The Good Wine Guru » Cabernet Sauvignon

Girard Artistry 2008

George — Tue, 10 Jan 2012 17:00:30 +0000

Varietal: 59% Cabernet Sauvignon; 19% Cabernet Franc; 11% Malbec; 6% Merlot; 5% Petit Verdot
Region: Napa, California – USA
Cost: $40 (SRP)

Winemaker’s Notes: Rich garnet color goes perfectly with the holiday season and it’s aromas of toasted hazelnut and winter spices make this wine the perfect gift for anyone on your list.

My Review: Another of the bottles that I received just before the end of the year, and on an unseasonable warm day on Sunday (pushing 70 in Virginia? Really?) my wife and I decided to throw a couple of steaks on the grill and a bottle of red wine sounded like the perfect pairing.

While there are some violet streaks going through the wine, it was a nice deep red in the glass and I picked up aromas of spice and dark berry. In the mouth there was a ton of fruit, but it was by no means a “fruit bomb”. By that I mean there was plenty of body and depth to the wine that allowed the wine to present nuanced fruit flavors and have a bit of complexity and a medium-smooth finish.

Paired with some steaks, baked potatoes, and asparagus it was great. The body of the wine held up to the steak and the fruit flavors managed to go well with the veggies (potatoes are a vegetable dammit). What I really liked about the wine is that even with the body to hold up to the steak, the fruit flavors were dominant enough to make the wine enjoyable all by itself.

If the wine isn’t available near you and you want to give it a try, you can follow this link and have it shipped directly to you.

Robert Mondavi Private Selection Cabernet Sauvignon 2010

George — Wed, 07 Dec 2011 15:00:39 +0000

Varietal: 88% Cabernet Sauvignon; 5% Syrah; 3% Merlot; 2% Petit Verdot; 1% Malbec; 1% Cabernet Franc
Region: California – USA
Cost: $11 (SRP)

Winemaker’s Notes: The wine has a smooth texture and sweet, red fruit character that distinguishes California’s finest Cabernet Sauvignons, along with smoky oak, vanilla, and roasted nut accents to invigorate the palate and provide a lengthy finish. Enjoy with standing rib roasts, grilled steak, roast duck, spareribs, lasagna, or flavorful hard cheeses.

My Review: An evening where my wife was out and I was home alone with the dog to fend for myself on dinner usually only means one thing – steak, a baked potato, and a bottle of red wine to be enjoyed. There are worse ways to spend an evening. I’d been sitting on this sample until I could get around to cooking up a steak, and as tends to be the case, I’m glad I did.

There’s a line where a line goes from having good fruit to being a fruit bomb. Don’t ask me exactly where that line is, because I think that it’s different for every wine, but the 2010 Robert Mondavi Private Selection Cabernet Sauvignon did a good job of walking the line between fruity and fruit bomb.

On the nose I got dark fruit notes with a touch of roundness to it. In the mouth I got plenty of nice tart fruit, with raspberry and some blueberry being the most prevalent to me. The finish on the wine was surprisingly smooth, though with the extra varietals blended in that should come as less of a surprise than it was.

Paired with a ribeye I picked up at the local store it was a nice simple wine that didn’t try and do too much, but was more than adequate before, during, and after the meal. As value wines go, particularly for a California Cabernet, this is a good choice if you’re looking for something that’s easy to drink, and will make a good choice as a red wine option during the holiday party season thanks to the price.

Wines of Chile Blogger Tasting – Carmenere & Curry

George — Mon, 17 Oct 2011 14:00:49 +0000

This past Thursday I, along with some family and friends, got to engage in the most recent iteration of the Wines of Chile Virtual Blogger Tasting. The theme this time was Carmenere & Curry, and when I got the invite I was intrigued as I’ve enjoyed Carmenere since the first Blogger Tasting I was invited to and my wife and I have increasingly enjoyed curry and while we’ve never combined them I had read that they did pair well.

As usual, the kit included 8 bottles of wine along with a wealth of information both about the wines and the regions, along with some spices for making curry dishes and a USB thumb drive loaded with recipes and even more information about the winemakers and the vineyards. If there’s one thing I can continue to say about this tasting as that there’s no lack of information, something that I greatly appreciate. As for the wines.

