2007 Ladera Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley

The least expensive effort, and a top value for a Napa Cabernet, is the 2007 Cabernet Sauvignon Napa. A dark ruby/plum-colored blend of 96% Cabernet Sauvignon and the rest Petit Verdot and Malbec, it offers up notes of plums, cassis and blue fruits, silky tannins, a fleshy, ripe style and not a hard edge to be found. This impressive effort is the type of Cabernet Sauvignon that normally costs 2-3 times the price. Drinkable now, this sleeper of the vintage will age for a decade or more. The highly respected Karen Culler is the winemaker for Ladera, who have produced a trifecta of delicious 2007s. Tel. (707) 965-2445; Fax (707) 965-2446