I usually completely ignore Wine Enthusiast reviews.  For reasons why, see my “Rating the Raters” post. Well, by some fluke, they got this rating dead on, because this is an absolutely magnificent Napa Cabernet for $17.95.

This wine reminds me of the 2008 Paul Hobbs Crossbarn at a $12 discount.  It’s an open, oaky, and sweet Cabernet with serious intentions.  When it comes to value-priced Napa cabs, I find this style preferable to the more firm, tannic version, because I don’t have the patience, nor confidence, to sit on an $18 bottle of wine for five years to wait for it to hopefully open up.  This wine will certainly drink well for at least five years, but unlike a bottle of Anderson’s Conn Valley Reserve Cabernet ($60), it doesn’t require it to be at its best.

This wine pours a deep, dark ruby.  A big, sweet nose of stewed cherries and vanilla leads into a mouthful of ripe black and blue berry flavors.  12.5% Syrah gives this wine an appealing complexity, not found in most strictly Bordeaux grape blends.  I’ve been increasingly attracted to these types of blends, and expect to see more in the coming years as winemakers look to give consumers more exciting and interesting wines.

This is a frontrunner for Napa Cab deal of the year and LA Wine Co. destroys other online retailers at $17.95.

Buy Here: Fuse Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2008 $17.95

Readers have probably noticed that less Napa Cabernet appears on this blog than it once did.  Why is that?  Two reasons: 1) I’ve gotten more picky about what I write up and 2) the marginal lift in the economy has made bargain Napa Cabernet harder to come by.  Sure, there are more cheap cabs in the market than ever but cheap does not equal value.  The problem with most of these value priced Napa Cabs is they all taste the same and that taste is… unnatural.

Much like Ferris Bueller on his “Day Off”, Buehler Vineyards takes their own approach to high production (15,000 case!!!) Cabernet.  What make wine enjoyable is that no two are the same, and the best are downright unique.  Buehler Vineyard’s Napa Cabernet tastes like a Cabernet, but it is identifiable and unique, and to my palate, highly enjoyable.

The color is dark ruby (not purple) like a traditional, dare I say, old school Cabernet.  The nose stresses red berries over black with cedar undertones.  On the palate it has a medium-full body and a juicy, bright taste.  Tannins build on the finish, suggesting the wine will age well for a decade.

This wine reminded me of something from the moment I pulled the cork and poured it in the decanter, and I finally thought of what it is.  It reminds me of a hypothetical second wine from Anderson’s Conn Valley Vineyards Reserve Cabernet.  It’s not a stretch, as Buehler is located around the corner in Conn Valley – where 30% of this fruit comes from.

If you are a fan of traditional, refined Napa Cabernet, pick up a case of this wine that Robert Parker calls “a real steal and one of the greatest sleepers I have tasted from Napa”.  Parker got his review right, though he got the production wrong.  Buehler deserves acknowledgment for making 15,o00 cases of this wine (vs. the 1,800 that Parker thought), available to the masses.  The only thing not available to the masses is LA Wine Co’s sub $17 price.

Buy Here: Buehler Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley $16.95

Robert Parker 90 points

Every time I drink an Oakville wine, I’m amazed at the uniqueness of the flavor.  Cabernet made from this tiny appellation in the center of the Napa valley, flanked by Yountville to the south and Rutherford to the north, is immediately identifiable by its exceptional density and powerful but sweet tannins.

The 2008 Oakville Ranch Cabernet Sauvignon is no exception.  At this young age, it pours a deep, opaque purple.  The color alone identifies this wine as something special.  The nose is sweet and round, another signature of Oakville, with a nice balance of ripe fruit and new oak flavors.  On the palate, it shows its youth with mouth-coating, biting tannins that get sweeter as the lengthy finish lingers on.  Let this baby sit for 10 years and it will be absolutely epic.  If you don’t like it then, you will be able to sell it for more than you bought it for on the 94+ point rating alone.

As I read the back label, two things are clear.  1) Oakville ranch takes winemaking very seriously.  This wine comes from 4 distinct plots in a single vineyard rising clear up to 1,400 feet.  That kind of precise selection is impressive and really shows through in the layered flavors of their wine.  2) Oakville Ranch does not believe in capitalization (see picture right).

