Cabernet Sauvignon Time

Cabernet Sauvignon
ROCKLEDGE Cabernet Sauvignon
"The Rocks" St. Helena, Napa Valley 2005, $60
Estate-grown, benchland Cabernet with power and finesse. The vineyard is behind Joseph Phelps winery, across the Valley from St. Helena. As the name infers, it's rocky soil here. Friend of Back Room Michael Hirby is the winemaker, and this is the first vintage that he made from scratch. This is quickly becoming known as one of Napa's finest Cabernets, as critical acclaim will attest. Nose of spicy oak, mole, mulberries and bittersweet chocolate. Rich, earthy, fruity, powerful flavor & texture. This full-bodied, complex Cabernet blossoms after about 40 minutes decanting. It's good cellar-even better come 2014.

HUGE BEAR Cabernet Sauvignon

Sonoma County 2006, $55
Our one non-Napa Cabernet today. Knights Valley is next valley north of Napa Valley. Very few residents, and lots of very good wine come from here. Huge Bear Cab is bursting full of sweet berries, is creamy, juicy, full bodied and drinking wonderfully now, in its youth. Nice complement of sweet French oak frames the wine nicely. I've been selling this Cab for a couple of weeks now and the response has been outstanding so far.

ELLIOTT Cabernet Sauvignon
Napa Valley 2005, $31
Elliott is intriguing. They've been around since the early 90s, make consistently good Cabernet, keep the price very reasonable, and don't sell their wines outside California. It's all music to my ears and I hope yours as well. It's a more "feminine" Napa Cab. Howell Mountain & Valley floor fruit combine to make a structured, complex, food-friendly red. Nose blends dark soil, truffle and tobacco in with the blue and black fruits. Taste black currants, mulberries and more nice truffle. Good acidity, fine tannins and a nice earthy finish. 334 cases made.

PARALLEL Cabernet Sauvignon

Napa Valley 2005, $60
For a sure thing Cabernet (i.e. EVERYONE will love it), Parallel is the one to buy. Made by Philippe Melka, fast becoming winemaking royalty in Napa Valley. I had this wine in a tasting of about a bizillion wines (huge tasting event last summer) and it truly STOOD OUT. (In a good way, I should note.) Bold expression of Napa Cab with oodles of black cherries, blueberries and mulberries. Silky tannins abound in this strong Cabernet offering above-average complexity. Think Shafer Cabernet 2002 for a similar fruit profile and almost-sinful decadence.

WHITE ROCK Cabernet Sauvignon
"Laureate" Napa Valley 2004, $50
Been in the shop since summer. It continues to fly under the Cabernet radar, which is too bad for White Rock and very good for us. We pour this occasionally in our wine bar and the response is always "right on, Dan, this is delicious!" Right on indeed. White Rock is family vineyard, amphitheatre-shaped, just below Atlas Peak. With 20% Merlot and 5% Cab Franc & Petite Verdot, "Laureate" captured concentration and complexity. The most exposed, stressed vines are harvested to make "Laureate," and you can tell by its rich, opulent mouthfeel. That written, it ain't no fruit bomb. Dark fruits, dark curry, bittersweet chocolate, malt balls, dark tobacco, fine silky texture, full body...very very good and drinking at its best right now.

BEAU VIGNE Cabernet Sauvignon

"Reserve" Napa Valley 2006, $99
It's the "Showtime Cabernet" for today. Huge flavor, huge ratings/reviews, great reputation. All that for under a hundred? Not bad! This economy-stimulating Cabernet is extremely showy, expansive, rich and jam-packed full of dense, dark berry flavors. The vineyard is perched atop Atlas Peak. 100% Cab Sauv.
Dave Phinney (Orin Swift Owner & Winemaker) makes it.
This wine holds nothing back from first whiff to the seemingly endless finish (I clocked it at 40 seconds). Super-concentrated, expansive mid and back palate and a dizzying amount of flavor. I recommend trying this youthful Cab now to appreciate its youthful exuberance. Maybe buy at least two, and hold the other(s) for a while. 450 cases made.