Piero Antinori of the famous Tuscan winemaking house of the same name knows this perhaps better than anyone. His wines, elegant in the glass and as brilliantly colored as a Tintoretto painting, are – nevertheless – best enjoyed as an accompaniment to a fine meal.

So it makes sense that when he brought his family’s 600-year history of winemaking to California, he would want to make food-friendly wines for Americans too. In the 1980s, he bought land on the summit of Atlas Peak in Napa Valley, with spectacular views of the valley below and the sprawling vineyards that supply the raw material for his new wines. The winery was originally named after the land, Atlas Peak, but Antinori recently reconfigured the estate and renamed it Antica, a fact reported earlier on WeeklyWinePick.com.

Under the watchful eye of Marchese Antinori, and constant oversight by Glenn Salva, Antica produces some of the richest and approachable Cabernets in the Napa Valley. We met at Circa (3010 Clarendon Boulevard, Arlington, 703-522-3010) and sampled a range of vintages of the Cabernet accompanied by a serving of Wild Mushroom Ravioli. The ravioli were served with artichoke hearts, cremini mushrooms, and beurre noisette, and topped with herbs and goat cheese. The complexity of the flavors, spikes that raised the interest of the savory mushroom ravioli beneath, begged for a similarly complex red wine.

With Salva’s usual grace and patience, he explained not only the history of the estate but the vintage conditions of each of the wines we sampled. There was the perfectly aged 2004 Antica Cabernet Sauvignon, with scents of currant, plum, and dark fruit. A supple though austere wine braced by tannins evidently softened by age.

The 2005 Cab was richer and more complex, and opened with dark chocolate and tobacco aromas, with flavors of figs, black cherry and plum over ripe tannins. The 2006 Cab was a bit tangier and more puckery than the refined 2004 and 2005, demonstrating the impact of even a single year of additional aging on the mouthfeel of such a rich wine. Still, its black fruit flavors and vivacious acidity ensured that it will be a wine to return to later.

The 2007 Cab was exotically aromatic and carried hints of Eastern spices on the nose. With terrific intensity and multiple layers, this was my favorite of the afternoon. The big fruit and explosive approach shows evidence of future star-quality. The 2008 was also a tremendous wine, with chocolate and roasted coffee bean aromas, tinged by hints of earth and spice, with a soft finish.

The 2009 Cab, the vintage currently on the market (along with some remainders of the 2008), has heavenly aromas of violets and red fruit, featuring blueberry and black cherry flavors on a big, young frame.

With Antinori’s vision and Salva’s management of wine at Antica, the property will enjoy continued success and the buyer will enjoy many vintages of fine Cabernet Sauvignon.

We deserve that Beringer Vineyard Private Reserve Cabernet ($125) or Paul Hobbs Beckstoffer Cab ($150) after a day like this. Right?

(Forget the Château Margaux ($850); you didn’t work that hard.)

Then sanity sets in – - oh, I could wax Shakespearean on how sanity deprives us of satisfying our primal desires. Prying our fingers off that exquisite $$$ bottle of Cabernet, we steer our desires – and our wallets – elsewhere.

Fortunately, the same wine world that brought us the “only-on-my-50th-birthday” wines has also released a veritable vinous gusher of affordable Cabs that are absolutely delightful. Here is a short list to prove that point.

(Not all the vintages shown below are current, these are based solely on what I’ve tasted lately. However all houses are respectable producers with consistent results, and new vintages would be expected to uphold their standard of quality.)

Ad Lib 2007 Mix Master Cabernet Sauvignon Merlot (Margaret River, West Australia, $17). Pleasant and approachable, rewards the palate with lightly infused red fruit and soft acidity.

Bianchi 2007 Cabernet Sauvignon (Paso Robles, $19). Deep sensuous aromas of earth, toast, and black fruit; soft textures, black cherry, plum, and raspberry, touch of cassis on finish.

Bodega Septima 2007 Cabernet Sauvignon (Argentina, $12). Soft and luscious on texture, black fruit flavors.

Bortoluzzi 2008 Cabernet Sauvignon (Venezia Giulia, $19). Rich, robust, black fruit flavors with a silky touch of spice, proof that Italians can make wonderful red wines even with French grapes.

Casillero del Diablo 2008 Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve (Chile, $11). Medium weight and quaffable, this Cab is meant to please the palate and offer sumptuous accompaniment for the meal.

Château Tanunda 2009 Cabernet Sauvignon Grand Barossa (Barossa, Australia, $18). Rich and deeply textured, features black fruit and truffles.

Entwine 2010 Cabernet Sauvignon (California, $13). Richly textured and fruity, the aromas of this wine leap from the glass and “entwine” your senses. Very well made.

