The 2012 DeLoach Cabernet Sauvignon Heritage Reserve is sourced from sustainably farmed grapes grown in more than one California grape growing AVA. DeLoach was founded in 1975 in the Russian River Valley of the Sonoma AVA and the Heritage Reserve line is their value wine. DeLoach is part of the Boisset Family Vineyards group of wines which feature both French and California properties. The 2012 Cabernet was fermented, then the various lots of grapes from the different AVA’s were blended together. Most of the wine was aged in stainless steel vats, but a small portion was aged in French and American oak to give this Cab a little of the oak flavor people have come to expect, but still keep the rich fruit flavors. The DeLoach Cab Sauv lists for $11.99 (I found it for $8.99) and can often be found on sale for under ten. The alcohol content is 13.5%.
The color is see-thru purple with black highlights. The nose is grape juice, dusty leaves, Nestle’s Quik powder, plums, cranberries and spearmint gum. This is an inexpensive Cabernet Sauvignon, but it has a bit of weight and a nice touch of length. It tastes of blackberry, Starbucks Mocha Vente, oak spice and cherry. The mid-palate brings along a slight pull from the tannins (this is a good thing for a California Cabernet Sauvignon) and a hint of smoke. The acidity gives the various flavors in the wine ample time to unfold. This is a soft, smooth wine, but it has some depth and complexity. The finish is full and long.
The 2012 DeLoach Cabernet Sauvignon Heritage Reserve is a very solid effort, it is easy drinking (in the best sense of the phrase), but not simple or dumbed down. It tastes like a California Cabernet Sauvignon. This is wine that does what it is supposed to, and that is, be a very reasonably priced wine that is representative of the place it was produced, that an average, everyday wine drinker can understand and an advanced wine drinker can enjoy. That may sound simple, but it is not that easy to pull off. Nice job, De Loach.
