Nice thick ruby with wide purple edges.  A bit of Old-World funk blows off fairly rapidly but certain portions remain.  A weird way to describe an Alexander Valley cab, but had a Delas Crozes-Hermitage and a Pierre-Henri Morel Gigondas last night and honestly it was the first thing that popped in my mind when I smelled it.  Not to the extreme of the pair of Rhones, but a lighter version of those wet-concrete/cardboard lines.  After that really just an austere Dr. Pepper black-cherry with notes of sweet cola and SMOOOOOOTH, contrived, warm spice.  I have had the Picket Fence RRV Pinot several times and for the price-point, it is pleasant.  Nothing earth-shattering, and the cab follows suit.  Mouth-filling instantly with bitter peach-pit tannin and unsophisticated full dark fruit seeking out every crevice and going the direction of positively chewy and overwhelming.  Mainstream concentrated.  Some of the briar and barnyard of classic Alex cab is there… the whole package is just underwhelming.  Thin, chalky finish.  For the price-point of 20 bucks you can do A LOT worse.  This is a great little drinker with some stuffing and interesting bits and pieces but lacks finesse, balance and… well… substance to be anyting more than a 20-dollar cab.

2011 PICKET FENCE Cabernet Sauvignon Alexander Valley Sonoma 13.5

http://www.picketfencevineyards.com