I’m trying to branch out and get new things. It’s easier to do this, of course, because many of the wines I would purchase at home are no longer available to me, thanks to the state-instituted lack of availability. No matter. Maybe we can find something decent.
Don David is an Argentinian label that doesn’t come from Mendoza, interestingly enough. It’s part of the rather large and rather international Michel Torino estate of wineries, which means that at least somewhere up the food chain someone knows how to make a decent bottle of wine. This particular version was about $17 at my local wine store, which means those of you who live in normal jurisdictions can probably pick it up for about $3.50.
I’ll just start by saying this: I like the Don David. I really do. It isn’t really what I expected, by which I mean it isn’t a typical South American Cab, or really even a typical Cab. If anything, it feels more like a Cabernet Sauvignon / Cabernet Franc blend, with powerful, tart flavors instead of the typical subdued, controlled feel you get from Chilean or Mendoza wines. That isn’t to say that it’s not controlled – it is – but it has more of a cranberry feel to it than any wine I’ve ever had. Its beautiful dark color and silky feel make it rather difficult to compare to any other Cab from the region – indeed it might be mistaken for a slightly less bold Malbec than a Cabernet if you were having a bad day.
Unfortunately, the Don David’s novelty is also where it falls short. There are certain expectations of what a South American Cab should be, and this just doesn’t fit. It isn’t that it’s a bad bottle of wine – in fact I will probably buy another. But when you buy one thing on the label and get another in the bottle, it somehow changes the whole experience. Good bottle? Yes. Good Cab? Not really. Good purchase? As long as you know what you’re getting.
Score: 88