Budget Wine: The Original Dark Horse Cabernet Sauvignon California 2013

I did not want to like this wine. It’s from E.J. Gallo after all and what the world does not need is another Gallo wine.

But I have to say, this is well made if you like wines of this type—concentrated with discernable oak influence. An easy drinking wine with lots of flavor and, most importantly, some structure.

Blackberry, intense smoke hiding a subtle layer of dusty earth, with some pencil shavings in the background give this an intriguing flavor profile. A blast of dark roasted coffee on the palate sets off the mental fireworks like a morning espresso. Full bodied with good acidity and a short, but flavorful finish featuring supportive tannins that tingle rather than grip. A very slight hint of sweetness but the roasty flavors mask it.

A great, everyday go-to wine.

Score: 87

Price: $8

Alc: 13.5

Here’s a jittery meditation from Dylan—One More Cup of Coffee, a dark horse candidate for best Dylan song. The violin is like an over-caffeinated, brittle nerve on the brink of a spasm.