Rombauer’s 2014 Cabernet is a rich, luscious wine that would compliment a great steak or stand on its own as an evening sipper. It is inky black in presentation, with a nose and palate that tell all its secrets. Blackcurrant, toast, and vanilla exclaim Cabernet Sauvignon and new oak, but elderberry (Petit Verdot), underbrush (Cabernet Franc), and black cherry (Merlot) tell you what’s not on the label. This is what happens when a winemaker gets to play with his whole palette, taking four different grapes from all over Napa Valley, from Stags Leap District, Atlas Peak, Mount Veeder, St. Helena, Calistoga and Rutherford, and shaping just what he wants with so much to work with. Rutherford dust is there. So are the soft tannins and velvety textures of Stags Leap, and the bright acidity of Atlas Peak. Very good now, with depth, tannins, and acids suggesting it might be even better with a decade under its belt. This is an under $50 cellar wine, so buy more than one. Highly Recommended. 92 points. DBH
WHO: Rombauer Vineyards
WHAT: Cabernet Sauvignon (79%), Petit Verdot (11%), Cabernet Franc (5%), Merlot (5%)
WHERE: California, Napa Valley: Stags Leap District, Atlas Peak, Mount Veeder, St. Helena, Calistoga and Rutherford
HOW MUCH: $49 (media sample)