| Best Buy: Santa Rita 120 Cabernet, 2006
I found this wine on sale in my local supermarket for $6 a bottle, with a tag noting that it had received an 89 rating from W&S. Well, I don't always agree with the reviews but you seldom find wines with this high a rating in this price range so I had to give it a try.
This time I agree. Beautiful deep ruby red color, nice aroma, complex fruity flavor with nice overtones of cassis, blackberry and current. Slightly bitter finish - but not a serious flaw.
Overall, I really like this wine. It's an honest, full-bodied cabernet and should be opened and allowed to breath for at least a half hour. Although ready to drink now, I also suspect that this wine would hold up to and benefit from another year or two of aging.
I paired it with a pasta dish with grilled chicken, spinach and a parmesan cream sauce. It was a good pairing, but this wine would go best with beef or pork. Not a wine for wimps - my wife, who prefers lighter reds (merlots and carmerieres) didn't especially like it.
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"I’m going to break one of the rules of the trade here. I’m going to tell you some of the secrets of improvisation. Just remember — it’s always a good idea to follow the directions exactly the first time you try a recipe. But from then on, you’re on your own." - James Beard
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