If you collect California Cabernet, this wine is a must.  It’s a spectacular wine today for its size and weight, but like a bride before her wedding, this wine will drop weight and gain complexity as it ages.  2008 is turning out to be an absolutely spectacular vintage for Napa Cabernet.  I can’t wait to taste more!

Buy Here: 2008 Oakville Ranch Cabernet $44.95

Robert Parker 94+ points

“The 2008 Cabernet Sauvignon Oakville exhibits a similar opaque purple color and appears to be slightly richer than the 2007, as preposterous as that may sound. This thick, unctuously textured Cabernet is loaded with creme de cassis, charcoal, earth and spice characteristics and displays an explosively long finish. Both vintages are great, but the 2008 might nudge out the 2007. However, this will not be definitively decided for 10-15 years. This is another 20-year wine.”

International Wine Cellar 92 points

“Good full ruby. Complex aromas of cassis, blackberry, licorice, subtle spices and menthol. Lush on entry, then utterly seamless in the middle, with harmonious acidity giving shape and energy to the intense cassis and black cherry flavors. A peppery nuance provides lift but this fruit bomb will need four or five years in the bottle to develop more complexity.”

To quote French Stewart of Saturday Night Live’s “Celebrity Jeopardy”, “I’m a late bloomer, Alex, and in Double Jeopardy, I’m gonna bloom!”  It’s Double Jeopardy for the 2007 vintage but Sonoma County is still releasing some of that amazing vintage and the 2007 Stonestreet Monument Ridge Cabernet is, well, monumental.

This winery is another one of the late Jess Jackson’s masterpieces.  He was a pioneer of California wine, but also wine values, especially with the Kendall-Jackson label.  This winery has released a true value with this Alexander Valley Cabernet.  Alexander Valley is one of the few places in Sonoma County that grows great Cabernet grapes because of it’s warmer temperatures.  I hesitate to bring this up, but another famous Cabernet hails from the Alexander Valley appellation.  Silver something…

The expressive, bright, floral nose is indicative of the 400-2400 ft altitude at which these grapes were grown.  On the palate, this wine is Sahara Desert dry with incredible focus, bright acids and serious tannins.  As it finishes the tannins turn sweet to make what might be an otherwise astringent wine absolutely stunning.

I can only imagine how great this wine will taste with five, 10  or 15 years.  This is an ager!

Robert Parker gives this one 94 points and the somewhat less reliable Wine Enthusiast gives it 96.  Here’s the plan: buy four bottles and drink one now, one in five years, 10 and 15.  I would bet that 15 years from now, you will be wishing you bought a whole case.  But isn’t that what wine’s all about?

Buy Here: 2007 Stonestreet Monument Ridge Cabernet Sauvignon $36.95

Robert Parker 94 Points

“The biggest production cuvee, the inky/purple-tinged 2007 Cabernet Sauvignon Monument Ridge is fabulous. Composed of 92% Cabernet Sauvignon and 8% Cabernet Franc aged 16 months in 76% new French oak casks, it reveals abundant aromas of creme de cassis, graphite, ink, licorice, and fruitcake in a full-bodied, Pauillac-like style with plenty of sweet tannin.

These are far and away the most impressive group of Stonestreet Alexander Mountain estate wines I have ever tasted. Kudos to proprietor Jess Jackson and winemakers Graham Weerts and Marcia Monahan for exploiting this high elevation terroir. This has been a work-in-progress for Jackson, and he has finally hit paydirt with the following wines. Readers need to pay close attention as there are some amazing Chardonnays as well as red wines emerging from Stonestreet. There are seven distinctive cuvees of Chardonnay, ranging in production from 185 cases of Red Point, to 660 cases of Lower Rim. All of these super-impressive efforts come from elevations of 900 to 1,800 feet. I tasted one Merlot and seven Cabernet Sauvignons, and as readers can tell, these are also impressive wines. Production ranges from approximately 250 cases of the single vineyard Cabernet Sauvignons (the only exception being the 5,000-case cuvee of Cabernet Sauvignon Monument Ridge).”

