Kenwood Cabernet Sauvignon Jack London Vineyard Sonoma Valley 1997

Reports are coming in that 1997 California cabernet sauvignons, seen as a benchmark vintage, are beginning to fall apart. Not everyone agrees, but plenty of people seem to be glad they are opening their 1997s now and not waiting. (I've also heard that some of the '95s and '96s are beginning to decline, but who knows for sure?) With this in mind, I opened this bottle this evening to go with dinner. Sure, this is a Saturday night wine, but you have to enjoy the good stuff once in a while. And this is definitely good stuff. The color is a lovely garnet with just the slightest hint of brick at the very edges. The nose is full of earthy scents topped by blackcurrant. The flavors have plenty of dark fruit, and it shows good structure with appropriate tannins. The finish is nice and long. Solid 90 points on the WineGeek scale. The MSRP for this wine was $35 a bottle, which seems to be a fair price considering the quality. In fact, given the high prices of many California cabs these days, a 90 point $35 bottle is quite a bargain. If you can find one of these gems, pick it up and enjoy it this month.