Variety:Â Petite Sirah; Zinfandel; Mourvedre; Carignane
Region:Â California
Cost:Â $15 (SRP)
Winemaker’s Notes:Â Cashmere Black is a full-bodied, complex red wine with blueberry, plum, and violet aromas followed by juicy cherry, vanilla, and coffee flavors and a rich, lengthy finish.
My Review:Â I think by now it’s obvious that I get a little iffy when it comes to sub-$20 red blends from California. It’s not that there aren’t a lot of good values to be had out there, it’s just that I’ve been burned so man times, it’s hard not to be a bit worried.
Fortunately, with the 2016 Cashmere Black I didn’t have to be.
In the glass the wine was a dark, inky purple with slashes of ruby. On the nose I picked up aromas of blueberry, plum, and violet. At first the wine showed a bit hot (it’s 14.5% alc/vol), but after giving it time to open, flavors of dark cherry and vanilla showed up, leading to a fairly clean finish with only a touch of linger.
I appreciated this wine because it wasn’t a fruit bomb like I always worry budget-friendly red blends will be (I know that the industry has gotten better, but I’ve been burned too many times). I also really liked the texture on the label, with the dots actually being raised; I’ve spent enough time working with designers in agencies that I notice these things. I did not, however, like the heft of the bottle itself – they used a thicker glass, and that’s something I always wish wineries wouldn’t do.
Overall I enjoyed the wine; it’s a good value at $15, and I’d certainly pick it up again for a Tuesday evening when I didn’t want anything too fancy, but also wanted something with a bit of character.
Editor’s Note: I received this wine as a free sample for review.
