HAPPY CANYON | CALIFORNIA | $15
Full bodied with forward blackberry and black cherry fruit, plus notes of cocoa, orange zest, graphite and sage. Weighty mouth feel and a smooth texture, slightly rustic. Straight forward and to the point — a boldness that implies complexity. There is something oddly and enjoyably inefficient about this wine: great power harnessed to produce a measured effect — much like the sport that inspired the name from its play period, polo, where sides employ powerful steeds to guide a small orb into a goal. 40% Cabernet Franc, 40% Merlot, 20% Cabernet Sauvignon. A good wine and reliable value year in and year out. (Reviewed 7/14/12)