In my quest to focus on wines from the other 46 states, I recently stumbled upon a Cabernet Sauvignon from North Carolina. What has become a weekly, and might I add expensive trip to Total Wine, I recently purchased the Biltmore Estate Cabernet Sauvignon. I’m fortunate to have Total Wine close by with the selection, thus avoiding the shipping costs and hot, Florida temps. I opened the bottle up and let sit for about 2 hours. Not knowing what to expect, I figured I’d play it safe and let this breathe.
The bouquet was fairly tight, but opened slightly after a swirl, with blackberries. On the initial taste, light tannins and again, lots of black fruit. 13% alcohol. Unfortunately, one-dimensional and not overly complex. But if you’re looking for an easy to drink red, this could be a potential play. In summary, this North Carolina red didn’t wow, but I believe there is lots of potential to improve.
I love your site. I also enjoy visited wineries in some obscure places. I encourage you to check out some more of our North Carolina wineries. The last count I saw on the “official” NC wine website was 88. There are some really great wineries all over the state.
I am a big fan of Virginia wine too. Next time you are at Chateau Morrisette, head south (not too far) and check out Westbend. That is just the beginning…
Keep up the good work promoting The Other 46.
Hi Valerie,
Thank you for your kind words and readership! The North Carolina wine industry is growing by leaps and bounds and receiving a ton of press (which is great). It will be exciting to see the grape that really puts NC on the map, much like Virginia with Cabernet Franc and Viognier. I keep saying I’m going to visit Chateau Morrisette, but somehow, never make it there. I believe they will be pouring at the big Virginia Wines Festival next weekend (September 19th and 20th), so I’m looking forward to sampling their wines!
Cheers!
Brian