Fun find today, $26 Napa Cabernet Sauvignon. Napa Valley is small in size compared to other regions but has diverse offerings when it comes to wines. There are a total of 16 AVA’s (American Viticultural Areas) / sub-appellations in the valley. Each of these AVA’s are important, allowing winemakers to differentiate their wines based on the specific terroir in which the grapes grow. It ultimately helps consumers identify and appreciate unique characteristics of each wine while maintaining the region’s reputation for producing high-quality, distinctive wines.
There are strict regulations the AVA’s must stick to in order to ensure the wines meet the standards of quality and authenticity of the area. Overall, even though Napa Valley is known to have a big ego, they ultimately have a hunger for success when it comes to creating spectacular wines.
Tune in now as I briefly go over the AVA’s and dive into what makes a California cabernet a “Cabernet Sauvignon” while opening up this 2020 vintage I found at Total Wine at a great price point.
2:35 - Don’t judge a wine by it’s label
3:08 - Expensive wine region in the US
3:55 - Wappo Indians
4:44 - Perfect climate for vines
5:15 - American Viticultural Areas
6:30 - Open the bottle
8:05 - Visual analysis
8:40 - Olfactory analysis
9:20 - Tasting notes
11:00 - Cabernets in California
12:28 - Rating on the wine
Today’s wine: 2020 District Series Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon $26
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