Review: Pam’s UN-Oaked Cabernet

When I came across the wine I’m reviewing today, I was super curious and interested to taste it. This wine comes from Ron Rubin Winery in Sonoma, California. I’ve reviewed some of their wines before and I’ve always been impressed with them, including Pam’s UN-Oaked Chardonnay.

The 2021 vintage of Pam’s UN-Oaked Cabernet is the debut vintage of this wine, and I suppose you could call the second in the “UN-Oaked” product line.

The wine is named after Ron Rubin’s wife, Pam, who doesn’t care for oaky wines whether they’re white or red. Hence, Ron Rubin Winery produced these wines to specifically appeal to her tastes.

I too can appreciate Pam’s preference for un-oaked wines. When it comes to Chardonnay, it’s becoming more common to find un-oaked options and those are the ones I seek out. But it’s not often that I find un-oaked Cabernet Sauvignon, which piqued my interest.

In addition to being un-oaked, this wine has a touch of sweetness. I wouldn’t call it a full-on, sweet red wine but I certainly would call this a dry wine either. That context is perhaps the most important takeaway if you’re considering trying this wine. If you prefer very dry wines, this may not be the one for you. Nonetheless, I’m sure this wine would appeal to those who prefer sweeter red wines.

B Corp Certified

Another new thing Ron Rubin Winery can boast about, besides this wine, is their designation as a Certified B Corp. For those unfamiliar with the B Corp movement, it’s a certification program, through an organization called B Lab, that seeks a commitment from companies regarding standards of social and environmental performance, accountability, and transparency. Ron Rubin Winery became certified in August 2022.

Pam’s UN-Oaked Cabernet Tasting Notes

The nose offers up a blend of ripe fruit and herbal aromas, reflecting cherry, raspberry, plum, sage and mint. On the palate it delivers ripe plum, strawberry, cherry and raspberry flavors with a touch of sweetness. It has an almost effervescent mouth feel to it, although to be clear it’s not a sparkling red. The finish is medium long with lingering cherry flavors.

Wine: Pam’s UN-Oaked Canernet
Varieties: 100% Cabernet Sauvignon
Vintage: 2021
Alcohol: 12.5%
Rating: 86
Average price: $16
Disclosure: This wine was received as a media sample.