Eight Valleys, California Ruby Cabernet 2006

Alcohol content : 12%

$$$: RM 26.90

Vintage 2006 - but so ?
In this type of wine; it does not matter what year it is as it does not state the Vineyard, so you'd have no idea on the vintage report (whether the crop was good that year & etc) However, personally I would avoid buying any wine that's not at least 3 to 4 years old. Anything lesser than that means the wine is young so it will taste like you've eaten an underripe banana....

On the Label:
This wine exhibits pleasant fruity aromas and exceptional ripe characters with spicy overtones. Well complemented by fine meat, pasta or cheese dishes.

According to Wikipedia:
Ruby Cabernet is a red wine grape variety that is valued for its drought resistance if not for the quality of its wines. A cross between Cabernet Sauvignon and Carignan, it can produce wines with good colour and a pleasant cherry flavour, but is mostly blended into bulk wines.
The purpose for the creation of the hybrid grape utilized to produce Ruby Cabernet, was to obtain the superior quality of a Cabernet wine, and the resistance to heat of the Carignan combined in an inexpensive table wine. Even though the wine made from these grapes does not possess the distinctive flavor and the overall structure of other types of Cabernet wines, it does carry their fruitful essence.
The grape for this type of red wine was developed for California's hot climate, specially for regions such as the San Joaquin and the Napa Valleys. Ruby Cabernet has improved the quality of the bulk wines produced in these areas thanks to its natural, special acidity.

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Well, this one was purchased purely based on the price tag. Lesson learnt though, is never buy a wine based on how nice/ fancy the label looks.

Based on the label it does describe it as having pleasant fruit aromas and exceptional ripe characters, and it is true. Very easy drinking wine albeit slightly sweet. I would label it a 'Girly' Wine ...

I do have to mention this wine is good as an economical everyday drinking wine; cheap and taste good. However, it's "Bottled by" Pelican Winery meaning it probly comes in big cartons and are re-bottled again, in the process the wine could get oxidised if done sloppily or probly something worse ....

Then again, this is about budget... Wine connoisseurs need not apply !