Lot 35
2005 Yountville Cabernet

CAMERON HUGHES NEWS Fans of Cameron Hughes wines know that many of them offer extremely good value. Hughes buys small lots of high-end wine that the wineries aren't using, blends them, bottles them and labels each with a lot number. The wines are sold through the company's Web site, www.chwine.com, and at Costco. Three new Napa Valley cabernets are either at Costco stores already or will show up in the next few weeks. All are $14 through the Web site (and available now) but will sell for about $12 at Costco. The 2005 Lot 34 Cabernet Sauvignon is from Rutherford. It was my favorite of the three, offering dark cherry and black currant flavors, accented by notes of olive and sage. The 2005 Lot 35, from Yountville, is a medium-weight wine with black cherry fruit and some savory nuances. The 2005 Lot 36 returns to Rutherford; it displays plump black cherry, a slight herbal note and good balance. All are great values. The Cameron Hughes wines tend to sell out quickly at Costco, but they're available longer on the Web site. To sign up for e-mail notifications about Costco availability, go to www.chwine.com.

Five questions with Cameron Hughes of Cameron Hughes Wine If you’re into wine, Cameron Hughes is a name that will most likely be well known to you at this point. For the uninitiated, Cameron Hughes is what is known in the industry as a wine negociant, only with a twist. Cameron Hughes focuses on buying small available ‘lots’ of premium wine, doing a bit of blending and then selling the wine directly to his retailers. What does this mean for the consumer? Premium wines without the traditional premium price tag. We tracked down Mr. Cameron Hughes himself and asked him a few questions–read on to learn more about his company’s business model, the upcoming release of Lot 33, a Spring Mountain Cabernet, the company’s plans to add more chains to its distribution model and more…

Some people paint by numbers. Cameron Hughes wants you to drink wine by numbers. The concept is simple: Hughes tracks small lots of super- and ultra-premium wine in bulk to blend and bottle under his label. The result is a wine that tastes much more expensive than its price tag. And it gives neophyte wine drinkers an affordable shot at top-notch wine. Cameron Hughes Wine will soon have a much stronger presence in Florida. Beginning July 20, CHWine will be available in 16 Costco locations around the state, including Orlando (NW), South Orlando, East Orlando (Winterpark), and Altamonte Springs. Cameronst_3 The industry term for merchants such as Hughes and their businesses is wine negociant. Negociants have been around for a long time, first as middlemen who sold or shipped wine as wholesalers. The definition of the profession expanded as negociants became more involved with various aspects of getting wine into bottles. (In France, some of the better-known negociants are Barton & Guestier, Calvet, Cordier, Moueix and Sichel, according to Wine Lover's Companion.) Hughes' lot system sets him apart. "All the component wines that make up a lot have been blended together in one tank and bottled under that lot number. When the lot is gone, it's gone," the California entrepreneur explains. "Other negociants bottle different wines under the same label, so quality can be inconsistent." Hughes' lots sell out quickly. So quickly, in fact, that fans subscribe to e-mail alerts that tell when a new lot will be sold at www.chwine.com. "People can be so intimidated by wine. I wanted to create great wines at great prices," says Hughes. "I'm helping people make good choices and enjoy good wines." In July, Costco receieved three lots, Lot 26 (an 06 SB from New Zealand, price $9), Lot 35 ('05 Yountville Cab, price $12 ), and Lot 36 ('05 Rutherford Cab, price $12). Cameron's favorite lot so far? "That's hard. They are all great quality. But I've never forgotten Lot 7," he says of the 2002 Knights Valley Cabernet Sauvignon. "It's the closest to my heart. That wine was over the top." So what happens when the lot numbers reach, say, 99? "I have no idea," Hughes says with a laugh. "Maybe we'll keep going."

Decanted and open for 2 hrs prior to tasting. Nice dark maroon color. Clove, currant, and pronounced "grape soda" nose. Flavors are a little subdued because of its youth: this baby is still wound pretty tight. Vanilla, maple, and cherry come through on the palate. Good acid and tannins. A little flabby in the middle and not integrated but should pull together nicely in 2-3 years and drink really well from 2011 to 2015.

