Product: French Rabbit Pinot Noir, Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon Producer: Caviro Approximate Retail Value: $7.49/750ml Category: Wine Country of Origin: France Reviewer: J. Harding The F Words: Flavor – Feel – Finish –

Rating:

Red wine puts me to sleep. So when I realized I had three different kinds of French Rabbit reds to review, I knew a cup of coffee might be in order. Perhaps it’s the terrible Starbucks brew that lingered on my taste buds, but the French Rabbit Cabernet Sauvignon is mediocre at best. Its scent is rich and evocative, and it tastes like a dark, moody night—in that regard, it’s a fine wine. But the finish was far too heavy and sour for my taste. It felt oppressive on my taste buds and was without the velvety pleasure I expect from a cabernet. Though I might still pair it with a red meat, I don’t think this will replace scotch as my sipping drink of choice.

Is it trashy to call a wine seductive? As a child, I once read a column describing a certain vintage of red wine as “Episcopalian”; to this day, I have no idea what that means. So maybe I’m being too esoteric when I describe French Rabbit’s merlot as mysterious, but that’s the most appropriate word I could think of. Merlots come from a fleshier grape, which gives the feel and finish a softer, more sumptuous quality. French Rabbit has blended a fine merlot, with little to make it stand out or fade away. It has the slightest, alluring hint of sex appeal, which saves it from being a two-star wine. But then again, for wine in a carton, it has a lot going for it.   

Man, did I enjoy this pinot noir. Before I continue, I do have to make the following disclosure; yes, I did see Sideways and yes, I did really enjoy it. Does this make me biased towards pinots? Yes! But enjoying being drunk makes me a biased liquor reviewer, so who’s really counting? Pinots are a complex, diverse group of wines. They’re delicate, difficult to grow, and some of the most prized grapes in the world. Because of this, they make wine that spreads through the mouth like a dark river and erupts through the nose with blossoms of flowers and fruits. I would definitely recommend French Rabbit’s pinot; it comes in a carton, but tastes like it was lovingly aged for years and years.

French Rabbit Pinot Noir

Flavor – Raspberry, chocolate.
Feel – Light, athletic.
Finish – Voluptuous, fragrant.

Rating: 4 Stars

French Rabbit Merlot

Flavor – Berry, plum.
Feel – Fresh, pungent.
Finish – Seductive, mysterious.

Rating: 3 Stars

French Rabbit Cabernet Sauvignon

Flavor – Cedar, Blackcurrant
Feel – Dark, Thick
Finish – Lingering sourness   

Rating: 2 Stars