BUYING GUIDE - Wine Enthusiast

85
One Hope 2010 Cabernet Sauvignon
(California). Very ripe and fruity, like the essence
of blackberry and cherry jam in liquid form, with
a sprinkle of anise, pepper, cocoa and cinnamon. Delicious,
yes, but rather sweet and simple. Drink now.
—S.H.
abv: 13.5% Price: $19
85
Sebastiani 2008 Cabernet Sauvignon
(Sonoma County). A sound Cabernet, fruitforward
and somewhat one-dimensional, with cherry,
blackberry and raspberry fruit. Oak adds sweet notes of
caramel. —S.H.
abv: 13.5% Price: $18
85
Stonegate 2010 Cabernet Sauvignon
(Napa Valley). A solid effort, fruity in blackberries,
currants and oak, with a smooth mouthfeel. Not
especially complex, but a polished wine for drinking
now. —S.H.
abv: 14.8% Price: $25
84
Summerland 2010 Cabernet Sauvignon
(Paso Robles). A soft and simple Cabernet,
with jammy blackberry, currant and sweet oak flavors.
The finish is long and spicy. Drink up. —S.H.
abv: 13% Price: $24
84
Tedeschi Family 2005 Cabernet Sauvignon
(Napa Valley). Tastes tired, with dried
out tannins framing blackberry and oak flavors. Interesting,
but catch it now before it goes further downhill.
—S.H.
abv: NA Price: $58
84
Tedeschi Family 2004 Cabernet Sauvignon
(Napa Valley). At the age of more than
seven years, this wine is getting tired. It’s drying out and
softening, with mellow tannins and raisiny flavors that
testify to the heat of the vintage. Drink up. —S.H.
abv: NA Price: $58
83
Castle Rock 2010 Cabernet Sauvignon
(Paso Robles). Simple and dry, this Cabernet
has modest blackberry, tea and oak flavors. With its
firm tannins, it gets the basic Cabernet job done. —S.H.
abv: 13.5% Price: $12
82
Pomar Junction 2008 Cabernet Sauvignon
(Paso Robles). Soft, sweet and high in
alcohol, with candied berry flavors and an unripe hint of
vegetables. —S.H.
abv: 15.2% Price: $34
82
Stonegate 2010 Collection Cabernet
Sauvignon (California). A hard wine to like.
It’s o.k. for parties and such, but is pretty simple and
sweet. —S.H.
abv: 14.5% Price: $16
OTHER RED BLENDS
94
Bennett Lane 2008 Maximus (Napa Valley).
This is one of the best red wines at this
price in California. A Bordeaux blend with a splash of
Syrah, it’s so rich and opulent, it just dazzles from start
to finish. Floods the mouth with sweet cherries, rasp-
52 | WINE ENTHUSIAST | MONTH 2012
berries, milk chocolate and red licorice, yet gets structure
from firm tannins and bracing acidity. Lives up to
its name, a Cabernet-based wine to feast on with your
favorite foods. Editors’ Choice. —S.H.
abv: 14.5% Price: $35
93
La Clarine Farm 2010 Piedi Grandi (Sierra
Foothills). Winemaker Hank Beckmeyer
goes where his vinous muses take him and this new wine
of his is a perfect example of his “why not” attitude. It
contains 56% Nebbiolo from the Sumu Kaw Vineyard
as well as 30% Syrah from the same, 9% Mourvèdre,
2.5% Viognier and 2.5% Roussanne. It’s jam-packed in a
lilting way with fresh, bright strawberry and intense aromas
of perfume and freshly picked herbs. —V.B.
abv: 14.2% Price: $22
92
Cedarville Vineyard 2009 Turnabout’s
(Fair Play). Cedarville’s ode to Priorat, this is
a mix of 45% Grenache, 30% Syrah and 25% Cabernet
Sauvignon. The three get along swimmingly, amusingly
mixing into a triad of dark blackberry, dark licorice and
dark chocolate. The rich texture is on the mark, and the
wine provides just the right heft for any spicy, brawny
meal. —V.B.
abv: 14.9% Price: $39
92
Sebastiani 2008 Secolo (Sonoma County).
