2006 Cuvaison Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa CA

Based on the recommendation of our new friend Sandy over at Saintsbury, we made a stop at Cuvaison winery off of Highway 121.  Located directly across from the entrance to Domain Carneros is Cuvaison.  The view from the newly built tasting room at Cuvaison is pretty great.  You can see the Mayacamas mountain range and surrounding vineyard from the tasting room which is very modern.  I felt almost as if it was a bit too modern and industrial feeling.  Our favorite wines of the bunch that we tasted were the 2006 Cabernet (pictured above), the 2007 Syrah and last but not least the Brandlin Cabernet Sauvignon which features fruit from Mount Veeder appellation (86% Cabernet Sauvignon, 6% Malbec, 6% Petit Verdot, 2% Cabernet Franc).  The Brandlin winery is a small production (~500 cases of the Cab) winery that Cuvaison purchased located on Mount Veeder in Napa, CA.  This was a pretty great tasting cab and would have landed in our shopping cart if the price wasn't in the stratosphere. 

Both Rachel and I were caught off guard a bit by the $15 tasting charge per person.  I think what made this worse is that Cuvaison charged us for the tasting even after we purchased a couple bottles of wine for nearly $80.  I guess that's what you get when you enter into the pricier Napa zone.  Maybe we're helping to pay for their mucho modern tasting room? - I'm not sure.  Winery Map.