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Chateau Ste. Michelle, Cabernet Sauvignon 2008

Columbia Valley Washington $9.99 at Trader Joes 13.5%

Monday, May 23, 2011

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Let me start off by saying Chateau Ste. Michelle is usually my go-to brand for cheap but not cheap-looking white wine. The Riesling they produce is a regular feature at my parents' dinner table, and I often bring it myself when visiting friends when wine is involved. Not outstanding, but always a crowd-pleaser.

The Cabernet Sauvignon however I feel didn't live up to my expectations. At the first tasting I opened the bottle and let it breath for about 40 minutes (the length of a new Doctor Who episode to be precise). Beginning with the scent, my initial impression was of some kind of wood product; maybe bark dust or oak planks, mixed in with a kind of jam-y plum scent. I felt there was also a strong whiff of alcohol, of the rubbing variety. My partner-in-wine (PiW) didn't notice the alcohol scent, but his nose is sadly unreliable due to allergies (thanks spring flowers!).

The first sip started off for me quite acidic and fruity, quite bright in a jazz hands kind of way (the annoying kind pushy with cheap gaudy rings on each finger). PiW thought it started off sweetly, with a hint of fruit. I disagreed as the middle and finish proceeded to be rather astringent and woody, with a fruit note that I can only call plummy in that gooey, syrupy way. Sadly, I was not impressed with this wine.

The second tasting this morning has improved my opinion, though only slightly. Now that it has had at least two days to breath, much of the initial alcohol scent has vaporized, and the resulting aroma is much smoother. The taste has balanced out a bit more as well, and in some regards become a blander with a woody caramel finish.

To be fair, Cab Sav is not one of my favorite wines, but I really wanted to like this one. For the price it's not bad, and would make a great hostess gift to a party where you feel compelled to bring something but not spend a whole lot. I wouldn't serve it as a sipping wine unless there was something to eat with it, as this will be a great second fiddle to washing down something beefy.