Greg Norman 2007 Cabernet Sauvignon (North Coast, $15). Pungent, black cherry aromas and flavors, hint of cassis.

Horse Heaven Hills 2008 Cabernet Sauvignon (Washington, $15). Deep dark red, flavors of raspberry, black cherry, and plum, slight hint of cassis, full body.

Kenwood 2006 Cabernet Sauvignon (Sonoma County, $18). Fresh fruit made heavenly with the whiff of cedar and tobacco smoke.

Leese-Fitch 2010 Cabernet Sauvignon (California, $12). Silky smooth, sumptuous red fruit flavors, great value.

Liberty School 2007 Cabernet Sauvignon (Paso Robles, $12). Remarkably tasty for a $12 wine; ripe red fruit, firm but soft tannins, forward structure.

Louis M. Martini 2007 Cabernet Sauvignon (Sonoma County, $17). Deep scents of dark fruit, earth and oak, coffee, cocoa, and black cherries on palate, soft tannins, medium length.

Sledgehammer 2007 Cabernet Sauvignon (North Coast, $15). Impressive for a $15 wine, dark fruit, nice texture.

Souverain 2007 Cabernet Sauvignon (Alexander Valley, $17). Aromas of wet earth and oak, black cherry, plums on nose, currants, black cherry, soft textures, full body.

Three Sticks 2006 Cabernet Sauvignon (Sonoma Valley, $65). Black coffee and chocolate aromas, soft approach, black cherry, plums, currant, tobacco leaf, slight mocha accent.

From 1974 to 1990, he was at the helm at Chateau St. Jean in Sonoma County, crafting wines that would lay the groundwork for decades of success at that establishment. Nearing the end of his tenure there, Dick and his wife Alis founded Arrowood Winery in 1986, making wines in a cozy setting in the foothills of Sonoma County.

They dedicated their time to producing wines that carried Dick Arrowood’s personal touch, soft textures, intense flavors, and supple finish. Each sip a mouthful; each glass a banquet.

Arrowood remained with that enterprise until June 2010 when he left the winemaking at his eponymous winery to Heidi von der Mehden and began another venture. This time, like the previous two, it is in Sonoma County and is called Amapola Creek, after the creek that runs through the property.

  The vineyards are on Mayacamas Mountains and are farmed organically by famed vineyard manager Phil Coturri. True to his roots, Arrowood specializes in Cabernet Sauvignon, a sumptuous wine that is hard to put down. But in a nod to his wife and constant partner, he’s created another bottling called Cuvée Alis, a blend of syrah and grenache. They also produce Zinfandel from the Monte Rosso vineyard, a site that has long been extolled by wine lovers for the depth and concentration of the wines it yields.

I haven’t tasted the Syrah, Zinfandel, or Cuvée Alis, but I recently had the opportunity to taste the Amapola Creek 2007 Cabernet Sauvignon. I have to say I wasn’t stunned – but that’s because I’ve come to expect so much from Dick Arrowood. And, once again, he has lived up to the Olympian standards he set when he first set foot in Sonoma County. Stunned, surprised? No. Infatuated? Yes.

Notes: Amapola Creek 2007 Cabernet Sauvignon ($70). Ebulliently fruity and forward, yet elegant and refined. Flavors tend toward black cherries and plums, with hints of tobacco and cassis. A vein of toast and roasted coffee bean threads through the palate, wrapped in velvety smooth textures.

Kenny’s latest batch of wines is another example of his consistent quality.  All of them come from fruit grown on a 100 acre hillside vineyard in Alexander Valley, which is covered with blue stones and serpentine boulders.  He bottles the wines at three quality levels.  The entry level Baby Blue is a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon and Franc, Syrah, Merlot, and Malbec.  It is truly a wine for everyone; a special occasion bottle for those on a budget or a daily drinker for the collector-types.  It has that soft richness to it that is commonly found in ultra-premium Napa Cabernets that have cellared for 10 or so years.

Kenny’s flagship Cabernets are good candidates for such cellaring.  The elegance of these complex and powerful reds needs time to emerge.  I brought the 2008 and 2009 to a dinner party full of wine-savvy friends and they were a big hit, though one person expressed regret that I was not able to bring vintages from earlier in the decade so that he could get a real sense of the wine’s potential.   I reminded him that with wine, good things come to those who wait.

We had reached Atlas Peak, the mountain but also the former name of a winery. Founded originally by a partnership between Marchese Piero Antinori, Bollinger, and Whitbread, Atlas Peak Winery was host to newly planted Italian varietals as well as the first ever Sangiovese Symposium in 1997.