2010 Emiliana Natura Carmenere ($17)

Our first wine of the night was a deep ruby in color and I got aromas of pepper, dark chocolate, pepper, and brambles. In the mouth the wine was dry with pepper, some cherry, and some of the bramble from the nose with a bit of a tart finish to it. This was my wife and my mother’s favorite wine of the night and didn’t last long after the formal part of the tasting was finished.

2008 Casa Silva Los Lingues Gran Reserva Carmenere ($22)

The second wine featured dark fruit and some of the same bramble from the first on the nose. In the mouth the wine was dry with bell pepper, bramble, and a touch of tobacco. I personally liked this wine better than the first even though they had some similar flavors.

2008 Santa Rita Medella Real Gran Reserva Carmenere ($20)

The third wine had a ton of dark fruit on the nose with some spice. I got some dark chocolate and plum on the nose, though not as much as some of the others tasting with me. In the mouth the wine displayed a subtle pepper with smooth chocolate and dark fruit. It was a stark departure from the first two wines with more fruit on less pepper than they featured.

2008 Montes Alpha Carmenere ($24)

Our fourth wine had a nose that I could only describe as musty at first, though after it opened up I did pick up some dark fruit and spice. In the mouth I got dark cherry with some dark chocolate and plum and a soft oak finish.

2009 Carmen Gran Reserva Carmenere ($17)

The fifth wine had spice and black fruit on the nose that struck me as juicy though a little bramble came out later as the wine opened up. On the palate the juiciness from the nose came up again with just a touch of pepper and some smokey fruit.

2009 Santa Carolina Reserva de Familia Carmenere ($20)

The sixth wine had a nose of black fruit and spice with a hint of dried herbs. In the mouth the wine was smooth but with what I could only describe as a “footy’ finish, though others described it as a dark almond finish which sounds far better than how I phrased it.

2009 Concha y Toro Marques de Casa Concha Carmenere ($20)

Our next to last wine had black currant and a touch of chocolate nose. In the mouth it was medium dry with some pepper and cherry and a dark chocolate note on the finish. I wasn’t in love with this wine at first, but later in the evening after it had time to open up I found it more enjoyable.

2007 Haras de Pirque Cabernet Sauvignon/Carmenere ($13)

The only blend of the evening, the blend was: 40% Cabernet Sauvignon; 37$ Carmenere; 13% Cabernet Franc; 10% Syrah. On the nose I got earth with stone and flint and just a hint of dark fruit. In the mouth the wine featured pepper, tobacco, some fruit, and more of the earth and stone notes from the nose. It wasn’t a favorite of mine personally, though others that had let the wine open up more than myself did say it was the best value, and it was a bit more enjoyable to me later in the night when it had opened up a bit.

Wrap-Up

So, the usual question to these tastings is “which was your favorite”? If I was forced to pick one it would probably be the 2008 Casa Silva Los Lingues Gran Reserva Carmenere. That being said, I did enjoy the 2009 Concha y Toro later after it had some time to open up. As the theme of the tasting was Carmenere & Curry we (meaning my wife) made a point of making some curry to taste the food with. We made the beef curry dish that we had been sent a recipe for and while it wasn’t a perfect pairing with every one of the wines, it was tasty and did pair well with some of them, so you can count me as a believer in pairing Carmenere with curry.

This probably wasn’t my favorite of the Wine of Chile tastings I’ve done (the last one, Pinot Noir & Syrah, holds that title), though it also probably wasn’t my least favorite. I think I would have enjoyed the wines, the back four in particular, had I opened them all up well ahead of time to give them lots of time to breathe, something I plan to do for the next one.

As always I want to thank both the vineyards of Chile, the winemakers, and The Thomas Collective for putting on what is easily one of the most original and entertaining tastings that I get to participate in. I always look forward to these tastings as they are informative and and a great way to try new wines.

Mandolin Cabernet Sauvignon 2009

George — Wed, 05 Oct 2011 14:00:07 +0000

Varietal: 100% Cabernet Sauvignon
Region: Central Coast – California – USA
Cost: $12 (SRP)

Winemaker’s Notes: With its maritime influence, California’s Central Coast region has an extended growing season that yields wines with full flavor development and great acid balance. Mandolin Cabernet Sauvignon has rich layers of currant and cherry fruit, framed by nicely integrated oak.

