♫ On the twelfth day of Christmas my true love gave to me … Twelve Hightower, eleven Knights Valley, ten Six-A-Prongs, nine La Joyta, eight Rutherford Ranch, seven Saviah Cellars, six StoneCap Cab … ♪ Five LAAY E’Cole ♪ … Four San Juan Vineyards, three Mount Veeder, two Buried Canes and a cab from Paso Robleez. ♫
2007 Hightower Cabernet Sauvignon Red Mountain, Horse Heaven Hills, Washington … $34.99
It takes some talent to drum up a cab of this quality. Tim & Kelly Hightower have the dedication and work ethic along with the talent that is needed to produce good juice. They are a small production winery located on Red Mountain, but there is nothing small about their cab.
Aromas of mocha, charcoal and dark fruits. Firm and full on the palate with lush dark fruits. There are underlying char notes that come through backed by pleasing chocolate and spice notes on a persistent finish. Well structured yet very sexy making it quite approachable now, but will age nicely over the next ten years. 95% cabernet sauvignon 5% petite verdot. 94 points
Since this is the last day, I would like to recap the entire line-up…
Eleventh Day:
2009 Beringer Knights Valley Cabernet Sauvignon Californina … $22.99
If you could hear the Pipers Piping, they would be playing a tune about how delicious this cab is. If you are looking for complexity this is not for you. If you are looking for a crowd pleasing cab to go with your prime rib dinner then pay attention to the tune.
Aromas of dusty wood, blackberries and cherries with a subtle hit of green bean. Sweet tannins with round cherry and plum notes that hit the palate up front. Smooth across the palate with hits of plums and cherry on the middle, leading into notes of tobacco leaf and dark cherries on a medium length finish. Like I pointed out at the start, this cab does not have a load of complexity, but it is certainly tasty and worth the twenty-three bucks. Drink now. 89 points
Tenth Day:
2006 Six Prong Cellar Collection Cabernet Sauvignon Horse Heaven Hills, Washington … $14.99
I started leaping when I found out this cab was still available to buy. Hopefully you have a savvy wine buyer in your area who latched on to some of this. The price is down from twenty-five bucks in December making it one of the best bargains in cab I have seen in recent memory.
Aromas of sweet red currants, cherries, mocha and white pepper. Black currants and spice on the front of the palate with notes of chocolate and tobacco leaf flowing across the mid-palate into a finish with some tar hits, spice and wood. Seamless and only slightly thin on the back of the mid. This is a killer cab for the price and if you can find it, stock up. I know I did. 91 points
Ninth Day:
2005 La Jota Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon Howell Mountain, California … $42.99
You will definitely make the ladies dance if you bring this cab to the party. Aromas of perfumed cedar, char, tobacco leaf and black currants. Sweet tannins with a bright core of currants and tobacco leaf. Wood notes come through on the mid-palate leading into a delicious finish of currants, wood and spice. Excellent balance, and very youthful. I would have no problem drinking this now, especially with a beef dish, but it will age nicely over the next ten years. A little over my normal budget but hey; it’s Christmas, and it’s worth the price! 93 points
Eighth Day:
2009 Rutherford Ranch Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley, California … $16.99
I would like to find some maids who can milk out this kind of juice from Napa Valley for this price. On the nose, notes of red plums, cherries, currants and toasty wood. Nice structure on the palate layered with flavors of mocha, vanilla and anise. Red currant and cherry notes come through on the mid-palate with blueberry coming through on the backside. A little tannic grip on a medium to long finish. For under twenty bucks you get a serious little cab that is quite drinkable now and will improve over the next three to five years. And guess what? It will go nicely with Prime Rib! 89+ points
Seventh Day:
2009 Saviah Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon Walla Walla, Washington …$19.99
Aromas of perfumed mint, tobacco leaf and hits of vanilla. Round and plush up front with notes of black currants, tar and tobacco. Silky smooth yet structured tannins with a nice spice hit on the mid-palate leading into a finish of spice, blackberries, tar notes and currants which hang in the mouth. I can see this baby washing down my prime rib on Christmas day or being enjoyed with friends all by itself. The price on it for the month of December is stupid, so snap some up before it goes back to the regular price of $31.99. 94 points
