A couple of weeks ago I was scanning the internet for like-minded, cheapo wino reviewers, like myself, and I stumbled upon Andy from Wineguider.com. I liked him. I liked him a lot. Maybe because he also poo-pooed Abbeyville Cabernet, thereby reassuring me that I wasn’t a total clueless, wine-tasting asshole. You see, I require an incredible amount of validation and I’m partial to those that provide it.

 

Anyway, I thought it’d be fun to invite Andy to do a He Said/She said review…and he agreed!

 

The problem…I asked him to review the 2010 Muirwood Cabernet (because I liked their Chardonnay so much) but his Total Wine only had the 2011. I said, “Sure, let’s do the 2011.” So then, of course, my Total Wine only had the 2012. SONOFABITCH. As a result, today we are comparing the 2011 & 2012. Two reviews on one post, it’s your lucky day! I pray your day gets better.

 

Here we go!

2011 Muirwood Cabernet Sauvignon – $13.99

Wineguider says : The 2011 Muirwood cabernet from Total Wine is a nice contender for those who are fed up with overly-sweet, generic California cabs.

 
It has a slight “kick” to it, consisting of eucalyptus, cinnamon, and maybe even mint notes. It’s not too sweet or too viscous, but it does have a bit of vanilla to its aroma that carries forward to its taste. Of course, being a California cabernet, it has plenty of oaky tannins, but they are soft. More interesting is the cedar in there.

This cab is not really a crowd-pleaser, maybe because of its eucalyptus notes. But it goes beautifully with grilled ribeye, as we noted tonight, which is far more important. Food kicks it up a notch.

Watch out if you’re tasting Muirwood by itself – those unusual overtones can take on an almost medicinal character.

Bottom line: although it’s not for everyone, at $14, this red is:

Recommended.

Kim says: Holy shit, Wineguider, look at you, bumping my page up a professional notch! I guarantee most of my readers just double checked the URL.

Alright, so I went to Total Wine to find the Muirwood 2011 but they only had the 2012 (which I bought, because wine), so then I went to 3 other liquor stores until a helpful liquor clerk said “Lady, the only place in this state that you’ll find Muirwood is at Total Wine.” What? Why? Sounds like some Mafia shenanigans going on.
 
Anyway, now I’m reviewing the 2012. That’s ok- Wineguider, pretty much called the 2011 ‘a bottle of cough medicine when guzzled on an empty stomach’. Sounds like I dodged a bullet.

2012 Muirwood Cabernet Sauvignon – $12.99

I found this wine to be medium bodied and supple but not quite firm, much like the condition of my abs despite a bazillion planks and those god-awful stomach crunches that my kick-boxing instructor swore would get me into bikini shape by June. Well it’s the end of May, Gina, and the only thing “firm” about me is my conviction that you’re a LIAR! But I digress.

When it first touched my tongue, I found it to be a bit mellow, but as it cascaded down my throat I sensed some oaky notes and a slight tang…but not the kind of tang that pisses you off, more like the kind that says “Hey lady, you just wait, I’m going to be somebody someday!” So my suggestion to you is to buy it now and drink it when it grows up.

Seriously guys, I need to thank Andy for the kickass review! Make sure to check out his other reviews at www.wineguider.com

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