Bishop’s Ring Cabernet Sauvignon Napa 2017 is the case of “Oh, look. What’s that? Let’s try it!”
When we shop for wine, we pay attention to many things, not just a potential wine quality. We also appreciate an intriguing and creative marketing approach to labels.
Nowadays, the competition in the wine industry is fierce. In a $50 wine category such as Bishop’s Ring, high-quality wine is just pre-requisite, and labeling and marketing must be on par to distinguish the wine from competitors on the shelf.
So what attracted us to 2017 Bishop’s Ring Cabernet Sauvignon?
Label
In this price category, wine producers have to do a real tapdance. It’s even more so for California wine. If they are too flashy or “barefooty,” they might misspeak to their targeted audience and be ignored. If they are too conservative, they might get lost on the shelf. Besides, traditional wine labels are Old World territory.
We think Bishop’s Ring was able to walk a thin line between being classy and flashy at the same time. The all-black label conveys tradition and authority. Yet, the name and graphics have a promise of mystery.
And a mystery it was!
Curiosity
With all it’s visual simplicity, the label presented a challenge for us. While we could see that it’s Cabernet Sauvignon that comes from Napa of California, we couldn’t find any information on who’s the producer.
Naturally curious, we decided to play digital wine detectives. For everything else is Google, right? Not so fast. Even the almighty search engine couldn’t find anything on this producer.
So we decided to ask for help from the store staff. Surprisingly, they were puzzled as well and had to do some digging. While they are researching the producer, let’s taste some wine.
Bishop’s Ring Cabernet Sauvignon 2017 Napa
Bishop’s Ring Cabernet Sauvignon has everything we expect from this level Napa Cab. It’s a full-bodied fruit-forward wine balanced by moderate acidity and substantial tannin.
It has a deep ruby color and jammy aroma profile. On the nose, we sensed cassis, blackberry, dark chocolate, and a touch of smoke. On the palate, it’s a black currant jam, plum, blueberry, and chocolate nibs.
We paired it with the grilled steak, and it was a classic pairing.
Who Made It
According to the information we were able to dig up, Bishop’s Ring Cabernet Sauvignon is produced by Darioush winery.
Darious winery is a boutique Napa producer who makes very expensive wines that start at $100. So in a way, it’s similar to Bordeaux, where the first growth wineries make wines that cost thousands under the main label and reasonably priced wines under the second label.
We would love to hear what you think if you tasted Bishop’s Ring or Darious wines.
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