St. Clement Oroppas 2006

If you are looking for a Cabernet Sauvignon dominated from California and have a few bucks to spend let me introduce you to St Clement's "Oroppas" 2006. Concentrated and dark in the glass you get a great nose of ripe dark fruits (black plum, blackberry, and currant), tobacco, dark chocolate, and hints of vanilla and brown sugar. Full bodied, the tannins are still quite firm (but mellow a bit after allowed to sit so I would suggest decanting before serving) with excellent acid and fruit delivering a long, lingering finish that should please the pickiest of Cab drinkers.

Pick up a bottle for around $30 for now or pick up two and have the other any time through 2016.

Number of wines reviewed in 2011: 29

Conn Creek Anthology 2003

Last night I was at my favorite place in Hillcrest, MA4 with a couple of friends. I brought along something that had been in my collection for a while now, Conn Creek Anthology. Conn Creek is a little boutique winery in the Rutherford AVA in Napa. Their Anthology cuvee is made from a collection of grapes sourced from Napa Valley’s finest vineyards and several diverse AVA's. Anthology is a Bordeaux blend (heavy on the Cabernet Sauvignon so more of a left bank than right bank) so here we have Cabernet Sauvignon from AVAs like St. Helena and Carneros, Cab Franc from St. Helena, Merlot from Atlas Peak, Petit Verdot from Yountville, etc. What you get is a fantastic blend that seems to bring out the best in each varietal to build something whose whole is greater than the sum of its parts. I really enjoyed this wine, deep black cherry in color, lovely nose of ripe currant, plum, black cherry, and lovely spicy oak. Nice balance of fruit, acid, and slightly dusty tannins all coming together to give a med/(+) length finish. Excellent, though I would say it is definitely hitting its peak so if you find a bottle drink now through next year.

Number of wines reviewed in 2010: 126