Varietal: 90% Cabernet Sauvignon; 10% Grenache
Region: California – USA
Cost: $10 (SRP)
Winemaker’s Notes: A dark reddish purple in the glass with aromas of black currants and mocha that lead into dark berries and fresh plums on the palate. Pairs well with short ribs, filet mignon, lamb chops, spaghetti Bolognese, and dark chocolate tort.
My Review: When I first got this sample I was admittedly surprised that it was labeled as a Cabernet Sauvignon as in my experience Big House wines tended to be a bit more…experimental. My surprise was quickly assuaged and replaced with interest as I saw in the tasting notes that the wine was 10% Grenache, a grape that I’ve been a fan of for some time, especially when blended with other red grapes.
On the nose I got the currants and a hint of what I almost thought was some cassis, though it was subtle so I could have been imagining it, while my wife picked up some of the mocha. On the palate I was impressed as the wine had a decently high to medium alcohol content (13.5%/vol), but I didn’t get any of it in the mouth (or really on the nose for that matter). I did, however, get flavors of dark fruit and a juicy, jammyness that I very much enjoyed, which went into a nice smooth finish which I imagine can be pinned on the Grenache smoothing out the finish.
Paired with our dinner of wheat pasta with red sauce and ground Italian sausage it was a nice pairing, but I can imagine this wine being a great pairing for some burgers or ribs off the grill, especially with some good, tangy BBQ sauce. For the price this is a great value as a summer grilling wine and one I’d recommend checking out, especially if you’ve enjoyed other Big House wines in the past. If you can’t find the wine at your local shop, you can follow this link and order it online to have it shipped to you.