My Review: I know when a lot of people think of inexpensive California Cabernet they think of light, fruit-forward wines that are great when you’re just getting into red wine, but that later you find less enjoyable, preferring something with some body on it. I know this because I have those moments myself. This was not one of those moments.

With a pizza in the oven (cheese with some herbs and crushed red pepper thrown on in case you’re wondering), I I looked over my options at wine and decided on the 2009 Mandolin Cabernet Sauvignon. In the glass the wine was unremarkable, in so far as it wasn’t particularly light or dark. On the nose I got aromas of cherry with a touch of oak.

Currant and cherry really came through once I took a sip, and the wine did a nice job of walking the line between being too light and too big, with a nice soft finish thanks to the oak. This may in fact be the quinissential medium bodied wine. The wine paired nicely with the pizza, contributing far more to the dining experience than the Costco product did, and was just as enjoyable after the food was gone.

Normally I shy away from budget priced California Cabernet in the store because for every good one you get, there are three fruit-bombs waiting to get picked up. That being said, I would definitely pick up the Mandolin if I came across it in the store, and for the price it’s a great table red to keep around.

If you can’t find the 2009 Mandolin Cabernet Sauvignon at your local store, you can follow this link and have it shipped directly to you.

California Drinking Day 1 – Russian River Valley

George — Mon, 19 Sep 2011 14:00:40 +0000

Well I’m back, but I have to say that I had a great time on my vacation with my wife in San Francisco. Now, what trip by your resident wino to the West Coast would be complete without some time spent in wine country? Exactly. My wife and I spent two days visiting vineyards during our vacation and they were both amazing. Our first day was spent in Russian River Valley where the call of the Pinot is strong and enticing.

Rodney Strong Vineyards

George and April outside Rodney Strong

We started our day at Rodney Strong Vineyards, in no small part because I had enjoyed spending time with them during the Wine Bloggers Conference back in July and also because as a big name in the area we both figured it was as good a place to start as any.

I had reached out to the PR manager for Rodney Strong since we had met during the Bloggers Conference, and he was kind enough to spend some time showing my wife and I the vineyard, including their “winery within a winery” where they make some of their most amazing wines.

George with some Barrels behind him

After our tour we went back to the tasting room where one of their pourers, Leo (who I highly recommend seeing if you’re ever at Rodney Strong – the man knows his wine and the wines of all the best vineyards and restaurants in the area), lead us through a tasting of the Rodney Strong selection.

I won’t go over each one since they were all great, but there were a few that stood out for me. The first was actually the first wine we tasted, the 2010 Charlotte’s Home Sauvignon Blanc. Light, crisp, with a great blend of citrus and “green”, it’s a great wine and a great value at only $13.50. Perfect for the last few warm days we have left.

The 2009 Reserve Pinot Noir was so good I brought a bottle home with me (thanks Robert), with a great mix of fruit and earth with just a touch of cola. There are a lot of light, fruity Pinots out there, and there’s nothing wrong with those, but when I think of Pinot, it’s wine like this that I think of and part of me both looks forward to and dreads opening up the bottle I have. $40 might seem like a lot for some people, but trust me when I say this one is worth it.

The other big stand out, and the other bottle from Rodney Strong I brought home with me, was the 2008 Symmetry Red Meritage. A product of the “Winery within the Winery”, I had a chance to taste all the components of this wine and then the completed version at the Bloggers Conference and was impressed with it then. I continued to enjoy it so much I grabbed a bottle to bring back to Virginia with me.

I would be remiss if I didn’t mention the single vineyard Cabernet Sauvignons as well, the Alexander’s Crown, the Rockaway, and the Brother’s Ridge. All three were very good, and it was interesting to taste the differences in each from different locations. They are a bit pricey ($75), but if you’re looking for a great Cabernet to really splurge on, there are worse choices out there for more money.

Thomas George Vineyard

Our second stop of the day, courtesy of recommendations from Leo and Robert, was Thomas George Vineyard. Like most of the vineyards we would visit that day, the predominant wines we would taste were Pinot Noir, which is certainly not a bad thing.

At Thomas George, the wine that really stuck out for me was the 2009 Russian River Pinot Noir ($40). With bright fruit both on the nose and in the mouth, with a good cherry flavor and some cola in the mouth, a flavor that I find myself liking more and more in my Pinot.

