June 30, 2012 – Wine: 2002 Provenance Oakville Cabernet Sauvignon

When I first visited Provenance Vineyards, the 2003 vintage of this wine was already being offered in the tasting room, meaning that the remaining bottles of 2002 had been archived in the wine library for aging.  (Properly aged wine typically commands a higher price.)  Two years later I stumbled upon a bottle online and ordered it.  I was quite impressed with the wine.  Last Christmas, I was looking to replace a different bottle in my collection and happened upon this bottle again.  At $35, I could not say “no”.  I opened this bottle to impress some friends, and it worked.  The body was in excellent balance, with a sense of weight and subtle richness.  I noticed flavors of minerals, blackberries, and cranberries, with subtle notes of leather and mint.

2002 Provenance Oakville Cabernet Sauvignon