2012 Sullivan Vineyards Rutherford Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon

Wow, where has summer gone?  I spent much of the day working out in the yard and things are dying, leaves are falling and it seems as though we'll be in the middle of winter before you know it!  At least it was sunny and about 80 degrees today, so it felt like summer and I decided to have a cookout with a nice bottle of 2012 Sullivan Vineyards Rutherford Cabernet Sauvignon.  Now I've been hearing so much about the quality of the 2012 Napa Valley vintage, I decided to open a bottle and see what all the fuss is about (yes I know it's still quite young, but rest assured I have more bottles to cellar!).

The wine is a lovely ruby color in the glass with a dark indigo towards the center, classic Cabernet.  The nose is not at all what I expected, rather than a blast of fruit like so many Cabernets today, this one had aromas of plum, raisin and graphite, overlaid with some notes of vanilla.  The taste is quite nice, very warm and approachable, some nice fruit up front, raspberries, currant and cassis, which transition to some lovely mineral notes midpalate.  The tannins are young but still nicely structured, providing a nice foundation for a long, dry finish that surprises at the end with a bit of residual fruit than lingers on your palate.

Overall I would rate this wine a solid 8, it's a very nice example of a classic Napa Valley Cabernet, at a decent price (I bought this one from Wines Till Sold Out for just $30).  Tonight I am enjoying this wine out on the patio with a rare Angus ribeye, some garlic mashed potatoes and a classic wedge salad with tomatoes, bacon and bleu cheese.  Here's to summer!