From Sonoma, a Cabernet I have heard of but never tried.  Purply and dark in the glass it shows promise of power and extraction.  On the nose I get cassis, blackberry, ripe oak and a funk I hate to think might be cork taint.   The wine itself tastes a little off.  I get blackberry essence, ink, crunchy tannins and a hit of toasty oak.  The mid palate has a really defined tannic dryness that I am enjoying.  More black fruits come around for the finish as well as some espresso, cocoa powder and the omnipresent tannins.  They really are persistent.  Overall I think this wine has good potential and will cellar well, my only concern is with this particular bottle.  I have been lucky not to have many corked bottles over the years, but it happens every once in a while.  Technically speaking this one is an 86 point wine but has the potential to rise to 91 if it were not faulty.  A shame really for this $43 effort.  I’ll go with 4 stars as a compromise.  Think steaks, au gratin and creamed spinach for a pairing. Salut….

Dark purple, but not as ‘heavy’ as I was expecting.  A nose of black currant and blackberry with hints of vanilla.  On the palate- really soft and supple profile that offers up delicious black fruit sorbet, juicy acidity and very fine grained tannins.  This wine makes my mouth water, it’s bizarre.  I am really enjoying it!  The mid palate is more down to earth with plain Jane blackberry and some oak.  The finish gets ramped up with the tannins that linger for a long time while more dark fruits emerge.  This is a tasty little number that begs for Osso Bucco, eggplant parm or even a hearty stew.  91 points from me and drink till 2022.  All yours for $12 which makes this a 5 star wine.  Salut….

From Sonoma comes this delicious Cabernet Sauvignon that got great reviews.  I was excited to try it when I saw the bottle and was not disappointed.

Dark purple in the glass with a nose of red berries, a touch of oak and some cinnamon. On the palate, red fruits, bright acidity and some cola. On the mid palate , a hint of sasparilla, some eucalyptus and the ever present sharpness of the acidity, now with some offsetting tannins. The finish is decent in length and gives off strawberry notes with vanilla overtones. Overall a nice wine for the short to medium term. 89 points and for $18 it should be on your radar.  4 stars.  Salut….

I was recently in an airport lounge and saw this wine being offered.  I am a fan of the winery since our visit there in 2015.  If you are ever in the area and want to enjoy a nice tasting, fun staff and cool dog I suggest you visit Alexander Valley Vineyards.

Nice rich purple in the glass with a nose of eucalyptus and plum jam -maybe blackberry reduction. The initial taste is super smooth. I mean seriously smooth, with blackberry, nutmeg and tobacco flavors. This wine has a seamless transition from front to back. Amazing and extremely balanced. I’m loving it. 92 points, which is high but this wine is drinking on pointe and deserves credit for its immediate satisfaction. It may cellar for another 3-5 years but why wait?  I found it online for $15, but MSRP is around $22.  They blended a touch of my favorites in for color, aroma and balance.  Merlot at 6%, with a touch of Cab Franc, Malbec and Petit Verdot. For sure a 5 star wine, stock up and serve alone or with pretty much all the classic red wine pairings.  Salut….