With a more alcohol than what I like, 14.5% alcohol, the 2001 Hess Collection Cabernet Sauvignon from Napa Valley cost about $30 and scored a good 16+ points on the 20-point Dionysian scale. I’d guess the alcohol is even a bit higher than stated on the label.

The wine was smooth. Decanted half an hour prior to dinner, it held together for the entire meal. Black fruits and even hints of volcanic soil show well on the tongue. At twenty-years-old, it has peaked.

Served with a veal dish heavy with mushrooms that danced nicely with the wine in your mouth.

Food wines should never be heavy or so fruity that the meal’s flavors are hidden. This one was approaching that structure. It still scored nicely and might have been even better five years ago. In Vino Veritas.