Atlas Peak is actually the name of an AVA in the greater Napa area that ranges between 1400-2400ft in elevation which mean that the grapes grown there don’t tend to get as those on the valley floors. The net result is fruit that can be harvested at a lower brix level (lower sugars) – this means you can generally get more true-to-the-variety wines and that’s always a good thing. All too many “New World” wines tend to be over-the-top and big part of that is because of how quickly the grapes ripen and at what sugar levels they’re harvested at.

A part of the Ascentia Wine Estates group – Atlas Peak has a wide profolitio of wines at a variety of prices – this is the first wine I’ve recieved from them, so let’s give it a whirl:

Technical Specs:

• Vintage: 2004
• Wine Type: Red Wine
• Varietal: Cabernet Sauvignon
• Appellation: Atlas Peak
• Acid: 6.0
• PH: 3.75
• Bottling Date: June 2006
• Alcohol %: 14.2
• Price: $38

Nose: Raspberry, strawberry, tobacco leaf, red vines, vanilla and cinibon.

Taste: Cocoa-powered tobacco leaves mixed in with a hint of gym-socks, cherries and plums. Good front-end mouth-feel with some good vanilla action. however, the oak is a tad too strong for me as it takes over too much on the finish. This is a decent cab out of Napa pretty solid, however, at $38 it gets a pass from me as there are far better cabs out there at lower prices.

W.E.P. Rating: 75%

Winery Website: www.atlaspeak.com