Ferrari-Carano Vineyards & Winery Cabernet Sauvignon 2007

This wine is composed primarily of Cabernet Sauvignon blended with Syrah. The hand-harvested grapes enter the gravity-flow winery and whole berries are gravity fed into tanks for fermenting before pressing. Individual lots are moved to barrels for malolactic fermentation, then blended and cave aged for 16 months prior to bottling, allowing for the perfect balance of fruit, tannin and oak.

The outstanding 2012 Cabernet Sauvignon Alexander Valley displays classy notes of charcoal, camphor, blackcurrants, licorice and forest floor. Full-bodied with sweet tannin, a nicely layered mouthfeel, and an accessible personality, it spent 16 months in French oak, a component that frames the wine but does not intrude on the aromatics or flavors. This beauty showcases the high quality Cabernet Sauvignon that often comes from Alexander Valley. Drink it over the next 10–15 years.

Ripe blackberries, blueberry pie, cassis, cedar, Bing cherry, boysenberry syrup, graham cracker, milk chocolate, vanilla, caramel. Velvety tannins, supple, long finish.

With aromas of dark cherry, vanilla, mocha and earthy elements of mineral, this wine delights with delicious flavors of vibrant, red berry pie, caramel and fresh boysenberry on the finish. Lingering sweet oak notes add excellent depth and characterize this lovely Cabernet Sauvignon.

Winemaker's Notes - With aromas of blackberry jam, baking spices, pure maple syrup and black tea, this wine delights with rich delicious flavors of caramel, espresso and dark chocolate. A juicy and full mid-palate, rich, mouth-coating tannins and excellent depth characterize this lovely Cabernet Sauvignon.

Rating: 88/100 - As reviewed by Connoisseurs' Guide to California Wine (www.cgcw.com) in the August 2010 issue. Deep and rich in their well-focused curranty fruit, and if not entirely outgoing, the aromas provide an accurate preview of the wine's attractive, slightly refined and still developing flavors. Supple at entry and a bit round at the edges and thus inviting early enjoyment, this bottling runs comfortably across the palate and finishes well.Connoisseurs' Guide to California Wine aging recommendation: Drinkable now. Unlikely to improve with further aging.

This soft Cab seems dialed in. Therersquo;s nothing wrong with it, itrsquo;s just formulaic in the well-ripened black currant flavors, standard smoky oak, and smooth texture.