Wine of the Week: 2009 Carpe Diem Cabernet Sauvignon

Christian Moueix and his winemaking team knock it out of the park with this moderately priced Napa Valley Cabernet. Made with just a touch (4%) of Petit Verdot, the 2009 Carpe Diem has impeccable balance; a silky texture; soft, rounded tannins; and, underneath it all, beautiful Napa Valley fruit. This is a Cabernet built not to dominate but to go with food. The quality may not be such a surprise from the owner of Chateau Pétrus in Bordeaux and Dominus in Napa Valley, but the price, about $25, certainly is. This one could hold its own against some of the valley’s most lauded $100 bottles. Classic and elegant, a natural for the holiday table.

Region: Napa Valley

Price: About $25

Style: Elegant and richly textured

What it goes with: Prime rib, roasts, wild mushrooms, cheese

Where to find it: Amazing Grapes Wine Store in Rancho Santa Margarita, (949) 888-9007, wwwamazinggrapeswinestore.com; BestWinesOnline, (888) 817-8880, https://www.bestwinesonline.com; Hi-Time Wine Cellars in Costa Mesa, (949) 650-8463, https://www.hitimewine.net; K&L Wine Merchants in Hollywood, (323) 464-9463, https://www.klwines.com; Mel & Rose Wine & Spirits in West Hollywood, (323) 655-5557, https://www.melandrose.com; Wally’s Wine & Spirits in West Los Angeles, (310) 475-0606, https://www.wallywine.com; the Wine Club in Santa Ana, (714) 835-6485, https://www.thewineclub.com; the Wine House in West Los Angeles, (310) 479-3731, https://www.winehouse.com; and Woodland Hills Wine Co. in Woodland Hills, (818) 222-1111, https://www.whwc.com.

irene.virbila@latimes.com