Wine By Nine

Red Wine by Arrowood from Sonoma County, California. Arrowood 2002 Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon is an outstanding California Cab from start to finish. In 2002, when the harvested grapes went through the press, Richard Arrowood noted the juice's intense black fruit flavors and unbelievable aromatics and colors. He foresaw a blockbuster year for this fabulous vintage and he was right on the money. The majority of fruit for the 2002 Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon was grown on hillside vineyards in the Sonoma Valley; a region known to yield some of the most concentrated and balanced Cabernet Sauvignon in Sonoma County. After aging lots separately in seasoned French oak barrels and a small amount of American oak barrels for 23 months, only the finest was selected to blend and return to French oak barrels for another five months of aging. The resultant wine is a perfect vision of violet with purple hues and tones of brick-red around the edges. It shows certain richness and there is no shortage of complexity. Rich aromatics of black cherry, cassis and leather introduce the palate to a symphony of flavor profiles with black fruit in the forefront of undertones and overtones of plump, ripe fruit in this full bodied wine. The tannins are in harmony, bringing structure and balance with a long, lovely finish. This wine should evolve and age with grace throughout at least the next two decades. Arrowood 2002 Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon is a true pleasure to enjoy on its own, and pairs well with many different foods. Serve it with grilled meats or seafood, or favorite pasta topped with a rich, bold red sauce.

Red Wine by Martin Ray from Sonoma County, California. Martin Ray 2003 Sonoma Mountain Cabernet Sauvignon is aged for 30 months in new French oak barrels. This hearty, bold Cabernet has a deep garnet hue with rich aromas of black cherries, luscious chocolate and an underlying whisper of black currant. The rich, concentrated flavors include abundant layers of ripe cherries and black currants covered in vanilla cream, leading to a long, full finish. Enjoy the Sonoma Mountain Cabernet Sauvignon with grilled steak topped by your favorite spices or sauteed lamb chops and squash. Bryan Davison of Martin Ray purchased the fruit for this wine from the Van der Kamp Vineyard, 1,400 feet up Sonoma Mountain on a northwest-facing slope. (He also blended in a small amount of fruit from Eaglepoint Ranch in Mendocino.) The soils range from red volcanic loam at the top of the vineyard to clay farther down, producing a remarkably delicate cabernet with mineral complexity. Dark flavors of woodland berries weave into the ferrous tannin, feeling strong without any overt muscularity. It's beautiful from the moment the aroma hits, and the fruit impression lasts. It's alive. -Wine & Spirits

Red Wine by Laurel Glen from Sonoma County, California. The 2003 vintage has more in common with the subtle and complex 1996 and 1999 vintages, than with its more up-front 1994 and 2002 stable mates. It is typically dark, with a dense core; very perfumed with lovely briar, dark berry, and sandalwood aromas. On the palate, it is rich and voluptuous without being cloying or obvious, and reveals itself slowly. Decanting is recommended.

Ship a bottle for just a buck. Details at Wine.com.Red Wine by Laurel Glen from Sonoma County, California. Classic Laurel Glen, a Cabernet stuffed with dense, thrillingly ripe fruit... -Wine Enthusiast Laurel Glen has built a reputation for making some of the most balanced and delicious Cabernets in California - this flagship wine from mountain grown fruit is a perfect example of how special these wines are. The later growing season afforded a beautiful balance of acid, fruit, and tannins; in fact, the wine tastes unusually drinkable right now. The dark core extends to the rim of the glass in a firm, bright purple rim; the nose is dark and deep, with layers of ripe black berry and cassis tones below the distinctive Laurel Glen exotic spice top-notes. What is really atypical for the vineyard is the immediately smooth and silky mouthfeel: normally, Laurel Glen wines need a couple of years to achieve this level of balance. This is a lovely wine right now, but I suspect time will allow it to blossom into a wine of greater profundity. Will we be able to wait?

Red Wine by Jordan from Sonoma County, California. A combination of Merlot (18%), Cabernet Franc (2%), Petit Verdot (4%), and Cabernet Sauvignon (76%) creates well-integrated flavors, deep color, and balance. The bouquet offers distinct notes of cassis, black cherry, and cocoa. The aromatic qualities of the Petit Verdot marry well with the soft, alluring flavors of Merlot and complement the masculine tannins of the Cabernet Sauvignon. Jordan 2004 Cabernet Sauvignon has a rich texture and opulent flavors, complemented by a restrained framework of oak that leads to a lingering finish of violet, earth, smoke, and cola.

