Today's selection is a 2005 Cabernet from Joel Gott. This one differs from most of the other Cabernet's this week in that it's a blend sourced from several diverse areas of 
California. Fruit from Napa, Sonoma, Lodi & Lake County went into this wine. It was aged for 15 months in a combination of French and American oak. Just over 9,000 cases of this wine were produced and it retails at $17.
The diversity of fruit really helps make a wine of wide-ranging character and appeal. The first thing apparent is a bouquet of candied black cherries that just explode in your nose. The first couple sips of this wine are tart and tight but it opens up and smooths itself out very quickly. There is an absolute ton of dark, jammy fruit up front that leads to a huge rich mouth-filling mid-palate. The finish features some mocha notes that are underpinned by tingly white pepper. Joel Gott's 2005 California Cabernet is lush and the finish is hefty and substantial. The wine has good acidity and is well balanced. The rich heady fruit makes it very much the New World wine that it is. It has easy drink-ability and sufficient complexity to make it interesting and a bit thought provoking. This wine will pair very well with BBQ and grilled meats in general. It also drinks very well on it's own.
For $17 I found this wine to be a very good value. It over-delivers for the price-point. Definitely recommended for fans of fruit driven wines that envelope the palate. Joel Gott is probably best known for his Zinfandels. This Cabernet shows that his other offerings are well worth a look too.
Coming Tomorrow: A Single vineyard Cabernet from Wellington Vineyards.
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