Sixth Day:
2009 StoneCap Cabernet Sauvignon Estate Grown Columbia Valley, Washington … $7.99
Eight bucks and this baby delivers an awesome cab… No kidding. On the nose, notes of vanilla, mocha, red currants and blackberries. Nice concentration of dark fruits up front with hits of spice. Creamy on the palate with a little char action on the backside. Hits of tobacco leaf and mocha on a slightly thin finish with some nice spice notes lingering on the sides of the mouth. A really nice effort and easy on the pocketbook. 88 points
Fifth Day:
2008 L’Ecole No 41 Cabernet Sauvignon Walla Walla, Washington … $34.99
This cab definitely deserves to be in this longer phrase of the song. There is a lot going on with this juice. A little stink action on the nose with tobacco leaf and oak notes coming through. The aromas seem a little subdued. On the palate this wine bursts out into a glorious song. Meaty and solid with a core of dark fruit that is quite complex. Plums up front with hits of white pepper. Very dense from start to finish with a nice tannic grip on the backside. The finish features an array of flavors. Tobacco leaf, cocoa, chocolate and spice that goes on and on. 94 points
Fourth Day
2008 San Juan Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon Columbia Valley, Washington … $18.99
I am very proud of our local winery here on San Juan Island. Chris Primus has established his fingerprint on the wines and many have received gold medals in some prestigious competitions. Although I like Chris, I try to keep my tasting objectivity in place. This cab is a nice effort and deserves our attention in December.
Toasty black olives and black currants with dusty tannins come through on the nose. Notes of oak and black currants with hits of green bell peppers on smooth refined tannins. Light hits of tobacco leaf and mocha on a finish that lingers with some subtle white pepper and spice. What appeals to me about this cab, is that it is smooth enough to drink all by itself yet structured enough to compliment something like, let’s say… prime rib. 91 points
Third Day:
2008 Mount Veeder Winery Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley, California … $26.99
Anytime someone wants to give me three of these, I would be more then happy to accept. This is a beauty!
Sultry aromas of black currants and blackberries with hits of perfumed cedar and tobacco leaf. Very smooth and deep on the palate with delicious notes of chocolate and tobacco leaf backed by underlying red currant and spice. This baby is seamless on the palate flowing effortlessly into a long, long finish of cocoa and tobacco leaf with hits of tannins and subtle spice notes. 94 points
Second Day:
2008 Buried Cane Cabernet Sauvignon Columbia Valley, Washington … $13.99
What a nice treat, and the exact opposite in style of the Justin. Aromas of green beans, mocha, blackberries and hits of mint. Old school on the palate with notes of green beans, cherry juice and anise. Interesting bittersweet chocolate notes come through on the mid-palate with hints of red currants. The finish is soft and pleasing. This is a great cab to match up with beef and a nice switch from the fruit forward versions that are all over the market. Each has a place and this one belongs with a meal. 89+ points
First Day:
2009 Justin Cabernet Sauvignon Paso Robles, California … $24.99
What a nice treat for December. Aromas of black currants and blackberries with a little hit of alcohol. Big and lush on the palate showing off it’s California love handles. Notes of black cherries, black currants and spice flow across the palate seamlessly. Nice hits of black tea, chocolate, tobacco leaf and white pepper on the medium to long finish. This baby is ready to drink, and should get you in the mood for cab immediately. If you can decant this a little before you imbibe, it would be helpful. 90 points.
There you have it… My 12 cabs of Christmas in all their glory. Hopefully I have been of some help in picking out a cab for Christmas the fun way. There are a lot of good values out there and some serious efforts that demand a little more cash. Like I said at the start, for some reason reaching into my pocket to spend a little more does not bother me as much this time of year. I wish all of you a healthy and happy holiday season, and may the cabs be with you. Cheers! Stan The Wine Man
Pingback: Ashley