What we’re drinking: Root 1

Brynn writes:

Earlier this year my husband went on a wine buying kick thanks to his subscription to Consumer Reports.

Listed inside the magazine were wine selections that CR tasters felt were a good value, both in price and in flavor. After a quick run through of our “cellar” (aka our wine rack in our dinning room), we made a list of CR-tested wines and set out to find some great deals.

One of those on our list was Root: 1 2008 Cabernet Sauvignon.

This wine is made in Chile’s Colchagua Valley. We recently had it with grilled cheeseburgers. This might be the first Chilean Cab I’ve had. I enjoyed it — it was a nice change from the Cabs I’ve had recently from Napa that I’ve found to be very dry.

Napa Cab makers would probably be insulted that I’m comparing this “value wine” to their masterful creations, but I enjoyed this wine because it didn’t leave my mouth puckering (that’s probably because there’s a little Syrah blended with the Cab, giving it a slight jamminess).

The wine wasn’t amazing; it didn’t leave me thinking for hours about what I just tasted. But it was approachable, food friendly and overall a drinkable wine. This is one that would be safe to bring to a party as a hostess gift for someone you might not know too well, or one to bring to a party where you don’t know what everyone likes to drink.

Here’s what the winery says about its 2008 Cab:

TASTING NOTES
Rich ruby color with aromas of ripe berries and soft plum are followed by tastes of black cherry, soft vanilla and dark chocolate. The silky tannins, strong balance and good structure support a long complex finish.

FOOD PAIRINGS
Artfully accompanies grilled meats, ripe cheeses, Italian and Mediterranean cuisine and chocolate.

APPELLATION: Colchagua Valley, Chile
WINEMAKER: Felipe Tosso
WINERY: Viña Ventisquero
VINTAGE: 2008
VARIETAL: 82% Cabernet Sauvignon, 18% Syrah
ALCOHOL: 14.2%

All lots were aged for 12 months in American (50 percent) and French (50 percent) oak.

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