(img courtesy http://www.teaguevineyards.com/)
After paying $10 for this heretofore unknown (to me) wine, why wouldn't I write about it? Teague Vineyards does their thing quietly and they do it well. I grabbed this wine from the usual suspects, let it sit for about a month then opened it and am now writing a blurb to (hopefully) delight and entertain you.
On the back of the label, 81% Cabernet Sauvignon, 7% Malbec, 7% Cabernet Franc and 5% Petit Verdot apparently mean "Cabernet Sauvignon" on the front of the label. In other words, a Bordeaux style blend but from San Benito, California. Somewhat impatient to taste Teague's offering, I couldn't wait more than an hour after opening to taste. In the glass, the color is dark ruby, absolutely gorgeous!
Spicy vanilla, like some kind of vanilla-nutmeg cookie, oak, ripe cherry and cassis all introduce themselves to your nose. I think the depth and complexity were not at all indicative of a $10 wine, maybe something more like $20-$25. One thing I'd like to note was that I really felt as if I could sense elements from the different grapes in this wine. That isn't to say it was disjointed in any way, rather, I felt that each element was adding something good to the bouquet. Usually I've found such a phenomenon in more expensive bottles of wine rather than something so relatively inexpensive
I tasted herbs, mocha, leather, hints of earth and blackberries. In the background was a lingering cassis/black cherry note, as if to remind me of the wonderful bouquet. Vanilla oak and some fine grained tannins indicated some time in American Oak barrels. You know when you get a wine that finishes with a gentle tapering off of the flavors, like one of those long, slow, sweet goodbyes? While that may sound like some ridiculous romantic-comedy ending, I'm being serious when I say how the finish was elegant and again echoed of a wine that cost much more.
After reading my glowing praise for the Teague Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon, consider this: only 300 cases were made. The wine is a steal, worth an A and a very strong BUY recommendation from yours truly. If you see it at your favorite local shop, grab a couple of bottles and pair them with something fun like some roast beef sandwiches (seriously!) or a home made burger with all kinds of fun stuff packed into the patties.
Beau Carufel
If you needed to know where San Benito was, all you had to do was ask! I used to live there :).
ReplyDeleteNext time I'll be sure to consult the experts! ;-)
ReplyDeleteWow, that sounds awesome for a $10 bottle! I'll definitely give it a try if I run across it somewhere.
ReplyDelete