Perrin-Dobbs Pitch Black Cabernet Sauvignon
Paso Robles, California

I'm always on the lookout for attractively priced West Coast Cabs, and a lot of the time, it's a needle in a haystack scenario. There's certainly no shortage of Cabs available for under twenty dollars, so the real challenge is in finding that twenty-dollar Cab that drinks like it costs forty dollars!

A sample bottle of the Perrin and Dobbs Pitch Black Cab arrived earlier in the year, and we were thrilled with what we tasted. The one problem: there wasn't any pricing attached. A quick google search showed a $42 price tag, direct from the winery. We all agreed that this would be a great addition to the shop, so I planned to buy a case or two for the shelf, assuming it would retail between $40-$45.

I was stunned when an email arrived from a member of our buying group with the price. After making a few phone calls to triple-check that the price was correct, I placed an order on the spot! So why the fire-sale price? The simple answer: Covid.

Napa veteran Chad Alexander makes Pitch Black Cabernet with fruit sourced from Paso Robles. Chad began his career at Hess, and has made wine at top West Coast estates, and has been responsible for a slew of 95+ point releases. He's currently the head winemaker at the Vasser family's V12 vineyards, producing wines that regularly sell north of $100.

Pitch Black is a deep, rich Cabernet Sauvignon that leans decidedly toward blue and black fruit notes of Paso Robles. Briary cassis and blackberry on the nose lead to a smooth palate with soft but present tannins. This bold and easy-drinking Cab is terrific out of the gate and will drink like a champ for the next few years.