Vacation Wine

Springfield Estate, "Whole Berry" Cabernet Sauvignon 2002 ($20) - Robertson, South Africa; Estate Bottled. Many times customers rave about some wine they discovered on vacation and I try to find it here in Cincinnati. I usually don't burst their bubble by suggesting that perhaps the wine tasted so good because they were on vacation (no work, no deadlines, great food, good company and beautiful scenery). In the same vein, I have heard that wine in Italy doesn't give you a headache, but probably that is more due to not having to get up at 7am to go to work.

A customer found this wine in South Africa on their honeymoon and loved it. I tried to find it in Ohio, but West Virginia was the closest retailer as it is not distributed in Ohio. After a six hour drive on Saturday, the customer had got his case and another case for me as I had, on blind faith, ordered this wine. (I am not mentioning names here as this wine is technically contraband and I don't want to get anyone in trouble. Such are the liquor laws in 2005!)

This wine has a bouquet of fruit aromas with warm tasty fruit flavors and a medium finish. There were tannins present but, unlike a typical California Cab, there was a good underlying acidity that would make this a good food wine. Overall a good wine and worth the drive to West Virginia for a wine adventure and some great memories.