Adventures in Wine > Cabernet Sauvignon

Cabernet Sauvignon

Undoubtedly, one of the world’s most famous, aristocratic and well-travelled varieties. It remains the backbone of great Bordeaux, particularly on the Left Bank where its hall-mark cassis flavours and powerful tannins define its character. Nowadays, Cabernet Sauvignon is grown all around the world from Austria to Australia.

Abeja

Winery: Abeja
Region: Washington
Sub-region: Columbia Valley

Cabernet Sauvignon Columbia Valley

Traditional methods combined with innovative techniques, and a meticulous commitment to detail, define the Abeja winemaking philosophy. From the site chosen to plant the vines, and the care given them throughout the year, to harvest, and through the numerous stages of the winemaking process, there are many choices to make and each have a lasting and cumulative effect upon quality.

Their small team is passionately dedicated to quality. This begins in the vineyard, and continues through every part of the process that leads to their final product. Their state-of-the-art winery is designed to handle even the smallest quantities of fruit, so that farming for flavor always takes precedence over logistics.

Their wines are made to accompany the meal. This means a balanced wine with a solid framework of tannin and acidity that is filled with pure, lush, fruit, richness in the mid-palate, elegant integrated oak, a moderate alcohol level and a generous finish. They accomplish this through meticulous viticultural management, gentle handling of the fruit and the wine, customized practices for every lot no matter how small, and carefully selected French oak.

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Chateau Cap de Merle

Winery: Chateau Cap de Merle
Region: Bordeaux
Sub-region: Lussac St.-Emilion

Cap de Merle

Chateau Cap de Merle is a delicious St-Emilion that represents excellent value. Owners and winemakers Alain and Jean-Marie Bel use no wood in vinifying Cap de Merle, so the pure, rich, spicy Merlot fruit come through directly upon tasting. The winery’s excellent plateau vineyards on clay and sandstone soils assures optimal ripeness of fruit and supple tannins. The Merlot and Cabernet are vinified separately, and are assembled in the spring. Cap de Merle is a lush, round, balanced wine with notes of dark fruit, plums, and chocolate. The wine is meant to be enjoyed young (3-4 years after the vintage) but it can also be cellared for up to 10 years. Cap de Merle is a most versatile and enjoyable St-Emilion. Since it comes from the Lussac area, just outside St-Emilion itself, Cap de Merle represents exceptional value in Merlot-based Bordeaux. Chateau Cap de Merle is a fine match for London Broil with sautéed mushrooms, roast veal and pork and Cajun cuisine.

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Chateau Jonqueyres

Winery: Chateau Jonqueyres
Region: Bordeaux
Sub-region: Bordeaux Superieur

Bordeaux Superieur

Built in 1685, Chateau Jonqueyres (zhankear) has been the home of the Audy family for over a century. The estate is located at the summit of a hillside in the Entre Deux Mers region, with ideal clay-limestone soil. The present owner, Anne-Marie Audy-Arcaute, a fourth generation Audy, has recently rebuilt the cellars and upgraded the cuverie with new stainless steel tanks.

Together with the longtime cellar-master Antonio Vierra, Anne-Marie produces a rich, velvety-textured wine. The grapes are harvested by hand as late as possible for optimal maturity and are meticulously sorted to remove any imperfect fruit. The fermentation and vatting process is extended to three weeks for maximum extraction of color and flavor.

Ch. Jonqueyres is matured in oak casks, one third of which are new each year. The wine is vinified so as to deliver the maximum expression of fruit with a fine balance of concentration, ripe tannins and a discreet touch of oak. In the words of Robert Parker, Chateau Jonqueyres makes “high quality wines that can compete with more famous estates.”

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Chateau La Gatte

Winery: Chateau La Gatte
Region: Bordeaux
Sub-region: Bordeaux

La Gatte La Butte
Domaine de Montalon

Located in the appellations Bordeaux and Bordeaux Superieur, Château La Gatte was founded in 1646.

A mere 358 years later, in 2004, the estate was purchased by Hèléne and Michael Affatato. Hèléne, a Bordeaux native, came from Château Latour, where she held an executive position in Public Relations and Sales. Michael, an advertising executive turned wine afficionado, found the perfect marriage for his skills at Chapoutier, where he directed Sales and Marketing for the UK and American markets.

Now the couple have dedicated themselves exclusively to their exciting new enterprise, sharing responsibilities in the vineyard, winery, and office.

The property itself sits atop a famous limestone ridge, which is shared by some of St.-Emilion’s most noble chateaux. The west facing vines overlook the Dordogne River, and benefit from maximum sunlight. To quote Château Latour, “To make a Grand Vin, the vines must see the river.”

