Monroy Wines Cabernet Sauvignon Chalk Hill Sonoma County 2020

It’s not often that we get to feature an incredible, meticulously crafted, 93-point Cabernet Sauvignon for UNDER $25, with over 70% in savings! This Chalk Hill Cab from the passionate team at Monroy Wines is as captivating and generous as it is fun to drink. Cab season is officially upon us, and I can’t think of a better way to stock your cellar!

Adolfo Hernandez grew up with his family of Guatemalan expats in Saudi Arabia, and even though alcohol was strictly prohibited, his father deemed it a necessity for their dinner table. So, they got creative with some Greek grape juice, sugar, yeast, and a plastic carboy in the bathtub, and there he had his first taste of making wine. His family moved to California in the late ‘90s, where Adolfo would get his molecular biology degree from Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo, and began working in organic pesticide production.

A few years later, he made the move into wine as a laboratory supervisor at Clos du Bois in Geyserville. Professional stints at Araujo Estate, Checkerboard Vineyards, Pahlmeyer, and Benovia followed, ultimately leading him to the creation of his own winery – Monroy Wines – alongside his wife, Nohelia, a Healdsburg native whose father spent his life working in wine, inspiring her to do the same. The pair – who had their first date over a flight of Spanish wines – have earned significant acclaim for crafting wines with a distinct, restrained style that demonstrate both balance and elegance, and showcase their families’ heritage and history with wine.

Adolfo takes a notably holistic approach to viticulture and winemaking, allowing the land to play the biggest role in the wine’s final nuances. Although 2020 was markedly challenging in Sonoma County, this Chalk Hill Cabernet Sauvignon pulled through remarkably, and in his 93-point review, John Gilman observes, “this wine is every bit as promising as those previous vintages [2018 and 2019].” It’s rich, robust, and full-bodied, dripping with notes of black and blue berries, with accents of ripe plums, vanilla, sage, and dried violets that wrap up with a velvety, seamless hug of a finish. For over 70% off, and under $25 a bottle, this is a wine to order in multitudes!

PAIRING IDEAS: In honor of Adolfo’s heritage, let’s give this a traditional Guatemalan beef stew – tender, fall-apart beef brisket drenched in an aromatic broth full of tomatoes, tomatillos, onion, and garlic. That’s fall meal perfection in my eyes!