Red Diamond Cabernet Sauvignon

I’ve been wanting to get some Washington State wine on this site and I finally have my first with this Washington State Cabernet from Red Diamond. 

Red Diamond is still a relatively new brand to see on the shelves.  They released their first wine, a Merlot, in 2003 and they now have four varietals available: Merlot, Chardonnay, Cabernet Sauvignon and Shiraz.  The Cabernet is the first one I’ve tried from this producer and I’m quite impressed.

From time to time I comment on the marketing behind the wines that I taste and I have to say that I love the packaging design from Red Diamond.  It quickly caught my eye and now stands out every time I pass it on the shelf.  It has a very bold and masculine look. And it’s masculine in a modern, Generation X kind of way—it’s not an old man/Hemingway masculine.  The artwork has a dramatic, tribal tattoo style.  And the label is printed with a raised ink technique that gives it an embossed feel.  It’s a simple yet bold look, and an nontraditional design for a wine label—fitting for a wine as bold as this one.

Enough about the label, let’s get on to the tasting notes.  The wine has a deep, rich ruby color.  The nose features cherry cola, vanilla, blackberry and tobacco.  The palate is rich with intense jammy blackberry, cherry and dark chocolate.  It is silky smooth with a toasted oak finish and sufficient acidity.

After I take my notes often I like to see what the producer put in their notes and I usually find their notes to be total bullshit, but the notes for this one actually came it surprisingly close to my own: “Aromas of black cherry, blackberries, liqueur and hints of tobacco and smoke precede a rich, silky palate of cherry, chocolate and black fruits with a touch of toasty oak on the finish.”

I gave it an 89 and at $8.99 that makes this a great deal.  I’d say enjoy it now as I expect the price on this one to creep up over the next few years if they can maintain this level of quality.

Wine: Red Diamond
Varietal: Cabernet Sauvignon
Vintage: 2005
Alcohol: 13.5% 
Rating: 89
Price Paid: $8.99