Wine Enthusiast 96 Points

“A dramatic wine, authoritative in tannins, bone dry and noble. Withholds its best under a cloak of astringency, but already shows its mountain terroir in the complexity of its structure and deep, intense blackberry, currant, blueberry and dried herb flavors. Should develop bottle complexities for at least a decade and probably longer.”

Paul Hobbs makes wine from the very best vineyards in California.  Think names like Hyde, Stagecoach, To-Kalon and Dr. Crane.  He has numerous 100 point ratings and has established himself as perhaps the top winemaker and consultant in California and beyond.

But what happens to all of those expensive grapes he buys that don’t quite make the cut for his $100+ wines?  I’ll give you a hint.  He doesn’t just throw them away.  He makes them into his Crossbarn series of wines.  You might call Crossbarn a second wine, but that wouldn’t really do these wines justice.  The Crossbarn series are on par with most wineries top tier productions, but Hobbs just holds himself to a higher standard.

I’ve had a number of vintages of both the Chardonnay and the Cabernet and each impress every time.  For the most recent vintage, 2008 for the Cab and 2009 for the Chard, Hobbs lowered the price and upped the quality.  Both come in under the $30 mark, an impressive feat for a producer whose Beckstoffer Dr. Crane Vineyard Cabernet retails for $139.95!

Parker gave each of these 91 points making them undeniable values – one thing Paul Hobbs isn’t always known for…

Buy Here:  2008 Paul Hobbs Crossbarn Cabernet Sauvignon $29.95

Robert Parker 91 points

“A terrific bargain in Napa Cabernet, the 2008 Cabernet Sauvignon CrossBarn (100% Cabernet Sauvignon; 5,782 cases produced) is a cross Napa Valley blend. It possesses a dense ruby/purple color in addition to a brilliant perfume of smoked herbs, sweet creme de cassis and blackberry fruit, incense and hints of charcoal and herbs. Savory, broad and expansive on the palate, this full-bodied, supple-textured effort is a classic Napa Valley Cabernet that is silky enough to be drunk early in life and over the next 10-15 years.”

Buy Here: 2009 Paul Hobbs Crossbarn Chardonnay $22.95

Robert Parker 91 points

“A stunning bargain is the 2009 Chardonnay CrossBarn, which was aged in 75% stainless steel, was put through 100% malolactic, and 15% was barrel fermented in order to provide a subtle hint of spice. Made in a steely, Chablis-like style, it offers up full-bodied tropical fruit notes intermixed with hints of honeysuckle and crushed rocks. Drink this 4,000-case beauty over the next several years.

Tonight we brought two different wines to a business dinner and it became apparent to me how differently people perceive outwardly similar wines.  We had four wine drinkers and we were split 50/50, somewhat passionately, between these two.  Both wines were 2007 Napa Cabernet but they were very different in style.  The Turnbull, from Oakville is rich, opulent and upfront; almost sweet with mouth coating tannins.  On the other hand, the Chimney Rock, from cooler Stags Leap, is focused, clean, exceptionally long and almost Bordeaux-like.  Think Aussie Shiraz vs. Rhone Syrah – same grape, but much different styles.

What I took out of tonight is that both of these are great wines.  I own both and enjoy them in different ways.   The bottom line is, if you like it IS good. That’s really all that matters.  Perception is reality when it comes to wine.  For what it’s worth, we bought both of these at a major discount super store which tends to have the lowest prices anywhere, and both of the wines were truly great values.  LA Wine Co. has the 92 point Turnbull a full $7 cheaper at $29.95.  That puts it at a $20 discount over the Chimney Rock, which starts to make a compelling argument for the Turnbull.  Even still, the Chimney Rock is exceptional and totally worth the $50 we paid.

If you take to a particular style, buy and enjoy that wine.  Throw out the ratings and labels and enjoy what you like.  Wine is about enjoyment and any other motivation between its purchase and consumption is downright pretentious!

