Sean Minor, Cabernet Sauvignon ‘07 ($14)

I love the branding this winery uses… “Founded to celebrate the things we prize most.  Delicious approachable wines, Expressive terroir driven flavors, Great value for the price…and Family!”  I never knew it when I bought this Cab but after trying it, I did a little research.  Not a big deal but it’s honest and goes well especially with this wine.  For a Napa Cab to come in under $20 and taste great is a tough find anymore.  Sure there’s plenty out there and our economy sadly has driven price points down.  I’m happy to say I found something you won’t be disappointed with the price and on your palette.

Warm aromas of plum and lightly toasted oak followed by hints of dark berries show off a subtle fruit.  On the taste, ripe plums balance with blackberries and supple flavors of vanilla.  Soft tannins with a nice balance of the oak keep the flavors lasting on your tongue.  Definitely a more sophisticated wine from this price range.

With a 13% blend of Merlot in this wine, I can see how it’s helped balance the subtle fruit found on the mid-palette.  Normally the bottle is $18 and I must have found a deal.  There is a 2008 out now and shows to have a little less Merlot so I’m anxious to find some and compare to the 2007.

Click here for   2007 Winemakers notes

Stella Maris Red '06 ($16)

Columbia Valley, Washington

This wine was on a special at my local wine shop for a great deal compared to what I had seen it for online.  It probably wouldn’t be fair to say but it was $16 vs. normal retail of $26-$30.  I see it now for $19 and either way, a great find for $16 but maybe a bit pricey for $30.  Shop it around out there as it’s worth it with Robert Parker giving it a 92 and Wine Spectator a 91.

At first the aromas hit me with a spicy pepper bomb, which later I realized was the higher alcohol.  Being at 14.4%, I can see that yet ripe blackberries and plum with hints of cinnamon encouraged me to wait it out on this one.  Let it breath! 

With a balance of (35%) Cab Sav., (29%) Merlot, (28%) Syrah and (8%) Petite Verdot to finish it off, I thought the flavors were great from the first sip however after an hour of letting it sit/decant, the sweetness toned down along with the peppery/alcohol found in the beginning.

Lot’s of dark red berries, plum, chocolate and even some hints of vanilla all layer together very nicely.  I’d give this wine a full-bodied, “Big Red” label with flavors finishing off with cola and subtle oak.

14 Hands, Hot To Trot 2009 ($9)

Washington State

Without knowing anything about this wine, I picked it up merely on my past experience with 14 Hands Cabernet Sauvignon.  Also, for the price of $8.78/bottle it wasn’t going to be something I’d expect much out of for the BBQ I was taking it to.  I was wrong…it was a great, easy drinking wine!  I wouldn’t label it as a “big red” but sometimes it’s nice to just have a “go to” red for everyday enjoyment.  This fit that very well.

The aromas brought on a strong peppery spice, yet as the wine opened up it had more of a dark stone fruit hint like plums with mocha.  On the taste it was more of the plum flavors, mocha and subtle vanilla. This may be due to the neutral barrels used in aging.  To help understand that, a neutral barrel is one that’s been used for apx. 5 vintages/years and therefore doesn’t exude as much of the oak flavors you would find in a new barrel.

Soft tannins and a smooth mouth feel make this a wonderful wine to go with just about any pasta dish or even grilled meats.  I’d probably have this for a starter red when entertaining.  It’s easy drinking and smooth enough for even white wine drinkers.  Moving on to a heavier red for your dinner would be my recommendation.

The blend is Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon,  Syrah and Petit Verdot.  I found it at Sam’s however you may find it elsewhere.

Bodegas Caro, Amancaya ’09 $16

Mendoza, Argentina

This blend of Malbec and Cabernet Sauvignon is probably one of the best wines I’ve had in the past year!  It’s bursting with aromas of ripe blackberries, spicy black pepper and toasted wood.  Deep purple-red color led to flavors of ripe plums, currants and dark cherries followed by a rich cocoa and vanilla blend.  With a definite fruit forward flavor, the finish balances that out with a hint of tobacco and earthiness.  A full body wine with tight tannins has this wine feeling more mature than other 2009’s I’ve had.

The blend is 70% Malbec and 30% Cabernet Sauvignon.  The 2 wine makers have a long history for their own respective wines.  Nicholas Cantena, with their great Malbec’s from Argentina and Domaines Barons de Rothschild (Lafite) with their Bordeaux wines from France.  2003 was the first vintage of Amancaya.

This is absolutely a must have especially in this price range which I’ve heard could be increasing.  I need to thank one of my local wine shops again for a wonderful recommendation, The Wine Barn.

Grill up a nice steak, pork tenderloin or even some seared Ahi with this wine and let me know what you think.

Sur De Los Andes, Bonarda 2008 $10.99

Argentina

This is definitely a new varietal for me.  It’s relatively unknown however those of you liking Malbec wines have possibly had it as a blending grape in Malbec.  As one of Argentina’s most widely planted grapes, it still hasn’t caught on, yet it’s a great value and won’t leave you disappointed.  For those of you liking a red wine with rustic and mild tannin overtones, this is one for you.

The aromas brought out an earthy and black pepper dominance with a slight hint of toasted wood.  Ripe raspberries, plum and mild black pepper honestly surprised me in this very nice, well balanced wine.  I’d almost buy more of this than some of my favorite Malbec bottles.

From subtle tannins to a slightly dry finish this first bottle had the benefit of complementing a grilled NY strip steak.  I can’t say enough how surprised I was with this even on day 2 when it opened up a little more.