Hayman & Hill, Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon (Napa Valley), 2001

From the bottle, this reserve cabernet is made from grapes grown in the Napa Valley region of California. This cabernet is 13.5% alcohol by volume.

Where did I find it: Fry’s

What did I pair it with: N/A

Appearance: Crimson purple, with decent legs.

Smell: Light on aromas; bright cherry and asian spices are the most notable.

Palate Entry: It begins with a slightly alcoholic cassis.
Mid Palate: A good mouthfeel rounds with firm tannins bring life into the wine.
Finish: The finish is merely an extension of the mid-palate, and is quick, but the tannins do remain.

Price: $11.99
Quality rating: 83/100
Value rating: 45.67/60

Takeaway: There are better cabs out there for this price point; I was disappointed that an ’01 Napa reserve cab would be this bland…skip it.

Unti, Syrah (Dry Creek), 2002

From the bottle, this syrah is made from grapes grown in the California (specifically in Dry Creek Valley). This syrah is Rhone-styled and is 14.8% alcohol by volume.

Where did I find it: Costco in Santa Rose, CA

What did I pair it with: Various meats and cheeses

Appearance: Very dark purple with deep purple legs – the wine has teeth!

Smell: Barnyard, coffee, earth, and cola.

Palate Entry: It starts out with sour strawberries and white pepper
Mid Palate: Then the tannins kick in…the wine is still too young to tell what’s going on because the tannins are masking the fruit and spices I think I’m tasting
Finish: The finish was pretty tannic, but is long and drying.

Price: $24.95
Quality rating: 87/100
Value rating: 45.50/60

Takeaway: This wine is pretty tannic and very dry, but not overly complex. It does pair very well, but isn’t a good stand-alone wine at this age. Another few years should do it well in the maturation process, to smooth out some of those tannins and bring the mid-palate forward. Overall, it could be interesting in a few years, but isn’t much of a value play.