This Cabernet receives a touch of Amarone-like treatment with 20% of the grapes dried for eight weeks before pressing....

Mitolo Jester Cabernet 2004 McLaren Vale, Australia $22
We Bought a Bunch $18.99
What the Wine Critics Thought: Wine Advocate 91 Points
It is hard to find a better Cabernet for the price. It is a dense ruby/purple-tinged offering displaying loads of roasted meat, black currant, and plum aromas, deep, medium to full-bodied flavors, sweet tannin, and an expansive, savory texture. This is a stunning Cabernet Sauvignon to drink over the next 7-8 years.

What We Thought: Plenty of brambly, dark fruit on nose leads to a mega-ripe, full-bodied palate of blackberry and ripe plum supported by very light tannins. A very soft, ripe Cabernet that's ready to drink now.

March 14, 2007