2009 Cameron Hughes "Lot 246" Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon

SKU #1109038 91 points Wine Enthusiast

A great Cabernet for drinking now with upscale dishes. Production was 2,700 cases, but it’s worth a search. Tastes classy and elegant, with rich blackberry, currant, anise and oak flavors that are dry and complex. For this price, it’s a huge value. Editor's choice. — S.H. (7/1/2012) (7/ 2012)

K&L Notes

Cameron Hughes is a negociant with hands in lots of great fruit sources. They always seem to emerge ahead of the pack when it comes to producing wines with character that over-deliver in quality for the price. "Lot 246" Napa Valley Cabernet is composed of 97% Cabernet Sauvignon and 3% Petit Verdot. The Cabernet hails from top sites near St. Helena and the Stags' Leap districts and defines the wine with ripe, bold currant and cassis aromas and flavors and ripe, sweet tannins. The Petit Verdot, from a site near Calistoga, adds leafy floral highlights to the aroma and finish. Aged in 100% French oak for fifteen months, toasty oak and smoky vanilla aromas and flavors abound amidst layers of creamy richness. The finish is smooth, with lingering flavors and texture. This can be enjoyed now but will evolve with age. The objective of the "Lot Series" is take the idea of "value" to the extreme: "Whereas most of these high-end wines end up being 'back-blended' into lesser quality wines to 'fix' them," explain the folks at Cameron Hughes, "the Lot Series preserves the ultra-premium quality of the original Lot by bottling it unadulterated and never 'back-blended.'"