With the arrival of cooler fall weather our tastes our definitely shifting towards reds. And with the holidays around the core now is a great time to flesh out the wine collection before all the guests arrive. We’ve reviewed three cabernets over the last few weeks and found two that definitely deserve your attention and one you should avoid. They’re all available at your local grocery store (ours came from Vons aka Safeway) and all are under $15.
Geyser Peak Cabernet Sauvignon ($14)
Let’s get the bad news out of the way first. Geyser Peak is known for its Sauvignon Blanc, so when I saw the Cab was on sale for under $10 I thought it would be worth a shot. Unfortunately, we were disappointed. It seemed a bit lifeless without any real distinguishing characteristics. There are better options available (for example see below).
Dancing Bull Cabernet Sauvignon ($9)
The Dancing Bull cab was new to us when we picked it up for the first time a few months back, but it has become a weeknight staple. And since it can frequently be found on sale for well under the $9 list price this one is down right cheap. The flavors are of black cherry with maybe a hint of chocolate. We’ve always liked the Rancho Zabaco zinfandel’s, and Dancing Bull is Rancho Zabaco’s sub brand, made by the same team but with grapes from outside of the Sonoma area that Rancho Zabaco normally pulls from. The benefit to you is a a great wine at a bargain price.
Red Diamond Cabernet Sauvignon ($12)
Quick! If you live near a Safeway or Vons go and buy a bottle of this right now. It’s on sale for $8! Alright, now that you’re back, here’s the rest of the review: Pronounced blackberry and black cherry flavors combine with a silky texture to make this one worthy of sharing with guests or treating yourself to a little “the kids are finally in bed” celebration. We’d somehow overlooked Red Diamond until recently when the wine guy at our local grocery store mentioned he can barely keep it on the shelf. We’ve now tried it a number of times and continue to be impressed. Based in Washington, Red Diamond has put together a great wine and even at the $12 list price this one is well worth it.
Interested in some other options? Take a look at some other posts by clicking here.