After tasting Château La Gatte, we think you will agree that these vines must have an amazing view.

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Chateau Routas

Winery: Chateau Routas
Region: Southern France
Sub-region: Provence

Cabernet Sauvignon/Syrah ‘Agrippa’
Grenache/CS/Syrah ‘Infernet’
Syrah ‘Cyrano’
Viognier ‘Coquelicot’
Rosé ‘Rouvière’
Chardonnay/Viognier ‘Wild Boar’

Chateau Routas is located in the heart of Provence, between the French Riviera on the Mediterranean coast and teh foothills of the Alps. It is surrounded by tiny medieval villages that cling to steep cliffs and overlooks miles of spectacular hillsides, woods and rivers.

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Efeste Wines

Winery: Efeste Wines
Region: Washington
Sub-region: Columbia Valley

Riesling Evergreen
Sauvignon Blanc
Cabernet Sauvignon Big Papa
Cabernet Sauvignon/Syrah Final Final
Syrah Ceidleigh

Another great find from Washington State! Efeste believes that a minimal approach makes the best wine. Efeste works primarily with old vines, bringing forth maturity and concentration while maintaining elegance. Native fermentation encourages lovely, earthy notes without eclipsing the fruit that is unique to the vineyard. The fruit speaks for itself, not unlike art, where beauty and excitement are found in the unique aberrations, Efeste encourages the production of wines with character, as they believe great wines have personality.

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Glaetzer

Winery: Glaetzer
Region: Australia
Sub-region: Barossa Valley

Shiraz/Cab Sauv Anaperenna
Shiraz, Grenache ‘Wallace’
Shiraz Bishop
Shiraz/Cab Godolphin

The relationship with the Glaetzer winery had been developing since the release of the 2001 Amon Ra Shiraz. With the 2004 vintage, Ben Glaetzer took over winemaking at Glaetzer and brought his own flagship wines, Amon Ra and Godolphin, into the fold. Young Glaetzer has implemented many changes at the winery, particularly with regard to harvesting upon physiological ripeness vs. analysis, longer skin contact and the use of the highest possible quality oak barrels. The Glaetzer philosophy focuses simply on the production of small-volume, super premium wines. The company holds a firm belief that the wines are made in the vineyard – a combination of the French notion of terroir combined with Australian vineyard site knowledge. The wines are produced from vines grown in well-drained sandy clay loam over a solid limestone pan. This particular soil, widely recognized as the best for dry grown Shiraz, is limited to the Ebenezer region in the northwestern part of the Barossa Valley. Yields are exceptionally low, with 1 to 1 1/2 tons per acre of Shiraz from some of the 80-year old vines being common. Glaetzer has exceptional fruit, and thus opts for a minimalist approach.

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Grayson Cellars

Winery: Grayson Cellars
Region: California
Sub-region: Paso Robles and Central Coast

Chardonnay Central Coast
Cabernet Sauvignon Paso Robles
Merlot Paso Robles
Pinot Noir Central Coast
Zinfandel Central Coast

Decades of Napa Valley winemaking meet excellent Paso Robles and Central Coast grapes to create fruit forward, well crafted, value driven wines that are a pleasure to drink.

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Heartland

Winery: Heartland
Region: Australia
Sub-region: Langhorne Creek & Limestone Coast

By Ben Glaetzer

Stickleback White – South Australia
Viognier-Pinot Gris – South Australia
Cabernet Sauvignon – Langhorne Creek & Limestone Coast
Shiraz – Langhorne Creek & Limestone Coast
Shiraz Director’s Cut – Langhorne Creek & Limestone Coast

Heartland Wines was created by a small group of leading South Australian wine professionals, including Ben Glaetzer & Vicki Arnold from Glaetzer. All are all good friends and share a passion for making great wine. Heartland wines are made with fruit from mature vineyards in the Limestone Coast and Langhorne Creek in South Australia. There are three ranges under the Heartland Wines label. Stickleback, Heartland Coast & Creek and the flagship Directors’ Cut Shiraz.

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Kaesler

Winery: Kaesler
Region: Australia
Sub-region: Barossa Valley

Cabernet Sauvignon
Shiraz Old Vine
Shiraz/CAB WOMS
Shiraz Stonehorse
Shiraz The Bogan
Avignon GSM
Shiraz Old Bastard

The Kaesler Vineyards were established in 1893. The family sprung from Silesian pioneers who came to the Barossa Valley in the 1840s. They cleared the scrub and in 1893 planted out the entire holding with Shiraz, Grenache, and Mataro (Mourvedre). The gnarled, dry-grown vines still remain and provide the backbone of the intense wines produced here. The exceptional Kaesler wines now being produced had their beginning in 1997 when a young winemaker at Cellarmaster just a few hundred meters away noticed the power and intensity of the fruit. Winemaker Reid Bosward and his co-owners, a group of international wine lovers, searched areas such as America’s Napa Valley, the south of France, Marlborough in New Zealand as well as other parts of Australia before deciding to buy into the Barossa. Bosward comes to Kaesler with experience at Tyrell’s, McGuigan, Cellarmaster and abroad in France and S. Africa.

