“The best wine is that which tastes good to
thine own palette.” … Pliny the Elder.
Respecting that all palates are personal, I don’t have wine
“rules,” though I admit to having “preferences”. One of them is to generally avoid
domestically produced red wines priced under $15. (And yes, there are some
exceptions. And good whites are
available under $15, but those again are whites. And bargains can be found in
“old world” red wines). That aside, and with my personal preference stated, when
I saw this bottle of (2014) “Angel’s Landing Napa” Cabernet Sauvignon for sale
retailing at $11.99, I was cautious.
With Napa Cabernet Sauvignon grapes averaging $5,930 per ton in 2014,
one should be cautious approaching a bottle priced at $12.
Angel’s Landing is “vinted and bottled” by Great Domains
& Estates, neither name being attached to a vineyard. “Vinted and bottled” is not the same as
“Estate bottled.” Then again, there are several well-known wineries that
source their grapes, have legions of passionate admirers, and consistently are
awarded high ratings. (It does behoove one to keep an open mind). But “Vinted and bottled” is also not the same
as “Produced and bottled by.” Nor is it the same as “Made and bottled by.” Depending on how one understands the term, it
may mean that as little as 10% of the wine was fermented at the winery, or even
that the name on the label is not connected to the production of the wine in
any way.
Angel’s Landing is a label represented by the Mendocino Wine
Company which represents many brands. Call
it “grey” or “white” labeling, I’ll even concede in advance that the issue essentially
comes down to what’s inside the bottle. Yet with such “white labeling”, it’s difficult
to learn about that. And for those who
want to confirm why their senses are
telling them what they think they
are, it’s this lack of transparency that is troubling. One cannot get the tech specs. Is the wine blended with other varieties? (Wines labeled a varietal in the U.S. may
contain up to 25% other grapes). What’s the residual sugar? How was the wine made? Who actually made it? How much oak, what type, how long was it aged? Most
wines so labeled don’t have web sites and seldom are professionally reviewed. Information develops knowledge and
appreciation and – most important - understanding. And for some of us, that’s essential to a good
experience.
In this case, the fruit is indeed Napa, mostly from the Yountville
area vineyards known for Chateau Montelena.
In fact, Grgich Hills‘ Mike Grgich (formally of Chateau Montelena) was
responsible for bringing Chateau Montelena to the world’s stage in the Paris
Wine trials of 1976. Dominus, Domaine
Chandon, Charles Krug and others also are in Yountville. Its pedigree is
established. But appellation alone does not guarantee
anything other than locale. And Yountville is not identified on the label. …………….. And the back label refers only to
“Napa County.”
So regarding Angel’s Landing, I think I need to respect Pliny
the Elder’s foresight. The wine is deep
purple in the glass. The nose, for me, is all blackberry jam with some crème de
cassis and a hint of black licorice. The
mouthfeel is liquid silk. While Cabernet Sauvignon is noted for tannins, I found
them so rounded, with almost no grip, that I resented not being able to access
more information. The palate revealed a reduction of blackberry sauce with
blackberry preserves dominating the back taste. Upfront was some Christmas
spice. A note of green pepper is common
in Cabernet Sauvignon, but I often miss that as I did again with Angels
Landing. Others report sage and iodine (I did not). Another described the wine
as masculine. Though not comfortable
today with such terms, I’d describe it as more feminine because I found the
wine somewhat sweet and, as I said, the tannins were so soft as to be almost
nonexistent.
For the price, I’d have to say this Cab offers value if
you’re looking for an easy drinking red wine that’s likely to be a crowd pleaser. I later discovered its ARP is actually $22
(the price of $11.99 having been a “close out” sale price). For my palate, I found the wine somewhat
sweet. But for those finding Cabernet Sauvignon generally too tannic, too dry,
this could be the bottle they’ve been waiting for.
Cheers!
……………. Jim
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