St. Supéry
Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon
2005
13.9% ABV | Price: about $30*
This Cab’s a deep inky red—on the purple side despite its six years of age. A blend of 97% cabernet sauvignon, 2% merlot, and 1% petit verdot, it offers delicate aromas of coffee, black cherry, blueberry, anise, and mint. It shows good balance on the palate, with juicy blackberry, black cherry, and plum, plus great grip—a kind of blooming tannin that expands at the very end.
Although somewhat restrained, it is not quite Bordeaux-like; it lacks the gritty austerity we associate with French cabernet/merlot blends. But it’s not a California bomb, either. Somewhere in between, and quite nice.
*I received this wine as a press sample.
