Merry Christmas! I know it's only Christmas Eve, but I probably won't be posting tomorrow, so enjoy the greetings while you can! I'm enjoying a relaxing Christmas Eve, listening to the broadcast of the play I was recently in, which will be played on our local public radio station tonight. To help in that effort, I've opened a bottle of 2019 Hillside Napa Valley Calistoga Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon that I bought from Wines Till Sold Out. This wine is a 100% Cabernet Sauvignon from the Calistoga district in Napa Valley. I've heard good things about the 2019 Napa vintage, so let's see how this wine is shaping up.
The wine is a deep, inky black at the center with bright garnet along the edges, as you might expect from a nice quality Cabernet. A gentle swirl in the glass releases aromas of blackberry, cherry and toffee aromas that are warm and inviting. Take a sip and your greeted by a rush of ripe blueberry, blackberry and plum with just the faintest floral undertones of violets. Midpalate, you have some wonderful earthy mineral notes that are expressive of the volcanic soil of this vineyard, before reaching the climax, with well integrated tannins providing for a velvety dry finish that lingers for a minute or more.
Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 9, as it's a wonderfully drinking Cabernet at release, but would likely benefit greatly from a few years in the cellar to mature. This wine would pair well with steaks, lamb, venison or even braised short ribs, as the flavors would stand up to the richest fare. Tonight I am enjoying this wine with a pan seared filet mignon, along with some mashed potatoes and bacon roasted Brussels sprouts. Cheers!
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