Wine Peeps is an independent wine blog dedicated to helping you get the most bang for your buck in wine. We do this through blind tastings of wine from around the world and calculations of 
Private Tasting: Cabernet Sauvignon
By Kori ~ May 21st, 2008.
We recently had another one of our double-blind private tastings. All we knew when we sat down for dinner was that these two wines were red, but we did not know their region of origin or varietal. For a more complete description of how we set up these private tastings, please refer back to my Private Tasting: Rioja post from February.
We enjoyed these two wines with Mom’s excellent chicken cacciatore dinner. All four of us Wine Peeps thought both wines were good and they both went well with the meal. When we pulled off the sacks after dinner to see what we had been drinking, we found two Cabernet Sauvignons, one from Washington and the other from Australia. In the head-to-head, we gave the nod to the 2004 Columbia Crest Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon from Washington. We found it to be just a bit better overall than the 2006 Evil [R Wines] Cabernet Sauvignon from Australia. But I would gladly drink either of these wines again in the future. Please note that both are five-bangs-for-your-buck wines.
Once again, Columbia Crest comes through with an excellent wine. They continue to amaze me with the quality they are able to produce year in and year out. Their Reserve line is considered their top line with production of 20,000 cases per year.
If you are a regular reader, you know that we are big fans of Australian wines, especially Australian Shiraz. However, this Evil Cab just goes to show that there is more to Australian wine than just Shiraz. And like many other Australian wines, this one represents an outstanding value. In addition, the name and packaging are fun as well. While it’s not the most sophisticated bottle around and probably not one you would want to take to your boss, it could be a fitting gift for your quirky friend or maybe even your in-laws.
2004 Columbia Crest Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon (Columbia Valley, Washington): Dark, inky purple with aromas of blackberries, blueberries, and spice. Black fruits and milk chocolate come through on the palate. Well-balanced with smooth tannins and a long finish. Very good from the first sip right on through the meal.
Quality: 4 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 5 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to buy: Wine.com (Washington), $28.99
2006 Evil [R Wines] Cabernet Sauvignon (South Eastern Australia): Dark, inky purple. Aromas and flavors of black fruits, chocolate, coffee, and cinnamon. Opens up the longer the bottle is open.
Quality: 3.5 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 5 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to buy: Esquin (Seattle), $9.99; K&L Wine Merchants (California), $8.99
Filed under: American Wine, Australian Wine, Cabernet Sauvignon, Five-Bangs For Your Buck Wines, Red Wine, Washington State Wine, Wines Over $25, Wines Under $10, Wines Under $15, Wines Under $20, Wines Under $25
