2019 CABERNET SAUVIGNON, No Fine Print. California

80% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Merlot, 10% Petite Sarah; two thirds kept in steel tank (to retain freshness) and a third matured in new French oak barrels for 9 months.

In the words of UK agent Liberty Wines:

“No Fine Print is an exciting project from legendary American music veterans Pat Corcoran and Tim Smith.

Inspired by a love of restaurants and his experience of Chicago hospitality, Pat travelled to Sonoma, where he formed a relationship with brothers Andrew and Adam Mariani, who manage Scribe Winery.

Pat wanted to create a wine that he could share with restaurants in his native Chicago, and in 2018 his ‘hobby’ started to gain serious traction, with the UK becoming the first export market in 2022.

The Cabernet Sauvignon is made from grapes sourced from the sandy soils of Lodi, where the maritime influence from the Delta gives the appellation a Mediterranean climate, lending a balance of both fruit-forward ripeness and acidity to the wine. 80% of the vineyards here are certified sustainable, an important cause to consultant winemaker, Birk O’Halloran.”

It’s the value here that is impressive. Good California Cab (and this tastes very good) is normally prohibitively, sometimes absurdly, expensive. This has the anticipated power, balanced by freshness and vigour, but at a fairly sensible price. Great packaging too!