We opened a bottle of the 2017 Hayes Valley Cabernet Sauvignon about a week ago, to accompany a Delmonico steak. Everyone – that would be my wife, Patty, and me – agreed: “Great wine.” I was a bit fearful of the choice. Low-cost California cabs can be a bit one-dimensional; not bad, but lacking in complexity and nuance. Not so the Hayes Valley from California’s Central Coast (in an area called – duh! – Hayes Valley). As one reviewer (Jim Gordon of Wine Enthusiast) remarked, accurately: “Extremely well balanced and appetizing, this screw-capped wine combines absolutely fresh black-cherry flavors with mild oak accents and energizes them with good fruit acidity and moderate tannins. It is medium to full bodied, and will make a lively pairing with a wide variety of dishes.” He rated it 91 points (“EXCELLENT Highly recommended”) and I concur. One retailer offers it at $9.99. A few others make it available for about $1 more.
