Hansom 2007 Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon, $22.99

OK. You all know my obsession with Stew Leonard's Wine Shop. So when they sent me this e-mail, I ran. By "this e-mail," I mean the e-mail where they explained that a famous winemaker whose bottles of cab retail for $70+ has a side project; said side project costing less than a third of the cost. Readers, I drove so fast to Stew's I'm surprised the New Britski cops didn't pull me over.

The e-mail wouldn't reveal the vineyard. But you know me, I've got clout. Bruce told me that it's Correggia Vineyard. Huh? Never heard of them before, so I certainly don't understand the $70 asking price. I did Google them, though; apparently, the head winemaker, Matteo Correggia, died tragically in 2001. Bummer.

In the glass, this wine is dark. And medium-to-heavy-bodied, with little legs forming on one side of the glass, then the other. And the smell is a little off-putting. It smells like leather, which is not so bad to smell, but weird to put in my mouth. There's no scent of alcohol despite its 13.9% content.

On the palate, this wine is soft & smooth. Really soft. It's such a pleasure to drink. Though I have to admit here, it tastes no different than the Bommarito cab. There are no surprising, hidden flavors. This is a straight-up cabernet, but a very polished, price-friendly one that feels great in my mouth.

So would I purchase this one again? Yes, actually. Though it's a straight-up cab - and believe me, I have no problems with that - the mouthfeel (!!!) & price make it well worth the purchase. If Bommarito felt this good in my mouth at this price, I'd be all over it like white on rice. But this one is the clear winner. Buy with no regrets.

Cheers!

Kate