The other wine that’s worth mentioning was the 2008 Lancel Creek Pinot Noir ($55). This one was darker than the 2009 RRV Pinot, with more earth on the nose and darker fruit in the mouth with a spice, slightly “footy” taste as well.

Arista Winery

George outside of Arista Winery

Next up was Arista Winery, which, like everywhere else we would visit that day, was a recommendation from Leo and Robert. The first wine we tasted is worth mentioning, the 2010 Mark David Winery Sauvignon Blanc ($36). Light citrus with peach and apricot and a touch of pith on the finish. This was a good Sauvignon Blanc with just enough body to it to let it stand up to heavier foods.

The 2009 Longbow Pinot Noir ($48) stood out to me due to a touch of smoke and a meatiness in the mouth that I found I really enjoyed. The 2009 Toboni Vineyard Pinot Noir ($58) had a chalky, earthy nose with tart fruit and a smooth finish with just a touch of minerality that I found intriguing.

The final wine we tried there was the 2009 Two Birds Pinot Noir ($68), an estate grown wine that was very smooth with great dark fruit.

Moshin Vineyards

Outside of Moshin

Moshin Vineyards had a great selection of wines, but given that there were so many, I find myself having to focus on the very best.

The 2008 Halo’s Hill Pinot Noir ($44) was great. My wife and I also tried the 2009, and if it can turn into the same thing as the 2008 Moshin should be proud. A nose of earth and spice with some leather and dark fruit in the mouth made this one a no-brainer to bring home with us.

The Whisper in the Dark ($38) is a Zinfandel Port with ruby color and raspberry flavors. This was excellent when paired with some chocolate. Both my wife and I were surprised by how much we enjoyed this wine.

The Moshin Potion #9 ($32) is a blend of Muscat, Sauvignon Blanc, and Gewurztraminer with a nose of citrus, grass, and petrol and honey in the mouth. It was sweet without being syrupy, which is something I try to avoid in my dessert wines. I’d love this with some pound cake, but as a general rule I don’t buy dessert wines since as a general rule I don’t eat desserts at home that call for them.

Iron Horse Vineyards

Oh the bubbles. Iron Horse makes more than bubbles, but when my wife and I saw their flight of bubbles on the tasting list, we jumped at it. There were quite a few good ones we got to taste, but these few jumped out. The 2007 Wedding Cuvee’ ($38) is a Blanc de Noir made with 88% Pinot and 12% Chardonnay. It was light, crisp, and dry with good flavors of strawberry.

The other that jumped out was the 1997 Joy ($179/magnum), which I honestly debated buying. 100% Chardonnay with a nose that I would expect from a bottle of Chardonnay, tiny bubbles, and light citrus flavors in the mouth that again reminded me of Chardonnay. This was a great wine and one that I’ll consider around the holidays for a party.

Red Car Wine

Our final stop of the day. A good selection of wines, but the two that really jumped out for me were the 2009 Boxcar Pinot Noir ($28) which was light with spice and earth on the nose and had a little pepper on the nose. This is a great value and my wife and I grabbed a bottle to enjoy on their patio before heading back to our hotel for the day.

The Fighter

The other wine that really jumped out was the 2007 “The Fight” Syrah. The winemaker is a big boxing fan, so each year this wine features a label with a boxer on it. The 2007 vintage is called “Knockout”. This wine was big and bold with great dark fruit and espresso ground flavors and just called out for some grilled meat.

One Down

So my wife and I survived our first day in wine country, and I have to say that anybody considering a visit to Russian River Valley would be happy to visit any or all of these vineyards. We had a great time, and I want to say thanks to everybody working at the tasting rooms for being so welcoming.

Concannon Conservancy Crimson & Clover 2009

George — Tue, 06 Sep 2011 14:00:55 +0000

Varietal: 50% Petite Sirah; 25% Cabernet Sauvignon; 15% Syrah; 10% Zinfandel
Region: Livermore Valley – California – USA
Cost: $15 (SRP)

Winemaker’s Notes: The 2009 Crimson & Clover Conservancy is a velvety blend of signature Livermore varietal. Aromas of currant, clove, and vanilla lead into bright fruit flavors of blackberry on the palate. The spicy finish is soft and long with hints of leather and tobacco. Pairs well with black pepper-crusted filet mignon with goat cheese or grilled artichoke with tarragon aioli.

