Cab Sav Mix Tape

Remember back when you would make mix tapes/CDs?  Well, I thought it might be fun to do this with a wine lineup.  These Cabernet Sauvignons all cost less than $20, and they are arranged in this order, making my wine mix tape.  Enjoy.

Note: I use words like track, album, and band interchangeably with wine terms.  So think track= individual wine, band= varietal, and album= compilation of wine listed here.

Track 1- Coppola Diamond Cab Sav ($15-$20).  You need a solid song to begin an album, so this wine starts the album and gets it going on a good note- it’s tasty, rich, and a good value.

Track 2- Sebastiani Sonoma Cab Sav ($18).  This wine is a great value and a great expression of the varietal.  It isn’t widely appreciated compared to others on this list, but it is a good second track that Cab fans will appreciate, even if the more band wagon fans hit skip on this track.

Track 3- Robert Mondavi Cab Sav Private Selection ($6-$10).  Track 3 is a blockbuster.  Not because it is particularly profound or good but because it is catchy and appeals to a lot of people.  Track 3 gets the music video and is the reason band wagon fans buy the album. 

Track 4- J Lohr Seven Oaks Cab Sav ($12-$15).  One of America’s most popular Cabs.  While this track doesn’t have the name recognition that Mondavi has, it is more likely to stand the test of time and be a hit with longer staying power.

Track 5- Barefoot Cab Sav ($6-$9). Catchy and popular, the hits keep on coming as you are drawn into the album.  Again, unlikely to be determined an ageless hit, but definitely one of those popular songs that will get a lot of play in the clubs for a few months.

Track 6- Wild Horse Cab Sav ($16-$20).  Taking a step back into a more serious mood, this is a great wine that will be appreciated by true wine fans and may be a bit too much for the common fan.  Could be too serious or too slow for some after the catchy hits, but this is definitely a track that can be deeply appreciated by true fans.

 Track 7- Chateau Ste. Michelle Cab Sav ($8-$10).  Track 7 is cheap, mass produced, and surprisingly good.  It might not get the publicity of the other hits on this album but it is every bit as deserving of the publicity as the others.

Track 8- Saddle Rock Cab Sav ($15). Those of you outside So Cal might not be able to find this one, but it makes the album as the band’s experimental track.  It’s interesting and good in its own right, but not the traditional taste of the band, and its differences are likely to turn all but the true fans away.

Track 9- Bogle Cab Sav ($10).  Another filler track.  This track has the typical band style, and is just good enough where people won’t just skip this track. It still probably lacks the power and quality to be considered a hit, and is unlikely to make it to the band’s greatest hits album.

Track 10- Gallo Family Vineyards Cab Sav ($6-$8).  Like track 3, this track is a hit and will definitely have a music video and drive the sales of this album.  Sometimes it is easy to confuse the two tracks because to the common fan they are pretty similar, but both have a wide enough appeal to make them hits.

Track 11- Frei Brothers Cab Sav ($18-$20).  An epic track as this album begins to come to a close.  Traditional of the band’s style that has great depth, but isn’t catchy enough to be as popular as many of the other tracks on the album.  Think of this as the song that has the great guitar solo and lyrics but doesn’t have the catchy chorus needed to appeal to the masses.

Track 12- Louis M Martini Cab Sav Sonoma ($15-$20). The last track on the album is one that its fans will thoroughly enjoy.  This track is vintage band style that leaves a good taste in your mouth but is also savvy enough to make you want more.

Hopefully you guys enjoyed this way of looking at some of the power players in the Cabernet world.  I would recommend each of these wines to someone looking to learn more about Cabernet.  And, for people that don’t know much about wine, I think it is always best to relate it to something that you do know about.  So, next time you are in a wine shop looking for something good, tell the clerk what you are looking for in normal terms and leave the “full bodied and jammy” jargon at home.