Wine of the week: Castle Rock Cabernet Sauvignon Columbia Valley 2019

Yes, a U.S. cheap wine that tastes like it’s supposed to taste

Castle Rock makes lots and lots of $10 wine, of which the Washington state reds are usually among the best. They taste like Washington state reds, they aren’t sweet, and if they’re simple, they aren’t stupid.

Which is all we ask.

Castle Rock’s Columbia Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2019 ($10, sample, 13.5%) is an excellent example of just that kind of wine. It’s widely available (more than two dozen listings on Wine Searcher), it’s not soft just because someone, somewhere, decided soft was the way to go, and it offers cabernet character.

Which, again, is all we ask. Who knew that was so much?

Look for black fruit (maybe even some plum?) that isn’t too ripe, too over the top, or piled on to cover up other deficiencies. Even more worthwhile: There isn’t too much oak, and what there is mostly tastes like oak and not flavored wood chips. And the tannins are noticeable – not too astringent, but professionally pushed to the back, as they should be in cabernet.

Just the kind of wine for takeout pizza or burgers, or to keep around when someone who likes red wine drops by the house.