While Lyeth may not be a well know name in the world of casual wine drinking the companion brands from the family behind the brand are very well known, see the accompanying video for a brief introduction to Boisset Family Estates. Let me be right up front, I am very conflicted about the 2010 L de Lyeth Cabernet Sauvignon. On one hand it is a fun drinking fruitful dry red wine that was still interesting several days after uncorking. On the other hand it doesn’t have a lot of layers in the flavor profile and has a fairly abrupt ending in the finish. It seems the winery is equally uncertain about the strength of this wine, the winery notes emphasize its role in the company’s blends, not as a wine on its own merit. With that said, here is what I found in the bottle.
In the glass this is a beautiful deep red in the light, a color that would fit on the palette wheel of any artist, however the best is yet to come. Give it a swirl and let some air into the wine, what comes up out of the glass is a full nose of fruit, cherry and black raspberry flowing into your senses, some might want to linger awhile at that point. For those who thirst prepare for Cabernet Sauvignon of varietal correctness, no blending of other grapes here to add to or fill out the flavor profile, what you get are some textbook Cab flavors. Black currant, a touch of spiciness and tar with hints of black cherry the flavors wrap around each other giving a presentation of dark fruit intensity. The tannins are very smooth and refined moving into a touch of acidity that persists and lingers for awhile, but then just stops, leaving me wondering what happened. Here this moment, gone the next, a very strange experience on the terminal end.
Not a bad stand alone wine if you want a casual patio snack in the evening this would be a good pairing with some hard cheeses, the classic Cheddar-Cabernet pairing comes to mind, but it would also be interesting with some Manchego if you don’t have a Spanish wine in your inventory. Looking for a dining experience try an entrée like NY Strip or Prime Rib from the butcher’s case, then package it with potatoes, the L de Lyeth Cabernet Sauvignon and a cheese plate to close the meal, you won’t be disappointed.
Don’t look for this label in your grocery store, I put in on the shelf when I worked on Sanibel, but haven’t seen it in other grocery wine aisles, however, at around $12 to $13 it is worth asking for at your favorite wine store. In the end, not a great oh wow experience, but a good value Cabernet that is true to the meaning of what a Sonoma County Cabernet Sauvignon should be and one I would not hesitate to serve at the dinner table.
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