Wine: 2007 Philip Togni Cabernet Sauvignon
Region: California
Sokolin Price: $99.95
Rating: 95 RP / 96+ Our Table to Yours
The quality of California Cabernet Sauvignons has been compared to the great wines of Bordeaux's finest Chateaux for at least the last 5 decades. It reminds us of the 1976 Paris wine tasting that was a true testament to the quality of California wines. It was very well portrayed in the recent movie "Bottle Shock."
Right now in the wine industry, a lot of eyes are on the seemingly magical 2007 California, Napa Valley, Cabernets. The best critics, wine makers, and of course, consumers are raving about them.
Could the 2007 vintage be the greatest one ever produced in the Napa Valley? Will it elevate the standard and become the benchmark for all vintages to follow? This was the subject of an article by James Laube in the most recent issue of Wine Spectator titled "Napa's Greatest Vintage." The article applauded the 2007 Cabernets, stating that the Cabs "reach new heights of quality" - James Laube.
With that, out came the cork (POP!) on a bottle of 2007 Philip Togni Cabernet Sauvignon, later that evening. This wine was paired with a lavish and savory 10-hour slow cooked pork loin, sliced baby carrots and fresh Yukon golden potatoes. This meal was the perfect complement to the complex, yet elegant and graceful wine that left us wondering why we hadn't opened this bottle sooner. The inky/purple wine was beyond loaded with layers of jam, berries, currant and chocolate covered cherries, and had a lot to offer at its young age. Well balanced with just the right amount of acidity, it racked up an impressive 96+ points from us, had the perfect palate coating and a long lasting finish of at least 60+ seconds. We will be talking about this wine for some time.
In our previous articles, we tasted first-hand the California Pinot Noirs that were also above and beyond the quality of any other vintage we have tasted. It seems that the 2007 Cabernet Sauvignons join the 2007 Pinots as being some of the best ever produced.
The 2007 Philip Togni Cabernet Sauvignon is definitely reminiscent of Bordeaux, and Robert Parker makes note of this in his review - "Togni's wines always have a Bordeaux-like structure" - Robert Parker. Mimicking the style of the Bordelais, the 2007 Philip Togni Cabernet Sauvignon should age well for the next two decades. Sounds like some top-notch Bordeaux, right?
Our recommendation: Compare this to a 95 point Robert Parker rated Bordeaux when it comes to price, and you will see why this is a perfect wine to sip fire-side as days go by and the weather gets cooler, without hurting the wallet all that much. If you haven't gotten around to buying it yet, now is the perfect time. Buy a six pack or case, have a bottle now and lay down the rest. What a fabulous surprise you'll find years later!