West Coast Winologist
MY READERS RESPOND..TRY CAMERON HUGHES WINE!"
Part of the joy in writing this blog is learning from others responses. Although the audience is small, the general wine knowledge is pretty impressive. I've had a number of readers ask me if I have tried any of the Cameron Hughes wines and to be honest, I've never heard of him. However, as I've learned from my days working on the exchange floor of the Chicago Board of Trade, if you hear something from more than one person, its worth checking out! This month I'll review three reds and one white from Cameron Hughes.
Given that the last few years have been a struggle for many wine producers, the Hughes model has worked to perfection. The only risk is that he has no control over his sources and if times change, he may be forced to pay higher prices for his fruit or maybe not even get it at all. Another drawback is that the number of cases of a particular wine may be limited. Remember, most of the time he is buying grapes that a grower or winemaker believes he can’t sell, and in some cases, the seller is taking an economic loss selling his excess to Hughes. At any rate, the wines are available at Costco or from their website. I purchased mine off of the website and it was at my doorstep the next day. Overall, I was impressed with his product and the price. It’s worth taking a look at his website www.chwine.com for additional information.
Lot 125-2007 Carneros Pinot Noir: This was by far the most surprising find. To be fair, Pinot Noir to me is like tabasco sauce; I like it around the house but I don’t drink it all the time. This award winning wine offered good depth and balance. Once it opened up, I picked up hints of plum and strawberry along with a vanilla oak like finish. At $19.00 a bottle, lot 125 is a steal.
Lot 172-2007 Atlas Peak Napa Valley Cabernet: This double gold medal winner at the San Francisco International Wine Competition was simply delicious. At $22 bucks a bottle, it is a stand up triple. Alcohol level was 14.9 % and like the two wines above, decanting made a difference in the taste. Lot 172 is the classic Napa Cab; rich dark color, delicate, yet enough punch to get you excited. I picked up a touch of vanilla bean on the bouquet and ripe berry on the finish. Although 4000 cases were produced, it won’t last long.
Lot 159-2008 Santa Barbara Chardonnay: This wine offers good balance structure and is well worth the $14.00 price tag. Rich tropical fruit was noticed and although it was not overpowering, I did detect a creamy oak like flavor. Although it’s hard for me to get too excited about Chardonnay, I would say it’s a great everyday wine and good enough to bring to friend.