Lot 71
2004 Alexander Valley Cabernet Sauvignon

GREAT Wine under $20 In homage to Dr. Debs (the real Dr. Debs of Good Wine Under $20 fame), I am happy to report that I had a fantastic evening last night at the Cameron Hughes wine reception hosted by Cornelius of Wine 2.0 & RadCru. Most impressive were the Alexander Valley & various Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon selections, poured from the new Lot releases by Cameron himself. Cameron Hughes Wine has made a name for itself as premium quality budget priced wine, widely available at Costco warehouses everywhere. These premium wines average $15 and under, with a few of the more unusual selections hovering around $20. I don't have to tell you, that $15 for a stellar Cabernet from Napa is like having someone forget to add an item on your bill at your favorite restaurant. It almost feels like stealing candy from a baby! How do they do it? Well it's actually a fairly old story of the negociant, a wine merchant who buys grapes or finished wine and slaps their own label on it. IN this case, which amazing results that are different with every lot and every year. Cameron Hughes Wine focuses on buying bits & pieces of leftover super premium wine. Sometimes, wineries don't want a large case production, to create the illusion of scarcity. Sometimes, they just aren't happy with the results. And sometimes, well sometimes I just can't understand dhow they can give up such wonderful elixirs but I"m happy I reap the financial benefits! My highlights from the tasting are: * Lot 71 - 2005 Alexander Valley Cabernet Sauvignon This was my outstanding wine winner of the night, both because of the killer dusty cocoa, tobacco and richness, as well as the stupid cheap price. I pre-ordered 2 bottles of it, but now am kicking myself for not ordering more. $15 (not released yet) * Lot 73 - 2006 Chalk Hill Cabernet Sauvignon A very close 2nd to Alexander Valley, I had a hard time picking my favorite. So I tasted more. And again. And often. Oy the joys of a cab ride home! $16 (not released yet) * Lot ? 2006 Yountville Cabernet Sauvignon This was the first cab we tasted last night, and I thought it would be my favorite. But as we moved down the line, Alex and Chalk just kicked Yountville's little butt. But it was still good, and a screaming value. Hell, all of them are. It's young, and needs to be decanted & held, but for $15? Seriously! * Lot ? Mt. Veeder Cabernet Sauvignon Silly me, I didn't keep my tasting sheet because I turned it in to order, and now can't remember the lot numbers. But this was a tasty tidbit too! I admit, at this point, i sort of lost count because they were so tasty. * Lot 69 Dry Creek Merlot. For me, a typically non Merlot drinker, this wine blew me away. It is a rich & powerful merlot, coming from an area that i wouldn't expect and yet didn't' have that overpowering manipulated feel of most commercial wines. $15 * Lot 67 - 2005 Russian River Syrah A very minty syrah, with a lot of spice. It was a bit tannic for me, and could use a bit more balance but I expect great things in the future. $15 * Lot 49 - 2004 Priorat D.O.Q. This was a surprise, and a really interesting blend that caught my attention quickly as we tasted the large array of wines on the bar. Grenache & Carignane come together to give a taste of Spain in a classic meritage. $20 The moral of the story? Don't prejudge! I have had some of the other CH Wines, and wasn't terribly impressed. However, with the variety of Lots and the amazing Cabernets, I will certainly not shy away in the future.

Tasted by glowe8 on 8/3/2008 & rated 92 points: color....dark and a touch cloudy as if unfiltered. Nose....currants, black fruit, spice, and oak. Taste...wow! Beautifully dark in fruit with incredible balance and follow through. This is without a doubt one of the finest $14 bottles of wine I've had in 25 years of drinking wine. If I had spent $40 I'd still be excited. Sorry guys but I have to score this in the 90s.. If you can find it (bought mine at Costco) go load up the car.

The Winos’ Tasting Series: revisiting the nascent négociant By Jesse on September 30, 2008 The Winos remain rabid devotees to the pursuit and discovery of quality bottles at approachable price-points. That’s why we were pleased as punch to recently receive another case of wines from the good people at Cameron Hughes. On a recent Friday, several Winos wound their way up the precipitous slopes of the Santa Monica Mountains to indulge in the lineup at Erik’s legendary hideout in the hills. As we learned when we tasted a few of the eponymous producer’s offerings back in April, Cameron Hughes is helping to redefine the notion of a négociant (a French term referring to a wine broker/blender) for a new generation of savvy drinkers. Instead of concentrating on achieving quantity within one region, though, his company sources small lots of high-quality juice from top-tier producers around the globe and bottles them in anonymous packaging, save for a “lot number.” The other edge of the Cameron Hughes sword, however, is that when a certain “lot” of wine is gone, it’s gone — naturally, then, the Winos approached this particular evening’s drinking with a heightened sense of urgency. This tasting re-affirmed the conclusion we drew last time we tasted Cameron Hughes: the wines are typically very solid values, some of which we find we like more or less than others. As in the case of the Lot 71 Cab, though, the label sometimes manages to exceed all of our expectations in terms of delivering outstanding wine at a very impressive price. We definitely look forward to the next lineup. The tasting over, several Winos donned bathing suits and took a midnight dip in the pool. That proving a bit chillier of an experience than might be considered pleasant, Erik’s grotto-like bathtub beckoned to a small few of us who didn’t mind the tight quarters and quasi-homoerotic undertones. Photos were taken of that portion of the evening, but these will not be appearing on this website, nor hopefully any other.

Dunne on Wine: Value wine can offer quality, too • Cameron Hughes 2004 Sonoma County Alexander Valley Lot 71 Cabernet Sauvignon (14.5 percent alcohol, $13, Costco): Cabernet sauvignon isn't my first choice for the Thanksgiving table, but guests expect it, and this modestly priced take, from an appellation where the grape performs as well as anyplace, is bright, juicy, supple and blessed with the suggestions of eucalyptus and mint that distinguish cabernets.

5 Stars. (92 pts.) Cameron Hughes Lot 71 Alexander Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2004 (California). In the glass, the wine is a bright, deep ruby all the way to the edge; the nose exhibits an interesting mix of baked black cherry, with spice notes;solid weight and texture on the palate is supported with plenty of black, ripe fruit; the acid is well-balanced and the finish is quite lengthy.