Vino Bellisima

Last night I opened a truly great bottle of California Cabernet Sauvignon from our "library collection" and surprise(!), it wasn't from Napa or Sonoma. It was from Le Cuvier in Paso Robles. The specific bottling was their 2001 XLB Cabernet Sauvignon San Luis Obisbo. It's not often lately that I've really wanted to finish a bottle of wine, no matter what it was, but this one was different. I just kept pouring glass after glass, before dinner, during the grilling of the rib eye, with dinner and finally afterward with the little chocolate strawberry tartlets Jennifer made for dessert. The wine was full of the the ripe dark fruit and hints of leather and tropical fruit.