Deep ruby color; blackberry, plum, cherry, peppercorn, oak, vanilla on the nose; blackberry, cherry, plum, raspberry, oak, chocolate on the palate.
Dry; bold and rich; mild tannins and acidity. Full body—broad and mouth-filling. Dark fruits dominate abetted by enough oak to hold things together and mask flaws. This is commodity, generic cab, but performs well in the role the winemaking assigns it. At this price point, you are not going to get elegance and sophisticated depth and layers of flavors. You will get a drinkable everyday wine. 14.5% ABV
The Noble Vines brand name comes from the vine stocks originating from esteemed Old World vineyards in Bordeaux, Burgundy, and Alsace. The 337 name for their cab refers to vine stock originating in Bordeaux. Spent a minimum of three months in French and American oak.. Must have been new wood or even wood staves because oak clearly is part of the equation here.
Sustainably farmed. The website notes: “We farm the Noble Vines Collection in the red, cobblestone soils of our family-owned vineyards in Lodi and on the gentle slopes of our cool-climate San Bernabe Vineyard in Monterey, California. At Noble Vines we pay strict attention to sustainable farming to ensure this land endures for the next century and beyond. We are a founding member of the Central Coast Natural Vineyard Team and adhere strictly to appellation-specific rules for sustainably farming each of our vineyards. Deep roots with a commitment to our family and communities keep us focused on superior quality—from the way we farm to how we craft our wines.”
Noble Vines is a Delicato Family Wines brand. Delicato Family Wines began in 1924 with Sicilian immigrant Gaspare Indelicato. He planted the first Delicato vineyard in Manteca, California, because the land reminded him of his homeland. With his three sons, he built a reputation for winemaking, and the family became a major player in wine.
The website notes: “By 1940, the Delicato winery was making and selling about 15,000 gallons a year. In 1955, production reached 74,107 gallons—a long way from the mere 3,451 gallons of twenty years earlier. By 1964, the winery increased its capacity to 403,000 gallons. This steady growth over the years is what makes Delicato Family Wines today a top 10 U.S. wine supplier. With total sales of more than 12 million cases per year and more than a decade of sustained double-digit growth, Delicato Family Wines is the sixth-largest winery in America and the sixth-largest exporter of branded wine from the USA.”
Noble Vines Collection 337 Cabernet Sauvignon, Lodi 2019 is dense, jammy, smooth, rife with ripe dark fruit. Straightforward, nothing offensive, every-day drinker. Pretty much a one note effort—dark fruit and oak—but succeeds in the lane the makers chose for it. Pair with rich beef—grilled rib-eye, roasts, braised meats (wine priced so you can buy two bottles and use part or all of one as part of the liquid for braising and pair second with the fare); pork chops, baby back ribs; barbecue—brisket, chicken, ribs; lamb; venison; comfort food—meatloaf, pizza, spaghetti and meat balls, burgers and sliders. Cheese—creamy and bloomy cheese; bleu cheese, humbolt fog, brie, camembert, sharp cheddar, ricotta, gorgonzola, gouda, cheddar—harder, aged cheeses. $10-15
Noble Vines Collection website
