Brack Mountain

Dark garnet, nearly opaque.

Classic Cabernet Sauvignon scents of currant jam, sweet tobacco, bay leaf, and cedar.

Lots of plum, berry, and currant-like fruit taste. There’s dust, cigar box, licorice, and faint tapenade nuances that are vividly varietal.

Generous texture and weight, but not over the top in its fruity ripeness. Plump and juicy with gentle tannins that maintain a dry finish. A classic style of Cabernet Sauvignon that doesn’t taste as overtly sweet as many do. A good candidate for cellaring for 5-8 years, despite tasting pretty fine right now.

Some Cabs have stand alone drinking prowess, and others, like L’Oliveto, seem made for the dinner table. If this were from Bordeaux, steak and frites would be the local choice. L’Oliveto is from Sonoma County, and it’s called grilled tri-tip and mashed potatoes around here.