2001 Sterling Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon

Sterling, Indeed

We went to a wedding last weekend. My wife was in it, actually. The bride is a good friend. She and many of the members of the wedding party work or have worked in the restaurant business, and the food was fantastic.

The wines weren’t none too shabby, neither.

This Cabernet Sauvignon from Sterling Vineyards might be just a tad past its prime, but it’s still a very solid wine. It’s a Bordeaux-style blend, at 81% Cab Sauv, 11% Merlot, and 8% Cabernet Franc, and clocks in at a solid 14.2% ABV. The color is a dark purple. On the nose are notes of dark red fruit and forest floor (some mushroom, some grass, a bit of oak).

The wine is lighter-bodied than I expected, and definitely fruit-forward. Ripe, red fruit all over the place, but with a soft tannin structure that keeps it from tasting like Juicy-Juice.

A bit of sediment in my glass told me the wine should really be decanted, so if you go for this offering from Sterling—especially if you actually have a bottle this old—I’d highly recommend you do that.

Verdict: 84/100


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