Ft. Avalon Cabernet Sauvignon, 2017
Our tenth Sunday sharing a class of Cab!
This year is off to a great start. I say that from a place of acknowledged privilege, but I’m excited about the potential for this year. I hope to get back to travel, back to socializing, and back to life as “normal.” Did you make any resolutions? I didn’t because I like where my life is right now. I am diving into “Big Magic” and a wellness journal, but I’m not resolving to change anything. Maybe a resolution to drink more wine, but that doesn’t seem very… healthy or productive. Regardless, I’m wildly motivated so if you need someone to dog you about your resolutions, I’m your gal.
But back to the wine.
“Mmm,” tastes like wine, I told my husband. And I stand by it. It tastes reliable! And after the year we all just had, who doesn’t want reliable.
I think when most people try cab sauvs, they taste a big fruity note up front, and don’t pay attention to the nuance… the secondary and tertiary notes. There’s a lot of flavors there if you take a moment to really taste. The big in your face flavor in this bottle (to me) is a bright bing cherry. Duh, BYSomm, cabs are bold fruit-forward… think plum, blackberry, jam, currant, boysenberry… and yeah, cherry. Cherry is a common note of cabs from Napa, and this bottle of Avalon from Lodi, California, isn’t too far. I’ve touched on Lodi wines before and have really come to appreciate the boldness of the region as well as the experimentation. Now, what do I taste next? Dried raisins and soft vanilla.
Avalon isn’t necessarily experimenting with flavors, as I found this cabernet to be pretty standard… oak, vanilla, you know how that goes. BUT! Avalon makes a point to focus on environmental responsibility and sustainability through the winemaking process. Read more here!
So, let’s talk about price. At sub $10, I wouldn’t be embarrassed to take this to a party. I’ve been nursing a glass for a while and it just gets better the longer it breathes. I seriously can’t believe this wine was only $9.99. It makes a great addition to dinner, but I would drink it straight on its own.
Here’s to a 2021 full of sharing good glasses of wine and even better times. I can’t wait to see what this year has in store for all of us.