Savvy wine buy: Rutherford Ranch ‘97 Cabernet Sauvignon

Wednesday, Dec. 20, 2000 | 9:41 a.m.

Everyone knows that Cabernet Sauvignon reigns supreme as California's premier grape, and indeed this excellent, well-priced bottle adds to the grape's powerful mystique. This wine has been honored with a reasonably high mark of 89 out of 100 in the Wine Spectator, so it is a surprise to find it being sold at this low price. It's a nicely oaked wine with lots of red fruit and a smooth, long finish. The tannins may soften even more during the next couple of years, so this is also a wine that you can put in the cellar until it reaches its peak, which won't be too far off.

Available at Spirits Plus, $11.39 (Spirits Plus will close next month, so buy this soon).

-- Max Jacobson

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