Substance CS: America's Best Value Cabernet Revealed

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Exceptional value meets critical acclaim in our deep dive into what might be America's best budget Cabernet Sauvignon. The Substance CS Cabernet Sauvignon from Columbia Valley consistently earns ratings of 91-93 points—scores typically reserved for bottles costing three to four times its modest $13.99 price tag. This remarkable wine represents the final vintage produced under Charles Smith's ownership before his 2024 sale of the brand.

What creates such extraordinary quality at this price point? We explore the sophisticated production methods behind this affordable gem, including whole bunch fermentation where intact grape clusters gently release their juice under their own weight in CO2-filled tanks. Natural vineyard yeasts—rather than commercial varieties—ferment the juice before it spends 10 months aging on lees in French oak barrels. These premium techniques deliver a wine with remarkable complexity and structure.

The tasting reveals why both critics and everyday wine drinkers celebrate this bottle. Expressive notes of cassis and blackberry mingle with hints of licorice and savory elements reminiscent of grilled meat. The bright acidity and layered flavor profile continue to develop and improve as the wine breathes. Unlike many value-priced wines that chase mass appeal with obvious fruit and oak flavors, Substance CS achieves something more sophisticated—a genuine taste of premium winemaking that satisfies both discerning palates and casual enthusiasts alike. For anyone seeking tremendous value without compromising on quality, this Columbia Valley Cabernet sets the standard for affordable luxury in American wine.

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:02):
Hey, welcome back or welcome.
We've got anotherCheaperWineFightercom wine
review podcast.
That's what we do.
This is Domain Dave.
Like always, we've got a winethat has the reputation for
being the best value priceCabernet Sauvignon in the United

(00:24):
States.
Maybe in France or somewherethere might be a better one, but
this is the one that's got thereputation here and it's the
Substance CS Cabernet Sauvignon,columbia Valley, 2022.
The wines of Substance brandalways has, like CS, as if it's

(00:46):
a cobalt or something they'redoing a play on the periodic
table.
It was a Charles Smith wine andin 2024 he sold it.
Charles Smith wines the onlywines they have left are the
house of smith wines and he hasa reputation for breaking a wine

(01:06):
brand, making it a big deal andthen selling it off and going
on to the next thing, which is agood way of doing things
because you make a lot of moneyselling these brands.
The one thing about this winesof substance in 2022 is this was
still wines of substance.
It was sold in 2024, but thewinemaker stayed with the new

(01:28):
brand.
I've got all those details onthe website when I do all the
particulars for the wine.
This the 2020, yeah, 2021 year,which shouldn't be too much
different from the 2022, got 93points, 92 points, 91 points.

(01:52):
This is a one which I found for$13.99 that routinely gets the
same kind of reviews that $40and $50 and $60 wines get, so
that's something that will getyour attention.
So why is it?

(02:20):
Um, they do whole bunchfermentation.
I've got another, I got a.
I've got a link to what that is.
They don't press the grapes,they dump all the grapes, full
grapes, into a tank and thenfill a tank up with CO2 and then
the weight of everythingcrushes the grapes and brings
the juice out.
It's a different way of doingthings.
They use natural yeast.

(02:41):
Natural yeast is a yeast thatflies through vineyards, through
the air.
You have yeast, you know.
When you go outside there'syeast attaching to you.
It's thought to be bettersuited to the grapes because
it's living there thancommercial yeast.
It's got 10 months in Frenchoak barrels on leaves.

(03:04):
On leaves is where they keepthe dead yeast in there In the
tank at that time.
15% of it's new French oak.
This is pretty substantial fora wine that I found for $13.99.
It can be a little bit more,but this is the price.

(03:24):
I did the 2021, and it was theexact same price then too.

(03:45):
So this is something I'm goingto take a sip.
I am no expert on expensiveCabernet Sauvignon.
If I was, I'd be the expensivewine finder, not the cheap wine
finder.
This wine Tastes expensive.
There's some detail to theflavors.
There's some bright acidity toit.
This is a very good effort.
It's a tasty wine too.

(04:05):
The more you drink it, thebetter you like it.
It's bright and delicious.
It's got some dark, broodingflavors.
It's got some interestingspices.
It has some good things goingfor it.
It's mostly cassis, blackberry,maybe a little bit of licorice
in there, maybe some blackcherry spices.

(04:27):
I also got some pork on thegrill roasting, that kind of
thing, that savory thing going.
The tasty notes said olives.
I didn't get olives, but andflint.
I never get those Olives andflint are, you know, like the
things that Sam's got.
I never get those.
That kind of flavor's in here,which is which tends to be more

(04:53):
expensive, and that's the kindof flavors you get out of French
oak.
I I'm gonna take another sip.
Yeah, as it opens up more andmore, this is a delicious

(05:13):
Cabernet Sauvignon.
I mean mean they say you know,am I easily influenced?
Maybe, but since they said thisis a.
You know it's in the running.
I don't know if it is the bestyou know under $15, under $16 or
whatever value price CabernetSauvignon there is, but it's got

(05:35):
to be in the running, it's gotto be.
It's a delicious wine and it'sgot to be in the running.
It's got to be.
It's a delicious wine and it'slegit.
This is the kind of wine thatsommeliers and wine critics like
you know like.
Sometimes, the best-sellingones are the kind of showy big
fruit bombs that get chocolateand vanilla in there.

(05:57):
You know people like it, I likeit, but the critics don't.
This is one of the ones that Ithink people like and the
critics like.
It's the Substance CS CabernetSauvignon, columbia Valley 2022.
14 bucks.
You can't beat it and it's a.

(06:17):
It's a recommended wine.
So, adios, keep it cheap.
This is Domain Davecheapwinefightercom.
I got a Trader Joe's PinotGrigio coming up next like a $6
one.
We'll have fun with that.
So, adios, keep it cheap.
Like us, we like your podcastand I'll be talking to you
Bye-bye.