Dark garnet out to bright clear edges with a touch of sediment.  Decadent mint chocolate chip perfume packed with dusty rose, mineral and dirt road flows seamlessly out of the glass.  Bitterness early on in the nose informs all this thing means sweet business.

This is my favorite Sonoma Cabernet right now, and has been since I first tasted it–and immediately went out and bought all I could find.  I believe it to be the initial Cabernet offering from this producer, but fortunately has been added to the roster each subsequent year.  And a pleasant bonus: one of the few wineries who still sell futures.

In the mouth, cold wet linen taught against the staining razor’s edge of plowed tender fruit–so dense and so delicate–sweaty unctuous fruit ridiculously mouth filling with thin cake frosting and Ocean Spray performing the balancing-act.  Naugahyde and red velvet cushion an icy spray of mountain waterfall, prior sex and black walnut.  So perfect and so positively Alexander Valley.

2009 SAPPHIRE HILL Cabernet Sauvignon Alexander Valley Sonoma County 14.5

www.sapphirehill.com