I was fortunate again this week to receive a Lab Rat email and the accompanying delivery from UPS. This was a winery Iāve not heard of, which doesnāt necessarily mean much, but I have been fortunate in the past to rat many WineSmith, Pedroncelli, etc., many of the usual suspects that are also staples in my cellar.
Upon opening and seeing the bottle, I am guessing that this, along with the port offering from Friday, is a part of a Valentineās Day offering, meant to be delivered by early February.
Itās a lovely bottle, very festive, with some hearts in plain view. Suprisingly low alc for a California Cabernet, 12.5%, which immediately had me wondering if it would be fully ripe. I love lower alc wines, and it is getting more and more difficult to find any Cabs lower than 14%.
Opened last night. Upon pouring it is a lovely, clear, slighly pale red with a pale rim.
Not much on the nose- a bit of acetate and Jolly Rancher. First sip is a bit harsh, not particularly complex, a bit green, with very dry fine tannin on the mid palate, more cherry jolly rancher on the palate, short finish. My wife immediately said zippy, zing, acidic, so it must have some acidity. Texturally I wouldnāt have pegged this as a cab, I would have probably guessed a lighter zin.
We paired the cab with homemade Sloppy Joe, figuring a fruity cab would be a good pairing. The wine was definitely better with food, especially the texture and acidity cut through the food well and invited another taste. Palate wise it didnāt really improve, still fairly harsh and a bit green.
Just tasted on day two- I think itās much improved, more red fruit in the nose, more body in the palate, more of a cranberry Jolly Rancher now, I like it a lot better.
This will be one of the first Lab Rat bottles I donāt end up ordering. For $9 I think itās an OK value, although there are many better wines at that price. For close to $12, I donāt think it pulls its weight, although it is a lovely bottle and lable design for Valentineās Day. Iām also tapped out, as I ordered the Gard and Pedroncelli port offerings earlier in the week.
Thanks again for the Rat opportunity, sorry itās not better news this time!
This 2017 Il Cuore Cabernet Sauvignon arrived late Thursday evening, so we let it sit for a day to settle. It was out on the counter, but since the furnace for that floor is out and not scheduled to be replaced until Monday, the temp at opening was between 60 and 65 degrees.
On pop and pour the nose was fairly muted and the color and body are both a bit on the light side for a cab sav, reminding me a bit of merlot.
Itās tart, with cherries and green plum notes most evident. The tannins hit right up front which is a bit unusual, so thereās a good bit of black tea in the front of the mouth with a smoother finish at the back.
After an hour in the glass and warming a few degrees, the plum is a bit riper and a some pomegranate notes come out, but the profile is generally the same.
Itās pretty straight-forward, not a ton of complexity, but a would be a nice table wine, particularly with food. It should go particularly well with the labelās suggestion of robust pasta dishes or salmon.
My initial thought was that this would be about a $10 bottle, so the case price for the deal is good in my opinion.
@xandersherry Day two notes are not significantly changed. The profile is the same, though itās consolidated on the cherry notes and the tannins have lengthen, but not softened. I think this one could likely age well for awhile. Just as nice or nicer on day two.
2017 Il Cuore āThe Heartā Cabernet Sauvignon, California
Tasting Notes
An elegant Cabernet Sauvignon ready to drink now.
Il Cuore means āThe Heartā in Italian. We pay tribute to the Italian immigrants who first planted vineyards in the Californiaās North Coast in the late nineteenth century. How do you say Il Cuore? āEel quarryā
Il Cuore Cabernet Sauvignon is produced from premium grapes grown in Mendocino County and Lodi, areas that form the viticultural heart of California. The success of Cabernet Sauvignon from these regions has long been attributed to complex soils, consistently warm daytime temperatures, and cool nights. This climate allows for ideal ripening and flavor maturation while protecting the vital natural acidity resulting in a wine that tastes great and pairs beautifully with your favorite foods.
