Hayman & Hill Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve Selection 2010

Here's a California Cabernet that will win the hearts of the pure fruit crowd with ease. Made by a winery that sources this fruit from various vineyards in the Paso Robles AVA, a cooler area than Napa on the central coast, this simple quaffer has had it's praises sung in lots of place here on the web. It's got nice blueberry, plum and cocoa aromas with oak spice elements that support rather than overwhelm. It's even got a touch of bell pepper in the nose that lead me to believe that there might be a touch of Cabernet Franc in the blend. It's got good acidity and balance, and while it's got all the up front dark fruit and supporting oak flavors you want from new world cab, I was left wishing that this wine had more true Cabernet Sauvignon character. It's just missing some of those graphite and/or loamy flavors that really good Cab can give you. Still, at $13.99 a bottle, there's a lot of folks that will find a lot to like with this wine. Cheers.

La Vigne en Veron Chinon 2009

  Chinon may be the most unknown appellation for American consumers of red wine in all of France. It's from the Loire valley and when most of us think of that region we think Sancerre, Pouilly Fume or Muscadet which of course are all white wines. Red wine from the Loire is not only uncommon but it is often just not very good. The reds are made from Cabernet Franc with an allowance for a small amount of Cabernet Sauvignon blended in. They used to be mostly thin, uninteresting wines that tended to be under-ripe and overly acidic. Nowadays though (and maybe this is partly another effect of climate change on wine production), there are new Chinons in the market that are fuller and fruitier yet balanced enough to pair with whatever you want to throw at them. Which brings me to today's offering from small negociant Foucher-Lebrun. Negociants are producers that source grapes from various growers (Jadot and Drouhin are well known negociants). So while their wines may not be estate grown and bottled, if their sources are good then the wines may be also.
   This 2009 Chinon was a perfect match for a beef brasciole that my wife made us today. It featured somewhat reticent aromas of spicy baked cherry and licorice, but flavor-wise it was very forward and easy to drink with medium bodied dark fruit flavors and that bell pepper quality that is very typical of Cabernet Franc. It finishes smooth with good acidity and cut that gives it a lingering freshness. Imported by one of my favorites, Polaner Selections, this Chinon is an excellent value at a mere $9.99. Cheers.