Happy Father's Day!

Great Cabernets, gifts, stories and more for dear old Dad

Laurie Woolever
Posted: June 13, 2007

Father's Day, the day we celebrate the men who helped make us who we are, is this Sunday, June 17. It's a weekend to toast your father with great food, great memories and, most of all, great wines.

Fathers and Sons in the World of Wine

In many cases, making, selling and collecting wine is a family affair. We've got three great stories about some father-and-son teams: Marcel and Philippe Guigal of the Northern Rhône's E. Guigal and Château d'Ampuis wineries; a profile of Alain and Maxime Graillot, the father and son behind Alain Graillot and Equis, respectively; and avid wine collectors Mike and Andy Levitt.

Gifts

Still looking for a gift that will please your wine-loving dad, but won't break the bank? Built offers some nearly indestructible one- and two-bottle wine totes that are insulated, machine-washable and good-looking (prices start at $15 for the one-bottle tote). And Piper-Heidsieck is now offering its Brut Champagne (89 points, $35) in a specially-designed isothermal "Cool Box" that will keep a chilled bottle cold for two hours without gathering condensation. (For more gift ideas, check out our gift guide from the May 31, 2007, issue of Wine Spectator, with plenty of gifts—an 18-bottle wine tower, break-resistant stemware, some excellent hams and cheeses—suitable for wine- and food-loving dads and grads.)

Treating Dad Right

For those of you interested in helping your father stay his healthiest, we've got plenty of great wine-and-health stories for you both to read. Check out our recent report about the correlation between the Mediterranean diet and decreased pulmonary disease and much more in our Wine and Health Resource Center.

Planning a trip to visit dear old Dad? Our newly redesigned Hotel Search can help you find the best accommodations in your area. Maybe you'd like to take Dad out for some great food and wine, aided by our extensive list of Wine Spectator Award—winning restaurants. And if you'd rather cook Dad a homemade meal to go with some great wine, give our recipe search and food-and-wine matching tool a try.

A King for the King

And finally, because Cabernet Sauvignon is often called the "King of red grapes," we're sharing notes on a number of recently rated Cabernet Sauvignons and Cabernet-based blends from a variety of regions.

Wine	Score	Price
QUILCEDA CREEK Cabernet Sauvignon Columbia Valley 2004	95	$100
Velvety and generous. A supple, insinuating style, with coffee and bittersweet chocolate accents around a beautifully contained core of ripe currant, plum and cherry fruit. Has great presence, balance and harmony. The finish expands impressively against a veil of firm tannins and well-integrated oak flavors. Best from 2010 through 2020. Tasted twice, with consistent notes. 3,400 cases made. From Washington. —H.S.
CAYMUS Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley Special Selection 2004	94	$136
A superb Cabernet that's ripe, plush and deeply concentrated, with tiers of currant, plum, blackberry and spicy, cedary oak. Firmly tannic, lively and deep, revealing extra flavor nuances on the long, engaging finish. Best from 2008 through 2013. 11,800 cases made. From California. —J.L.
CHAPPELLET Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley Signature 2004	93	$46
A supple, graceful style that serves up a complex mix of cherry, currant, herb and plum-scented fruit, picking up a light toasty oak and mocha note midpalate and finishing with a long, lingering aftertaste and round tannins. Drink now through 2013. 6,200 cases made. From California. —J.L.
SHAFER Cabernet Sauvignon Stags Leap District One Point Five 2004	93	$65
Intense and concentrated, with vivid currant and blackberry flavors that are shaded by light toasty oak and mocha coffee scents. Smooth-textured, with ripe, fine-grained tannins, ending with a long, complex aftertaste. Drink now through 2014. Tasted twice, with consistent notes. 6,000 cases made. From California. —J.L.
PROVENANCE Cabernet Sauvignon Rutherford 2004	91	$40
Sleek and refined, with a tight beam of spicy currant, earth, mineral, sage and dusty berry fruit that's pure and focused, ending with a complex aftertaste of loamy currant. Drink now through 2013. 17,300 cases made. From California. —J.L.
AMAVI Cabernet Sauvignon Columbia Valley 2004	90	$24
Aims for a deft balance and achieves a lithe texture, with appealing currant and blueberry fruit, shaded with cedar and nutmeg. Not a big wine, but expressive, lingering effortlessly against refined tannins. Best from 2008 through 2013. 3,863 cases made. From Washington. —H.S.
CASA LAPOSTOLLE Cabernet Sauvignon Colchagua Valley Cuvée Alexandre Apalta Vineyard 2005	90	$23
Rich and polished, with a solid core of blackberry and black currant fruit layered with mocha, sweet spice and briar notes. Shows more purity and freshness, with less toast, than previous vintages. The finish is long and juicy. Drink now through 2008. 16,000 cases made. From Chile. —J.M.
GORDON BROTHERS Cabernet Sauvignon Columbia Valley 2005	89	$23
A supple style offers plenty of ripe cherry and currant fruit, shaded with hints of red pepper and cream. Lingers well against polished tannins. Drink now through 2010. 5,700 cases made. From Washington. —H.S.
THE MAGNIFICENT WINE COMPANY House Red Columbia Valley 2005	88	$10
Silky, round and generous with its spicy, earthy plum and blackberry flavors, lingering nicely as the finish persists. Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Syrah. Drink now through 2010. 50,000 cases made. From Washington. —H.S.
TORMARESCA Negroamaro-Cabernet Puglia 2005	87	$11
Loads of bright berry and mineral character on the nose and palate. Medium body, silky texture and a medium finish. Drink now. 40,000 cases made. From Italy. —J.S.