Il Cuore Cabernet Sauvignon is combined with Petite Sirah and Merlot varieties and offers black cherry flavors and plenty of plush tannins. Petite Sirah contributes lush ripe plum and berry flavors and adds body. The Merlot brings us lovely floral scents and a smooth mouth feel. The blend was aged in 60-gallon neutral oak barrels to develop complexity without overwhelming the wine with aggressive oak flavors.
Il Cuore Cabernet Sauvignon is recommended with Mediterranean cuisine and classic Italian dishes. Ideal pairings include lean grilled meats, or salmon and tuna. Aged cheeses are wonderful when drinking our Cabernet, and donāt forget rich dark chocolate, Salute!
The original art for Il Cuore was created by Dan Rizzie, whose bold cubistic paintings are in the permanent collections of both The Metropolitan Museum of Art and The Museum of Modern Art in New York. The label design celebrates the moderate daily consumption of wine as part of a healthy and passionate lifestyle.
Share the Romance!
āOf all earthly music-that which reaches farthest into heaven is the beating of a truly loving heart.ā - Henry Ward Beecher
Specs
Vintage: 2017
Blend: 76% Cabernet Sauvignon, 16% Petite Sirah, 8% Merlot
Bottling Date: August 2020
Alcohol: 12.5%
Production 865 cases
Included in the Box
6-bottles:
6x 2017 Il Cuore āThe Heartā Cabernet Sauvignon, California
1x 5-Piece Box of Casemates Dark Chocolate Sea Salt Caramels
Case:
12x 2017 Il Cuore āThe Heartā Cabernet Sauvignon, California
1x 5-Piece Box of Casemates Dark Chocolate Sea Salt Caramels
Il Cuore means āThe Heartā in Italian. We selected this name to honor the Italian immigrants who planted vines in Mendocino County located along the northern coast of California. We make a variety of different wines because Mendocino County provides a broad range of climate and topography making it suitable to produce delicious Red and White wines.
Our Cabernet and Zinfandel are picked from the warmer regions where riper wines flourish. Closer to the Pacific Ocean, where the temperatures are cooler we choose grapes for our Chardonnay and Sparkling wines that are higher in acidity, crisp, and bright. A hallmark of the Il Cuore style is the modest use of oak to create wines that focus on pure varietal character and fresh flavors. Il Cuore may be enjoyed everyday and for every occasion.
Available States
AZ, CA, CO, CT, DC, FL, GA, ID, IN, IA, KS, LA, ME, MD, MA, MN, MO, MT, NE, NV, NJ, NM, NY, NC, ND, OH, OK, OR, PA, RI, SC, SD, TN, TX, VT, VA, WA, WV, WI, WY
Il Cuore āThe Heartā Cabernet Sauvignon
6 bottles for $69.99 $11.66/bottle + $1.33/bottle shipping
Case of 12 for $109.99 $9.17/bottle + $1/bottle shipping
How much more are you saving by buying a full case?
(Note: Tax & Shipping not included in savings calculations)
2017 Il Cuore āThe Heartā Cabernet Sauvignon - $30 = 21.42%
Lab Rat chiming in:
I was fortunate again this week to receive a Lab Rat email and the accompanying delivery from UPS. This was a winery Iāve not heard of, which doesnāt necessarily mean much, but I have been fortunate in the past to rat many WineSmith, Pedroncelli, etc., many of the usual suspects that are also staples in my cellar.
Upon opening and seeing the bottle, I am guessing that this, along with the port offering from Friday, is a part of a Valentineās Day offering, meant to be delivered by early February.
Itās a lovely bottle, very festive, with some hearts in plain view. Suprisingly low alc for a California Cabernet, 12.5%, which immediately had me wondering if it would be fully ripe. I love lower alc wines, and it is getting more and more difficult to find any Cabs lower than 14%.
Opened last night. Upon pouring it is a lovely, clear, slighly pale red with a pale rim.
