2006 Adele Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon (USA, California, Napa Valley)

The press on this says: One of the best Napa Cabernet's under $60 that we have tasted in the last three years. Produced by Kirk Venge maybe the hottest young winemaker in Ca. The wine itself comes from one of the Napa Valley's Super Premium wineries whose Cabernet retails for $125-$150. This is not a second label but actually the extra barrels of the 2006 vintage of this same wine. The wine is full bodied, yet elegant on the palate. It is wonderfully complex, loaded with fruit and posesses a distinct sense of minerality. An exceptionally balanced and totally seductive wine. My own scientific based research tells me it's the 2006 Igneous Cabernet Sauvignon. Additional info tells: Under the Adele Cellars label we bottle and sell a Napa Cabernet Sauvignon produced by Kirk Venge, one the hottest young winemakers in CA. We cannot reveal the source of the wine, however we can provide some details. The wine is purchased from a premium Napa Cabernet producer whose label sells for $600 per six-pack wholesale. This cuvee is not a second label made by X, rather it is extra barrels of the wine itself. The fruit for the Adele 2006 comes two vineyards, Thorevilos in St. Helena and Huckfeldt in Coombsville. Both vineyards are managed by David Abreu. The Thorevillos vineyard has produced 100 point wines (Robert Parker) under the Abreu label. Mr. Abreu sells fruit from this vineyard to only two people, Mr. Huckfeldt and David Bowler.

Then we taste it: Darkish red umber in color, the nose was all blackberries, blackcherry, cassis and underbrush. On the palate there was some great intergrated black fuits of plum, blackberries and creme de casis. A medium weighted wine with loads of extras: first and forefront are the notes of cedar, leather, and some wonderful underfbrush-brambly notes thats I really enjoy. The tannins are finely meshed and the lilty acid level kept in check. Very nicely balanced and quite a nice drink, this most definitely drinks above its station and price-point of $30. My one complaint is a clipped finish. Great deal and QPR status nontheless. (89 pts.)