Napa, Sonoma dominate California Cabernet Sauvignon Over in Sonoma County, several valleys produce really good cabernet. Alexander Valley cabs, especially, can rival Napa. And the prices usually compare favorably. 2014 Kendall-Jackson’s Jackson Estate ($40). The Jackson family has been winegrowers since 1974 and produces a number of excellent Alexander Valley cabs. This one under their flagship brand showcases several estate vineyards with bright fruit, notable structure and rich tannins.

Wines made for restaurants solve dilemma Cabernet lovers will be pleased with the $54 suggested restaurant price for the 2014 Jackson Estate, Alexander Valley Cabernet Sauvignon. Comparable cabs sell for about $50 in retail shops.

An approachable cab with concentrated black fruit, toasty oak and mocha. Nice length. Smart. 3½ stars.

Wine of the Week This iconic California winery is best known for its top-selling chardonnay but also makes some top-notch reds. The grapes for this Sonoma County vintage are all estate grown — 81 percent cabernet sauvignon, 9 percent petit verdot, 5 percent merlot, 3 percent cabernet franc and 2 percent malbec. The blend brings some additional fruit and berry flavors to this medium-bodied wine that spends 16 months in barrels before bottling. It would pair nicely with a holiday prime rib or any other red meat on your menu. Sherry: “Deep rich color with a bouquet of black currant and dry, strong tannins with flavors of black currant, black cherry and blueberry.” (3.5 stars out of 5) Chris: “A bouquet of plum and spice with flavors of cherry and blueberry and long, dry tannins.” (3.5 stars out of 5)

Our Favorite Wines to Sip This Autumn Kendall-Jackson Vintner’s Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon opens with deep black cherry, blackberry, and cassis flavors. Intense, round, and well-structured tannins lead to a strong backbone throughout the middle and finish.

Try these selections if your post-holidays wallet is a bit light From the brand started in 1983, Kendall-Jackson has grown into one of the world's larger family-owned wine companies. The Vintner's Reserve line remains the company's backbone.

Wine & Food pairing recommendation The evening closed with a gold clasp, as the Kendall Jackson Vintner's Reserve, Cabernet Sauvignon, Sonoma County, 2014 , with its aroma of black cherry, blackberry, and cassis , full, exuberant, robust structure in balance with delicate tannins delighting An end to cedar, vanilla and mocha, was the perfect pairing of the sacher tart with bitter chocolate ganache and raspberries.

Excellent Cabernet. It is supple, complex in flavor, and full bodied; a wine with good depth, light tannin, and a firm, long finish, tasting of black currant, cherry, herbs, pepper, and oak. Can be aged further. 6% Cabernet Franc, 2% Petit Verdot, 1% Merlot, 1% Malbec. 4 stars, excellent.

The New California The characteristic dark purplish color of the Cabernet is found in this wine. In the nose, it is a complexity tinged with fruity and vegetable aromas. There is also woodland. One is always as a dry wine, but rather fresh. Pleasant in the mouth despite the presence of tannins.

Winter is a wonderful time to break out the good stuff, to celebrate and enjoy finer foods and moments with friends and family. Seek out these bottles for your table. If you like…Jackson Estate 2013 Alexander Valley Cabernet Sauvignon...This wine is made from a collection of vineyards dotted along mountainous ridgelines and benchlands, most planted along the Mayacamas range. Winemaker Randy Ullom captured Cab's classic characteristics of dried sage, cedar and pencil shavings, supporting that savory personality with bright acidity and structured tannins.

This wine is crafted from the top 7% of all Kendall-Jackson wine lots, with grapes sourced from higher elevation, lower-yielding estate blocks and vineyards. From the warm 2013 vintage, the wine offers what many wine lovers are looking for - big fruit aromas and flavors with bells and whistles provided by talented winemaker Randy Ullom: oak aging notes of mocha, baking spice, vanilla and caramel. Pair with your finest meats from the grill.

Gold Medal

Great structure, fine-grained tannins, intense fruit flavors and notes of cedar and vanilla all unite for a Cabernet that will probably make a grilled steak pale. It's a riveting wine displaying a lush showcase of black cherry, blackberry, black currant and dark chocolate. Maybe it's that extra smack of Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot that so expands the flavor palette. That, and the fact the fruit is from mountain and hillside vineyards in Sonoma County. Impressive.

A solid cab with generous blackberry fruit, subtle spice and a hint of mocha. Ripe tannins. Seamless texture.

This is solid cab with generous blackberry fruit, subtle spice and a hint of mocha. Ripe tannins. Seamless texture. (Kendall-Jackson is open the first weekend only according to the www.wineroad.com website.)

This crowd pleaser is 92 percent cabernet sauvignon with a bit of merlot, malbec, cabernet franc and petite verdot. Aged in a mix of new and old French and American oak barrels. Bright cherry and cassis nose and flavors with soft tannins.

Hint of smoky oak, flavors of blueberries, black cherries and dark-roast coffee, long finish.

The inviting forest floor, cedar, cassis and vanillin oak aromas lead to a fresh, brisk mouthful of beautifully balanced red and dark plum fruit. It favors complexity and refinement over ripeness and bombast - this is a wine you want to drink with steak and lamb, and not as a cocktail.

This cab has firm tannins and layered flavors, and you’ve got to applaud its range. It has notes of black cherry, mocha and nutmeg. Well integrated. Nice length.

This cab is well-crafted. Aromas and flavors of cassis, mocha and nutmeg. Great structure. Balanced. A smart buy.

The search for fine values among Cabernet Sauvignon is more often than not a task demanding of patience and few rewards, but the 2012 and 2013 vintages have turned out far more good buys than we have seen in some time. The moderately deep, similarly well-focused KENDALL-JACKSON Grand Reserve Sonoma County 2012 ($28.00) earns comfortable inclusion as well...