Buehler Cabernet Sauvignon
Name Buehler Vineyards
Varietal Cabernet Sauvignon
Region Napa Valley, CA
Country USA
Year 2013
Price $23.99
When most people think of good Cabernet Sauvignon in the U.S., Napa Valley is typically the first to come to mind. And there is good reason for that! The Cab Sauvs from this area are just plain incredible. The grapes that grow on the hills and mountains produce peppery, smokey, and savory Cabernet Sauvignons, while the grapes in the valley make beautiful fruit-forward wines. The Buehler Cab Sauv is made from 30% hillside grapes and 70% valley floor grapes. This combination makes for a wine with a broad spectrum of textures, aromas, and flavors. The smooth tannins and hint of pepper hit my palate first, then I had a burst of fruit (so much blackberry!) that lingered for what seemed like hours. Sounds a bit like a love story, huh? It pretty much is. Y'all, this stuff is gooooood.
Let's talk about the price. I love talking about wines that won't break the bank, and you may be thinking "Geez, Lauren! $24?" But I promise, that is a small price to pay for some Napa goodness. So why are wines from this region so pricey? Well first, it is expensive to grow grapes in Napa Valley. The average acre of vineyard land in Napa costs roughly 4x more than an acre in Oregon. Expensive land = expensive grapes. Also, Napa really isn't that big of an area, and only some of the grapes planted here are Cabernet Sauvignon. Rare wine = expensive wine. So when we found this bottle for under $25, I knew I would get what I was paying for. I wish I had opened it with a nice juicy steak, but instead I am pairing it with board prep. Not my preferred pairing, but life is about compromise, right?
