Cameron Hughes, California (United States) 2009

This isn’t going to be everyone’s Platonic Idea of a Meritage wine, since it is lighter in color and less weighty and dense, with more seeming influence from Merlot and/or Cabernet Franc than from Cabernet Sauvignon. Nevertheless, it also sports a much lower price tag than is typical for the category, and more important still, it shows striking complexity and balance for a wine costing so little. Cassis and black currant fruit is very appealing, and the wine culminates in a moderately rich, rounded finish with unobtrusive, fine-grained tannins.