Arnold Palmer 2005 Cabernet Sauvignon
I received this wine as a gift from my radio station buddy Drew on Christmas night. As a matter of habit I typically start typing up these posts before I try the wine. Thank you Drew for the opportunity to try this wine, and if I don’t like it, please know that I’m very appreciative of your gift as it’s a new wine experience (see my previous post for a full explanation). I’m not sure how hard it is to find this wine in local stores, but I saw it online averaging at less than $20. If it’s awesome, this will be a tremendous value as it seems like any bottle that says “Napa” and “Cabernet Sauvignon” seems to demand top dollar these days. Now, on with it…
Arnold Palmer 2005 Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon
It has a pretty garnet color that’s deep red, but not super dark. It’s definitely more of a red than a purple. What I notice mostly is the strong nose on this wine. Very expressive, it reminds me of cherries, but with an almost sour smell of something, almost cranberry sauce. In general, I’m really liking the smell, it’s almost a perfume smell because of it’s strength. I have no idea why I think this, but it smells like an expensive cabernet, very powerful. (Tasting) …
It’s taken me several sips to figure this wine out … it’s sorta unusual. I was expecting cherries and they are there, dark cherries, but they aren’t really the dominant flavor. I’m getting a bit of a cran-raspberry flavor as well. The mouth feel is moderately smooth, but not incredible. The mid-palate is what saves this wine. Bright fruit shines through and it transitions into a short and somewhat awkward finish. It’s not overly tannic, but it tastes almost dusty and a bit oaky. It’s a good wine, but the nose is what left the biggest impression.