The Reverse Wine Snob: Excelsior Cabernet Sauvignon 2010 ...

88% Cabernet Sauvignon, 7.5% Merlot and 3.5% Petit Verdot from Robertson, South Africa.

SRP of $10 and available for as low as $7 at Costco. Sample received courtesy Cape Classics for review purposes.

From the bottle:

"The De Wets of Excelsior have a proud winemaking tradition dating back to 1697. The calcareous soils of the Robertson area were once used to raise champion thoroughbred horses, but now these soils are used to produce fine wines.

Crammed with abundant blackcurrant aromas, this full-bodied wine is a mouthful of plum flavors. Delightfully versatile, it makes a delicious partner to a variety of foods, including red meats and rich pasta dishes.

14.5% Alcohol"

South Africa is quickly becoming one of my go-to regions for interesting wines that over-deliver based on their price. The question today is whether they can compete in the competitive under $20 Cabernet Sauvignon market as well.

As mentioned on the bottle, the winemaking tradition at Excelsior Estate goes back many years and many generations. Now this does not always guarantee the wine will be good, but this kind of longevity is usually a good sign. The Excelsior Estate also has a long history of horse breeding, thus the image on the bottle. And as it turns out, in addition to raising fine thoroughbreds they make a thoroughly enjoyable wine as well.

The 2010 Excelsior Cabernet Sauvignon begins with aromas of smoked meat plus smoky plum and other dark fruits along with cedar, baking spice and a little licorice. Tasting the wine shows loads of juicy dark fruit (plum and black cherry primarily) along with licorice and those smoky notes from the bouquet continue. This is a fairly big and bold wine but it is still smooth and easy to drink. On the finish the dark fruit turns tart and resolves into some lingering chocolate notes. A very nice and very flavorful Cab for only $7.

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Taste Rating: 7 ?? ? ?? ? ?? Cost Rating: 9

Overall Rating: 7.5

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