Francis Coppola’s 2006 Diamond Collection Cabernet Sauvignon

I admit, I’m still a wine novice, so my “tasting notes” are a little unorthodox, but I’m hoping that will just help lead to a real conversation about wine, instead this being a forum for me to post three lines about the most recent bottle that I opened. So don’t be shy, share your thoughts and suggestions! With that in mind, let’s start talking wine… 

Earlier this week, I opened a bottle of Francis Coppola’s 2006 Diamond Collection Cabernet Sauvignon…and loved it! Francis Coppola’s wine is from the Rosso & Bianco Winery in Sonoma County. As I recently learned in my wine class, Sonoma’s climate and soil is ideal for Cabs, and my tasting found that Coppola’s Cabernet embodies all of my expectations of a good California Cabernet Sauvignon.

The wine is a deep, purplish-ruby that just screamed “drink me.” On the nose, there is a strong, but clean, spicy vanilla smell. Drinking the wine was very nice. The taste was dominated by vanilla and black fruits, and hints of black pepper contributed to the spiciness. There is a lot of soft tannins and acidity, and it definitely was medium-to-full bodied wine with a good length.

Overall, Coppola’s Cabernet Sauvignon is a very good “every day” type of wine. It’s very enjoyable, with a nice intensity that will help you settle into the evening after a long day of work. So, if you like strong flavored and aromatic wine, you’ll definitely enjoy this one, especially at $17 a bottle.