Hess Select 2008 Cabernet Sauvignon

On the bottle: Hess Select Cabernet Sauvignon is sourced exclusively from family-owned and sustainably-farmed vineyards in the Northern California appellations: Mendocino, Lake and Napa Counties. Our winemaker selected grapes from areas that specialize in Cabernet Sauvignon to create a wine with notable richness, intensity and varietal character. Mendocino County contributes spice and mid-palate, Lake County adds the classic red fruit profile of Bing cherry, while Napa maintains our signature style of a structured wine with black fruit and cassis flavors.

42% Mendocino County - 40% Lake County - 18% Napa County

750mL, 13.5% Alc. by vol., Albertsons, $14.99

I bought this wine because I love Cabernet and I remembered reading a good review about it from this blog. I really enjoyed this wine. I used a little bit in the tomato sauce I used for spaghetti and meatballs tonight, and drank a glass with dinner. The flavors compliment the acidy tomato and hold up well with the beef in the meatballs. There is a spicy finish, which I like, and very little sticky mouth. I would buy this again if it ever goes on sale, my ideal price would be $12 for a bottle.

2003 Le Bourgogne de Louis Latour

Tasting notes from the website: This wine has a clean lemony shimmer and a delicate yet elegantly fruity bouquet rises from the glass with hints of oak. Complimenting the balanced acidity there are nicely detailed flavours of tropical fruits and peaches coming through to give us a wine which could be drunk now but a year or two in bottle would work also. Tasted 23/02/05

750mL, 13% Alc. by vol., Specs, $13.88

I bought this wine because I was at the Specs warehouse store in midtown Houston and thought I could get a really good deal on a white burgundy. Well....

THIS WINE WAS GROSS!!!!

It may have been an off batch and not something common to the brand, but I don't think I'll be buying this again. The cork seemed like it was rotting, I had to put it back in the bottle the other way, because the "wet" side was disintegrating. The wine was too harsh on my pallet and a little sour. I'll stick to the Louis Jadot in the future.