Cabernet vs Blend

Okay, Vigilance is a pretty popular wine and I've been asked a few times "Which do you prefer, the Cab or the Cimmaron?"
Now having had both, I can say without question the Cimmaron. At least for my personal tastes.

I'm not a huge fan of Cabernet Sauvignon anyway, but even though it's not my thing I can still admit that the Vigilance Cab is pretty good.
It smells smokey and has a dry feel in the mouth. That's what I don't like about Cabs. 

The Cimmaron smells like a Cab, but tastes so much better! It's dry, smokey, and meaty... which means I really wanted some red meat when I had this sample. It was not so dry that I couldn't enjoy it, as well. It had a lasting, smooth finish and was quite tasty. Definitely one I would recommend.

At under $20/bottle, the value is definitely there, too. If you're looking to spend less on a red blend, try the Unruly Red. And when you try it, have some chocolate nearby. It goes quite well with dark, delicious chocolate.
Edit: Just an FYI, some people may find this wine to be too sweet, so if you enjoy the bold, tannic wines... this is absolutely not for you. Don't get me wrong, this wine isn't what I would define as sweet. Moscato is sweet. This is simply not overly dry.

Another Cabernet Sauvignon I've had that I'd like to throw out there is the Gen 5 Cabernet Sauvignon. Even more so than the Vigilance, the Gen 5 Cab had my mouth watering for steak. Not literally watering, since it's a pretty dry wine, but that was the first thing I thought of. This one has a nice smokey flavor and is within the same price range.

Yet another red blend to throw at you, the J. Lohr Valdiguie Red 2009 is a delicious wine. It had some light strawberry and cherry flavors, very well balanced, and in my notes from the tasting I wrote "Lovely!"
I can always tell when I go back over my notes if something stood out or if something tasted like all the rest, and the J. Lohr Valdiguie Red was one that stood out. I can't remember the price, but I'm pretty sure it's less than $15.

Can I get away with throwing one more red blend in here?

The Tilia Red Blend 2011 from Argentina.
When at tastings, they ask about color and smells, etc... looking at this wine in the glass, it's so opaque the first thought that came to my mind was 'blood.' It is blood red, deep and richly colored, quite beautiful.
It has a pretty strong scent of alcohol to it, but beyond that was a bit of smoke, eucalyptus, and berries. Taste-wise, raspberry and some other darker fruits. It was off dry (Yay!) and very easy to drink. It's lighter than a malbec, and an upgrade from Unruly Red as it's a bit more expensive. I'd say its definitely a big upgrade, though, so if you happen to like Unruly Red, try Tilia.

My favorite of all these? Definitely, and obviously, the Tilia.

~K