Back in October, when Hubby and I both started our new jobs, everything seemed to happen very quickly.  I was working on a major project, so I gave two and a half weeks notice to allow for enough time to finish what I was working on and transition my portfolio over to a coworker.  Three days after I started my job, Hubby started his, and we both hit the ground running.  Once we were settled into the new routines, Thanksgiving was here, and it occurred to me that we never actually celebrated the exciting changes.

So, two weeks ago, Hubby made us a nice dinner and I opened a bottle of 2006 Chateau Montelena.  I used my going away presents, U.S. House of Representatives wine glasses and a U.S. House of Representatives corkscrew, for the first time, as I was waiting for the perfect opportunity to break them in.

2006 Chateau Montelena Cabernet Sauvignon

The 2006 Chateau Montelena Cabernet Sauvignon (winery, snooth) was a nice, deep ruby.  On the nose, there big blackberries, plums, and blackcurrants, mixed with cloves, cedar, and cinnamon.  The wine almost smelled like a warm campfire.  In the mouth, there were blackberries, plums, cedar, and cloves.  The wine had high alcohol, medium tannins, and a medium body.

Is this worth a glass after work? Sure…you won’t be drinking anything out of the ordinary, but you’ll have a decent, reliable glass of wine. At $79, this wine was enjoyable, although a little off balance.  When I poured the wine, I was excited because the nose offered a complexity and depth that I couldn’t wait to taste.  In the mouth, though, the wine just left something to be desired.  When I spend that much money on a bottle of wine, I want it to knock my socks off, and this bottle just didn’t do that.  It was good, and paired nicely with the steaks and sautéed broccoli that Hubby made for dinner.  I’m glad I tried the wine because it’s one that has been on my list for a long time, but for $79, I want more than a “good” wine, I want to be blown away.  Unfortunately, it just wasn’t a $79 bottle of wine for me.

Price: $79
Purchased at: Grand Cru Wine Bar & Euro Café
Overall: 3 Cork