My Review: Given as how during my upcoming trip to San Francisco (we leave tomorrow and this day can’t end quick enough) I plan to visit Concannon Vineyards, I wanted to try the 2009 Crimson & Clover before heading out to avoid any awkward silences in regards to the bottle of wine sitting lonely at my home back in Virginia.

With Labor Day weekend upon us my wife and I knew we would be grilling, so in between getting laundry done and bags packed for our vacation, we threw a couple of steaks and lobster tails on the grill. Well, rather, we tried to, but then the grill ran out of gas and so we had to finish them inside using the oven. It all still worked out, especially when paired with the wine.

In the glass the 2009 Crimson & Clover was dark, though not so dark as to not let light through. On the nose I got a bit of dark fruit and a hint of spice. In the mouth there was an explosion of berry flavor, with juicy blackberry jumping right to the front.

While I didn’t pick up a ton of spice on the finish, there were hints, and the finish definitely lingers on for a bit, something I enjoy in my red wines. Paired with the steaks and lobster it was a good, with the juicy fruit flavors complimenting the steaks that at least had a little grill flavor to them thanks to at least getting seared before the propane tank ran out.

I’ve yet to have a bad experience with the Concannon wines I’ve been sent, and part of what continues to attract me to them is that they are quality wines at a great price point. This is a good value wine to enjoy as we wrap up the summer and the grilling season, and is a nice tribute by John Concannon to his father Jim, the “Father of America’s First Petite Sirah”.

CalNaturale Cabernet Sauvignon and Chardonnay

George — Thu, 18 Aug 2011 14:00:24 +0000

If you were paying attention during the 2011 North American Wine Bloggers Conference (and if you weren’t I’m deeply hurt), you’d have noticed that I did do a small tasting during one of the speed tastings of the CalNaturale Chardonnay. I was intrigued by it, especially being that it’s a boxed wine, so when they reached out to me after the conference and asked if I’d like full-sized samples I jumped at the opportunity.

First, a few things about the wines before I launch into my usual reviews. These wines are about as organic as you can get, with the grapes being grown organically and the tetra-packs used to ship them in reducing costs and being far more green than a bottle holding the same amount of juice. I know that “boxed wines” have this bad reputation, but I think both myself and a lot of other bloggers are starting to see the value in them, and the winemakers are starting to make really good, quality wines and packing them in non-traditional ways, so it’s good to see another non-bottled wine on the market.

Ok, now to the reviews.

CalNaturale Cabernet Sauvignon

Varietal: 95% Cabernet Sauvignon; 5% Viognier
Region: California – USA
Cost: $13 (SRP)

Winemaker’s Notes: The initial release of CalNaturale Caberenet Sauvignon shows very rich, ripe fruit with flavors of ripe plum, cherries, cassis, and a hint of toasty oak. This classic wine is full-bodied, yet very approachable, with solid structure and ample tannins.

My Review: I’m always tentative going into a California Cabernet Sauvignon, just because I don’t know how much fruit to expect and at a certain point, enough is enough. The CalNaturale did have good ripe flavors of plum and cherry, and while I don’t know that I would call it full-bodied, it also wasn’t quite medium-bodied either. Husky-bodied maybe? My wife and I tried this wine with a few different things, including pasta (which is was a nice pairing for), just out on the deck one evening, and I even turned some into Sangria for my wife, which it actually performed admirably as.

There’s quickly becoming a preponderance of quality California Cabernet Sauvignon in boxes, and part of what I liked about the CalNaturale is that they offer 500ml and 1L instead of the usual 3L option, which is perfect for smaller groups or for travel. For the price it’s a great value, and I liked that it was a bit more versatile than I was expecting.

CalNaturale Chardonnay

Varietal: 95% Chardonnay; 5% Viognier
Region: California – USA
Cost: $13 (SRP)

Winemaker’s Notes: This refreshing Chardonnay shows clear and vibrant fruit with a hint of vanilla from lightly toasted oak. It has medium acidity with good length and shows fruit to the very end. Ideal with or without food; well balanced with aromas and taste of ripe apples, pear, and a hint of citrus.

