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2007 Cameron Hughes Lot 139 Alexander Valley Meritage
In France, a Negociant is someone who purchases excess wine from local vineyards and sells the excess under their own label. Sometimes they bottled the wine exactly as it came from the barrel, other times they blend grapes from different vineyards to create their own unique wine blend. But where exactly and from whom they purchased the wine is kept in strict confidence. Cameron Hughes is the American version of the French Negociant. By carefully choosing his sources, he can bring wines of outstanding quality to the market at exceptional prices. Of course, he can not disclose exactly who made the wine, only general information, in this case the wine was produced in Alexander Valley in Sonoma, California and the wine came pre-blended and ready for bottling. There is a bottle of wine on some store shelf right now with a different label, but the exact same wine inside and a price tag at least three times more expensive than the Cameron Hughes Lot 139 Meritage.
Fun Fact: In California to be designated a Meritage wine, the blend most consist of a least two Bordeaux grapes. For a red wine blend the Bordeaux grapes are Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Malbec, Petit Verdot, Carmenere, Gros Verdot and St, Macaire.
The color is strawberry red with black cherry highlights. The nose is plums, a touch of vanilla, light menthol along with black and blueberries. An interesting flavor, chocolate covered cherries, Frango Mints, I am using candy as descriptors, but this is not sweet, the Lot 139 has the lush, rich candy taste, minus the sugary sweetness, now to make things confusing the oak and the tannins do add a touch of sweetness. The finish is soft red berry, it is light in taste, but it lingers for a reasonably long time.
A medium bodied, tasty red wine blend. Drinks very well, when pairing with food, you will want to stay away from dishes with heavy sauces or strong flavors. But when pairing wine with food, delicious always goes with delicious.