September 19, 2012 – Wine: 2007 Bell Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon

This was my last wine club shipment from Bell.  My cellar was overflowing and I needed to cut back on the supply, especially since Bell wines are made to rest for a few years.  So, I reluctantly dropped my Bell Wine Club membership.  The winery was singing the praises about this wine when I picked it up, but they were still pouring the 2006 vintage so I could not preview it.  (Most wineries release early to their wine club members – a perk.)  I decided it was time to try this half bottle tonight and I was impressed.  After about 75 minutes of decanting the wine knitted together into a lovely balance.  The wine is medium bodied with vintage-typical flavors of blueberry, blackberry, black cherry, tobacco, and mineral notes.  The finish on this wine is surprisingly rich – not plush like wines costing three to four times as much, but rich unlike most wines in its price class.  The hoopla is well-deserved.

2007 Bell Cellars Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon