthew Meyer, son of Silver Oak founder Justin Meyer, has established his reputation making full throttle Napa Cabernet from the iconic Bonny's Vineyard (named after his mother) following the Silver Oak regimen of American Oak ageing. First released in 2008, the Fluffy Billows bottling departs from this tradition by using 100% French Oak and the results are amazing.

Elegant nose of black currants, violets, minerals and wet stones. Lush fruit flavors of black cherry and plum with a touch of anise are muscular, but polished, supple and generous. Ripe, round tannins provide well balanced structure and a lengthy finish that showcases great complexity with notes of vanilla, spring flowers and cedar. One of the best values in Napa Cabernet I have tasted from this noteworthy vintage.

http://www.meyerfamilycellars.com/

Vieux Chateau Certan 1997
$99

Deep garnet color.  Very complex, very Burgundian nose of leather, spice, tobacco and barnyard aromas with baked cherry,  dried rose and violet notes. Medium bodied and extremely silky, this wine has held up very well.  An incredibly sweet rush of cherry, berry and plum fruit glides over the palate laced with vibrant acidity and extremely supple tannins.  Elegant and sophisticated - an excellent wine from a top-notch producer  in a challenging year. Mature and drinkable, but in no danger of cracking up anytime soon.

 

 

Stormy Weather Cabernet Sauvignon 2007

$100

 

Produced by Cameron Woodbridge, brother of Hundred Acre's Jayson Woodbridge from hillside fruit sourced from Howell Mountain and Sugarloaf Mountain in the far southern sector of Napa. 650 cases produced in 2007 - 100% Cabernet Sauvignon, aged in 100% new French oak for 2 years, with an additional 2 years of bottle ageing before release.

 

Inky, saturated color.  Deep, intense nose of black currants, dark plums and blackberry interleaved with complex notes of iodine and heather.  Loads of opulent, briary fruit come through on the palate. Full bodied and exuberantly expressive with fresh acidity keeping the flavors lively and balanced -  remaining powerful without becoming heavy. The finish becomes increasingly multidimensional with graphite and mineral flavors developing nicely. Loads of life ahead of this one, yet remarkably accessible.  Textbook 2007 Napa Cabernet well worth a special effort to track down.

 

 

 

http://stormyweatherwine.com/

 

Barolo Map App

Fantastic map of Barolo available through Itunes. The most detailed I have ever seen - even shows ownership of the various plots in the vineyards.

 

https://itunes.apple.com/it/app/enogea-barolo-docg-map/id477957929?mt=8&ign-mpt=uo%3D4

Clarendon Hills Cabernet Sauvignon Sandown 2006 $44.99

100% Cabernet Sauvignon. From ungrafted vines planted in pure sand in 1940. The vineyard lies Northeast of Mclaren Vale at 1000 foot elevation in the Clarendon district. Aged in 100% new French oak. 14.5%.

Deep, dark, saturated black/purple color. Intense, yet elegant nose of plum, currants and cherry fruit layered with complex notes of anise, olive and herbs. These flavors carry though on the palate, cloaked with lots of spicy, sweet vanilla oak. Well balanced, the tannins are powerful but rounded, buffered by wonderful layers of fruit extract resulting in a medium-full bodied, generous texture. A wonderful minerality builds through the lengthy, sophisticated finish.

http://www.clarendonhills.com.au/home.aspx

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With the fury of the holiday season behind me i look to have more time to post. See you soon!