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Comparing Name Brand Cabernets from America

Most wine consumers I meet buy wine based on the name of the producer or a fancy label. While most people know this to be an ineffective method of finding the best wine for the money, they find comfort in the method.

I study wines like the top accountants study the newest tax laws. I have found that cost and producers names does not guarantee a quality bottle. Currently my wine of the year is a bottle I picked up on sale for $9.99 which is the 2005 Chateau Ste. Michelle "Indian Wells" Cabernet Sauvignon. Currently this is on sale at Haskell's for $12.99. Below is the review.

Here are some name brand producers that I recently reviewed. Some of the names are more familiar then others but all are more expensive then the 2005 Chateau Ste. Michelle "Indian Wells" Cabernet.

The Name Brands Everyone Knows and Their Review:

(Under $20)

2005 Souvereign Alexander Valley Cabernet Sauvignon $16.95 Hennepin Lake

Color: Medium purple

Nose: Cherry, oak, mineral, vanilla

Taste: Cherry, mineral, integrated oak and vanilla

Finish: Smooth wine and well made

Evaluation: A terrific value year in and year out 89 points

2005 Simi Alexander Valley Cabernet Sauvignon $16.95 Hennepin Lake

Color: Medium purple

Nose: Cherry, plum, earth

Taste: Cherry, plum, earth, some oak

Finish: Medium on this fruit forward style

Evaluation: A really nice wine without heavy tannins 87 points

2005 Murphy Goode Alexander Valley Cabernet Sauvignon $11.95 Hennepin Lake

Color: Dark purple

Nose: Spice, plum, cherry

Taste: Spice, cherry, bit tannic

Finish: Medium and a little bitter

Evaluation: OK 85 points

2005 Sterling Vintners Collection Central Coast Cabernet $8.99 Surdyk's

Color: Medium purple

Nose: Spice, plum

Taste: Plum, spice

Finish: Smooth

Evaluation: Solid everyday Cab 85 points

2006 Joel Gott California Cabernet Sauvignon $$

Color: Medium purple

Nose: Earth, herbs

Taste: Light wine with earth, herbs, some fruit

Finish: Light

Evaluation: Smooth drinking but not much there 83 points

2005 Dynamite North Coast Cabernet Sauvignon $14.99 Surdyk's

Color: Medium purple

Nose: Earth

Taste: Too acidic for a Cab

Finish: Terrible

Evaluation: One of the worst wines I have tried in some time 70 points

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Now the true expert pick. In this price range one of the best Cabernets is from Washington State. This wine usually sells for $15 but knowing the deals out there this is a no brainer for your next house party at $12.95.

Here is the review:

2005 Chateau Ste. Michelle Indian Wells Cabernet Sauvignon $12.99 Haskell's

Color: Medium Purple

Nose: Forest Floor, cherry, plum, oak

Taste: Spice, oak, vanilla, cherry, forest

Finish: Medium and not tannic

Evaluation: This is my new Number One wine under $10 of all time 92 points

*I recently served this at a party and everyone was coming back for seconds and thirds. In 2009 take advantage of my first class wine reviews as unlike other wine educators I don't sell wine for a living so I have the ability to rate as I see it.

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Expensive wines that don't offer the quality of the Indian Wells:

2005 Nickel and Nickel Harris Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon $75 plus

Color: Dark purple

Nose: Plum, cherry, oak

Taste: Mild oak, cherry, plum, vanilla

Finish: Medium and complex

Evaluation: Solid wine but really expensive 89 points

2005 Nickel and Nickel Sullenger Vineyard Oakville Cabernet Sauvignon $75 plus

Color: Dark purple

Nose: Spice, floral

Taste: Spice, floral

Finish: Medium and dominated by earth tones

Evaluation: 87 points

2004 Silver Oak Alexander Valley Cabernet $50

Color: Dark purple

Nose: Cherry

Taste: Cherry, plum, vanilla

Finish: Medium and really oaky

Evaluation: Over priced!!! 86 points

2003 Silver Oak Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon $100

Color: Dark purple

Nose: Oak, raspberry

Taste: Oak, vanilla, cherry, raspberry

Finish: Medium

Evaluation: Over priced!!! 86 points

2004 Ramey Pedregal Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon $100 plus

Color: Dark purple

Nose: Plum, smoke, prunes, tannins present

Taste: Quite tannic with spice, crushed rock, with buttery elements emerging

Finish: Complex finish with spice, crushed rock, buttery elements. LONG

Evaluation: This is a very balanced wine that needs cellar time. Should be outstanding in 10 years. 92 points

2004 Ramey Larkmead Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon

Color: Dark purple

Nose: Subtle nose with earth and spice

Taste: Spice, sweet fruit emerging, earth

Finish: Medium with a rich combination of spice and earth notes

Evaluation: Another Ramey wine that needs to be cellared and it should improve. 90 points

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