Not much on the nose- a bit of acetate and Jolly Rancher. First sip is a bit harsh, not particularly complex, a bit green, with very dry fine tannin on the mid palate, more cherry jolly rancher on the palate, short finish. My wife immediately said zippy, zing, acidic, so it must have some acidity. Texturally I wouldnāt have pegged this as a cab, I would have probably guessed a lighter zin.
We paired the cab with homemade Sloppy Joe, figuring a fruity cab would be a good pairing. The wine was definitely better with food, especially the texture and acidity cut through the food well and invited another taste. Palate wise it didnāt really improve, still fairly harsh and a bit green.
Just tasted on day two- I think itās much improved, more red fruit in the nose, more body in the palate, more of a cranberry Jolly Rancher now, I like it a lot better.
This will be one of the first Lab Rat bottles I donāt end up ordering. For $9 I think itās an OK value, although there are many better wines at that price. For close to $12, I donāt think it pulls its weight, although it is a lovely bottle and lable design for Valentineās Day. Iām also tapped out, as I ordered the Gard and Pedroncelli port offerings earlier in the week.
Thanks again for the Rat opportunity, sorry itās not better news this time!
@wnance Nice corkscrew!
@catcoland Thanks! A reminder of our one trip to the winery before Peter retired.
@wnance thank you for the report.
This 2017 Il Cuore Cabernet Sauvignon arrived late Thursday evening, so we let it sit for a day to settle. It was out on the counter, but since the furnace for that floor is out and not scheduled to be replaced until Monday, the temp at opening was between 60 and 65 degrees.
On pop and pour the nose was fairly muted and the color and body are both a bit on the light side for a cab sav, reminding me a bit of merlot.
Itās tart, with cherries and green plum notes most evident. The tannins hit right up front which is a bit unusual, so thereās a good bit of black tea in the front of the mouth with a smoother finish at the back.
After an hour in the glass and warming a few degrees, the plum is a bit riper and a some pomegranate notes come out, but the profile is generally the same.
Itās pretty straight-forward, not a ton of complexity, but a would be a nice table wine, particularly with food. It should go particularly well with the labelās suggestion of robust pasta dishes or salmon.
My initial thought was that this would be about a $10 bottle, so the case price for the deal is good in my opinion.
Iāll post an update later with day two notes.
@xandersherry Day two notes are not significantly changed. The profile is the same, though itās consolidated on the cherry notes and the tannins have lengthen, but not softened. I think this one could likely age well for awhile. Just as nice or nicer on day two.
@xandersherry thank you for reveiwing.
In-Time-For-Valentineās-Day Delivery!
2017 Il Cuore āThe Heartā Cabernet Sauvignon, California
Tasting Notes
Specs
Included in the Box
6-bottles:
Case:
Price Comparison
$216 at Il Cuore Wines for 12x 2017 Il Cuore āThe Heartā Cabernet Sauvignon, California
About The Winery
Available States
AZ, CA, CO, CT, DC, FL, GA, ID, IN, IA, KS, LA, ME, MD, MA, MN, MO, MT, NE, NV, NJ, NM, NY, NC, ND, OH, OK, OR, PA, RI, SC, SD, TN, TX, VT, VA, WA, WV, WI, WY
Estimated Delivery
Monday, Feb 8 - Wednesday, Feb 10
Il Cuore āThe Heartā Cabernet Sauvignon
6 bottles for $69.99 $11.66/bottle + $1.33/bottle shipping
Case of 12 for $109.99 $9.17/bottle + $1/bottle shipping
2017 Il Cuore Cabernet Sauvignon
Weāll take a chocolate or two if anybody nearby gets thisā¦
How much more are you saving by buying a full case?
(Note: Tax & Shipping not included in savings calculations)
2017 Il Cuore āThe Heartā Cabernet Sauvignon - $30 = 21.42%