Inexpensive Cabernet lives up to its name

Avalon is a legendary island, famous for its beautiful apples, where King Arthur is taken to recover from his last battle at Camlann.

Avalon Cabernet Sauvignon lives up to the impresssive name. It is made from the finest grapes from various California appellations including Napa and Sonoma under the supervision of vineyard owner Derek Benham.

As with almost all California wines designated Cabernet Sauvignon, this one is really a blend with some Syrah is in it for color and intensity. But it works out perfectly because the wine is delicious. It is highly recommended with an excellent price point at less than $9 per bottle.

In the glass, the wine is a deeply crimson red color with a fairly opaque core going out into a brighter red rim definition with medium-high viscosity. On the nose there is immediate warm attractive cassis fruit -- very classic for Cabernet Sauvignon, meaty crushed black and red fruit medley, soft almost buttery notes of oak, vanilla pudding, violet pastilles and slight hints of minerals.

In the mouth, this nicely structured wine coats the palate with forward blackberries that appear slightly spicy, then brambleberry juice, crushed black cherries and elder fruit. The mid-palate is powerful and carried by the relative "heat" of the phenolics compounds in the wine, carrying through to the black fruit-laced finish that lingers impressively for 20-plus seconds. An excellent concentration and length on the palate suggests a wine made with real skill and effort, resulting in superb quality for the money.

It should drink well with any piece of meat off the grill and will be on a high plateau through 2012.

Wine: Avalon California Cabernet Sauvignon 2005

Grape: Cabernet Sauvignon (86 percent), Syrah (10 percent), Merlot (4 percent)

Region: Central Coast, California

Vintage: 2005

Price: $ 8.99 per bottle

Gil Lempert-Schwarz wine column appears Wednesdays. Write him at P.O. Box 50749, Henderson, NV 89016-0749, or e-mail him at gil@winevegas.com.