If you have been putting off your Christmas shopping until the last minute, this is the time to get started. Those of you who wait until the last second, no worries: you still have next week to get shopping. For the wine lovers on your list, here are a couple of new California Cabernet Sauvignons that will be sure to make the wine geeks on your list very happy. These wines are from two of Napa Valley’s finest Cabernet growing regions, Mount Veeder and Diamond Mountain, and are both part of the Jackie series of wines. These are wonderful wines that are named for Jackie Bailes, the daughter of ABC Fine Wine & Spirits founder, Jack Holloway…and by the way, ABC is celebrating their 75^th Anniversary this year. Congratulations!

 The 2009 vintage Cabernet Sauvignon from Diamond Mountain is made from 100 percent Cabernet.  The grapes were picked without the use of a spectrometer, the tool that measures sugar(brix) levels of a grape. These grapes were tasted to reveal to the vineyard manager the ripeness levels that he desired.  The wine lives up to the richness you would come to expect from Diamond Mountain fruit. A lovely nose of fruit, rosemary, and thyme; and on the palate flavors  brimming with ripe, rich red berries with a long, lush, highly structured tannic finish.

 The 2009 Mount Veeder Cabernet is also made from 100 percent Cabernet Sauvignon, but this wine shows more extracted, dark fruit character and beautiful aromas of blackberries, mocha and mint. A round, ripe mouthfeel reveals flavors of black fruits, spice, ripe plums, and integrated tannins with a spicy, leathery finish. These are very powerful, yet elegant, wines that show how good California wines can be at the attractive price of $29.99 on sale.

 The Jackie Cabernets don’t stay on the shelves very long, so if you are looking for a can’t miss wine gift, get going…

 Ken Amendola, North Florida Wine Supervisor