Oenophiles are used to thinking of Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon as
friendly rivals, given the similarities in their French origins and
flavor profiles, and the fact that they’re usually neck-and-neck in the
race to be the most-planted red grape in the world. What’s far less
common is thinking of Zinfandel and Cabernet Sauvignon as competitors.
While Cab ages beautifully, inspires cult winemakers, and can fetch
astronomical prices, Zinfandel is a drink-now, more populist sort of a
wine that’s often a bargain and is finally winning its hard-fought
battle for credibility.
So it was something of a surprise this week to taste two Cabs
hailing from regions we typically think of as Zin country: California’s
North Coast and Sonoma’s Dry Creek Valley. Not that these regions don’t
reliably produce decent Cabs, but they’re far better known for their
Zins — which are, in the case of Dry Creek, known to be
voluptuous and full of berries and spice, while North Coast Zins can be
jammy and even a bit floral.
Pushing the geographical confusion even further, the first wine we
tasted is produced by a winery in another renowned Zinfandel
region: the Sierra Foothills. The winery, deceptively named Sonoma
Creek, is actually based in the Calaveras County town of Murphys, and
as the “cellared and bottled” notation on its back label indicates, its
2007 Cabernet Sauvignon ($13) is most likely made from bulk wine
hailing from the Dry Creek Valley. That’s a lot of obfuscation for
what’s basically a very nice wine — this week’s favorite for
Token Winemaker — with classic Cab characteristics. Its subtly
oaky and slightly herbaceous aroma gave way to cherries on the palate
and a lovely finish.
Less pleasing was the 2006 Monogamy Cabernet Sauvignon ($12)
from California’s North Coast, a regional designation that can mean
it’s made from a blend of coastal grapes from Napa, Sonoma, and/or
Mendocino counties. In Monogamy’s case, Napa and Sonoma aren’t actually
in the mix at all; this is a blend of 88 percent Mendocino grapes with
12 percent California Merlot. The resulting wine had a grassy, vegetal
aroma and rich off-dry flavors on the palate, with its primary
detractions being prune-y fruit and a cloying finish.
Leaving California, we headed to Zin-less Chile, sampling the
2007 Nuevomundo Cabernet Sauvignon Reserva ($15.99) from Chile’s
most distinguished source for Cab, the Maipo Valley. I thoroughly
enjoyed an aroma I found fruit-filled and intoxicating, while Token
Winemaker noted a green pepper bouquet. A nice medium-bodied wine that
doesn’t scream Cabernet, the Nuevomundo would be far more food-friendly
than “bigger” examples of the varietal. And if you’re looking for a
great Chilean Cab at a slightly lower price point, the 2006 Casa
Lapostolle Cabernet Sauvignon ($9.99) gets raves from Chile’s
acclaimed annual Guia de Vinos du Chile.
