One of my favorite restraunts in San Diego, the world for that matter is Cafe Luna in Carmel Mountain Ranch. On a recent trip there, Lisa and I ordered the 2006 Castle Rock Cabernet Reserve . The bottle sells for $42 but you can purchase it retail for $16.
I have eaten at Cafe Luna many times, and this has turned into the wine I order every time. It is very smooth to drink. As usual, I smell mostly pepper and spice. You can really taste the pepper too. it is a rich and easy wine. Lisa gave the wine a 8.5 saying “I like this wine.” I gave it a 7.5 and we obviously would order it again.
Winery thoughts:
For sale by the case. We carefully handcrafted only 2,800 cases of the 2006 Castle Rock Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon. The grapes were harvested from vines grown in the Napa Valley, one of California’s most prestigious grape growing appellations. The wine was fermented and then aged for eighteen months in mainly new French oak barrels which were coopered by Transaud, Vicard and Demptos. Our Castle RockReserve Cabernet Sauvignon is a deliciously full wine loaded with nuance and flavor. It is a deep garnet in color, and has aromas of dark cherry and molasses. On the palate it gives dark fruit flavors with a hint of cedar. The tannins are mellow, and it finishes harmoniously with long-lasting fruit flavors. It is perfect for drinking now, or it can be allowed to age and improve through 2011.