In the wine world, everything is relative. Case in point, I present to you Jacob’s Creek 2008 Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve. The term “Reserve” is typically utilized for the best juice of the vintage, often seeing a little more time in the winemaker’s best oak. But one winemaker’s best juice is another winemaker’s jug wine. And not all oak barrels are made equal. So while a winery may use the term “Reserve” to describe their best effort for the vintage, it simply may not measure up to another winery’s table wine. So how does Jacob’s Creek measure up? Well, the answer is relative.
When you’re presented with a wine with deep rich color, and heavy oak with strong tight tannins, it’s easy to get impressed with the wine’s “big-ness”. But if you spend some time really concentrating on the depth of fruit, integration of tannins, and overall complexities in what the wine is offering, you can pick out the posers from the real-deals.
The Jacob’s Creek Reserve certainly fits the aforementioned description, but is it a poser or the real-deal? On the nose, it initially serves up blueberry and hints of tropical notes, turning to cassis and then pine and cedar. The color is a deeply opaque violet. On the palate there’s more cassis and cedar, and the wine finishes with tight, and slightly bitter tannins. As the wine begins to open the tannins subside slightly and become better integrated with the fruit. But the wine continues to remain a little tight.
So what’s the verdict? Is this reserve cab a poser, or the real-deal? Well in this price range, I’d say the Jacob’s Creek Reserve is certainly no poser. But compared to other well-crafted, well-integrated higher end wines, the Jacob’s Creek can’t be called the real-deal. But if you’re looking for a big wine at a value price, check out this wine. Again, it’s all relative.
Salute!
Wine: Jacob’s Creek Reserve
Variety: Cabernet Sauvignon
Vintage: 2008
Alcohol: 14.5%
Rating: 87
Price: $12.99
Find Jacob’s Creek Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon with Snooth
Disclosure: This wine was received as a sample.