Hey I have moved to a cooler location

Check out the new site

Silver Palm ’06 Cabernet $16

It was claimed to be restaurant only for the 2005 vintage, but most shops seemed to have it. Some were asking almost $30 Thinking they had a real find that no one could get and it was worth the money. But then slowly it leaked out that this was a real bargain and could be bought retail under $20 and then most shops had to make the offer. Now it seems the 2006 vintage is going to stores without a hassle, I think. I walked into it at one of my shops just sitting there waiting for me to buy, I did.

Like the 2005 this version has all that great fruit. Nice ruby to dark cherry color. The dark cherry nose, the dark berry on the palate. Just what you look for in a Cabernet and under $20!Then you taste the dark oaky, toasty background and think it had to cost more. This is really a nice wine, the finish is smooth and silky, it does not quite have the full tannins the 2005 had but still real close. 89% Cabernet Sauvignon, 4% Merlot, 3% Syrah, 3% Cabernet Franc and 1% Petite Sirah Thats a lot going on for under $20

This is the wine you can buy and people will all really like it. The bottle is a pretty painted finish with silver foil. It presents well in and out of the bottle.  I will for sure keep these around the price may be cheap, but this is not a cheap wine.

Click here for Silver Palm

Coming this week 2006 Cabernets Under $20

This week lets not break the bank! I am going after the elusive under $20 bottle of wine that is still drinkable! You know we all search for that.

So that being said this week I will put these three gems to the test, and possibly others. The reason I pick these three. They appear to be readily available in most wine shops I walked into. When I gave them the preliminary taste I found them to be “not bad”  and one is under $10!

So coming this week are

1. Silver Palms, $16 – A Napa Valley Cab that when it first came out was touted as a restaurant only wine and sold for as much as $30 in the shops that had it. Having had this wine a few months back, I can tell you it was good.

2. Louis Martini, $10 – This is the Sonoma Cab, no its not Monte Rosso. Alexander Valley or Napa. Its a bit of a blend that they really played with and you should be able to find this anywhere and for $10 its worth the time

3. Bishops Peak, $12 – Paso Robles Cab,Another highly allocated wine. This one is a bare bones offer from the people at Talley. I have not yet tried it so get ready this week!

04 Provenance Merlot Carneros Las Amigas $60

This has great fruit, black cherry, maybe some chocolate. A little licorice too. It has a lot going on. The nose is beautiful, dark fruit bowl of mixed black berries, black cherry.

Being a Beckstoffer farmed grape, its got all that fruit flavor you expect. It then has this great long finish, a real mouth full of crisp clean fruits, tannins. Drinking this wine was great.

So it had all that fruit,but then came in with licorice, pepper, spice. There is a lot going on here. One of my friends first impression was Cabernet. The pepper came through for her. But there is no denying this is a Merlot!

Provenance click here

Kaiken Ultra Cab ’06 $19 Argentina

This is almost all cab 4% malbec thrown in, since they make a pretty good malbec.

Deep red cherry nose, its subtle though. On the palate you get the berry, some tobacco flavors, casis. Its doing a good job of tasting like a cab, NOT from Agentina. I find it easy to drink as did those around me. Poured straight from the bottle and it was nice so don’t worry if you order it out. Put it through the Vinturi and it really opened up the fruit flavors. I think decanting would be good if you have one, or the Vinturi makes it easy.

The finish I thought was a nice tannic feel in the mouth, did not hang around long enough for me. I would have preferred a bit more in the body of the wine too. But for $20 I think this is a nice wine.

Cosentino The Zin ’06 $18 Lodi

As you may have read WCW is a big fan of Cosentino. This wine in particular was a reason I jumped in a bunch of years ago.

However this vintage left me wanting more for the gang over there off 29. The fruit was like a dark chocolate covered black cherry, dense and as some like t say “jammy”.  It hung around OK, but after the fruit let loose so did the rest of the wine.

Cosentino has plenty of others, this one just has a great price point and generally speaking its a good $20 buy. First time Zin drinkers or buyers may really like the fruit, there is no heat, its not ringing with booze like a lot of Zins.

Click here for Cosentino

Franciscan Cabernet ’05 Napa $18

This guy says Cabernet, but is a blend.  87% Cabernet Sauvignon, 11% Merlot, 2% Cabernet Franc, Petite Verdot and Malbec.

While it may not make anyones top 100, its not bad.

Its a dark red wine. Black Cherry even a bit of plumb on the nose.  Look for a brighter berry taste, not quite raspberry but close. Long full tannins, it can really fill the mouth for a wine under or near $20

This is a great wine to keep around, and pop mid week or just as that bottle we drink later. It wont break the bank and wont disappoint your wine buddies either. However, if you don’t really like a big wine, you may not like this one.

We like to call it one of the “daily drinkers”

Also note this is a fun winery to visit while in Napa!

Click here for Franciscan

Seasmoke Botella Pinot ’06 $80(retail) $40 club

OK this is the bomb! I mean this is one of the rock stars  of Pinot. The TEN  and Southing are equally good, TEN coasting a bit more.

Been a club member for a while just so I could get may hands on these gems once a year and they have not disappointed.

Glorious fruit like tart berries, and earthy tones as expected from a pinot. Beautiful light garnet color and a floral nose. The finish is what gets you, a glass of this can really last. It hangs on to your pallet forever. Let sit open for like an hour if you can!

Its expensive, yep. Its real good,yep. Make a special occasion and pick this up and. If you have to have friends, mine seem to sixth sense when I am opening wine so be careful.

Click here for Seasmoke

Cosentino Pinot Grigio ’07 $18

OK the girls gave this a try and seem to really like it. It was crisp, cool, nice flavor or fruits. more than the typical Pinot Grigio. Not too dry.

Nice wine for summer, going to be great on the patio in the afternoon.

I know a little girlie right, well they like good wine too! and we like them.

Click here for Cosentino

Larkmead Firebell ’06 $50

Big huge wine! 55% Merlot, 35% Cabernet, 6% Cab franc, 4% Malbec and  100% great to drink! This is a real beauty!

Big ruby red color, Big full nose. Black Cherry, Casis flavors are bold the tannin is just right right in the mouth long, long finish. You can really enjoy each mouthful.

Drank with friends last night with appetizers, it was the star. Anyone who likes big reds will love this. We did, Of course I was buying who wouldnt love that!

Larkmead is located just north of St. Helena, Beautiful location fully recommend a visit and tasting.

http://www.larkmead.com/