Wine Review: 2019 CK Mondavi Cabernet Sauvignon

 CK Mondavi and Family, 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon

      Here's the straight truth, I bought this bottle of wine because of the banner on the label reading "Rich and Velvety". It was also on sale for $5.99, which is about half price, and it's immediately obvious where that other $5 would've gone had it been spent.

     This wine is good, like, way above its price range good. And why is that? A bit of investigation reveals that CK Mondavi and Family has brought on winemaker, Randy Herron, to head up the operation in St. Helena, California. For the nosey among us, Randy Herron's resume can be viewed on LinkedIn and it dates back to 1996. In the subsequent years, Randy has served as senior winemaker at E&J Gallo Winery, [yellow tail], and Messina Hof Winery and Resort before going to work for CK Mondavi in 2018. Sufficed to say, Mr. Herron has achieved a dazzling level of wizardry when it comes to brewing grown-up grape juice.

     CK Mondavi Cabernet Sauvignon is indeed rich and velvety, delivering subtle flavors of cherry and oak with a level of finesse almost never seen at this price point. Combine that with an alcohol content of 13.5% and a screw cap and... I mean life just doesn't get much better. It's heaven in a bottle.

     Most winemaker's websites do not publish fun facts like the pH of each wine, but CK Mondavi does, and this Cabernet Sauvignon has a pH of 3.65. While I can't say for sure how that compares to other wines, I can say that this wine delivered absolutely no headache, no acid reflux, no sour stomach, none of the potentially unpleasant side effects that often accompany an evening of wine drinking. It seems to me like the pH "might" have something to do with that.

     I am now kicking myself for only buying one bottle. This wine would be a bargain at $15 or even $20 but, should you see it on sale for $5.99, don't leave the store without at least one in each hand.