My Review: I had gotten a brief taste of this at the conference, so I was very interested to spend more time with it as my notes seemed to indicate that I had enjoyed it (all blurs together at a certain point). I liked this one more than my wife, as there was too much oak on it for her taste, whereas I liked how there was some oak, but not so much that I couldn’t enjoy it without food.

Again, we paired this with several foods, including some fish and chicken, as well as just out on the deck one evening. I liked that the acid was there, but not overwhelming, and the nice apple and pear flavors blending into the soft oak finish with a touch of vanilla.

Of the two this was my favorite, in part because the warmer weather here in Virginia makes a good white wine a must have. It’s a great value and one I’d recommend checking out, especially if you’re looking to stay organic as much as possible.

Hedges Family Estate Red Mountain 2008

George — Tue, 16 Aug 2011 14:00:55 +0000

Varietal: 36% Cabernet Sauvignon; 33% Merlot; 14% Syrah; 11% Cabernet Franc; 6% Malbec
Region: Washington – USA
Cost: $25

Winemaker’s Notes: Flagship wine of the estate, the HFE Red Mountain consistently displays dense color, firm tannins, and well-defined acidity. Always a majority blend of Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot, this wine is suitable for drinking upon release, but will reward those with the patience to age it. This wine represents all vineyard blocks farmed within the Hedges Family Estate vineyard portfolio. A true chateau-production bottling, the HFE Red Mountain is the epitome of classic style, and one that represents the Terroir of the Red Mountain AVA in a pure and elegant form.

My Review: Oh big red wines, how I enjoy you. A couple of weeks ago the folks over at Hedges Family Estates sent me a sampling of their portfolio to check out, and included in that was two bottles of the 2008 Red Mountain. On my wife’s recent trip to South Carolina with her parents to visit her brother and his wife I sent one of those bottles with her to share with her brother. Her early report was that it was a steak wine, so the other night we grilled up some steak and lobster tails and popped open the other bottle.

I was immediately struck by how dark the wine was. Holding it up to light let pretty much none of it through and the only way I was able to really pick out any streaks of purple were from the small bubbles that resulted from the pouring.

On the nose I got dark fruit which carried through to the palate with just a hint of tobacco/smoke on the finish as well. The finish on this wine was silky smooth, like far smoother than I was expecting and maybe the smoothest finish I’ve had on a red in a long time. with the dinner of steak, lobster tails, and baked potatoes it was great. The big, bold dark fruits held up great against the grilled steak, but the smooth finish was perfect for the more delicate lobster.

I really enjoyed this wine, and it’s a great value for such a big wine that will make any steak lover happy. If you want to try it and can’t find it in your local store, you can either order it directly from Hedges Family Estates, or you can follow this link and order it.

Steeplechase Vineyards Wine Country Gift Basket

George — Mon, 15 Aug 2011 14:00:10 +0000

So a few weeks ago Wine Country Gift Baskets reached out to me about reviewing one of their gift baskets. I hesitated for a moment before responding, not because I wasn’t interested, but because I honestly had no idea how to go about reviewing something like a wine gift basket. In the end I replied that I was like to review one of their baskets, and I’m really glad I did.

Maybe it’s just me, but my initial reaction to the thought of wine gift baskets was something akin to how most people react when presented with a Rose’ – they see pink wine and instantly think of cheap white zinfandel. I’ve only been exposed to a few wine gift baskets in the past, and they were, honestly, kinda cheap. Because of this, I was impressed when the Steeplechase gift basket showed up.

I’d had a bit of an idea of what to expect ahead of time thanks to a link sent to me showing which gift basket was being sent my way, but there’s something about a semi-stock image on a website that doesn’t always do the real thing justice. The packaging was both visually appealing and practical – instead of a true basket, the entire package was cradled in a metal tub with some scroll work on it that, quite frankly, my wife and I plan to reuse.

The wine and all the foods were arranged in a way that made them easy to see, but also kept them in place. All in all it was a great packaging and it looked high quality, which I think is half the way to actually being high quality.

My wife and I committed to going through the gift basket together this past weekend, as we always enjoy a lunch of small munchie-type foods and after cleaning out admittedly dirty house, we were going to need some wine. The gift basket contained a wide assortment of spreads, crackers, and even some candies, but there were a few that really stood out and that I feel need some mention.