Well tonight I am trying the Cameron Hughes Lot 35 and can say it goes quite well with garlic meatloaf and angel-hair pasta. The nose is subtle but of fruit and a hint of oak. On the initial taste I got a pleasant but strong grape juice and hints of raspberry and more oak. The tannins are evident but controlled and the wine is fairly concentrated. As the wine sat through dinner it seemed to improve from the initial taste right out of my wine cooler. With the evident concentration of juice, this age should age nicely and mellow. The Costco salesperson suggested best aged 5 - 10 years and I believe it. I would definitely pick up the CH Lot 35 again or try another Cameron Hughes wine from Costco in the the future. You might want to do the same for your next big or small dinner.

I don't know where I first heard about the Cameron Hughes Wine, but it was probably in one of the discussion groups listed below. I remember looking for some of the hard-to-find, wine club only wines that are frequently mentioned in the discussion boards. I heard good things about Cameron Hughes wines and saw that their price was very low compared to many of the wineries that sell their wines by subscription. There was a story here, and I couldn't make it out initially. Until I saw their website. http://www.chwine.com/. Cameron Hughes Wines is not a winery. They own no property planted with rows of verdant vines along dusty trails or mountain ranges. They own no crush facilities or fermentation plant. They work out of an office and on the road sourcing grapes from vineyard owners. Cameron Hughes Wines is a phantom producer of wines. They make their wines at facilities all across the world, from the US to Austrailia to New Zealand and they use the facilities of the places that grow the grapes, and they cut out the middleman and the distributor. If you want an education on how the cost of wine increases as every level in the process of production comes in touch with the product, see the Cameron Hughes website. Anyway, they obtain the surplus grapes from many super-premium wineries and blend them at the sites to come up with wine that they feel is superior quality at a low price. I've had just one bottle so far, after buying a case of mixed lots. The bottle was VERY young, almost too young to drink. It needed several hours to settle and let the flavor of the wine come forward. As the bottle went on, it was getting better and better. All for $14. They claim that the grapes that go into the bottle of wine come from a vineyard that sells their wine from $60/bottle and up. That's a good QPR for me! Here's the funny part of the story......Cameron Hughes does not only sell their wines online. They do have a distribution channel: COSTCO. Yep, big box Costco, with their 10-14% markups are a perfect combination with the discount producer of super-premium wines! If you are reading this from a state that allows wine sales in Costco, run out and get a case of Lot 35 or 36 Cabernets. The Cameron Hughes story is just one of the many ways to introduce you all to wines you might never have heard of. You have to be a little adventurous to buy wines you've never tasted, but at $10-20 max. prices......its worth the chance.

WINE OF THE TIMES CELEBRATED MAVERICK WINE NEGOCIANT, CAMERON HUGHES OF THE ULTRA HIP BOUTIQUE CAMERON HUGHES WINE, POURS OVER THE BEST OF THE SEASON Wine of the Times We all know that the holidays aren’t just about mistletoe, elves and eggnog. A fair bit of stress seems to accompany this otherwise jolly time of year—usually in the form of party planning, gift giving and in-laws. That said, here are some wines that will take the edge off your holiday season, make impressive gifts and knock the socks off your relatives as well. A few of my holiday favorites include buttery California Chardonnays, bold Napa Cabernets, smoky Central Coast Syrahs and, of course, sparkling wine. Here, I highlight some of the best higher end and great value wines, guaranteed to help you sip the life fantastic this season. CHARDONNAY Goes well with lobster, seafood and fettucine alfredo. Cameron Hughes Wine Lot 57 2005 Carneros Chardonnay, $12.99 Not yet rated Rich fruit notes of pear, peaches and vanilla with hints of butterscotch permeate through this very well-balanced wine. Rombauer 2005 Carneros Chardonnay, $30.00 92 points, Wine Spectator This rich and full-bodied, Chardonnay opens up with peach, apple, and tropical aromas then tastefully tapers off with peaches and oak on the mid-palate. CABERNET SAUVIGNON Best with roast beef and steaks. Cameron Hughes Wine Lot 35 Yountville Cabernet, $14.00 Not yet rated This Cabernet with a Bordeaux-like structure is introduced with blueberry, blackberry flavors with a tang of eucalyptus. A dusty earth emerges with black cherries, currant and sage. Sterling 2003 Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon, $25.00 86 points, Wine Spectator A mix of currant, spice, cedar and mineral, this Cabernet has a pleasant aftertaste. SYRAH The perfect wine to accompany your Thanksgiving turkey. Cameron Hughes Wine Lot 53 Edna Valley Syrah, $10.99 Not yet rated Featuring lush, bold black fruit with rich mouth feel, this well-structured Syrah has soft tannins that give it a great balance. Rosenblum 2004 Syrah Hillside Vineyards, $26.99 89 points, Wine Spectator This powerful red has a combination of black fruit, sweet herbs and smoke. SPARKLING WINE Perfect with cracked crab, shellfish and truffled popcorn. Cameron Hughes Wine Lot 25 1998 Carneros Sparkling Wine, $21.00 90 points, Wine Enthusiast This sparkler, stars with white peach, honeysuckle and orange blossom. A toasty vanilla, green apple and pear on the mid-palate, make this wine well-balanced and very affordable. Veuve Cliquot Brut Yellow Label Champagne, $40.00 90 points, Wine Adovocate This well-balanced champagne is fresh with fruit and brioche notes. Domaine Carneros La Rêve Carneros 1998 Sparkling Wine, $55.00 90 points, Wine Spectator Spicy pear, hazelnut and light touches of lemon-lime, citrus and Granny Smith apple flavor this higher-end sparkling wine. Cameron Hughes Wine believes that excellent wine should be available at a value price. The company, which buys small lots of high-end premium wine and blends them together, sells directly to the retailers minus the winery, distributor and wholesaler—hence the great price. Cameron Hughes Wine is also the first American negociant company to be 100% carbon neutral, working with the Carbon Fund to completely eliminate the carbon emissions generated by its business as a result of travel, freight and customer shipping.