The Italian grapes struggled to survive and, now, the new enterprise called Antica has returned to Napa Valley’s preeminent grapes: Chardonnay and Cabernet Sauvignon, though some Sangiovese is still vinified by winemaker Nate Weis on the property.

Antinori’s style shows through in the wines, the estate, and the layout of the vineyards, green lines of lush vines that cascade down the slopes from this aerie. Hidden from Napa’s busy commerce on Route 29 and surrounded by lazy hills and cultured vineyards, the landscape below us seemed snatched from a photographer’s rendering of the bucolic beauty of Tuscany. So it is no surprise that the wines should show elegance, respect for tradition, and bountiful flavors. 

The 2009 Chardonnay ($35) has scents of pear and apple, with luscious textures and layered flavors, interwoven with a racy thread of minerality. It would be a perfect pair for trout almondine. The 2008 Cabernet Sauvignon ($55) shows black cherry fruit and, while still a little closed, seems to be coming out of hibernation.

So most of us have huddled inside our homes where the air conditioner groans under loads that violate manufacturers’ specs and wait for deliverance. As the perceptibly cooler air wafts about and slowly curbs the rising body temperature, thoughts turn to red wine.

What else? I’ve always said that A/C was invented to make it possible to drink red wine in summertime.

It seemed like a perfect time to test the reports of a superior vintage coming from California in 2007. Vintage scores in the high-90s by many wine publications suggest that there’s much to look forward to.

But why wait for the next anniversary or the hoped-for kid’s scholarship? With temperatures holding steady at Underworld levels, we need to take care of ourselves – - now.

Souverain 2007 Cabernet Sauvignon (Alexander Valley, $17). Scents of wet earth and oak, black cherry, plums on nose, currants, black cherry, soft textures, full body.

Dry Creek Vineyard 2007 Cabernet Sauvignon (Dry Creek Valley, $25). First impression is tobacco smoke and oak, with deep long lasting dark fruit aromas and flavors.

Ferrari-Carano 2007 Cabernet Sauvignon (Alexander Valley, $30). Black cherry, cassis and plums on the nose, same impression on the palate, dense cherry flavors, intense, long finish.

Rodney Strong 2007 Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve (Alexander Valley, $45). Rich, dark fruit and licorice accents on the nose, followed by cranberry, plums, and cassis on the palate, with licorice and mint accents.

Sbragia Family Vineyards 2007 Cabernet Sauvignon Monte RossoVineyard (Sonoma Valley, $50). Black cherry, cola, and plums on nose and palate, soft approach, incredibly deep and textured, a magnificent wine.

Ferrari-Carano 2007 Tresor (Alexander Valley, $58). Rich vibrant aromas of dark fruit and earth notes, mocha and cassis dominates the flavor profile, layers of black cherry and boisenberry, soft silky finish.

Rodney Strong 2007 Rockaway Cabernet Sauvignon (Alexander Valley, $75). Brewed coffee aromas, with concentrated black cherry flavors, dense and chewy, soft tannins, hint of chocolate on finish.

Sbragia Family Vineyards 2007 Cabernet Sauvignon Rancho del Oso (Howell Mountain, Napa Valley, $75). Superb balance, richly textured dense and concentrated, reminiscent of black fruit, herbs, and subtle earth tones, this is a keeper.

Chateau St. Jean 2007 Cabernet Sauvignon Cinq Cepages (Sonoma County, $75). Packed with black plum and black cherry aromas, dense and chewy, black plum flavors accented by roasted coffee bean, slight hints of mocha on finish.

The high temperatures of summer do not offer a convenient time to enjoy the luscious – almost arrogant – flavors of Cabernet Sauvignon (although I have often maintained that proper enjoyment of red wine was the reason air conditioning was invented). So we wait for autumn and impatiently bide our time for – right now!

December seems a perfect time to peruse the shelves of Cabernet in the cellar and bring some to the table. The Wine Enthusiast Wine & Food Pairing Cookbook offers a perfect recipe to go with them: Slow-cooked rack of lamb with rosemary and thyme accents. The recipe brings out the best in the lamb while relying on herbs to steer the flavor profile away from the traditional lamb wine – Merlot – toward the more robust and full-bodied Cabernet.

In recent weeks, I’ve had the opportunity to taste a range of Cabernets for every budget. Here are some I’d recommend to go with this dish.

Beringer 2007 Private Reserve (Napa Valley, $115). This is clearly one of the great Cabernets from America, and possibly the world. In a style made popular by winemaker emeritus Ed Sbragia, current winemaker Laurie Hook has taken this iconic wine to new levels. Worth every penny.

Bianchi 2007 Cabernet Sauvignon (Paso Robles, $19). Deep sensuous aromas of earth, toast, and black fruit; soft textures, black cherry, plum, and raspberry, with a touch of cassis on finish.

