Naked Grape Cabernet Sauvignon

Naked Grape

Cabernet Sauvignon

Grape Valley Wine Company

Origin: California

Vintage: None

With a name like The Naked Grape, you know you're going to get attention.  

It's hard not to notice what it says when you're cruising the wine aisles.  It's human nature, I suppose.  

Plus it sounds a bit... naughty.

The name The Naked Grape isn't just for eye-catching the buyer, it's also a description of how their wines are made.  A "naked" wine refers simply to any wine that hasn't been aged in oak, or at least hasn't been aged traditionally.  I reviewed Big House Wine's Unchained Naked Chardonnay (check it out here) and while there wine is also "naked," it is still aged in steel barrels and neutral oak.  So, I guess there's a little bit of wiggle room within the definition.  But regardless, it's not traditionally aged, that's the key. 

The Naked Grape Cabernet Sauvignon pours a deep garnet color and smells of blackberries, blackberries, and more blackberries.  Tastings brings lots of clean, dark fruit flavors, more blackberries (imagine that!), and a hint of black licorice.  The finish is short and still quite fruity.  

This is definitely a very fruity and clean tasting wine.  It's certainly different than many other Cabs and a welcome change of pace from the usual.  In its attempt to bring forth the natural grape flavors, they have succeeded. 

Would I choose this over a traditional Cabernet Sauvignon?  Not likely.  

But like I said, it's a good change from the usual.

Drink This: if you want to taste an unoaked Cabernet Sauvignon full of clean, dark fruit flavors. 

Don't Drink This: if you're looking for a traditional, oaky, tannic Cabernet.  This isn't it.

Cheers!