Frei Brothers Cabernet Sauvignon 2016
Alexander Valley, Sonoma County
I have always enjoyed Californian cabernet, however I have never felt they are particularly good value here in the UK, therefore tended to shy away from them. The price of entry for a reasonable quality example is generally £25 plus. At this price I have found better quality and value from Europe and Australia.
I happened to notice this wine on offer in the UK at Waitrose for £13.99, so thought it was worth trying. I am happy to report that I was very pleasantly surprised, given the lower price point for Californian cabernet. The wine was very approachable, full of dark fruits and cassis. It is a full bodied wine with smooth velvety tannins and a long finish. I had this wine over the course of three days and it improved considerably over that time. I definitely recommend this wine, especially at £13.99 and would advise opening it (and ideally decanting it) for 3-4 hours before serving.
Overall score: 90
Rough Prices:
- UK: £17.99
- US: $24.95
- AUS: $47.50
Wine specification:
- Grape variety: Cabernet Sauvignon, Petite Sirah, Merlot
- Region: Alexander Valley, California, USA
- Maturation: 10 months
- Alcohol: 14.2%
Where to buy:
Waitrose:
- £17.99 (Currently on offer for £13.99, as of 4/5/2020)
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