June 6, 2012 – Wine: 2007/8 (NV) Boa Ventura Platinum Label Cabernet Sauvignon

Boa Ventura is located on the eastern end of Livermore Valley.  This winery is one of the smallest winery operations that I know of that produces a respectable wine.  When I first tasted this wine at the winery, I was sufficiently impressed to purchase a half-case of half-bottles.  Over two years later, I opened the fourth bottle from the set.  I sense a very different mineral influence between Livermore Valley Cabernets and Napa Valley wines.  In this case, the wine starts off with a prominent flavor influence of tea and plum, followed by mineral, strawberry, tobacco, and sour cherry.  It is interesting to note that this wine is made from a blend of 2007 (60%) and 2008 (40%) grapes.  This wine is difficult to find beyond the winery (except for a few local restaurants) because the winery produces fewer than 1,500 total cases of wine per year.  (By contrast, Beringer Winery produces 40,000 cases a year of just one wine, their Knights Valley Cabernet Sauvignon.)

2007/8 Boa Ventura Platinum Label Cabernet Sauvignon