Tuesday, June 22, 2010

2007 Lot 172 Atlas Peak Cabernet Cameron Hughes

2010 RESULTS
                Double Gold Medal Cameron Hughes Wine 2007 Cabernet Sauvignon, Lot 172, Atlas Peak $22. www.chwine.com
                Gold Medal Cameron Hughes Wine 2007 Meritage, Lot 161, Sonoma $16. www.chwine.com

Wednesday, June 9, 2010

2007 Lot 172 Atlas Peak Cabernet Cameron Hughes

Unfiltered, unfined in appearance.  Hot summer, cherry blossom nose.  You can even imagine bees humming in the air, fresh green grass under your toes. The wine has a dark purple rim, looks rich and full-bodied.  Fruity, dark ripe cherry, blueberry on the palate.  Earthy, tar from volcanic intrusion, oak on the long finish.  Slight sediment.  Wine will do well with a couple of years aging.  Do not disturb this wine.  Not necessary to decant.  A delicious wine with food.  Try with a fillet or any grilled meat with grilled pineapple.
Lot 172 soon to be released.

Thursday, June 3, 2010

Lot 157 Cameron Hughes Cabernet

Here's another one that won't last long, just released, '07 Lot 157 Cab from Yountville, Napa Valley.  9% syrah adds to its complexity and on the earthy finish.  Dark bing cherry color, with a sweet cherry, cinnamon aroma and fruit-filled mouthful.  Tobacco, tar on the long, velvet finish.  This is a delicious food wine.  Serve with roasted pork topped raisin chutney, side of grilled root vegetables.  The wine is ready now because of its fruitforwardness.  Don't think it will get too much better with age.  Does not need to be decanted.

More on Yountville, CA.

Lot 148 Cameron Hughes Chardonnay


Just released, the '08 Lot 148 Char from Santa Barbara, nice creamy, butter on the nose and with its color golden, making it look rich, teasing us and letting us know that we are about to have a complex chardonnay. Very pleasant fruit on the palate, pear and banana. This wine is one that a traditional Napa (oaky, buttery) chardonnay drinker will love.  Even though it is said to have slight ML, it does have enough to show butter but in contrast it has a balanced acidity resulting in a spicey finish, slight oak.  Overall, this is a great wine for $13 bucks, as good or better than any $30 Napa chard.  Great chardonnays come out of Santa Barbara.  Lot 148 lives up to their high-end standards.

The wine would be excellent with or without food.  For the menu, this can be enjoyed with chicken alfredo as well as grilled wild salmon.

Click here for more on Santa Barbara chardonnays.