Mar 15 2008
Sycamore Lane Cabernet
Sycamore Lane is the house cabernet at Zio Johno’s. Nothing else available by the glass stuck me as interesting and since Jennifer doesn’t enjoy wine a full bottle wasn’t an option. As it was the house wine I didn’t see the bottle and thus don’t know the vintage. It occurs to me that in the future I should ask.
At $3 a glass I wasn’t expecting much other than something cabernet-like. I was pleasantly surprised. The wine has a nice taste of black cherry and a dry hint of toasted oak barrel. It isn’t overly tannic so I found it very easy to drink. While the taste and aromas aren’t complex they most certainly aren’t offensive. The finish is smooth. I wouldn’t rate it up there with my favorite cabernets but if it were available in the local grocery store I’d probably have a bottle or two of it sitting around for an inexpensive glass now and again. Online it appears that this wine can be had from $4-$8 a bottle (plus shipping of course) which makes it a real bargain compared to my usual standby $14 bottle of 337.
I’ve done a bit of research this evening and it appears that Sycamore Lane is predominantly found in restaurants. All of the vintages I was able to find via google were labeled as Napa wines. Perhaps this is where that smooth taste and finish came from. Sycamore Lane is a brand owned by the Trinchero Family Estates which also produces wines such as Sutter Home, Ménage à Trois and Trinity Oaks. Their product line seems to cover the full price spectrum of wine.
I would recommend this wine to anyone wanting a nice subtle cabernet for a very affordable price. Not in the mood to drop $7-$10 (or more) a glass on some other wine you’ve never heard of hoping for something exotic? Choose Sycamore Lane instead and enjoy a great evening out.
