Rating: 74/100
Tonight I'm taking down some of a bottle of Middle Sister Mischief Maker, which is a Cabernet Sauvignon* from California. Middle Sister is specifically from Santa Rosa. I somewhat regret buying this wine as it seems a little emasculating. Unfortunately I try to keep my price point at about $10 a bottle, because I'm cheap. As a result, when I buy at my very local liquor shop, the selection becomes very limited. I do however enjoy Cabernet Sauvignon, so I'll just ignore the femininity of the label and get on to the wine.
*Fun Fact: The word "Sauvignon" is believed to be derived from the French sauvage meaning "wild" and to refer to the grape being a wild Vitis vinifera vine native to France.
This bottle doesn't even give a vintage, which makes me a little worried. Even though the year doesn't mean much to me, I still like to know when the bottle was born. I've read, however, that winemaking has advanced enough that the vintage has become obsolete as a correlation of quality. This is apparently a topic of much dispute. The Mischief Maker is 12.5% ABV, so about one percent lower than I suppose I would expect on average. According to their site, it's made of 80% Cabernet Sauvignon and a 20% mix of assorted red.
Holding this up to the light, it has a very deep red, perhaps a brick red. Away from the light it looks as if there are almost some shades of purple. I can't see through the wine in my glass, and I always like that. I tend to think I'm going to get a more bold flavor when that's the case. I'm all the more disappointed when that turns out to be completely untrue.
I smell some fruits, notes of cherry and some spices, though almost something herbal as it kind of lingers in your nose a little bit.
Now for a little taste. Pretty good. Some very nice fruit flavors, maybe a little blackberry as it's has a tiny bit of a dry finish after a very juicy introduction. It's moderately acidic, and it has a nice touch at the end almost like some mild tartness from a plum. After going down it lingers on the tongue for a bit causing me to salivate, and that just makes me crave more.
Out of 5
Appearance: 4.5 - A very nice brick red, dark through the middle. This is a very tempting profile for me.
Aroma: 3 - The smell is alright, but not the best. The fruit stands out a little and it lingers a little in the nostrils, but it's not necessarily the smell I would want lingering. Reminiscent of that feeling I get when I smell potpourri.
Taste: 4 - I like the bold fruits a lot.
Mouthfeel/Finish: 3.5 - Pretty bold in the beginning, and the acidity makes me salivate over it which just makes me want to take another sip. It may almost be a little too acidic though.
Drinkability: 3.5 - The acidity I think is making me want to drink this more quickly than normal, but I do enjoy it overall. It's a little heavier I think, so I might not drink a lot of this in one sitting, though because it's a little lower ABV you probably wouldn't be in too bad of shape if you did.
Overall I like this one quite a bit, minus it bringing out a little bit of my inner girl. For the price, I would probably recommend it for those who like Cabernet. If you don't like so much acidity, maybe try something else though, I tend to like it a little more acidic.
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