When I first started buying wines in the early 1980s, California wines were gaining a great deal of respect, but there was less reverence for certain sites and appellations. Cabernets that I considered inexpensive enough to buy included Kenwood, Burgess Cellars, Shafer, Turnbull Cellars, Beringer and Conn Creek.. All of these, with the exception of Kenwood, have well sited vineyards in Napa, and their prices today reflect their appellations. Kenwood is in Sonoma County, however, and even some of their high-end bottlings still sell for $12 to $15 a bottle, not much more than their retail price in the early 1980s. This bottle confirms to me that the old time quality and style that I found at Kenwood 40 years ago is still there at an even more affordable price.
Deep and dark; looks younger than its years. Old time smells and flavors of blackberries, currants, cassis and vanilla. American oak? A broad shouldered 1980s Cab. Slightly rough on the mid palate but a compelling finish with suggestions of balsamic and pomegranate.
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