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Tuesday, December 17, 2013

Friends...with Benefits


There’s nothing new about Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon.
Many of the pre-eminent wines reach well over $100, $150 and beyond, which puts them out of the reach of the average consumer.  But what does said average consumer do when they want a true authentic Napa Valley Cabernet, say for a special occasion, or just because it’s Tuesday?
They should reach for the Amici Cellars 2010 Cabernet from Napa.
Loosely translated from the Latin “amici” means friends (seriously, I do think Jennifer Anniston would love this wine if she tried it). The grapes for this wine come from two specific places in Napa – Rutherford, best known for dusty rustic fruit, and Yountville known for it’s cooler influences which produces softer fruit and acidity. At $45 this Cab offers rich fruit flavors like blackberry, plum, and raspberry trailing off to cocoa and vanilla (from the French oak) with medium tannins and a pretty good finish – that slow unresolved flavor in the back of the mouth after you’ve swallowed your wine. So this friend furnishes many benefits. Though I rarely state decanting a wine or letting it breathe, this wine will definitely work better with at least 15 minutes of aeration in your glass before you consume it. Then, drink away and know you’ve had a terrific Napa Cabernet for less than half the cost of other versions. Value? Check. Tasty? Check. Friendly benefits? Double check. 
ORIGIN: Napa Valley, California
PRICE: $45 / 750 ML
ALCOHOL: 14.5%
BOOZEHOUNDZ SCORE:  89 POINTS

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