Red Wine by B.R. Cohn from Sonoma County, California. B.R. Cohn Winery has consistently produced one of the premier Cabernets in California from their Olive Hill Estate Vineyards in the heart of the Sonoma Valley. Underground natural hot springs warm the soil, and gentle ocean breezes create a unique microclimate perfectly suited for growing Cabernet Sauvignon. The warm 2004 growing season, along with a light crop and small concentrated berries produced a full-bodied Cabernet Sauvignon with rich, ripe fruit. This wine has deep aromas of cherry, black currant, and plum, wrapped in French oak, anise and mint. Luscious berry and cherry flavors fill the palate, and silky tannins follow through to a warm, lasting finish.

Red Wine by Roth from Sonoma County, California. The 2003 Roth Cabernet Sauvignon is sourced from the same 53-acre Alexander Valley estate that produces the highly acclaimed Lancaster Estate wines. This up and coming producer is singularly committed to only crafting wines composed from the classic Bordeaux varietals. This estate grown and estate bottled wine is a skillful blend of 83% Cabernet Sauvignon and 17% Merlot. One will find distinctive aromas of vanilla, clove and anise, with flavors of rich black cherry, plum and licorice. Aged 19 months in French oak barrels (30% new) and an additional 10 months in bottle, this powerful, fruit forward wine displays mouth watering complexity, firm tannins and a rich, elegant finish.

Red Wine by Arrowood from Sonoma County, California. Blend: 89.9% Cabernet Sauvignon, 7.2% Merlot, 1.6% Malbec, 1.3% Petit Verdot For vineyards, this Cabernet combines Arrowood's favorite bench, hillside and mountain sites (many organically farmed) in Sonoma, Alexander and Dry Creek Valleys. By blending lots from a variety of sources, Richard Arrowood is able to capture the character of the vintage and the essence of Sonoma County Cabernet. The color is deep and youthful. The nose is a mix of ripe dark fruits, cassis, sandalwood and violets. The palate is rich and mouth-coating with tannins that are clearly present, yet beautifully integrated. This is a delicious, full-bodied Cabernet that will bring great pleasure over the next decade.

Red Wine by Geyser Peak from Sonoma County, California. Big, bold and rich are the operative words to describe this wine. From its inky, totally opaque red hue to the vibrant, ripe fruit aromas, the wine promises intensity and style. Blackberry and cherry aromas mingle with notes of sweet vanilla; these lead in to a focused, juicy palate of structure and depth. The intense fruit carries through to the finish, when chewy tannins come to the fore and linger with fruit on a lasting finish. Individual, high-quality batches of Cabernet Sauvignon grapes from steep hillside vineyards in Alexander Valley and an incredibly rocky site in Knights Valley form the core of this wine's character. Each batch was fermented separately in small lots. After racking off lees, the resultant wines from the vineyard selections were further selected on quality and style, to produce the final Reserve Cabernet blend. The blend was then matured a further 12 months in a combination of new and used American oak barrels to integrate both the vineyard and oak components. The wine has not been fined or final filtered.

Red Wine by Benziger from Sonoma County, California. Each year, Benziger selects the best blocks from the best vineyards to be included in the reserve program, which are then kept separate through the winemaking process until being selected, barrel by barrel, for the final blend. The reserve Cabernet is typically sourced from the Ash Creek and Pusich Vineyards in the Alexander Valley. This is a big wine with intense ripe berry aromas and rich mouthfeel with a texture enhanced by creamy fruit and soft tannins.

Red Wine by Ferrari Carano from Sonoma County, California. Blend: 88% Cabernet Sauvignon, 4% Syrah, 4% Cabernet Franc, 4% Petit Verdot The fruit for the 2005 Ferrari-Carano Cabernet Sauvignon comes primarily from mountain-grown fruit in Alexander Valley. Fog drifts over the tops of the coastal mountains and burns off quickly in the morning sunshine, resulting in a warm climate with almost full sun throughout the day - ideal conditions for their Cabernet Sauvignon mountain vineyards. This is a powerful wine with great finesse. It boasts aromas of blackberry, dark chocolate and black tea complemented by elements of earth and licorice. Ripe black fruit, currants, toffee and caramel flavors give this wine a sweet mid-palate, excellent depth, showy tannins, and a pure, classic Cabernet finish.

Red Wine by Geyser Peak from Sonoma County, California. Individual lots of Cabernet Sauvignon grapes from select hillside vineyards, primarily from the central and Northern, warmer areas of the valley, form the core of this wine's character. Limited in production, this wine exhibits the hallmarks of classic Alexander Valley Cabernet. Richly colored, this powerful wine shows heady aromas of blackberry and blueberry fruit, as well as sweet vanillin oak and a hint of mint. Rich and decadent on the palate, the wine's power cedes to a pleasing, underlying elegance, both voluptuous and tannic at the same time. Flavors of blueberry and black cherry are underlain by a fine seam of acidity, which mingles with tannins and fruit on a persistent finish.