Cameron Hughes Lot 321 2010 California Field Blend

Price: $10
Maker: Cameron Hughes Winery, Geyserville, California
Variety: Red Blend
Packaging: 750ml bottle, natural cork
Alcohol: 14.5%
Our Rating: 9.0 out of 10

Cameron Hughes Lot 321 2010 California Field Blend is a really, really nice wine for a mere ten bucks. It’s a blend of Zinfandel, Petite Sirah, Syrah and Carignane. Its aroma includes berries and licorice. The Zin is the predominant grape, and on the palate the first impression is lots of fruit – blueberries and raspberries. But then, the flavor expands into a rich complexity, with chocolate and chewy tannins. If you like complex Zins that exhibit good fruit without being simple and too sweet, you’ll like Lot 321.

I found this one at Sam’s Club. Like all of Cameron Hughes numbered lots, when this wine is gone, it’s gone. They claim to offer ultra-premium wine at real world prices, and Lot 321 is a good example. Apparently, for at least part of their supply, they buy excess juice from top wineries and turn them into affordable wines. Their site: Cameron Hughes Winery.

Cameron Hughes Lot 321 2010 California Field Blend is a great buy. I’ll be heading back to Sam’s to pick up at least half a case. It’s a couple of bucks more than Cameron Hughes Lot 250 Meritage 2009, also an excellent and inexpensive red blend, but I actually prefer this wine for sipping on its own.