GotWines.net

Avalon Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley, 2003

There are people out there who are literally paying thousands of dollars for single bottles of some California Cabernets, but the folks at Avalon don’t think that makes any sense, and neither do I. The truth is you don’t have to spend a lot of money to get a great bottle of wine. Avalon’s Napa Valley offering is the embodiment of this philosophy. While one of my colleagues has already written about another Avalon wine, I think it is importnat to reiterate the value of such an underpriced wine.

Winemaker Alex Cose sources fruit from all over the Valley to produce a wine which demonstrates the depth that Napa grapes can deliver. The ‘Rutherford Dust’ is particularly apparent in this bottle. On the nose look for concentrated fruit like cherry and plum framed by tobacco and caramel. Blueberry and cassis on the palate give way to a lingering finish of nutmeg and oak. The wine is full, yet remarkably well balanced.

This wine is delicious, and at 15 bucks cheap enough to drink every day, so stock up with a case or two. Enjoy with red meats and stinky cheeses, or alongside the last few barbeques of the year.