October 7, 2009 · 12:25 am
Arbios Cellars: Californian Cabernet you should be drinkin’
 Change is in the Air! |
 Affordable before it was fashionable, the 2004 Cabernet Sauvignon from Arbios Cellars is the sixth vintage we’ve carried at the store. The bottle price of $24.98 has held steady over the years. No deep discounts, no price adjustments necessary. Arbios has made it a mission to make high quality Cabernet sauvignon and doing so while keeping the price at a fair (I’d say wa-a-a-ay fair) consumer-friendly price. Back when American vintners were blind-tasting their Cabs against first-growth Bordeaux and concluding that their wine tasted better (or as good) therefore deserved a price tag equaling or exceeding France’s great ones, Bill Arbios just wanted to make delicious wines that people could drink without having to take out a second mortgage. Back then I remember some people being skeptical whether Arbios Cabernet could be as good as we professed, after all it cost only $24.98! Well, times have changed and so have preconceived ideas about price and quality. Today I’m putting in down into written words that Arbios Cabernets have always been that good and the 2004 is their most complex and plush wine to date. It’s still $24.98 per bottle and you don’t have to join some long waiting list to grab a measly few bottles. Have I made my point? |
 Arbios gets their Cabernet Sauvignon fruit from a vineyard in Alexander Valley. The vineyard is the highest and northernmost vineyard in Sonoma County’s Alexander Valley. The elevation of the vineyard runs between 2000 to 3000 feet. Planted according to Bill Arbios’ specifications, this picturesque hillside vineyard struggles each year to produce. The stress of the vines limits yields and concentrates flavors. Bill Arbios is a true veteran winemaker having work for both large and small producers. With Arbios Cellars, Bill makes only one wine, the Alexander Valley Cabernet Sauvignon. All of Bill’s experience (30 years!) and passion goes into this impressive red. There is a temptation to compare the virtues of Arbios vis-à-vis other well-known Alexander Valley Cabernets, but I won’t. There is no need to “hate” on others. Arbios Cabernet Sauvignon stands on its own merits. Aged in French oak, the newly released 2004 Alexander Valley Cabernet Sauvignon has had the added measure of having had some bottle age. The tannins are well integrated with the fruit and the alcohol is held in check. This is not the type of Cabernet Sauvignon that hits you over the head with a 2×4, rather it is elegant, supple and smooth, smooth, smooth. Dark plum/cassis fruit and just the right amount of creamy spicy oak are wrapped around each other in perfect embrace. |
| During my weekly pilgrimage to the local Farmer’s Market last Sunday, I shed a tear. Gone was my favorite peach purveyor; gone was my favorite tomato vendor. The dropped leaves and cold mornings (first time my daughter ate breakfast clothed!) weren’t strong enough indicators to me that change was in the air. The absent summer fruit made it all too clear. With this recognition of changing seasons came a craving for Cabernet Sauvignon. Cooler evenings welcome simmering pots of meats and hearty vegetables on the stove and heavier, structured reds. I’m telling you, a classic beef stew (your grandmother’s secret recipe perhaps?) and a generous glass of the 2004 Arbios is all you need. Soul-soothing goodness! – Anya Balistreri |
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