This is just one of those outstanding deals of a vintage where the score and the price don’t match up.  Chalk Hill has a fabled history of producing one of Sonoma County’s top Bordeaux Blends. The perfect 2007 growing season, combined with their continuous efforts to find the perfect site/varietal/rootstock combination, have paid off in a major way.  Half Cabernet and a quarter Malbec, make this a unique blend for California, but as Allison Steltzner pointed out, California is a great place to grow Malbec and I applaud Chalk Hill’s liberal use of the varietal.

Buy this wine to drink now or lay it back for 20 years.  Robert Parker and Wine Enthusiast gave it 95 points and Wine Spectator gave it 93.  The lowest price on WineBid.com for a 95 point California Cabernet blend is $70 and this week’s bidding isn’t over.  Like I always tell my wife: If you ever needed the money, you could just sell it for more than you bought it for…

Buy Here: 2007 Chalk Hill Estate Proprietary Red $54.95

Robert Parker 95 points

“Perhaps the finest Estate Red to date is the 2007. Its dense ruby/purple hue is followed by blackberry, cassis, cedar, and licorice characteristics, supple tannins, a more accessible personality, full body, and admirable purity, texture, and length. Drink this beauty over the next 2-3 decades.

This may be the finest portfolio of Chalk Hill wines I have yet tasted. All are super-impressive with beautiful purity, balance, texture, and complexity. There are just under 200 cases of one of the rarest dry white wines readers will find in California. Barrel samples of the 2008 Estate Red and Syrah Estate look nearly as impressive as the 2007s.”

Nickel and Dime Wine readers are getting this deal 48 hours before it’s announced to the general public.

Beringer Private Reserve Cabernet is one of the most highly regarded wines from the Napa Valley.  Its ratings pedigree is legendary, garnering cult scores at reasonable production levels.  This is the wine that’s $180 on every prime steakhouse’s reserve list.  $115 at the winery, $90 at most retailers, LA Wine Co. is selling it for $59.95.  This is the best Cabernet deal of the year so far.  Easily.

Beringer Private Reserve is also one of my personal favorites.  I have every vintage between 2003 and 2007 with the exception of ’06 which I missed somehow.  The 2005 featured here was awarded 94 points from Stephen Tanzer who called it “Sexy from the start”, 93 from Wine Spectator and 92 from Robert Parker.

If you like Beringer PR, buy up today.  It drinks great now, but will last for another 15+ years.  This deal will be announced to the public on Monday and it will sell out.  LA Wine Co. ships nationally.

Buy Here: 2005 Beringer Private Reserve Cabernet $59.95

Stephen Tanzer’s International Wine Cellar 94 points

“Good bright medium ruby. Knockout nose combines black raspberry, minerals and sweet spices. Lush and creamy, with explosive, fully ripe dark fruit and mineral flavors and terrific back-end lift. Finishes with big, broad, fine-grained tannins and impressive length. The goal here is not to make an early-drinking wine but one with sweet tannins and thoroughly ripe fruit, notes winemaker Laurie Hook, but I find this sexy from the start.”

Wine Spectator 93 points

“Offers richness, concentration and depth while remaining elegant and supple, focusing on the ripe, spicy currant, mineral, herb and sage notes…”

Robert Parker 92 points

“There is no doubt that the 2005 Cabernet Sauvignon Private Reserve is the top wine in the portfolio. Delicious notes of smoky oak, creme de cassis, espresso roast, blackberries, and graphite are followed by a full-bodied, powerful, rich wine with undeniable elegance and finesse as well as sweet tannins. It can be drunk now or cellared for 15-20 years. This cuvee usually includes about 5% Cabernet Franc in the blend. I doubt this vintage will turn out to be as impressive as the 2004, 2002, and 2001 Private Reserves.”

We have a serious blue chip Napa Cabernet deal coming this week, and believe it or not, this isn’t it!  But this is arguably just as good a deal.

Nickel and Nickel was founded by Gil Nickel, owner of the famed Far Niente label.  Whereas Far Niente is focused on making the best Napa appellation wine, combining the best grapes for multiple vineyards, Nickel and Nickel makes exclusively single vineyard wines.  In July of last year, we tasted through a selection of Nickel and Nickel’s single vineyard Cabernets and were impressed by all.  The only problem: all of the Cabernets are around $90.  Especially in this case, quality comes at a price.

