This is a surprisingly complex and refined cabernet, and great value based on its balance and depth. It's a bit...

For less than $20 there is a lot going on here with this elegant cabernet. It is a clean cool climate cabernet...

Great value

Extremely good value. Very sweet ripe fruits on the nose. On the palette it's medium-bodied, full of dark fruit and finishes with a nice amount of oak spice. Tannins are present but fine and not overwhelming. Enjoyed with beef medallions.

I was somewhat disappointed tasting this as it's one of my favourite value Cali Cabs, particularly with the good critic reviews and LCBO sale. But it seems to me overly smoky and oaky. Not quite integrated and maybe with time will get better (it's still a baby). There's decent complexity, that cabernet cassis fruit with some cherry notes, an herbal bitterness, some lift with good acidity and very good length, but the fruit is almost prune like and there's that overt smoke which is out of balance for me. Could this be the result of the many wildfires in Santa Barbara in recent years? Sept 2020.