Over the course of wine month, we've discovered each of us gravitates toward certain varietals in our wine collection. I'm usually not one to crave a red wine in the middle of the afternoon, but a bone-chilling day in San Francisco called for a robust bottle of red to warm the office.
Thinking we were in for a heavy, tannic Cab, I reached to open the 2008 Silver Oak Alexander Valley Cabernet Sauvignon ($70) for a little office tasting. To our surprise, the wine was surprisingly mellow, with brandied cherries, cinnamon, and chocolate hitting the nose and palate. I was fully anticipating a mouth-puckering, fuzzy-sweater finish, but the tannin finish was velvety, leaving only a subtle trace of its presence behind.
Midtasting, I noticed something very rare take place: tasters lingered around the bottle, refilling their glasses with another splash until the bottle reached its last drop in record time, a clear indicator that the wine is worth its weightier price tag. I returned to my desk a little warmer — and with a greater understanding of the potential of an Alexander Valley Cabernet.
The 
Not too long ago, I attended a wine tasting. Amidst a sea of Pinots and Zinfandels, I found myself drawn to an unassuming bottle: 
I'm a huge 
In general, during the warmer months, I prefer white wines, but ever since I attended a 