Bodega Septima 2007 Cabernet Sauvignon (Argentina, $12). Soft and luscious textures, approachable black fruit flavors, soft finish.

Three Sticks 2006 Cabernet Sauvignon (Sonoma Valley, $n/a). Aromas of black coffee and chocolate, soft approach, flavors of black cherry, plums, and currant, with accents of tobacco leaf and mocha.

William Hill 2006 Cabernet Sauvignon (Napa Valley, $28). Notes of earth and smoke on black cherry flavors, subtle accents, soft tannins.

Mollydooker. Among the exhibitors is Brian Pasch, blogger at weloveshiraz.com and representative of Mollydooker Wines. The Weekly Wine Pick has already reviewed Mollydooker’s the Boxer, and I covered the Scooter Merlot. Today, I had the opportunity to be among the few people to get an early tasting of the 2009 vintage, which is exceptional. These are very big, high-alcohol wines that are well balanced, extra rich, and silky smooth. Enjoy them with your summer grillings. Today, a personal favorite was the Blue Eyed Boy Shiraz, which is bursting with fruit and richness. There will be more coverage of Mollydooker wines at the live logging session latter.

Canoe Ridge. Next, I tasted some of the local wine from Walla Walla. Presented by the winemaker, Ned Morris, Canoe Ridge wines are made in an old world style. He offered an Alsatian-styled dry Riesling, a Merlot and a Cabernet Sauvignon. My favorite was the Cabernet, which offers rich cedar and delivers big, showing Walla Walla’s greatness.

Lake Chelan AVA Wines. Washington State’s newest American Viticultural Area–Lake Chelan–also hosted a table with more than a dozen fantastic wines. This region is a bit cooler than others in Washington State, and its Northern-facing slopes offer climates to grow some cool-climate grapes like Pinot Noir and Riesling. The wines were so good that it was hard to pick just a few to highlight! Among the most interesting was a small-production Pinot Noir made by Judy Phelps of Hard Row to Hoe winery (see the website for story behind this title). It was full of smoky oak yet retained a rich fruity flavor. There were no vegetal or off notes on this one. It was delicious. It’s a home run, particularly given it is the first Pinot produced by this winery! Production is small for this yet-to-be released wine, but check the website to see if you can eventually get your hands on one.

The Chelan table also featured Vin du Lac wines, presented by the winemaker, Dreux Dillingham. Among their offerings is a perfect, fresh summer sipper–a dry and refreshing Riesling. Like the Hard to Hoe Pinot, it is grown on Northern-facing slopes, which are cooler, ensuring a crisp and refreshing quality. Vin Du Lac also had a fantastic red table, which is a blend of a number of grapes. It delivers big for a moderate price and is available around the nation. Keep an eye out for these Chelan AVA wines or search for them on wine-searcher or at winery websites.

Steak time, and the next two wines had gone into the decanter right before Scott and Shannon arrived with the steaks and a back-up bottle of 2004 Turley Duarte Vineyard, just in case. I received these bottles of Emblem Oso Vineyard and Emblem Rutherford from the marketing rep, who suggested the wines would be great for Father’s day as they were made by the father-son team of Michael Mondavi and Robert Mondavi, Jr. They were definitely great for the Friday night before Father’s day. I served the wines simultaneously for comparison sake, and I think we all agreed immediately that these wines shared far more differences than similarities. The 2006 Emblem Oso Vineyard was inviting and approachable, with loads of bright red cherries and vanilla. The soft tannins provided a flexible structure that matched perfectly with both the steak and the cheesy potato gratin we were eating. The 2006 Emblem Rutherford was a much taller order. The deep dark fruit in this wine’s nose warned me that this wine was way too young to be opened now. It is dark, chewy and firm with a backbone crafted by fruit that is distinctly Rutherford style. While the Oso Vineyard was open to all senses, the Rutherford was still zipped up even after an hour in the decanter. Both wines were big, maybe even bigger than the sub-$50 price tag suggests. The Oso is ready now, and the Rutherford will pay dividends in 5-10 years.

Winemaker Aaron Pott notes:  ”This seductive rosé of Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Cabernet Franc exhibits a youthful, pink color.   On the nose, cherry and red currant aromas complement enticing notes of strawberry, peach, and pear.  The 2009 Arriviste displays a mid-palate that is rich and creamy and carries a bright acidity on to the lingering strawberry finish…”

The Balboa Bay Resort is the only waterfront resort in Newport Beach, featuring 160 guest rooms and award-winning fine dining.  The First Cabin Restaurant won Wine Spectator’s “Best of Award of Excellence” in 2009.