2001 ZD Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley

[wondersofwine]

14.5% alcohol I paid $30 or less several years ago and popped for two bottles.

Back label: "This Cabernet Sauvignon is a blend of Napa Valley vineyards that produce low-yielding, intensely favored fruit. Gentle punching during fermentation and small barrel aging has contributed to maximize varietal character while maintaining a soft balance."

Purple-red color, dense in the center, thinning to a crimson rim. Blackberry fruit and pine needles on the nose; blackberries and other dark fruits on the palate. Very juicy without noticeable tannins. My bottles may have matured early due to passive storage at about 70 degrees F. but it certainly seems fully ready to drink.

I had two glasses with a takeout spaghetti and meat sauce from a church youth fundraiser. It was quite delicious with the meat sauce and garlic bread. I also sampled the ZD Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve from 2001 at a California barrel tasting at the Watergate Hotel. I was even more impressed with the reserve C.S. but found it to be beyond my budget so ordered 2 bottles of the regular. I wish I had a half-case of it. Is this a Burgundy drinker's Cabernet? Possibly. ZD stands for zero defects (among other things such as winemakers' names) and I find it hard to find any defects in this wine.