Alamos Winery Cabernet Sauvignon 2014

Cabernet Sauvignon can be intense when you first try it. The tannins can often be aggressive, and if you’re not used to the mouth-drying sensation they cause, you might not immediately think the wine is your cup of tea. But there is a reason Cabernet is the most popular red wine in the world, eventually most people grow to love it, but in order to do so, it’s important to start with a wine that’s approachable.

Old world Cabernets – such as the celebrated bottles from Bordeaux, France, the region that made Cabernet famous and still fetches the highest prices – are the wines most likely to be high in tannins. But new world Cabernets tend to be ripper and juicer, thanks to the hotter climates in which they are often grown, and that means smoother tannins. The result of a new world Cabernet is much of the delicious Cabernet flavors without incredibly intense tannins. They’re great Cabernets to start with.

Alamos Winery is located in the Mendoza region of Argentina, a climate well suited for producing fruit-forward Cabernets that are smooth and pleasurable. In the glass, the wine exhibits a deep purple color, and on the nose aromas of dark berries, vanilla and spice – all quintessential aromas of oak-aged Cab. On the palate the wine is luscious and smooth. There are tannins present, but they aren’t intense or oppressive, instead they add to the wine. They’re also present enough that they’re a great introduction to tannins for someone who is just beginning to dip their toe into the pool.

Get the latest in beer, wine, and cocktail culture sent straight to your inbox.

This Cabernet is smooth and fruit forward enough to be drunk on its own, but was even better with the cheeseburger and fries we enjoyed while consuming it – which makes a ton of sense as Argentina is famous for beef, so of course they’d create wines that pair well with the protein.

Buy This Wine In A Store

Buy This Wine Online

Alamos Cabernet Sauvignon was provided to VinePair as a sample.