So, back in 2008 when we made our first trip to Napa and Sonoma – the very last place we stopped to taste and enjoy was at Bennett Lane in Calistoga, California.  While we were there, a number of cyclists had pulled off the Silverado Trail (or so we thought) and had been enjoying some of the “local offerings”.  We had a terrific tasting and ended up buying a couple of bottle of their wine – this one was among them.  After the tasting, we ended up at the Wine Garage which was a cool place for small batch wineries and other varietals . . . we ended up with a number of delicious finds from that stop as well.

Anyways, we digress.  Bennett Lane was a really cool place with a lot of really good wines – the king of which is their 2006 Cabernet Sauvignon which has a Wine Spectator rating of 91 points and a price tag of $95.  Sorry friends – we DIDN’T taste this wine!  However, tonight’s wine is the 2006 Maximus Red Feasting Wine which given the fact that it’s the Thanksgiving weekend, and that we’ve been feasting since Thursday . . . it seemed an appropriate selection for tonight’s blog.

This little beauty comes to us from our friends at World Market where the retail price (and confirmed at the winery) is $35.  It was on sale for $16.99 and because we are wine club members, the price dropped an additional 10% – knocking off an additional $1.70 for an amazingly low price of $15.29!  But, what’s really cool about this wine – get some if you can find it is how incredibly accurate their tasting notes are to the real thing.   This wine begins with aromas of cocoa, cherry and plum. Subtle floral aromas develop in the glass.  On the palate there are rich flavors of dark cherry and raspberry that lead to an elegant finish, with layers of rich texture and incredible length.  We also found an aroma of anise and a definite scent of leather.  The palate was rich, fruity and absolutely the finish was amazing.  Quite frankly, we’re still shaking our heads about this one and how it ended up in our basket.  WOW, it’s really good and worthy of a holiday celebration.  Get in your car and buy some of this wine – with Christmas around the corner, you’ll make a significant impression on the folks around you if you roll this baby out with guests.  What a winner!

Having spent the holidays with folks whom we love and cherish, it’s good to come home to a wine with spectacular lineage.  Add to the fact that this wine was actually bottled in June of 2008 and we enjoyed it in the middle of its’ perfect enjoyment timelinee – every once in a while it’s cool to luck into a good find at a great price.  We know after eating lots of turkey and dressing and then a full blown shrimp boil that good food and good wine were meant to be enjoyed together and this wine is definitely one to enjoy with food.  The Bennett Lane folks recommend a Lamb and Feta Cheese Burger with tonight’s wine.  After reading the recipe, we agree that not only does is sound delicious, but more importantly, this wine was made for food.  So, find your favorite meal and bring this wine along.

Traveling to wineries in California or Texas or wherever you may choose to enjoy is something that brings two of our favorite things together – good wine and good friends.  We hope that as the holiday season begins, you’ll stop to enjoy both good friends and good wine together!  They are a terrific combination and like this 2006 Maximus Red Feasting Wine, they are meant to be shared together.

Until tomorrow, please remember to enjoy your favorite wine responsibly and recycle whenever possible.