TN: 07 Forefront Cabernet Sauvignon [Napa]

07 Forefront Cabernet Sauvignon [Napa] I’ve never had this before, and it seems to be an entry level, 2nd label bottling from Pine Ridge. I cannot tell if its really allowed to use the Napa designation; it doesn’t seem to state a formal AVA, although discloses county sources. And its not pure CS either, so someone must be parsing the AVA rules precisely since its only 87% Napa, and there is some undisclosed (at least on the label) amount of Syrah in as well. I thought to be a varietal label one needed to 85% monovarietal? I wonder if its even all 2007 now that I think about these curious facts. 14.1% abv, fairly big, candied, low acid with a nose of boysenberry syrup. No tannins. It is made in a popular style, but for whatever reasons, I didn’t really care for it, even if I can objectively agree that its a solid, easy drinker. I think I have one more, and it’ll be a party/ski trip quaffer for friends who are not Francophiles. Fully bodied, heavy on the palate, I get the tactile sensation of something fried in oil that was a touch too cold, like soggy tempura. It’s a B- for my palate. I have not had many 2007 Napa CS, but just from reading others notes, I don’t get the sense that this is a bellwether.

Finished the other 07 Pineridge Forefront CS [Napa] as a quaffer tonight, and it was guzzled up. I’ll grant that it does fit the profile of party/kitchen slurper well. And it’s priced pretty modestly. For my money I’d rather have Pineridge’s pretty solid chenin blanc and other white grapes blend, but this fit the bill tonight. Drink up if for some reason this is still in your racks. Still dark, a touch of tannin, but its is not improving.