Price: $5.99 @ Trader Joe’s
What They Said:
Per the bottle “Our Rio Vaca estate vineyard is planted alongside the Vaca Mountains just twenty miles east of California’s most renowned wine growing region. Vaca Small Lot Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon is classically structured, full bodied and exudes dark currant and ripe blackberry flavors. 14-months aging in small French and American oak barrels adds layers of spice and imparts a long, supple finish.”
What I Think:
Yesterday I covered the Chardonnay from this winery which I was surprisingly a fan of. I also covered off on the back story of Rio Vaca Vineyards or what I could find of it there. So with those bases covered what do you say we just jump right into their Cabernet offering. Well alrighty then…
Dark, dense in color this shows leafy currants on a dry tannic nose. The palate starts juicy loaded with blueberries (with a slight mineral tinge) before a nice acidity emerges on the mid-palate. From there creamy, vanilla flavors come to the fore before drying out to cheek grabbing tannins which linger on a short finish. Definitely a whole lot of barrel going on here but its well done. Comforting and familiar like a warm blanket. Now I could certainly pick this apart (perhaps thin and a bit hot) but my opinion is that at $6 few will be disappointed by this wine. Furthermore I think it has a chance to pleasantly surprise even more!
Rating: Buy It
Per the bottle “We grow world-class Chardonnay grapes on our Rio Vaca estate vineyard alongside the Vaca Mountains just twenty miles east of California’s most renowned wine growing region. Vaca Small Lot Reserve Chardonnay is barrel fermented in 100% French oak to enhance its ripe pineapple, guava and crisp citrus flavors and to impart a long, richly textured finish.”