Varietal:Â Cabernet Sauvignon
Region: Â Sonoma, CA – USA
Cost: Â $15
Winemaker’s Notes: Â This Sonoma County Cabernet Sauvignon begins with delicate aromas of earthy cedar, black cherry, and vanilla spice, then reveals flavors of juicy plum and smooth dark chocolate and, at long last, ends on a supremely satisfying note. This one’s a keeper.
My Review:  I’ve never made any secret about my penchant for occasionally buying bottles because of interesting labels. I’ve talked about it being the closest thing to being able to “eat with our eyes” like you can with fine cuisine. The 2011 Storyteller Cabernet Sauvignon was no different, though this time with a twist – the name sorta appealed to me as well. I mean, how could I pass up a bottle that I felt had an interesting label, as well as a name that grabbed at the Creative Writing major  in me? I couldn’t.
The label and name of the wine not withstanding, this blog is, and shall remain for the time being, about the actual juice in said bottles (or boxes as the case may be). So, while the label and name got me to plunk down the money, the wine itself is what’s under review here.
In the glass the wine was a nice dark red with some slashes of purple lurking just under the surface. On the nose the wine showed good aromas of cedar and vanilla, though I never really got the black cherry they claimed was there. In the mouth the wine featured good juiciness with enough dark chocolate to give the wine some character, without being too much to overwhelm any fruit flavors.
I didn’t actually pair this with any food, but I certainly enjoyed sipping on it, and found  it to be a great value. It’s definitely one that I want to keep on my radar, as well as the merlot that was on the shelf next to this bottle. I’d buy this bottle again and pair it with something heavy – steak or lasagna come to mind.
The 2011 Storyteller Cabernet Sauvignon definitely falls into the list of good value wines that I’m always searching for. For its sub-$20 sticker price I got a wine that I’d have paid $25-$30 for since it avoided the trap of being a fruit bomb budget Cabernet from California. That alone makes it worth picking up and giving it a try.
