ON THE NOSE:
Fresh air, sort of like laundry detergent that could be called “Spring Breeze,” or something similar. Attached to this nice wave of fresh air is typical good Cabernet Sauvignon aroma with dark cherry, pencil shavings, soft leather, black licorice, and mild tobacco. Yup, all the usual suspects are here, but with an equilibrium found only in better wines. Give this wine some time to open up and it will reward you with subtle nuance and polish that will keep you sniffing far longer than you may normally.
ON THE PALATE:
In a word: nice! In two words: very nice! Other words: Balanced. Polished. Sexy. Plush. Rewarding. Excellent.
This is really good wine, folks. Locally I could only get it for $50+, but I’ve seen it online for as low as $40. If you find it for $40 locally buy it! Buy two! Sure, you could buy several bottles for the same price as this one, but every once in a while you have to remind yourself what good wine really tastes like. Lately Darcey and I have had so many mediocre wines, even many with high scores and high price tags, that we deserve this fine effort! This is good, good juice.
The attack begins with that smooth spring breeze before the elixir meets the lips, where it sensually lubricates your opening en route to your tongue. It doesn’t explode, but rather takes a moment to warm to your palate, allowing you a moment to pause and reflect, and wonder what’s coming. At the tongue it is creamy and comfortable, like an old shoe, not demanding attention or complaining, but entering with ease and familiarity. This is your wine. This is why you drink wine. Then the inevitable and desired roller-coaster ride up the acidity track, up to the top of the palate with a tartness that almost overpowers, but is only teasing, for now, as the mouthfeel rounds off and the ride begins for real. Now you sit back and enjoy the fireworks as this wonderful liquid takes several moments to work itself out, to play a game of red-rover, to make a statement bold and true before, finally, settling down into a complexity that just keeps getting better and better as the night progresses. Plums, strawberries, cherries both dark and sweet, graphite, sweet glove-leather, sweet red and black licorice, hints of mint, honest herbs rosemary and bay leaf. There’s more here, too, and it changes as the bottle empties. Yes folks, this is why we drink wine. This one has the right stuff. The flavors eventually subside with an elegant pucker of silky, abundant, and polished tannins and stand-up acidity convening into a finish that keeps your attention for more than a minute, rounding out the mouth like a fat fruit balloon dripping its elaborate wares down the sides of your tongue, the back of your throat, and the insides of your gums.
Can you tell that we like this stuff? We think you will too! If you are a basic Cabernet Sauvignon fan and are getting sick of run-of-the-mill crap then do yourself a favor and spend some money this weekend. I make very little money in my life right now and I STILL find it in my budget to buy a good wine once in a while. We deserve it! This one does NOT disappoint. This is what wine is all about. In Vaynerchuk terms: this wine brings the thunder.
OK, we’ll shut the hell up now and let you get back to whatever it was you were doing. Thanks for reading. Be well, drink well, and remember that you are in control of your own life! Enjoy!
(Click here for an explanation of our ratings ...)
Our Rating: 92
Would we drink it again? 
You bet! Please send us a bottle and we'll reward you!
Would we buy it again?
While this won't be a regular bottle in our "cellar," it is one we would buy again, though I should note that at this price there are others we may want to try, just for variety.
