Top value wines: Cabernet Sauvignon

Hello, winelovers! This is the first in what will be a series of posts highlighting good bets for wines that drink well and are easy on the pocketbook. Every wine listed will be under $20 per bottle retail and a few will even be under $10.

Without further ado, let's get started with a look at five top values from the king of red wines, Cabernet Sauvignon.

Cannonball 2006 Cabernet Sauvignon, $18 A dark, full-bodied wine sourced from several AVA's around northern California. A bit of Petite Sirah in the blend gives this some real concentration, while the Cabernet provides the muscle. A hint of sweet vanilla from oak aging gives this a drinkability that few young wines manage. I first tasted this at a trade show where there were dozens of high end cabs. I liked exactly three better than this one, and the least expensive of those was $45 per bottle.

The Guardian 2008 Cabernet Sauvignon, $14 A lighter, more elegant style of Cabernet in the tradition of a Claret Bordeaux. The bulk of the Cabernet comes from Alexander Valley, giving it that area's characteristic dry herbal and cedar notes. Not a powerhouse by any means, but an astounding level of quality can be found here.

Foxglove 2007 Cabernet Sauvignon, $16 2007 is proving to be a great year across all red varietals in almost all areas of California, and this offering from famed Chardonnay producer Varner's second label is no exception. Hailing from Paso Robles on the Central Coast of California, this is a slightly warmer, more iron-infused style than is commonly found in the more northerly Napa and Sonoma Counties.

Boomtown 2006 Cabernet Sauvignon, $16 A second label from Washington producer Dusted Valley, Boomtown's wines have all earned a reputation for best in class quality. The Cabernet is one of my favorites to have around the house. A slightly lighter style like The Guardian above, this is full of all the things I love about Washington cab. Notes of cedar, graphite and forest floor add interest to the dominant varietal attribute of black currant and other dark fruits.

Casillero del Diablo 2008 Cabernet Sauvignon, $10 This is big. Really big. And it has a really small pricetag. And it avoids the common shortcoming of many inexpensive Chilean wines: no green pepper here! Just luscious, juicy fruit and enough backbone to make you remember it.

So there you have it. Next time we'll look at the Queen Bee of whites: Chardonnay.

Wine myths: BUSTED!

I read a piece on Snooth the other day that is a part of a cool new series called "The Grapevine". They're taking well-known people from the wine community, whether they be writers, winemakers or retailers, and asking them 10 burning wine industry questions.

One question they always ask has to do with the biggest wine myths out there. This response, from Jeff Lefevere of Good Grape, caught my eye: "I have this ongoing wine pet peeve with glassware and wine pairings - the two biggest sinners in perpetuating wine elitism. I really like to drink wine paisano style out of a tumbler. And, I don't sweat what's in my glass if it isn't an empirical match to what I'm eating. Being open-minded to both of those things does wonders for taking the high-mindedness out of wine."

Wow! I personally like to have a nice glass when I'm drinking wine. No tumblers for me. But I agree with him on the fussy pairing of glassware and even food pairings. It's refreshing to see someone who's regarded as something of a wine authority be so honest about some of these topics instead of hiding behind the usual snobbery.

Anyway, the series has been fun, so far (there are three of these interviews posted now). Go and give them a read.