Wine of the week: Broadside Cabernet Sauvignon 2018

Jammy? Certainly. But a New World-style red that is well-made and drinkable

No, the Broadside cabernet sauvignon is not the wine of the week because its name and label fit some sort of Fourth of July theme. Rather, it’s because the wine is something I don’t see much of – a drinkable, New World-style cabernet from California that is neither too jammy or sweet.

There is little doubt that the Broadside cabernet sauvignon ( $13, purchased, 13.5%) is jammy, with lots and lots of dark berries. But there is more than just sweet fruit – extremely rare for this kind of wine, where the goal is usually “smooth.”

There is sort of something resembling what wine geeks call fine-grained tannins, where the tannins hide in the background instead of puckering your mouth. And you might actually taste some spice, another pleasant surprise. Finally, there is what the winery notes call a “solid seam of acidity” – a bit of an exaggeration, but not much.

Drink this with almost any July 4 barbecue. And yes, if you pay more than $15, you might be disappointed. Still, it’s a fine example of this style, where the producer wants to make wine and not something to please people who don’t like red wine.