COPPOLA CLARET CALIFORNIA $19.99
I enjoy a good wine made from each and every varietal: a Malbec from Mendozza, Argentina, a Sauvignon Blanc from New Zealand, a Shiraz from Australia, a Tempranillo from Spain, a Merlot from Columbia Valley, Washington State, but my favorite wine is a well-made Cabernet Sauvignon, primarily from California, and, secondarily, from Chile. One of my favorite movie makers is Francis Ford Coppola of GODFATHER and APOCALYPSE NOW fame. In Claret, the two, Cabernet Sauvignon and Coppola, come together. Coppola would not stamp his name on anything that was less than excellent. And, although a little higher in price than an everyday wine in the $10 to $15 range, it is affordable as a weekend wine or for a holiday. Many California Cabernets have become cult wines, and, although they are good, I feel they are overpriced. Claret is the name that the British at the beginning of the twentieth century gave to Bordeaux-like red wines. This edition of Claret is mainly, as always, Cabernet Sauvignon, usually in the 80% range, with lesser amounts of Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Malbec, and Petit Verdot. Although it is a complex wine, given all the varietals, it is balanced, and exhibits smooth tannins, succulent flavors of blackberry, cassis (black currants), plum, with hints of mocha and cedar. It satisfies all my expectations (weight, color, aroma, and taste) of a good Cabernet Sauvignon. Enjoy!
