Cabernet sauvignon is one of the few wines where a perfectly respectable bottle can cost less than your typical Starbucks order, and another can require a second mortgage. The range of quality can also be staggering, and price alone is often a lousy shortcut for deciding what to buy. Given this vast playing field, I’ve learned to look for different signals at each price point. A value cabernet sauvignon should be delicious, recognizable, and versatile enough for a weeknight pour. As the price climbs, so do my expectations. I’m looking for a sense of where the wine comes from, some structure, greater flavor concentration, aging potential, or a story that gives the bottle genuine significance. Ideally, I find a combination of all those qualities at once.
Finding a serious Napa Valley cab sav for less than $50 has become the wine shopper’s Holy Grail. Beyond its forgiving price tag, what makes Sequoia Grove’s Napa Cabernet Sauvignon stand out is that much of its fruit comes from Rutherford, one of Napa’s most celebrated — and expensive — areas for cabernet sauvignon. Sequoia Grove also relies primarily on estate fruit and close, long-term relationships with local growers, which gives the team more control over quality and cost and explains how this wine still lands around $45. This is more than a great cab for the money. It offers a recognizable taste of a celebrated place that’s associated with far more expensive bottles, which is something we should all drink to.
Excerpt Taken From: Chowhound
Author: Devin Parr