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L'Ecole Nº 41

Winery: L’ecole No. 41
Region: Washington
Sub-region: Columbia Valley, Walla Walla Valley

Semillon Seven Hills
Semillon Fries
Cabernet Sauvignon Walla Walla
Merlot Seven Hills
Apogee
Perigee

The family owned L’Ecole Nº 41 has been producing premium handcrafted varietal wines since 1983 in the historic Frenchtown School in Lowden, Washington. The wines are celebrated by the press, and compare favorably to many more expensive wines from their peers. These wines have everything going for them: top Washington fruit, impeccable winemaking, brilliant packaging, and unmatched value. One of our most popular producers.

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Pavilion Crossing

Winery: Pavilion
Region: California
Sub-region: Napa

Cabernet Sauvignon
Merlot
Chardonnay

The founders of Pavilion bring decades of Napa winemaking experience to each and every bottle, creating some of the best value wines from Napa Valley.




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Peralta Winery

Winery: Peralta
Region: California
Sub-region: Central Coast

Cabernet Sauvignon
Mourvedre

The winery was named after their great grandmother, Rosalie Peralta, a descendant of Luis Maria Peralta who lived in the historical Peralta Adobe in San Jose which has survied 200 years in the center of a rapidly changing city.

Peralta produces wines of quality and balance at prices that are affordable for everyday consumption.

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Robert Karl Cellars

Winery: Robert Karl
Region: Washington
Sub-region: Columbia Valley

Claret
Syrah
Cabernet Sauvignon
Inspiration Reserve Red

We are very excited about this winery. Winemaker Joseph Gunselman, a physician by day, has made it his sole purpose to create a premium, hand-crafted Columbia Valley CS using the best fruit available. He also believes wine to be an essential, healthy part of a meal. Doctor’s orders! His 2000 offering is full of sweet fruit, berries, and vanilla flavors – masterfully balanced by a backbone of acid and sweet tannins. Downright delicious.

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Viña Santa Marina

Winery: Viña Santa Marina
Region: Spain
Sub-region: Extremadura

Gargola, Tempranillo, Joven
(No oak)

Torremayor Crianza (Ribera del Guadiana)
(All Tempranillo- 85% French, 15% American oak for 12 months)

Miraculus R
(50% Tempranillo, 30% Cabernet, 20% Syrah- All French Oak 12-14 months)

Established in 1999, this modern estate lies at the base of the Lamoneda mountain range near Meridia, Spain. Currently 58 hectares are farmed in Extremadura and D.O. Ribera del Guadiana. Red grape varieties include Tempranillo, Graciano, Syrah, Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot. White varieties include indigenous grapes such as Montua, Cayetana Blanca and Pardina. All grapes are vineyard-selected and hand harvested, table sorted, de-stemmed and very carefully pressed. After vinification the final wines are barrel-selected. A balance of mostly French and American oak is used. Barrel aging ranges from 6 to 14 months depending on the wine. Enjoyable, and terrific value.

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Woop Woop

Winery: Woop Woop
Region: Australia
Sub-region: South Australia

Chardonnay
Shiraz
Cabernet Sauvignon

G’day. In Australia Woop Woop means not nearby, remote even. In sourcing fruit from this well-balanced South Australian Shiraz we went ouside our mormal territory to blend the best regional attrtibutes into a soft, elegant wine of rich flavours and good palate length. We went to Woop Woop to bring Woop Woop to you. Enjoy!

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Yorkville Cellars

Winery: Yorkville Cellars
Region: California
Sub-region: Mendocino

CERTIFIED ORGANICALLY GROWN WINES

Richard the Lion-Heart
Hi-Rollr Red
Petit Verdot
Merlot
Malbec
Cabernet Sauvignon
Sauvignon Blanc
Eleanor of Aquitaine
Sémillon
Rosé de Franc

Yorkville Cellars is located in Mendocino County, just 100 miles north of the Golden Gate Bridge. The vineyards are on average 1000 feet above sea level, surrounded by other vineyards, sheep ranches and apple and peach orchards. At the bottom of the vineyard is a redwood forest which yields to the spectacular Mendocino coastline. The winery is quite small and produces fewer than 1000 cases of each varietal. No pesticides, herbicides or chemical fertilizers are used in the production of Yorkville Cellars wines; the winery has been certified organic since 1986.

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