A Cabernet for Everyday, in 2010

February 10, 2010

I like wine maker work with days.  The chance to spend the day with a wine maker and call on customers, pick their brain, understand just what motivates them and what they do.

Today was Daniel Gehrs. Poor basturd had to spend the weekend in New Orleans and watch the Super Bowl and the after "party" and parade. Austin being the next stop had to be a total let down. Dan to his credit, was a total trooper. Today was fun.

His Daniel Gehrs Cabernet Sauvignon 2006, Central Coast is a perfect example of the new market paradigm shift. $13, or a a dollar more retail everywhere. A huge drink for not a huge price. Spicy blackberry fruit on the nose with a whiff of blueberry from the 5% Cab Franc blended in. Barrel aged, yes, but the oak is 85% almost neutral and 15% what Dan desribes as "newer" meaning less than five year old. Sooooo drinkable, with a rich, not heavy palate, more nice black and blueberry fruit notes, light spice, vanilla good acids and great structure. Everything in total harmony. Never heavy. Which is Dan Gehrs' goal. All in harmony, all in balance, all just elegant and correct. Comme il faut. The market, not surprsingly, ate it up. As they should. Comme il faut.

We all want a $25 bottle of wine for less than $15. Daniel Gehrs really delivers this. Really.

Drink this Wine!

Cheers,

Rob Moshein

Austin Wine Guy

*Ethical disclosure: I sell this wine to the Austin Market*