My Cabernet hell is freezing over, I’m buying in Napa ‘07

I feel dirty. My outspoken commentary on fear and loathing in Napa Valley is currently being put on the back burner. I’ve tasted some (cringe) reasonably priced Cabernet from Napa in 2007 and have been floored. The first slap in the face was a bottle of Phelps estate Cabernet, traditionally the 'vanilla herring' of the appellation, over-delivering in two key areas:

• Lack of distinction
• Lack of value

That said, it really friggin’ kicks ass in 2007- and though the needle on the price-tag has been fairly steadfast at the high 40’s/low 50’s range, this one is worth every penny. It’s a…value. I bought multiple bottles. My name is Brad Coelho and I have a problem.

Well, if egg on my face tastes this good (and doesn’t cause me to loose my shirt), I’m all for it. Mea culpa me some Cabernet from Napa Valley baby! Who knows if it is the recession or not, but Grapes the Wine Company had a close-out today on Two Hands’ Charlie’s Patch ’07 from Napa, a wine that was originally slated to be priced at stratospheric levels, yet has been grounded firmly in the 40’s range and WAY over-delivers for that price point. In fact, that price point, to me, was the bane of Napa’s existence (or should I say, non-existence), but it is exactly what has recharged my batteries. In particular, the Two Hands is a massive, enveloping mouthful of pure black currant fruit, w/ a powerful bed of tannins perfectly dusted in cocoa. A serious wine for a very ‘fair’ fare at 40 dollars and change…reasonable enough to make me re-reason my feelings about Napa Cabernet. At least a little bit.

While I’m not quite off my rocker enough to go back to the days of spending 250 dollars at a Steakhouse for the stuff, this sure is a good start. So what is it, 2007 fever? Has the economic apocalypse finally choked its to the jugular of Northern California producers? Or was I just too jaded to see the oak, err forest through the trees? Perhpas its absence from my diet has made my heart grow...fungus.

My previous take on the Phelps:

Phelps Napa Cabernet '07
What a fabulous showing! Easily the most impressive appellation bottling I've sampled from Phelps & perhaps this signals a profound foreshadowing for what's to come from '07 in the Napa Valley. An exuberant expression of molten chocolate cake, mint, black currant & cassis notes turn full & layered on the potent, yet symmetrically flood the deep, darkly fruited palate. The finish ricochets along each wall of the mouth, w/ clandestine tannins tangibly prickling their way through, 93+ points.