Made mostly with Bordeaux varieties based
on Cabernet Sauvignon, with a dash of Syrah, this is a
fine wine. It’s dry, full-bodied and packed with blackberry,
cassis, bacon and spice flavors, leading to a long,
impressive finish. Give it a decant and enjoy as it warms
in the glass. —S.H.
abv: 14.8% Price: $35
90
Cabot Vineyards 2007 Tributary (Humboldt
County). A concoction of 66% Zinfandel,
33% Syrah and 1% Viognier that’s thick in tannins,
meat and dusty earth, or is it earthy dust? The black
licorice is mighty memorable. —V.B.
abv: 15% Price: $22
88
Borra 2009 Fusion (Lodi). Fusion blends
79% Syrah, 15% Petite Sirah, 5% Zinfandel and
1% Alicante Bouschet a delicious case in point. Gamy,
with flavors of dark earth, thick blackberry jam and dark
plum, it’s the tobacco kicker on the finish that’ll bring
you back. —V.B.
abv: 14.9% Price: $19
88
Cabot Vineyards 2007 Confluence (Humboldt
County). This blend of 50% Cabernet
Sauvignon, 30% Syrah and 20% Merlot has a fruity nose,
the Syrah’s leathery-ness is quite strong, surrounded by
raspberry sweetness and red cherry from the Cab and
Merlot. Although it’s been in bottle some time, the finish
is grippy and strongly tobacco-infused. —V.B.
abv: 13.9% Price: $25
88
Fazeli Cellars 2008 Yalda (Temecula Valley).
For full review see page 9.
abv: 14.3% Price: $48
88
Lola Kay 2010 Proprietary Red Wine
(Napa Valley). For full review see page 9.
abv: 14.2% Price: $20
88
McCay Cellars 2008 Paisley (Lodi). Mc-
Cay is a producer to watch in Lodi and this
wine is a perfect example of why. A blend of four different
Zinfandels and Petite Sirah, it opens with a nose
of baked blackberry clafouti with a bit of hazelnut and
almond, a still-tight wine that with air shows a ton of
structure and layered tannins. —V.B.
abv: 14.8% Price: $24
88
Occasio 2009 Sotto Voce (Livermore Valley).
Winemaker John Kinney blends 50% Cabernet
Sauvignon from Galles Vineyard with 50% Del
Arroyo Vineyard Petite Sirah, trying to take advantage
of the Cab’s floral, herbal notes and the Petite’s concentration
and wall of tannins. He has largely succeeded.
This dark-black wine is very much full of intense cherry
and structured tannins and leathery spice. Petite Sirah
lovers will particularly swoon. —V.B.
abv: 13.8% Price: $30
88
Paraduxx 2008 Blue Wing Teal (Napa Valley).
This blend, which is mainly Zinfandel and
Cabernet Sauvignon, is robust. It’s a trattoria or bistro
wine, dry, tannic and spicy, with earthy flavors. Drink
now with rich foods to tease out the berry fruit. —S.H.
abv: 14.6% Price: $48
88
Rodrigue Molyneaux 2009 Il Segreto Red
Wine (Livermore Valley). A rich, earthy
blend of half Barbera, half Zinfandel that tastes light at
first, earthy with raspberry and cherry tones. On the finish,
it gets darker, its spicy, dark fruit tones memorably
bound in a wall of leather and tobacco. —V.B.
abv: 14.7% Price: $24
88
Ruby Hill Winery 2009 Grapeful Red
(Livermore Valley). A miracle for Grateful
Dead fans who have matured into wine, there’s lots to
like in this red blend that’s got bright, friendly cherry
fruit, a lick of spice and surprising sophistication. It’s
medium in weight, with a shock of silky berry fruit on
the finish. The blend is 60% Zinfandel, 23% Petite Sirah,
11% Barbera and 6% Sangiovese. Pair it with mushroom
pizza or burgers. Jerry would approve. —V.B.
abv: 14.8% Price: $15
88
Yorba 2007 Shake Ridge Red (Amador
County). A dark, brooding showcase of many
of Shake Ridge Vineyards’s finest varieties mixed into
one inviting bottle. With 31% Syrah, 28% Primitivo,
18% Petite Sirah, 10% Mourvèdre, 7% Malbec and 6%
Merlot, this wine has baked plum and dark bright cherry
predominantly, followed by a grip of tobacco and cinnamon
spice. Have it with roasted meat and potatoes.
—V.B.
abv: 14.5% Price: $28
87
Borra NV Lot 09 47.5 Degree Limited Release
(Lodi). Borra is going old-school here,
making the wine nonvintage and putting 10% each of
Syrah and Mourvedre into Petite Sirah. Smelling of
freshly baked bread, the wine is full of structured red
fruit, while its tannins are soft and finish is easygoing. A
fine bottle for rustic fare. —V.B.
abv: 14.5% Price: $35