Wine of the Week

 

Edge Napa Valley 2003 Cabernet Sauvignon

K&L Wine Merchants in Northern California says the following about this well priced Napa Cab:

The deeply fruited nose opens to black currant and vanilla. The medium full-bodied palate continues with these flavors of ripe cassis, vanilla and hints of blackberry. The long finish is accentuated by the soft silky tannins. This wine was sourced from grapes grown near St. Helena and in the Oak Knoll district of the Napa Valley. The vineyards were planted in the 1980s and are vertically trellised to allow the grapes maximum sunlight exposure. The result is a rich supple Cabernet Sauvignon without green flavors or harsh tannins.

The Dabbler says the following:

While on a trip to the Central Coast, a wine purveyor tipped the Dabbler off that a highly accomplished vintner is responsible for the robust Edge Cabernet. In fact, he alluded to Heidi Peterson Barrett of Screaming Eagle fame, though he could not identify her with complete certainty (Edge's website says only that it is "blended by a notable winemaker" but will not name its maker). At $18 or so per bottle, it's worth the risk that it's a scam. Screaming Eagle is nearly impossible to get unless you're on its very closed mailing list, and when you do come across a bottle at either auction or a restaurant, it will run you in the hundreds of dollars. Buy a bottle and drink this with a rib-eye steak and truffled mashed potatoes. Whether or not it's a cult counterfeit or the real thing, it remains a value wine worth every penny.

Available at the aforementioned K&L Wine Merchants ($17.99), LA's Wine House ($16.95) and in New York at Liquid Discount Wine & Spirits ($18.99).

Also rumored to be a Screaming Eagle second label, but with far less substantiation and more controversy, is Whispering Dove. More likely, with clever-ish naming (Whispering in place of Screaming, Dove in place of Eagle; as well as the vintage name "Alter Eagle") it's an ethically suspect marketing ploy. But, you never know. And Whispering Dove is also well priced compared to its reference point, at $30 a bottle for the 2003 release.