2015 Band of Vintners, Consortium Cabernet Sauvignon – Another Great Find!
(picture from Consortium website)
Pulled this previously untasted wine from the cellar this last week. First, this bottle had been cellared for two and an half years. It was recommended in article I read. So what is the Band of Vintners? It is a group of Napa Valley friends with over four decades of winemaking and wine knowledge. They created a wine due to one simple fact, that high quality wines can be both delicious and affordable. They banded their resources and formed the resulting company of Consortium, Band of Vintners. Knowing a couple of the members and having tasted their wines, I figured it was a sure bet to purchase a couple of bottles!
The 2015 vintage was dark red on the eyes and medium to medium heavy viscosity. On the nose and palate, black licorice, caramel pipe tobacco and blueberries abounded. The structure and finish was more than acceptable and long lasting. The winemakers’ comments stated it could be cellared for 5 to 10 years. This being the 5th year, it popped up to be tasted. The wine is comprised of 93% Cabernet, 4% Merlot and 3% Cabernet Franc. It was aged 15 months in French oak barrels (no mention of new verses old). Now the kicker: The list price is $40 and wineaccess.com has the current vintage (2017) for $33! Their vintages get typically 91 to 93 points.
I think this is a solid wine for newbies to cut their teeth into good quality wine from Napa Valley. It has some of the key components of wine two and three times the cost. It is also a wonderful price point wine for everyday consumption. The Band of Vintners have achieved their goal in making their wine delicious and affordable. Wish I had purchased more than two bottles!
Slainte,
Michael
https://californiawinesandwineries.com
https://www.bandofvintners.com/
California Wines & Wineries 