Can you guess where this post is going?  Somehow, LA Wine Co. managed to get Nickel and Nickel’s second highest rated wine (94 points from Robert Parker), and they are selling it for $59.95.  The 2007 Cabernet Sauvignon Kelham Vineyard is a wine for now and a wine for 20 years from now.  When I was there on Saturday, only 11 bottles were left, but if they are out when you try to order, or you want more than 11 bottles, send me an email and I will find out if more is available.

If you like Oakville Cabernet, and especially if you’re a fan of Nickel and Nickel, this buy is as good as it gets!  Plus it shares a name for this blog, so it must be good…

Buy Here: 2007 Nickel and Nickel Cabernet Sauvignon Kelham Vineyard $59.95

Robert Parker 94+ points

“Even more opaque ruby/purple-tinged (almost blue/purple) is the 2007 Cabernet Sauvignon Kelham Vineyard, which comes from a western hillside vineyard planted three decades ago. Like all the other wines, it is 100% Cabernet Sauvignon. Classic creme de cassis, vanillin and spice box aromas emerge from this full-bodied, dense, rich wine. Approachable now, it promises to be even better in 4-5 years and last for two decades or more.

An impressive group of 2007 Cabernet Sauvignons from the Gil Nickel family represents an Oakville terroir lesson with the exception of the State Ranch which comes from a vineyard further south in Yountville.”

On a perfect Friday evening at our favorite BYO Tin Roof Bistro (which also has great wine prices), we were enjoying a Cabernet that could only come from one place on earth.  Something about the tiny Oakville AVA in Napa Valley produces totally identifiable Cabernet that is arguably the most sought after in the country.  Wineries like Opus One, Plumpjack and Groth have made their names in Oakville, but perhaps the single biggest name in Oakville is To Kalon vineyard.

To Kalon, part of which is owned by the Beckstoffer family, just might be the source of more 95+ point wines than any other vineyard on earth.  It’s long been the source for Mondavi’s Reserve Cabernet and this, the Oakville Cabernet.  Almost all of Schrader’s numerous 100 point wines come from To Kalon.  Paul Hobbs picks this vineyard for his premier Cabernet bottling, at a cool $235.  So do names like Realm, Alpha Omega and Myriad for their $100+ wines.

So at $27.95, this Mondavi Oakville Cabernet, 86% of which comes from To Kalon Vineyard, is a screaming value and a heck of a wine.  It’s signature Oakville from start to finish with a knock-out nose of ripe, dark fruit and coffee.  On the palate it’s concentrated and broad with sweet flavors covering the mouth.  Though it will age well for over a decade, it’s actually drinking earlier than Mondavi’s regular Napa bottling, so be sure to pick up enough to drink now and later.

Everyone at our table, including Nick our server, agreed that this was the clear winner over the 2004 Freemark Abbey Cabernet we also enjoyed.  $45 at the winery, this wine is a strong contender for top Napa Cabernet under $30 and clearly takes that prize amongst Oakville Cabernet, though Turnbull gives Mondavi a run for their money.  If you don’t want to believe me, trust Robert Parker or the notoriously point-stingy Stephen Tanzer each of whom gave it 91 points.

Buy Here: 2007 Mondavi Oakville Cabernet Sauvignon $27.95

Robert Parker 91 points

“The 2007 Cabernet Sauvignon Oakville (94% Cabernet Sauvignon and 6% Cabernet Franc) has deep black currant fruit as well as notes of lead pencil shavings, camphor, and spice. It is medium to full-bodied, elegant, and rich from beginning to end, with outstanding purity, depth, and texture. This beauty can be drunk now or cellared for 10-15 years.” (WA)

Stephen Tanzer 91 points

“(includes 6% cabernet and bits of malbec and merlot) Good, bright ruby-red. Highly expressive aromas and flavors of currant, rose petal and cardamom. At once sweet and delicate, with sneaky depth of flavor. This really spreads out to coat the mouth and finishes with impressive breadth. The most gentle and approachable of Mondavi’s 2007 cabernets. “In 2007 we could wait as long as we wanted to pick, without getting dehydration like in 2006,” noted winemaker Gonzalez.”