Great wine values: Wente Southern Hills Cabernet Sauvignon
This muscular wine is a delightful partner for food.
Many fans of California wines have never heard of the Livermore Valley, east of the Bay Area near Pleasanton. But the region’s wines are well worth getting to know. In the late 1800s, Livermore Valley was among the first wine regions in the state to earn European recognition for its fine wines, thanks to its unique combination of geographic features that extend grapes’ hang time on the vine and boost quality potential. Vineyards there benefit from exceptional exposure to sunshine during the day, but the rush to ripeness is slowed by strong evening winds off the bay that pull much cooler air inland. But by the time California wine country recovered from Prohibition, the areas north of San Francisco Bay such as the Napa Valley and Sonoma County took the lead in developing their potential for premium wines, and Livermore never quite caught up. Many of Livermore’s wines bear the more generic “Central Coast” moniker, but the region’s largest winery, Wente Vineyards, has made great strides in promoting the Livermore Valley appellation itself with wines like this solid cabernet sauvignon from its own estate vineyards lining the Diablo Range of California’s coastal hills. Loaded with dark berry and cherry flavors, this muscular wine has plenty of depth but maintains enough brightness and freshness of fruit flavor to make it a delightful partner for food.
Wente Southern Hills Cabernet Sauvignon, Livermore Valley, Calif. $13.99 (regularly $16.99; sale price through June 23). PLCB Item #6806.
Also available at Total Wine & More in Wilmington and Claymont, Del. ($12.99); Canal’s in Mount Ephraim ($13.89); Canal’s Bottlestop in Marlton ($13.96); Gloucester City Bottlestop in Gloucester City ($13.96); Kreston Wine & Spirits in Wilmington ($13.99); Hops & Grapes in Glassboro ($14.95).