Ain’t Life Grand? Cameron Hughes Lot 602, 2014 Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon
I think the first contemporary vintages of Napa Valley cabernets I ever tasted were from the late 70s, likely 1978/79. I was just a wee barbarian, drinking at the table of my father, whose wine exploits and palette I aspire to experience. California was really starting to get on-track with the development of their own style of winemaking. The Prohibition era has devastated a vital industry and destroyed its history and legacy… and it wasn’t until the early seventies that they began to recover, and get going again. I often say that it has taken our society a century to recover from Prohibition… the greatest folly of our country. It is really just now that we have fully recovered, in terms of the beverage industry – wines, beer, and distilling. But it was the wine business that started this recovery, and the epicenter of that recovery was Napa Valley.
I can recall tasting the output of such foundation Napa Cab producers such as Robert Mondavi, Beaulieu Vineyards, and Heitz. The industry has changed so much, with hudreds of producers, and prices to match… yet the product has become iconic. Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon.
What it means to me is big, powerful, yet supple and ready-to-drink… TONIGHT. Unlike the Crand Cru Bordeaux it tried to mimic back then, which must age for years, perhaps decades before it becomes drinkable, today’s Napa Cab delivers that supple experience of an aged Bordeaux upon release. They still benefit from aging well, but generally they are also good to go, right when you buy them.
This example, the 2014 Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon Lot 602 from Cameron Hughes is exactly that. You can buy this RIGHT NOW (click that link!) for $32/bottle and enjoy an amazing Napa Cab. THIRTY TWO BUCKS. Sure, it isn’t ultra-cheap, but I tell you, if this wasn’t being sold by a Negociant, it would likely be well over $100/bottle. It is THAT good – NOW. Grab some of these, throw some steaks on the grill, and pull the cork.
You can thank me later.
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