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2006 Simoneau Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon

2009 December 4

2006 Simoneau Cab SauvI looked back at all my posts and realized that it’s been nearly six months since I’ve reviewed one specific wine on my blog. I’ve been so preoccupied that I just haven’t thought about it. That last wine was a Fairwinds Cabernet Sauvignon, so it seems appropriate that after that disappointing showing, I would review something almost opposite of that one. Disclaimer: I work with Tom Simoneau, the winemaker, and I received this bottle from him just the other day because I didn’t get to taste the other one he gave me. Thanks, Tom.

I think a good Cab Sauv really shows its true colors when paired with the right food. For a full-bodied Cab, I decided I needed to enjoy this wine with a medium-rare New York strip steak, garlic mashed potatoes and broccoli. From the moment I poured this and took a quick whiff of it, I thought, wow, I think this should go well with the steak and waited patiently for the meat to cook while the wine breathed.

Deep garnet in color with aromas of smoke, cocoa, fennel and faint eucalyptus seemed to mingle seamlessly with the aromas of the meat. I wanted to be sure I wasn’t getting the aromas mixed up so I even stepped outside to explore the nose even further. Perfectly balanced with black currant on the palate. Not an extremely big wine and obviously not made to tantalize the critics, but it holds it own with a well-rounded soft tannic finish that lingers for a minute. And maybe it’s because of the soft tannins that it is so food-friendly, yet I’m continuing to enjoy it long after I stopped eating as I’m writing up this review.

Tom says he has a hard time drinking other Cabs because he enjoys his own so much, and I can see why. It is definitely a Cab that I would be proud to serve friends and enjoy opening for a savory dinner such as what I had. He made about 336 cases of the 2006—just two more cases than in 2005— using fruit from the Alexander Valley, much of it from his own vineyards. The 2006 Simoneau Cabernet Sauvignon is available directly through Tom at Windsor Vineyards. You can reach him at 800-289-9463 ext. 5322. Be sure to tell him I pointed you his way. Now if I can just snag a couple more bottles from him. 😉

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Copyright © 2009, Eric Hwang and Bricks of Wine. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this blog’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Eric Hwang and Bricks of Wine with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.

2 Responses leave one →
  1. December 8, 2009

    Sounds like an amazing wine. I’ll have to try it on my next visit. Thanks for sharing… you had me at garlic mashed potatoes.

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