Not the traditional Cab Franc wine, or how I would classify one. It's produced by carbonic maceration, which drives down the tannins and makes it drinkable right now.And that's the fun part, knowing that as long as you drink it soon, it will be near its peak. On the other hand, there are no tannins, and the fruit slaps your face. Think Beaujolais Nouveau but with a slight earthiness from the Cab France. If BN is cookie dough, La Dilettante is dark strawberry sorbet.

Oh yeah. Or as Levon and Barry would say, Awwww yea.

Do you have $240 to spend on pudding. Put $200 toward the pudding, and $40 or so for a great Seghesio Zin. Not every one is a home run, but this one is close.

First taste, at first open, it doesn't smell like a whole lot, maybe notes of vanilla, cream, caramel, and it tastes like caramel ham with cherries.

After an hour and half decanting, the earth has begun to emerge, and it's great. Well-rounded blueberry and red fruit, slight citrus smell, burnt caramel, and sweet Alexander Valley soil. This is how it tastes to be old. It's full of stuff.

The only knock against is that it tastes a little hot, almost like the tiniest tequila bite. I expect it to be much better after 3-4 hours, although it didn't change a whole lot, aside from balancing out the tannins. Great stuff.

Serious wine with a capital S. Decant and savor like a pro. This one will make you feel special.

Dark ruby color. The nose is full of strawberry and raspberry fruit, with some floral and earthy overtones.

Light mouthfeel belies a powerful punch of tannins. Very smooth; great structure.

First aromas of pumpkin pie, maybe nutmeg, definitely walnut. Smells like it would be good with banana or zucchini bread.

First taste is a little flabby, with way too much fruit, not enough structure, gentle tannins but too mild. Decant for an hour ...

A certain amount of aroma has been added to create a more rounded, herbal fruit smell. Very pleasant, nice acid. I'm very glad I didn't wait much longer to drink this. I wouldn't go past 2008-2009.

I drank my bottle with a jalapeno and pineapple pizza. So sue me. There's something about Cab Franc and jalapenos and pineapples both.

This wine could work with a lot of food - a nice sirloin springs to mind. For vegans, a kale/brown rice bowls with spicy mustard dressing, tomatoes, carrots...

Really not a huge amount of change after decanting. There's still so much fruit, although the tannins and acids work better together with decanting time.

This wine is too good for cheap pizza. Any sort of serious meat will work, or nutty veggies. Veggie Thai Praram could be a good combo if not too spicy. The jalapenos in my pizza are a little much for the Cab Sauv.

Recommended if you can get it for under $25 and drink it before 2009 is over.

Good dry Paso table red. Aroma of sage, tobacco, light berry. Taste is fruit forward, with vanilla/oak. Raspberry, cherry, and plum. Good balance, well rounded, tasty finish.

(Weird. I hope this doesn't show up twice. There should be an "E" in "Sainte-Marie.)

Strong fruit aroma, but also meaty. Ruby red grapefruit and cured ham. Not unpleasant.

Fruit is less evident in taste. Blueberry and sour cherry perhaps, though the ruby red grapefruit flavor remains. As does the ham.

It's a fun Grenache blend, and it is definitely unique, at least to me. It certainly won't be for everyone.

Mild tannins, could use a boost of acids, but I like the subtle flavor. Then again, I like grapefruit. Sometimes its ridiculous strong. Consider my rating inflated by +4 for the fun factor.

Complex, with good balance and structure. All around solid Zinfandel. Cherry and darker berries, perhaps blue. Oaky, but not smoky. Nice long finish.

Awesome value. Grenache dominates, but it's an earthy blend, with Cab and Carignan, I think. The guy who said strawberry (wild) and pine is right on. The initial barn smell is tempered with a few hours of decanting. Hay and alfalfa are there.

Artificial butter smell, with possibly some herbs like thyme or basil. Red berry fruit too, on nose and taste. Silky mouthfeel, light tannins. Also scents asphalt and paint thinner (basil smells like that to me). Buttered popcorn parking lot.

Solid. Well balanced, good structure, smooth drinking. Plummy, cherry, minty, smoky, and oaky. Plain old good drinking wine. Great medium red for the price.