Variety: 99% Cabernet Sauvignon; 1% Petit Verdot
Region: Mendocino County, CA
Cost: $20 (SRP)
Winemaker’s Notes: The 2015 True Grit Cabernet Sauvignon is notably juicy! It opens up with flavors of currant and dark cherry followed by subtle olive tapenade. It’s structure is supported by a solid yet round tannin profile and a lingering vanilla bean finish.
My Review: I was really interested to open this wine for one simple reason – that 1% of Petit Verdot. Having developed a lot of my wine palate in Virginia, I’m partial to the grape, and really appreciate a single varietal, though even used as a blending grape I like to find it in the mix.
On the nose the 2015 True Grit Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon showed aromas of oak and red berries and none of the heat I was worried about; the wine is 14.5% alc/volume, so it was a concern when opening the wine. In the mouth I picked out dark cherry on the front of the palate which gave way to olive, slightly saline notes on the back palate, giving way to a nice soft finish (aged 1 year in 35% New French Oak, 65% Neutral Barrels) that I very much appreciated.
My wife and I paired the wine with steak salads, and it was a good pairing, the dark notes of the wine and the soft finish complimenting the meal perfectly.
For $20 I really like this wine. It’s not your typical pocket-friendly fruit-bomb California Cabernet, though I have to admit I feel like I’m seeing fewer of those recently. Either way, while the Petit Verdot didn’t stand out for me, I prefer to believe that it helped provide the right balance, depth, and character to this wine that made it something that I would gladly pick up at my local store for a night at home – nothing “special”, but perfect for a Tuesday night at home.
Editor’s Note: I received this wine as a free sample for review.
