Knights Valley, Sonoma County
$89 (Wine Club Reorder Price $80)
This is a non-Napa Cabernet Sauvignon that freaking rocks! I hate to admit, I am a bit of a Napa Cab snob and can get very particular with this grape. It’s rare that we try a Cabernet from a different CA wine region that could hold its own in a lineup with the great Napa Cabs. That being said, let me introduce you to Churchill Cabernet Sauvignon, a fantastically delicious wine with an even better price tag.
Churchill Wine all started with Michael Dolan. He, like me, was a wine buyer at a small wine shop and wine bar in North Carolina. He had tastings nearly every day with winemakers, sales reps, and distributors (hey, it’s a tough job!) who he used as his source of knowledge. He wasn’t afraid to ask all the “stupid questions” and eventually evolved his palate to not only understand what he likes in wine, but what other people like. You know what they say: “practice makes perfect.”
Michael had a dream of making his own wine, but it wasn’t until he drank a bottle of Cabernet from Guerrero Fernandez Winery that he decided he wanted Martin Guerrero to help him make it. Churchill Wines was born, and this is their inaugural release. You might be thinking, this 2013 must be an old release, but it is actually the only wine they’ve officially released. They hold their wines back and bottle age them until they think they are showing their best in the glass. So don’t worry about cellaring this bad boy, go ahead and pop that cork to give it a try now.
This is an opulent Cabernet Sauvignon, with a creamy mouthfeel and dark fruit flavors thanks to three years of aging in French Oak barrels. You might find flavors of dry-aged fruit, black currant, and dark cocoa which will make this a great pairing with a real treat: brownies a la mode with berry sauce.
Taylor Morgan – June 2021
Bacchus & Venus Wines 