After a long flight to Indiana to visit the family, we had a wine extravaganza on a beautiful Friday evening.  The afternoon started with a Zorzal Chardonnay 2008 from Mendoza.  This wine is currently unavailable in U.S. but an enterprising importer could do well by bringing it here. Judging by its synthetic cork, it would be value priced, and it was delicious, buttery and crisp at the same time.

Next was the Darioush Merlot 2006.  This is a high quality, age worthy wine that’s already drinking very well.  Oakey and fragrant, the best part of this Mt. Veeder Merlot was the amazing silky texture.  The texture was incredibly unique and made it clear that this is top quality Darioush juice.  The mountain grown grapes create a perfect complexity with fine, sweet tannins and a long, very dry finish.  If you’re a fan of California Merlot, you can’t go wrong with the Darioush.  As mentioned before, the Caravan by Darioush is a great value and would make a perfect accompaniment to the Merlot.

We followed the Merlot up with the 2007 L’Aventure Optimus, and a 2000 B.V. Georges de Latour.  Of the last two, the Optimus was the clear winner, which isn’t a huge surprise as the 2000 vintage was very tough in California.  Still, the B.V. tasted great and was a splendid way to end a night of delicious high-end wines.

The 2006 Darioush Merlot is a perfect wine to drink before a big Napa cab because it has similar complexity but is slightly lighter and dryer.  Buy some, sit on it, and open with some other great wines and great friends and family like we did last night.

Happy Memorial Day Weekend!

2006 Darioush Merlot- $44.95

It’s rare that you can find a truly high-end Napa Cabernet for under $50, let alone $30.  Darioush is famous for making $80 Cabernet and Merlot, and Caravan is considered their second wine.  A second wine is usually produced by taking barrels or vineyard blocks of wine that don’t make the cut for the “first wine”, and blending them for the second.  In good years, like 2007, all of the wine produced could really make the cut for the first wine, but to keep prices up, they limit production.  So the consumer is the beneficiary as wines like the 2007 Caravan Cabernet taste like their more expensive stablemates.

This fantastic Cabernet is made from 100% Darioush estate fruit and has an oaky, complex nose more like a wine twice its price.  While the winery (pictured right) is a little over-the-top, the wine is sophisticated, well-balanced and fruity.  It’s drinking great now but will gain complexity with bottle age for some time to come.

I first had this wine in February at Boyona in New Orleans and considered it a bargain at roughly $75.  For $29.95, again the lowest price in the country according to Google Shopping, you can’t go wrong.  This is a special, age-worthy wine that will not disappoint.  You don’t have to take my word for it; Robert Parker calls it “a sleeper of the vintage”.

Robert Parker 90 points

“A terrific bargain in Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon, this blend of 76% Cabernet Sauvignon, 15% Merlot, and the rest equal parts Petit Verdot and Malbec offers a subtle toasty oak note intermixed with espresso roast, chocolate, black currants, and black cherries. It possesses soft, velvety tannins, medium to full body, and beautiful purity, texture, and length. Approachable now, it should evolve easily for 15 or more years. This is a sleeper of the vintage.”

Caravan Cabernet by Darioush- $29.95