Once again, as the other night, a delicious pairing combination where I wrote extensively about this balsamic, steak caprese combo, highlighting the accentuated food and wine pairing.
I've written often in these pages the Ninety-Plus Cellars story
with their negociant wines or surplus wines acquired and private
labeled, often at high QPR below market prices. They offer a broad
selection of labels from the wine regions around the world, often at
great value. Occasionally, they offer extraordinary wines at affordable
prices for everyday drinking. Ninety-Plus label or Lot # is often due to excess supply or other
reasons.
When I last tried this label a year ago, I wrote that it was uninspiring and leaving much to be desired. Having modest expectations, tonight this was very enjoyable and ideally suited to pair with the grilled steak, caprese and selection of artisan cheese.
Wine
collectors understand the axiom of pricing wine for the occasion ...
every day wines, once a week wines, once a month wines and once in a
lifetime or special occasion wines. Only the privileged few need not
worry about budgets or costs of their beverage choice du jour.
I bought this wine for such an occasion as tonight, respectable drinker at a moderate price for a midweek dinner.
Lot 94 is part of the Ninety-Plus Cellars' popular Collector's Series wine brand. It is a full-bodied Napa
Cab from highly-regarded vineyard sites in the distinguished Rutherford
AVA, a good value when compared to the Napa Cabs produced from such sites.
When I last tasted this last fall I rated this 90 Points and wrote, "The 2017 is a top flight Cabernet, sophisticated, complex and
enjoyable for early gratification, drinking now, and may likely improve
further with 2 to 5 years of aging or more as it is not equal to the
2015 which was a bit better integrated and polished."
Ninety-Plus writes of this label, "the fruit is picked
from vines situated on the east side of the valley in a vineyard that
was first planted in the 1890s. Upon alluvial and volcanic soils these
densely planted vines produce Cabernet Sauvignon that makes some of the
best wine in Napa. This is an all-star Cabernet with an elite pedigree."
Consistent with my earlier tasting, "While I echo the
negociant's (Ninety Plus Cellars) tasting notes on this release: "Deep
crimson in color with lavish aromas of black currant, mocha, and savory
herbs with trailing notes of tobacco and vanilla. Full-bodied and
well-rounded with soft edges and a lively dose of bright cherry fruit
that unfolds into a smooth finish," this lacked balance and polish I
hoped for pleasant high QPR everyday sipping. The fruits were a bit
obtuse and forward with a somewhat flabby less approachable profile."
RM 88 points.
https://unwindwine.blogspot.com/2019/09/90-lot-94-2017.html
https://www.ninetypluscellars.com/