March 3, 2020
As college students, we’ve reached that stage of wanting to host sophisticated soirees without draining our wallets. Here are three cabernet sauvignons to help give you an A+ evening that you’ll talk about for years to come, or even just for a relaxing evening to yourself.
Franzia Calif, $
Franzia is my go-to party wine for those nights when you don’t want to break your bank, but you still have guests to entertain. This massive box of wine is cheap, tasty and serves 34 glasses. That’s right, 34 glasses. Whether you’re serving 34 people or drinking it all by yourself, this cabernet sauvignon supports the utilitarian sommelier.
Quality? Not bad. Quantity is of course this wine’s strength. It’s sweet but not too sweet, and it certainly is not dry. Most notable is Franzia’s ability to make bottom-of-the-barrel wine drinkable and enjoyable to some.
My personal recommendation is not to taste this with other wines, because then you’ll notice hints of whatever they use to water down their Franken-wine. And, as we all know, Frankenstein tried his best to be the kind soul he was meant to be.
A wine for your soul it is.
Menage a Trois, California, 2017, $$
This faux-French specimen fits your budget without sacrificing decency. Starting with the smell (this is to satisfy your desire for feeling fancy), you’ll notice this cab’s sweet aroma flow into your nasal cavity. Almost chocolatey. That delicious perfume wafting off the violet gold retains these qualities on your taste buds.
If you’re looking for a party in your mouth, this isn’t the wine for you. What it accomplishes is more of a soft, lower-level sophistication. With this wine, I find it best to pair with foods or to consume as a dessert wine, an example of its flexibility.
A perfect charm for that menage-a-trois evening if that’s what you’re looking for.
Santa Julia, Argentina, 2019, $$
Being made with organic grapes is the biggest selling point of this hearty wine, and it shows. Complete with deep earth-tones, this Argentinian enchantress brings with it a delicious airy quality straight to your tongue. While not overpowering, its faint vigor is strong enough to keep your tongue relaxed. That is, you’ll be more likely to take breaks with this one.
Personally, I can’t imagine drinking this one in a short time.
Classiness is the word of the evening if you plan on bringing this to a dinner party or soiree, so try not to force yourself into abusing such a beautiful wine. It’s best to take your time with this one. The bottle’s label is flourished with a lovely red flower, so treat it as such. Keep your Valentine’s bouquet for days, tend to it, keep it nourished. Ditto for this bottle.