The cabernets from Saddleback Cellars are usually outstanding.  They used to be hard as hens teeth to find, and still are to a large extent.  Wine Spectator Magazine gave the 2003 vintage a lukewarm review, and I believe this has had an impact on the wine's availablity.  In other words, you can find it easier now.  So many people these days will only by a wine with a 90+ rating from Wine Spectator that it's getting ridiculous.  Fortunately for many of us, this means that previously hard to find wines are now available, and prices are kept in check.  Keep in mind that all of the scores for California Cabernet in Wine Spectator are generated by a single individual, and just because he doesn't care for something by no means indicates that the wine is bad.  Personally, I have found that my palate rarely is in sync with the WineSpectator's California Cab critic the last few years, and many friends who I enjoy wines with are also finding that the published scores for these wines are off base.  But back to the topic at hand.

The 2003 Saddleback Cellars Cabernet was extremely good.  The wine boasts an impressive almost intoxicating bouquet, plenty of casis and blackberry on the palate, and silky tannin finishing well.

The wine gets 3.75 stars now, but may push into the 4 star range with another year or two in bottle.

The wine retails for $50, but can be found at Wine House in Los Angeles for $40.  Most restaurants that feature the wine charge about 2 to 3 times retail.  The wine is currently on the wine list at Mille Fleurs for about 90 dollars, I believe.

 

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