Robert Mondavi Private Selection - Cabernet Sauvignon @@@@ (4 corks)

Retails: $8.99 (Total Wine)

Rich, almost velvety on the tongue, this Cab gives you more than you bargain for. Cabernet Sauvignon gets a bad rap. It's frequently brushed off as the "neophyte-drinker's" red. I happen to find that there are quite a few Cabs that deserve their time in the sun. Just check out the other Cabs that make my list.

I was recently speaking to a potential print vendor who, as it happened, was fairly well-versed in wines. I get hounded by printers who want our business. At least weekly, I have a sales rep wanting to "get together for lunch," "have a moment of my time" to tell me the wonders of their printing capabilities. And, as usual, after a 20-minute pitch about web presses and 6-color processing, I finally get them to cut the shenanigans and get real. This is where the true business relationships come from---getting real with your potential clients/vendors and showing them who you really are (kind of a like a first date, right?).

Probably about 15 years my senior and married to a woman who wrote for a high-end cruise line, this vendor had traveled the globe as her passepartout to some of the most mouthwatering wine venues on the globe---in addition to other remarkable locales that most of us only dream about. In fact, he had actual been to the famed Chateau Le Fit in France. He gave me recommendations on location in California to visit on my honeymoon (yes, we're thinking about hitting up California to visit San Fran, Big Sur, Sonoma and Napa) but he certainly did have strong opinions about Cab. Oh, and, every bottle he loved was well within the $40 range. But, another part about client-vendor relationships, you gotta talk the talk and honey, I can talk the talk.

Don't hate the Cab. It's one of the most universally grown varietals. It's also the most common "house red" you'll find in bars and restaurants---so if you're looking for un verre somewhere random, you're likely to get a Cab. Embrace the Cab, my friends. Several, like this one, will deliver a smooth, rich, indulgent wine. It's like the comfort food of wines, never underestimate the power of a familiar, glorious glass of cab.