As my wine reviews show I have tried a few of the Little Black Dress wines and of course I am a fan of this lovely little reasonably priced wine. One of my favorites was the Cabernet 2007 so I was excited to try the 2008, which just showed up in my local store.
Much like the 2007 it is rich with fruits of ripe cherry and blackberry with a suggestion of spices, however it is a lot more subtle with hints of cream and less chocolate. I like how different vintages can be, it makes life and wine so interesting. On the palate I love the boldness of this wine, less spicy and more fruity than the 2007 I thought. The 2008 is abundant with ripe dark cherries and has longer finish. It really is quite lovely and a perfect choice for a nice weekend wine when you just need a glass of red while curled up on your sofa on a cold evening – even if it is supposed to be Spring! Of course, if you want to drink it with friends, it tastes just as good!
As I shared in an old review the Little Black Dress is apparently geared towards the female palate. Interesting right? Do we have a different palate to men? I believe that there has been research done on this and it has been found, but not proven, that women do have a more sensitive palate. Maybe that makes us better wine tasters? I do know I am a good wine taster… okay fine, a very good wine drinker, great in fact!
I love this very old article (1999) from Wine Spectator that literally asks the question “Are Women Better Wine Tasters then Men?” What do you think?
My Rating….
Tracey, I think that American men are culturally conditioned to be far more reserved in expressing opinions on wine than their female counterparts. In many circles, wine is perceived to be the province of effete sophisticates, rather than simply a universal part of everyday life as it is in most of Europe.
I enjoy reading your wine reviews because of their expressiveness, yet I’m always surprised by your conservative final grade!
I probably should share my rating system and what it means but 2.5 out of 5 for me is a solidly good wine :).