2013 Charles Krug Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon

Well it was a chilly Monday, but somehow I managed to go to the gym and come back and grill under the eve of the garage, so all things considered, it wasn't a bad start to the work week!  Tonight I've opened a bottle of wine that's been in my cellar for a few years, but I finally got around to opening it, a wine from one of my favorite Napa Valley producers, which I've visited a few times, the 2013 Charles Krug Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon.  So let's see how this wine has matured!

The wine is a deep, inky black at the center, with bright garnet along the edges, just as you might expect from a nice Napa Cabernet.  The nose is chock full of leather, cassis and blackberry, beckoning you to take a sip.  The taste is a rush of cool, black fruit, blackberry, cherry and plum that transitions nicely to some notes of mint and white pepper spice midpalate.  The tannins are still a bit sharp, providing some nice backbone for the long, smooth and very dry finish.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 8.5, as it's just a lovely example of a pleasant and approachable Napa Cabernet that is a decent value (current vintages are running about $25).  This wine would pair very well with a variety of hearty winter dishes, from stew to chili to braised short ribs, but tonight I am enjoying this wine with a petit prime heart of ribeye, grilled rare and topped with bleu cheese, along with some bacon roasted purple Brussels sprouts and a big baked potato with sour cream and scallions.  Cheers!