Lot 47
2005 Diamond Mountain Cabernet

2005 Cameron Hughes Lot 47 Cabernet Sauvignon, Diamond Mountain, Lot 47 An Editors' choice. 91 pts. This wine has the solid tannins the mountain is known for, and ripe flavors of blackberries, currants, cherries and chocolate, enriched with new oak. At twenty bucks, and with a low production, it’s a stunning value. With real elegance and even ageworthiness, it’s one of the best at its price point available now. 2005 Cameron Hughes Lot 43 Zinfandel, Dry Creek Valley A Best Buy. 87 pts. Dry and high-alcohol voluptuous, with appealingly forward cherry, blackberry and cola flavors, and a complex, spicy finish. The rich tannins make it perfect with flank steak and short ribs. 2005 Cameron Hughes Lot 48 Meritage Bordeaux Blend, Napa Valley, A Best Buy. 87 pts. A really good Merlot-based blend, rich in cherry, blackberry, anise and smoky oak flavors, and shows a sophistication that’s elegant enough to pair with fine food. Should be easy to find, with 7,000 cases.

A lot of wine for the price 2005 Cameron Hughes Lot 39 Shiraz, Barossa, Australia, about $12. Check the archives at the side of this page and you'll find that I've written about Cameron Hughes several times previously. It's a trading company out of California that buys small lots of wine from around the world and bottles it under its own label. That means that you may not be able to find this specific wine (it's a typically bold and dense expression of Shiraz from the Barossa) because its produced in small quantities. But in my experience the quality of wines offered by the company have been quite high, and they tend to be good bargains, so it's a label worth checking out. I'm also a fan of their new 2005 Lot 47 Cabernet Sauvignon from the Diamond Mountain district in Napa.

Five medals won at the Riverside International Wine Competition! Cameron Hughes Wine GOLD MEDAL: Cabernet Sauvignon, Lot 61 2006 McLaren Vale, Australia SILVER MEDAL: Malbec, Lot 52 2006 Argentina SILVER MEDAL: Cabernet Sauvignon, Lot 47 2005 Diamond Mountain District BRONZE MEDAL: Syrah, Lot 67 2005 Russian River Valley BRONZE MEDAL: Cabernet Sauvignon, Lot 71 2004 Alexander Valley