Cheaper cabernet sauvignon on the way?

California continues to struggle with a glut of grapes, particularly the vaunted cabernet sauvignon. The growing crops bode well for consumers, but not necessary grape growers who are searching for buyers in a market interrupted by the corona virus.

In the last two decades, vintners have ripped out their merlot and replanted with cabernet sauvignon to address the trend to California’s top cash crop. But that change has resulted in more bulk cabernet and more coming as young vines mature.

Top producers are unlikely to make more wine because it can destabilize the lofty prices they charge. More likely, they could sell off more of their estate grapes. If they don’t have estate vineyards, it is unlikely they will buy more grapes from the glut. Cameron Hughes, who often scarves up these excess grapes, will have a field day selling wine from top vineyards at reduced prices (with the promise he won’t name the source).

Other producers of inexpensive wines will find better quality at reduced prices. Those of us who buy wines in the $15-20 category mostly likely will be buying better wine at the same price.

Old school Napa Valley cabernet sauvgnon

I was listening to a fascinating podcast -- Levi Dalton's "I'll Drink to That" -- about the evolution of cabernet sauvignon in Napa Valley. Dalton was interviewing Ray Coursen, founder of Elyse Winery, who has been around to see a lot of style changes.

Coursen said that in the old days growers couldn't get cabernet to ripen and had to plant vineyards too far south. Global warming has changed that and today the northern vineyards are producing more alcoholic wines. That and the increased use of new French oak barrels has created a new flavor profile.  In chardonnay, those coconut, clove and vanilla flavors come from the oak; in red wine, you taste vanilla, mocha, caramel, toffee and spice.

Coursen said that in 2000 he experimented with less oak influence and found his wines "old school Napa Valley." Only 60 percent of the wine was exposed to oak and part of it was put back into old barrels just to round off the flavors. In addition, Coursen kept the wine in bottle for another 18 months before it was released. 

I too enjoy wines less exposed to new barrels. They still have the tannins, although they are more fine, but the wines are approachable and unmasked. Classic.

I had just tasted through a bunch of Napa Valley cabernets, so it was interesting to see who was still putting all of their wine in new French oak. There weren't many -- in fact, most of the producers were exposing well under 50 percent of their wine to new oak.