- 2000 Fife Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve - USA, California, Napa Valley, Spring Mountain District (3/14/2006)
$15 at Trader Joe's, 14.2%. Pleasantly herbal, this shows the influence of the 2000 vintage, but at the same time has fruit and full body, with unobtrusive oak. I wouldn't pay $45 for this, but it's a decent value at $15. Good+. - 2002 Rodney Strong Cabernet Sauvignon - USA, California, Sonoma County (3/10/2006)
$10.39 on sale at Cost Plus, 13.8%. Elegant but tannic, my wife likes this bottle, opened in memory of Rodney Strong, better than I do. Good with steak. Good+. - 2003 Liberty School Cabernet Sauvignon - USA, California (2/28/2006)
$8.79 on sale at Cost Plus. 13.5%. Tannic with fairly big, chunky fruit and a noticeable dose of oak. Still, reasonably food-friendly with pot roast, and a good value at this price. Good+. - 2002 Cameron Hughes Cabernet Sauvignon Lot 7 Knights Valley - USA, California (11/30/2005)
$10 at Costco, 13.7%. Highly touted on the Parker board, this new negociant wine is certainly well made but doesn't excite me. Both my wife and I thought it was good but simple, with cherry and slight oak, reasonably balanced, just nothing special, even after a day in the fridge. Is it the best Knight's Valley cabernet available for ten bucks? Sure, but that's also a mighty small category. I might try the zin if I can find it, as simplicity matters less in zin. Good+.
Posted from CellarTracker.
Walt