Of the foods, both the cheese dip and the cheese spread are noteworthy. The cheese spread because instead of your standard processed cheddar spread, it was an Asiago cheese spread which wasn’t revolutionary, but I appreciated having something in there that was different than the standard cheddar. The cheese dip, which was powdered and combined with some cream cheese, was just great. So great in fact that we didn’t finish the whole thing and it’s covered in my fridge to be enjoyed later. I didn’t want to throw it away, it was that good.

Of the more dessert type foods, I have two complaints. The walnut shortbread cookies were amazing, like I wanted to bathe in them amazing. Put more in the basket because they are spectacular. The caramel chocolates were kind of a let down. I should qualify that by pointing out that I am not much of a chocolate person, and neither is my wife, but we both tried one and only one. The other caramels, however, were quite tasty.

“But George, what about the wines? You’re a wine writer afterall.”. Good point. The wine selection is what I figured it would be – a Chardonnay, a Merlot, and a Cabernet Sauvignon. They were, however, better than I was expecting.

The Chardonnay had a little oak to it, but it did this great job of walking a middle ground between being a really full-bodied Chardonnay and being a lighter steel Chardonnay. For a gift basket with a range of foods and as something you’ll send to somebody else who’s tastes you may not know, that’s actually a great thing.

The Merlot surprised me with how good it was. Nice and dark with good fruit and a hint of tobacco made this easily the biggest surprise of the basket for me. Merlot is a grape that I’ve grown to enjoy again after some bad experiences, but I’m still hesitant around it and this one just reaffirmed my decision to keep trying it.

The Cabernet Sauvignon was, well, a California Cab. Fruit forward with a medium body, it wasn’t anything ground-breaking ,but it also was better than your average run-of-the-mill entry level Cabernet.

So, the question really comes down to is this basket worth it. This particular basket retails for $75 (not counting shipping), and honestly, it’s totally worth it. My wife and I both were very impressed with the gift basket, and in fact lamented that we hadn’t shared it with others, though then I probably wouldn’t have gotten as many of those amazing shortbread cookies. I would not in any way be embarrassed to send this to somebody I know, and while I certainly can’t speak to all of the baskets, Wine Country Gift Baskets has definitely jumped up to the top of my list of places I’d go to send one.

FlipFlop Cabernet Sauvignon 2009

George — Wed, 10 Aug 2011 14:00:06 +0000

Varietal: 100% Cabernet Sauvignon
Region: California – USA
Cost: $7 (SRP)

Winemaker’s Notes: Black pepper notes and berry aromas for this full-bodied Cabernet Sauvignon with blackberry fruit, dark cherries, and a long, lingering finish. Pairs well with New York strip steak, spinach ravioli, or Portobello mushrooms.

My Review: This one has been sitting in my rack for a while, and I’m regretting that I took so long to get to it. When I see an inexpensive California Cabernet come my way, I have certain expectations – fruit forward, medium-bodied, and not too dry. With FlipFlop Wines having sent me several samples, I knew they were making nice, approachable wines, but nothing that was going to change the way you looked at a particular grape, which is perfectly fine. Opening up the bottle of 2009 Cabernet Sauvignon didn’t change my outlook on the grape, but it may have changed my outlook on inexpensive California Cabernet.

For one, the wine was darker in the glass than I was expecting, with not much light actually making its way through. On the nose I got the black pepper and berry aromas that were advertised, but they seemed more robust than in your usual sub-$10 California Cab, and I wasn’t overwhelmed with an alcohol aroma either.

In my mouth the wine was nothing like I was expecting. Where I was expecting a fruit-forward wine with not much body, I got a fairly dry, fuller-bodied wine that still had berry flavors, but berry that had some character to it, thanks in part to the dark cherry. I took the advice of the bottle and paired it with a New York strip off the grill and I’m glad I did – this was a better than average steak wine. It may be the best value steak wine I’ve ever had.

As I’ve said, this wasn’t the first bottle of FlipFlop wine that I’ve had, but this may actually be the first one that totally surprised me. I’ve had my issues with California Cabernet in the past, but it’s wines like this that are making me look forward to my trip out to San Francisco next month – wines that defy expectations.

If you want to give the 2009 FlipFlop Cabernet Sauvignon a try and can’t find it in your local store, follow this link and you can order it directly from them.