2016 Robert Mondavi Private Selection Bourbon Barrel Aged Cabernet Sauvignon

Happy Wine Wednesday!  Tonight I've opened a bottle of Cabernet that I recently picked up at Trader Joe's, a wine from a familiar producer that is getting into the latest hip trend, aging Cabernet Sauvignon in bourbon barrels!  The 2016 Robert Mondavi Private Selection Bourbon Barrel Aged Cabernet Sauvignon is produced from Mendocino County fruit, a portion of which is set aside to age in new and used bourbon barrels, to provide some of the same flavors of oak, vanilla and spice that makes people just love bourbon (I tasted another one I really liked back in June which you can see here).  Now, this could be a future wine club selection for my friends, so let's see how this one tastes.

The wine is a deep, inky purple color at the center, with bright garnet along the edges, just as you'd expect from a nice Cabernet.  The nose is a wonderful combination of oak, leather, vanilla, spice box and a hint of green grass that just makes me think of sitting in an old library.  The taste is refreshingly fruit forward, with notes of cherry, blackberry and cassis with intermingled hints of vanilla bean and oak.  Midpalate, we have some additional notes of caramel and mocha with just a hint of tobacco.  The chewy tannins provide the base for a long, smooth and very dry finish that seems to last until you take your next sip. 

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 8.5, I don't like it as much as the last bourbon barrel aged Cabernet I tried, but that one was a year older, so this one might develop a bit more over the next year.  The wine is also a solid value, as I found this one at Trader Joe's for about $15.  This wine would be outstanding just sipping over conversation with friends or family, or it could be great with a nice steak or barbecue.   Tonight, I am enjoying this wine with a rare frilled prime New York strip over a bed of grilled leeks, with some oven roasted fingerling potatoes and some grilled asparagus.  Cheers!