MEDEIROS FAMILY WINES “Saudade” Red Wine 2014

((Santa Clara Valley, CA) ) $30

When I think of affordable cabernet, I imagine something that costs about the same as a latte in Manhattan. Here’s that wine—it’s about $6 a glass. The cassis-like fruitiness and beautiful structure were cabernet sauvignon to the core—or so I thought when I first tasted it. Turns out, the wine is mostly cabernet franc followed by malbec. No matter; it’s spicy, minerally, floral, very alive, and surprisingly not hot despite the 14.9% abv. This is a small family-owned winery. Saudade (so-da-day) is Portuguese for “love that remains after a loved one is gone.” (14.9% abv)

90 points KM

Available at Medeiros Family Wines