Region: Alexander Valley, CA
This red was really dense on first sip, with lots of chocolate, spice, and fruit. Those are all things that are good. The nose had the same qualities, except there was a light element of menthol as well. It was tart but in that great, jam-like way that tantalizes the taste buds. It's medium-bodied with a sweetness that creeps up on you after a few sips. An intriguing, lively wine.
The Wine Saver on the 2005 vintage
Dorianne and I drink it quite often and find it to be a nice everyday red for an amazing price. There is no doubt that it is not a high-end wine in any sense of the world. That being said, it does have a nice cherry nose and soft fruit flavors - mainly berry, with a hint of leather that might be called terroir in a more expensive wine. The tannins are balanced and it has a relatively low alcohol percentage (13.6) for a California Cabernet.
higchecks blog on an earlier vintage
I decanted it and let it breathe a bit and even then had "$5.99 a bottle" written all over it. It had a nose that was somewhere between turpentine and paint thinner(if there is a difference . . . they may be the same thing but anytime the nose can be compared to an industrial solvent you know the overall review isn't going to be glowing by any stretch). I couldn't really single out any particular fruits, and with its reduced 13.2% alcohol level it was almost an exercise in futility.
Reviewed 3.27.10.
