Sunday, October 28, 2012

Columbia Crest Cabernet/Merlot "Twin Vines" 2002 wine review by (PB)


Mature color with Amarone-like aromas of sweet spice and a touch of currant.

Palate--Reminiscent of Chianti (Sangiovese) with delicious cherry on a balanced tartness accompanied by dried cherry notes.

This wine is at its peak but will hold for a couple more years and will even continue to improve some.

So this is the 2nd time I have been burned by this wine served blind. Obviously by my review I missed the call by a mile as I did the first time I had this wine with (NW) of this blog.

This wine was surprisingly delicious and for a very inexpensive wine (typically sells around $8)drinks like a wine that sells for many times what it sells for.

(NW) and I were discussing the baffling nature of this wine--and a few others we have had like this--which the older they get (assuming they are still drinkable) the more they begin to lose their youthful distinctions tending toward a more elemental solidly crafted red wine of quality.

What to make of it all? There are a few makers out there who just make good wine regardless the price point at which they release them and cellaring even a sub-$10 wine for several years can seriously pay big dividends and surprise. Understand that most wines will not age and are specifically meant for drinking within their first couple years of release. But Columbia Crest and Sebastiani are two producers who release wine after wine at all price points that just seem to excel.

So raise a glass to bargain wines and experiment letting us know what you come up with!

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