Easy Drinking Cabernet

*disclaimer – I received this wine for review from the California Wine Club

 

I received the 2003 Century Oak Lodi Estate Cabernet Sauvignon from the California Wine Club about 2 months ago along with their 2005 Red Table Wine.

 

Century Oak is a 12,000 case, family owned winery located in Lodi California.  Situated just south of Peltier road and the town of Acampo, the Housley family has created a winery that is focused on quality not quantity.  After growing grapes for many years near the Stags Leap district of Napa, they Housleys decided they would like to put their grape growing talent into making wine of their own.  Their estate consists of a 56 acre property 37 of which contain estate grown grapes (primarily Cab), in addition they own several vineyards and get grapes in the surrounding Lodi area.

 

The 2003 Estate Cabernet is 100% of the varietal and was grown on the Century Oak estate.  After resting in a mix of French and American Oak for the approximately 20 months, it was released in October of 2005.

 

My Tasting Notes

Color – dark purple with hint ruby at the fringes

Nose – blackberry, black currant, anise

Taste – black cherry, cedar, thyme, custard, cranberry

Mouthfeel – medium body, slightly thin across the mid palate, firm tannins

Finish – medium in length and quite fruity

 

This is a very easy drinking, affordable Cabernet Sauvignon. Tons of dark fruit flavors and aromas, the 20 months in oak were not very present (a good thing for me) except for the nice cedar flavors that came through.  I think the release price was $17 but you can get it from the California Wine Club for around $11 which is a pretty great deal.  This didn’t knock my socks off but it was definitely a nice bottle of wine, especially if you are looking for a more fruit driven style of Cabernet Sauvignon.

 

I’ll end with the Century Oak motto: “Not all expensive wines are great and not all great wines are expensive”. Hear hear!

 

Cheers!

Wine Blogging Wednesday #49 End of an Era

This months Wine Blogging Wednesday theme is hosted by wine blogger and cartoonist dhonig from the wine blog 2 Days Per Bottle.  He asks us to consider what we will be drinking to toast the end of the Bush era?

 

Well, I am glad to see that President Bush will be leaving office this year and that alone is reason enough to open some fine growers Champagne or that magnum of Caymus Special Selection 2001 that I have sitting in the cellar.  But what if my candidate doesn’t win, will I need some high octane, way over the top juice to drown my sorrows come inauguration night? 

 

Hmm this is a toughy! If I focus on the title of this WBW, end of the Bush era, I think I would have to choose something that is celebratory in nature, and not something I would drink everyday, but also something that champions the process in which we get to “choose” our President.

 

I think I would choose the 2003 Pride Cabernet Sauvignon. First, this is not just your every day Cabernet, and deserves a special occasion to accompany its presence in your glass. And second, because even though I have not been remotely happy the past two elections, I have pride in the process that as a citizen, I have the right and duty to participate in.

 

I am not very political or at least I choose to avoid confrontation on the issue so that is all I have for you. J

 

Tune in after January 20^th to see the “WBW Special Release” where wine bloggers from around the world review their choices to toast the end of an era.

 

Cheers!