So, after my good experience with Cain’s Five, here’s another serious Napa wine – this time, a varietal Cabernet Sauvignon. Again, this was drunk, not tasted. It also passed the drained bottle test – after tasting it, I took it along to dinner at my friend Rob’s place (he’s a fellow Man City fan, btw), and it was the bottle that was first to be emptied. This says more for the wine than the score, and it wasn’t in bad company on the table. The only problem here is the price, which is nudging three figures (in GBP). If Californian wines weren’t generally so expensive, they’d find a ready market in the UK. They’re not all that ‘New World’, but generally offer more pleasure young than their European counterparts.

Spottswoode Cabernet Sauvignon 2006 Napa Valley, California
14.1% alcohol. Fresh, subtle green herby edge to the nose with some savoury gravel notes and attractive dark fruits. The palate is generously fruited yet fresh, showing spicy, tarry, tannic savouriness and pure sweet blackcurrant fruit. It’s warm and rich, yet immensely tannic and dense. Lovely focus here and potential for the future. A serious effort, currently rather dense and impenetrable but still offering pleasure. 93/100

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