Austin Hope Cabernet Sauvignon 2021
I'm not sure what it is about Paso Robles, but there are few wines from there I haven't enjoyed, when I'm quite often underwhelmed (especially for the price) by wines from Sonoma or Napa. Appears to retail for around ~$50, though this bottle was a gift, and alcohol always tastes better when you're not paying for it.
An initial nose of cherry and fresh berries (very fresh!). Taste is full of berry, with thick tannins that help with a dry mouthfeel (but not overly so). Almost chewy, with an aftertaste of grapefruit. It was good, basically. I had it with a rather over the top cheese/meat board which was the product of a very stressful week at work, and the wine was very good at cutting through through fatty food after each bite. I'm sure it would do equally well for as steak.
It was one of those wines that I kept reaching for while I ate, and felt like a part of the meal rather than something separate. Extremely good, though pricier than what I normally drink, but felt competitive with other wines I've had in the $100 price range.
If you're interested in trying a higher end wine for a big dinner, you likely won't be dissapointed with this one. If a $50 wine is low end to you, then you're probably not reading this site anyway. If you've had this wine, feel free to send me your thoughts.
NatScore: 4.5/5 World Class