Review of McPherson Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon 2013

McPherson Cellars is known for clean wines that are easy to drink and are typically closed under stelvin (screwcap). They do a great job with their entire portfolio providing pretty much something for everyone. If you have yet to try a McPherson wine, you are really missing out. Located in Lubbock, TX, the winery is a “must visit” place for any serious Texas Wine aficionado.

During my recent trip to Newsom Grape Day, I had a chance to pop in the winery for a visit, along with Bill and Gail Day (Buena Suerte Vineyards), and my pal Jeff Cope. They happened to be bottling that day, so owner/winemaker Kim McPherson personally did a tasting for us including a few freshly bottled wines. Despite bottle shock, the wines were drinking surprisingly well. While there, I happened to taste the 2013 Cabernet Sauvignon and decided to bring home a bottle for review, as it is one of the few “variety correct” Cabs from Texas I have tasted. When I drink a Cabernet Sauvignon, I expect a wine with solid tannins and a fruit forward profile, something Napa Valley is well known for with their Cabernet wines. Here are my thoughts on the McPherson Cab.

First off, this is one of only a few red wines that is aged in oak barrels at McPherson Cellars. Kim is not one to oak all of his reds and even rarer, this bottle also uses a cork closure, another thing Kim steers away from a lot of the time. This wine pours into the glass a deep ruby red with a magenta rim. The nose is a solid core of plump blackberry, black cherry, cedar chest, with a tantalizing note of violets. The palate confirms the nose, with more of a crushed violet profile. The floral component is a really nice complement to a solid black fruit driven wine. The structure is solid, but soft. The fruit is elegant and gripping, and the youthful tannins are still fairly high. I like the gum sucking profile, but those of you intimidated by tannins might lay this bottle down for another 6 months as it continues to integrate and evolve.

Specifications:

• McPherson Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon, 2013 vintage
• Winemaker: Kim McPherson
• Appellation: Texas
• Grape varieties: Cabernet Sauvignon (100%)
• Barrels: 18 months in French Oak
• Clarity/Brightness: Clear/bright, with no detectable flaws and no evidence of gas or sediment
• Tannins: High
• Acidity: Medium
• Alcohol: Medium
• Finish: Long
• Alcohol by volume: 13.8%
• pH: 3.72
• Retail price: $18.00

To say this wine is a bargain is an understatement. A really clean/elegant Texas Cabernet Sauvignon with an $18.00 price tag?! Kudos to McPherson Cellars for offering wines at such a fair price. This Cab ain’t Napa and it is definitely not Bordeaux, but it is a fantastic representation of how well a Texas Cab “can be done” when the fruit and winemaking work out beautifully.

Sip, savor, and enjoy my fellow aficionados.