A friend gave us this bottle of wine and our first reaction was one of, BAJA? Are you kidding? That’s in Mexico! Everybody knows there’s no good wine in Mexico! (famous last words…)
And then we tasted. And what a delightful treat for the taste buds! This wine was in French oak for 14 months, and then laid down for 3 years of bottle aging before its release. It is a deep ruby color with a classic Cabernet nose of plums, currants and blackberries. There was good fruit on the nose, but it was restrained, almost formal in character, without the casual “juiciness” that some California wine makers seem to like. The finish was as you’d expect from a wine thus aged, nice oak and only slightly tannic. Our friend said he paid $25 for this bottle and while we find that pricey for any bottle of wine, especially one from Mexico where everybody knows there are no good wines 
we have to admit that this is a very good wine and is worth every bit of 4 Stars — Highly Recommended on our 5 Star scale. If you can find this wine, buy it for a special occasion and you will not be disappointed.
![2006 Riesling Dom F [Converted]](http://smallwinereview.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2009/09/2005-TAPESTRY-MV-CABERNET-SAUVIGNON.jpg "2006 Riesling Dom F [Converted]")
Tapestry Cabernet Sauvignon 2007— McLaren Vale, Australia — You get exactly what you pay for with this wine., an absolutely delightful and impressive wine. It has a big nose of mint or ginger, depending on what food we put next to it. It has a big, rich mouth with smooth tannins and some cherry running right through the middle of my palate, and a big, long finish. This wine begs for a large piece of red meat grilled with garlic & served with sautéed onions. It is a perfect for a special occasion. Priced fairly, we give it 4 STARS — RECOMMENDED
Arabella Cabernet Sauvignon 2007 — South Africa — An interesting yellow with horse label that is distinctive on the shelf. This wine is not the broccoli/asparagus flavor profile associated with so many SA wines. This wine has forward blackcurrant notes with a juicy mouth of fruit and a finish of moderate tannin and oak. 4 STARS — RECOMMENDED
This Cabernet from the “Heart of Napa” is an inky black monster, best given 4 or more hours to decant before you dive into it. We found this tiny 15 acre vineyard in St. Helena, CA. Owner Peter Story was a delightful cellar master and host as he told us how he prunes his vines to an unbelievable 1 bunch of grapes per cane. For comparison, most vineyards will trim to 6-8 bunches, high quality vineyards will trim to 4 bunches, and Opus One trims to 2 bunches. Needless to say, Peter’s yields are minuscule, but his wine is just huge, because all of the nourishment that would have gone up the vine and into 6 or more bunches of grapes is now going into just one bunch. This results in very, very intense flavors. 
Piuquenes Cabernet Sauvignon 2006 — Mendoza, Argentina — Under $10 — With a nose of rich blackberries and plums, this Cabernet is a pleasant surprise. The forward fruit follows all the way through the palate and into the finish, along with gentle tannins and oak. For the money, this is a great value wine, sure to please your palate if you are just watching the sunset or going to a friend’s house and bringing the wine for a casual dinner. 5 STARS — HIGHEST RECOMMENDATION
Great Cognac Education
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St. Helena Winery