Cameron Hughes Wines An Incredible California Brand You Should Get To Know

For those of you like me who love to drink wines and are looking for a wine that is both delicious and price friendly, Cameron Hughes Wine is a brand that you will be thrilled to learn about. I recently discovered this California brand which unlike most wineries you know, does not have their own vineyards or a freestanding winery. Instead, Cameron the Proprietor and his team source grapes from all over. This helps keep costs down allowing consumers like us access to incredible wines at a fraction of the price that you would find with wineries with higher overhead.

Apparently, I’m a bit late to the bandwagon learning about Cameron Hughes Wine as there has been a ton of other incredible press about this brand. Some of the articles I found during my research of this brand include the below. As evident, this is a well-known, adored brand that you should be drinking if you are not already!

Food & Wine Magazine The Today Show Food The Wall Street Journal Taking advantage of the Wine Glut

Wine Enthusiast Best Buys Forbes how Negociant Cameron Hughes finds the deals

Wine Enthusiast 90 Point Pinor Noir Wine & Spirits 21st Century Negociant

As you are probably aware, I taste a lot of wine. So when I discovered Cameron Hughes and realized this was a brand that I wanted to write about and share with you I wanted to be sure to do my homework. As a result, I tasted about 12 different varietals from all over California and even Europe. After trying these wines I found four favorites. Ok maybe more, but I’m sharing the top four that no surprise, were all sourced in California. Below you’ll see a few Cameron Hughes Wines that I recommend and personally really enjoy. Of course, there are many many other options online to choose from these were just some that really stood out of the wines I tasted as I put together this piece.

Also, as a JSF reader if you order online at Cameron Hughes you will get FREE SHIPPING, just use the code JSF. You’re welcome and thanks to the Cameron Hughes team for sharing that generous offer.

Enjoying various Cameron Hughes Wines during a Cheese & Wine party I hosted. I also recommend using a Decanter when serving red wines, I love the Riedel Cabernet Decanter found here.

As a Pinot Noir lover I have to say this 2013 Sta. Rita Hills Pinot Noir was incredible. I was shocked after trying it and learning it is only $19. Sta Rita Hills is known for some of the best quality Pinot Noirs in Santa Barbara County so being able to experience that from Cameron Hughes at $19 is amazing. This is a MUST try for any Pinot Noir lovers.

This 2013 Napa Valley Meritage was another surprise as I am not too familiar with Meritage Wines and did not know what to expect. They are described on the Cameron Hughes website as “Meritage is a general term for an American wine (white or red) that emulates the famed style of Bordeaux, so you’ll generally only find the grapes of that region (Cabernet Sauvignon, Cab Franc, Merlot, Petit Verdot, Malbec) in Meritage offerings. Dark, delicious, and made for everyday drinking, these are wines that burst with flavor but won’t break the bank.” I could not agree more. When I opened this and had a glass I found it way fruiter than the Cabernet Sauvignon I had just tasted. This Meritage had nice lush fruits with a very smooth body, yet good balance and not flat. This is another favorite I found in my discovering the incredible wines of Cameron Hughes.

You have probably noticed that I do not write about Cabernet Sauvignon too often. I think that is because my first two or three years in California involved so much Cabernet Sauvignon that my palette needed something a bit lighter. Well, this 2013 Napa Cabernet Sauvignon has all the flavors you look for in a Cabernet with nice body, medium complexity and also a nice tannin finish. It is not over oaked or too heavy as you find with some Cabernet Sauvignon Wines. Also, when do you find a nice Napa Valley Cabernet at $32. Never! Cabernet lovers will be pleasantly surprised at how good this Cabernet Sauvignon is without making a major dent in the budget.

As a Chardonnay girl I have to say this 2014 Santa Barbara County Chardonnay was another great find. It had the typical rich flavors in a Chardonnay, yet it wasn’t extremely buttery or oaky. This is a very drinkable Chardonnay that I first tasted with some carryout sushi (perfect pairing) then served the Chardonnay and a few other Cameron Hughes wines at a Wine & Cheese party seeing what my guests thought about it. Everyone said the same thing, very nice, easy, drinkable and when I asked what they thought it cost they said $30-$40. Incorrect, it is only $14. Another fabulous value from Cameron Hughes!

Trying out the 2014 Santa Barbara County Chardonnay with my favorite sushi. When you find a wine that works with your go-to carryout spot you’re in heaven! And don’t forget this is only $14. Such a steal.