Producer Montoya Vineyards
Variety Cabernet Sauvignon
Designation Proprietor Owned
Vineyard Montoya Vineyards
Country USA
Region California
SubRegion Napa Valley
Appellation Napa Valley
Price $13
If The Big Wooden Guy had thumbs, he would be giving a "thumbs up" to an under $15 drinkable Napa Cabernet.
Night One
This has currant, but it is an underlying aroma. The predominate aroma is vegetal, plus some green olive, along with enough black pepper to make you think "grenache."
The palate is fairly simple and harsh. It is sweet-fruit forward, mostly plum and some blueberry. It has some of the same vegetal tastes as the nose. The same vegetation, plus some green pepper, makes up the mid-plate. The finish is short and metallic. Tannins are harsh.
This is not great wine. It is also a $13 Napa Cabernet. This raises a question I have asked several times before, why drink low-priced mediocre Cabernet when there are so many other good wines in the same price range? But who knows, it might be a lot better on Night Two.
Night Two
What a difference a night makes! The harsh vegetation and overpowering pepper is gone from the nose. Now it has a more classic Cabernet, with blackcurrant, a little coffee and chocolate, and plums.
The fruit is far softer on the palate, too. It opens with a lot of plum and mulberry. Some eucalyptus appears for a moment as it shifts to the mid-palate, before the typical maple and brown sugar of moderately-priced Cali Cabs takes over. The finish is mid-length. Tannins are surprisingly smooth and sweet.
This is a THIRTEEN DOLLAR Napa Valley Cabernet. Is it great? Nope. Is it good? No, not really. Is it competent, and competitive with Cabernets at twice the price? Yup. Absolutely. Give this several hours to breath and you will have a drinkable $13 Napa Cab. How can that be a bad thing?
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1 comment:
What may be the opinion of the 2005, cannot be true of the 2006. The 2006 Cab was wonderful from the first glass, with a smooth, fruit forward experience that was anything but harsh. They got it right this year and I highly recommend to anyone that enjoys great finds under $12.
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