For centuries, many fine French wines have been sold by négociants -- business people who buy wine in bulk or bottle from small vineyards, apply their own labels and sell it to the world. It works well for wineries too small to afford individual distributors. Now that system is catching on in the United States. One such American négociant is Cameron Hughes, a 35-year-old San Francisco entrepreneur who buys wines around the world, adds his own label and sells them online and in 150 Costco warehouse stores, including 10 in South Florida. His prices: $12 to $20. ''I can keep the prices low because I have no equipment -- not even a barrel -- and no inventory,'' Hughes says. ``We're totally virtual.'' Here's how it works: Hughes and three winemakers working for him seek out unneeded wine from top wineries from California's Napa Valley to Australia's Barossa Valley. They buy it in tanks, rent time from nearby wineries to blend and bottle it, then send it directly to customers. A winery making $100-a-bottle wine, for example, might have some grapes that don't quite measure up, so they sell them to Hughes. 'It might not make a great $100 wine, but it makes a smokin' $20 wine,'' he says. Then there are years when great weather simply turns out too much wine. ''We're swimming in 2005 cabernet sauvignon,'' he says. Hughes won't say which wineries he buys from, but he describes the circumstances for each wine. For his Wine Lot 39, a shiraz-viognier blend from Australia, Hughes says he and his partner visited the winery and helped decide on the final blend. For his Wine Lot 57, a chardonnay from the Napa Valley, his winemaker blended five lots from two producers in Napa's southern Carneros area, where fogs blowing up from the San Francisco Bay keep the weather cool to preserve the crispness of the wines. You can learn if a Costco near you stocks Hughes' wines or order online, at chwine.com.

Cameron Hughes takes home five medals in the Los Angeles International Wine and Spirits competition! BEST OF CLASS, GOLD MEDAL Cabernet Sauvignon Lot 35 Yountville District 2005 GOLD MEDAL Cabernet Sauvignon Lot 61 McLaren Vale 2006 SILVER MEDAL Chardonnay Lot 68 Margaret River 2007 SILVER MEDAL Malbec Lot 52 Valle de Uco, Mendoza 2006 SILVER MEDAL Rose Rose of Garnacha, Lot 37 Campo de Borja DO 2006

Tasted by Adam'n Eve it! on 6/20/2008 & rated 95 points: So happy to have the chance to enjoy Lot 35 again since I first discovered it (see 9/19/2007 below), I was at first surprised to see this lot reprised at the local COSTCO; and then ... I got giddy and greedy (see my photo of two cases, attached). Many thanks.