We review the Primus Cabernet Sauvignon, a solid Chilean Cab that goes easy on the green notes.
Cabernet Sauvignon from Maipo Valley, Chile. The wine spends spends 12 months in French oak, 18% of which is new, and has just 2.29 g/L of residual sugar.
Sample submitted for review. The Primus Cabernet Sauvignon has an SRP of $21 and is available for as low as $16. It is imported by Gonzalez Byass.
From the bottle:
This elegant wine was born at the foothills of the Andes Mountains along the Maipo River’s old alluvial terraces. Sustainable agriculture combined with the soil’s unique characteristics result in a medium-bodied Cabernet Sauvignon with a long silky finish.
Produced and bottled by Vinedos Veramonte
14% Alcohol
As we noted in our series on box wines, it’s fascinating to watch the economics behind wine. The example we delved into there was Black Box which used to produce a Cabernet Sauvignon from California. Over time, as grapes prices in California rose, the sourcing of that wine switched to Chile.
This is not an isolated incident — we’ve seen a number of supermarket brands do this exact same thing (not to mention all the new wines out there that are simply just a label with no real vineyard behind them).
There’s absolutely nothing wrong with wine from Chile of course, but one of the things that has gone alongside this cost-cutting trend is the preponderance of green notes in the wines.
Many times, this is simply because the grapes are underripe, which results in elevated levels of pyrazine. (Pyrazine is the class of compounds that gives green pepper its distinct taste.)
Cabernet, a late ripening grape that does best in warm, dry climates seems to be particularly sensitive to this in Chile, at least in my experience. In fact, it’s a common enough occurrence for me that it is quite notable when it is not present, or even just lightly so like today’s bottle.
The 2018 Primus Cabernet Sauvignon begins with a very pleasant aroma of plum, black cherry, blackberry, spearmint and just a hint of a green note.
Tasting the medium-bodied wine shows similar fruit to the nose along with nice touches of well-integrated spice and smooth, soft tannins. It’s rather simple, although it does gain some complexity with air. It’s also quite easy to drink.
It ends dry, long and a bit dusty with some lasting oaky, earthy notes.
Looking for more of the Best Cabernet Sauvignon Under $20? Check out our giant list!
You can also find more of our favorite wines from Chile here.
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