Tasting Robert Craig Wines

I had the privilege of meeting and shaking the hand of Robert Craig this morning through a company wine meeting where I currently work part time. This was an exciting day for me as Robert Craig wines are among my choice favorites, and listening to the man himself talk about his wines and passion for quality and consistency kept my attention like a kid in a candy store.  What a treat it was, tasting our way through 5 award-winning, Bordeaux style, terroir based Cabernets from the mountain and hillside vineyards of Napa Valley. While every winery owner will pitch a good sell on their wine, these fantastic classics will speak for themselves if given the chance.

http://www.robertcraigwine.com/

We tasted first the elegant 2007 Affinity from Robert Craig’s estate vineyard in the foothills south of Stag’s Leap, which showed supple and velvety tannins, an ample display of fruit, with incredible texture and exceptional length (well balanced and substantial for nearly 2 minutes by my watch). The tannins were big enough to expect significant quality from this wine for years to come, yet plush enough to indulge in today.

Next we tasted the 2006 & 2007 Mt Veeder Cabernet Sauvignons. Not to jump ahead of myself, but WOW! What quality and consistency! They’re just a fantastic meld of aromas and flavors of cassis, chocolate, subtle cedar, and a creamy spice. While I found the tannins somewhat similar to the Affinity, each wine and vintage holds its own defining character like no other.

Finally, we tasted the 2006 & 2007 Howell Mountain Cabernet Sauvignons. Once again, exceeding my expectations, a layered explosion of concentrated flavors. And the consistency between the two vintages is just uncanny. This wine is an exceptional treat to revel in today with a premium quality steak, or treasure it like a gem and share over a special anniversary dinner in 20 years. Either way, you won’t be disappointed.

I heard someone say, “these wines are 1^st growth quality for 2^nd growth prices”, and I couldn’t agree more. If you can afford to invest the $45 to $75 it will cost to enjoy these wines on a regular basis, then you’ll love how they’ll compare to quality big named wines at more than twice the price. If you’re budget is a little tighter than that, I’d recommend buying at least one bottle for a special occasion or celebration (a wedding, anniversary, birthday, college graduation, etc.), or as an extraordinary gift for someone very special and close (and hope that they’ll share it with you when they decide to uncork it).