The Prisoner Wine Company, Unshackled Cabernet Sauvignon, California

The Prisoner Wine Company · California › United States of America

Red · Cabernet Sauvignon
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LWIN 1992818
Critics Average score from professional wine critics and publications.
86 /100
Reviews
34
professional

Vintages

No vintages

No vintage-specific entries have been added for this wine.

NV

Community Reviews

39
39
Reviews
86.2
Avg Score
94
Highest
Taster #7453 · Jan 10, 2026
87/100
Spur-of-the-moment selection with a label that caught my eye. Not only a great value but also a hit all the right notes, particularly the noticeable weight on palate and moderately grippy tannins. Very good at an affordable price.
2021 vintage
Taster #3907 · Nov 11, 2025
90/100
Buy again - I liked it better
2021 vintage
Taster #8009 · Oct 5, 2025
On the nose baked blackberry, black currant, mocha, strawberry, vanilla, quite a big nose and gorgeous. The body is medium, it's a little thinner than I would expect, acidity is medium plus I think this will go the distance, finish medium plus, tannins slightly drying. The nose transfers to the palate, it's young, quite big, slightly sweet. Different to what I am used to drinking so I enjoyed it.
2021 vintage
Taster #7400 · Aug 27, 2025
90/100
Smooth and flavorful. The tannins are well balanced and subtle, with just a bit of after bite. The acidity is present but not overt or objectionable. Definitely will buy again!
2021 vintage
Taster #6900 · Jul 3, 2025
85/100
Jammy and a little sweet.
2021 vintage
Taster #2639 · Jun 26, 2025
63/100
It was acceptable for an evening of movies but I’m unsure of pairing.
2021 vintage
Taster #8526 · Jun 2, 2025
88/100
Deep, dark purple. Big on aromatics. Plum. Oak. Ripe cherry. Vanilla. Along the same profile as his big brother The Prisoner. Firm tannins. Long finish.
2021 vintage
Taster #8934 · Feb 26, 2025
88/100
Very good wine and great value
2021 vintage
Taster #6693 · Feb 17, 2025
89/100
Meh…
2021 vintage
Taster #6693 · Jan 2, 2025
Same 90 score as prior. Solid bottle.
2021 vintage
Taster #8422 · Nov 24, 2024
88/100
Good bottle for the price. Medium-bodied. Pleasant finish.
2021 vintage
Taster #8422 · Nov 3, 2024
86/100
A little better than I thought it would be. A little more than medium-bodied, but short of full. Balanced between dry and fruity. Pleasant, but shirt, finish.
2021 vintage
Taster #1027 · Aug 26, 2024
Blind. Hmmm - there's definitely a lot of fruit (black cherry, red cherry, ripe raspberry, strawberry), but clearly some RS on the palate. Chalky tannin.
2021 vintage
Taster #5337 · Aug 18, 2024
81/100
First impression was unfavorable. Added a cheese plate with crackers and figs. Better after letting in open up for 30 minutes or so. Acceptable for the price but not my preference.
2021 vintage
Taster #6050 · Jul 26, 2024
86/100
I decanted this wine and forgot about it 🤷‍♂️. 4 hours later -Nose: plums, blackberries, vanilla, leather, smoke. Palate: smooth, simple, blackberries, leather, sage, oak, dusty. Not bad or overly extracted as I was expecting.
2021 vintage
Taster #7963 · Jul 14, 2024
94/100
Loved this wine. Will be buying more.
2021 vintage
Taster #9094 · Jun 27, 2024
80/100
Slightly better than other bottle drank last year. At the $14 promotion price, better options.
2021 vintage
Taster #5507 · Jun 17, 2024
88/100
No idea why my store was selling this for $5. It's glorious!!!
2021 vintage
Taster #3484 · May 21, 2024
N/A
2021 vintage
Taster #8814 · Apr 28, 2024
89/100
Hints of jammy fruit. Oak, vanilla, plum, blackberry, and tobacco. Bold with smooth tannins. Easy drinking. Potential for aging.
2021 vintage
Taster #7628 · Apr 24, 2024
70/100
light, juicy, maybe a bit too harsh for those points
2021 vintage
Taster #7450 · Apr 6, 2024
90/100
Harrys
2021 vintage
Taster #2159 · Mar 9, 2024
88/100
Prisoner Wine Company's 2021 Unshackled Cabernet Sauvignon is comprised of 82% Cabernet Sauvignon, with the remainder consisting of Malbec, Petite Sirah, Syrah and Merlot. Deep ruby in color, it offers an aromatic profile of blackberries, boysenberries, Bing cherries, lavender and exotic spices. Full-bodied, fresh, seamlessly alcoholic (listed as 14.0%, actually 14.5%) and with well-integrated wood, it delivers flavors congruent with the aromas, adding a dollop of bittersweet chocolate. The tannins are plentiful but quite fine-grained, resulting in a soft-textured drinking …
2021 vintage
Taster #8710 · Feb 20, 2024
92/100
Great bargain at Costco for $13. Classic Napa Cab.
2021 vintage
Taster #8710 · Feb 2, 2024
91/100
Incredible Costco bargain at $13. Wish I had purchased more.
2021 vintage
Taster #4076 · Jan 30, 2024
89/100
Very enjoyable wine that won’t break the bank.
2021 vintage
Taster #8792 · Jan 21, 2024
90/100
This wine was very nice, and great value. It is full bodied, with medium tannins, the fruit is balanced. I could taste wild berries, currant, vanilla and mocha. Will try again and maybe add it as my summer Napa Cab this year.
2021 vintage
Taster #8710 · Jan 18, 2024
90/100
Better than my last bottle and a real steal at $13 at Costco!!
2021 vintage
Taster #3007 · Jan 11, 2024
86/100
More smooth after it had time to breath, but harsh otherwise
2021 vintage
Taster #6693 · Jan 6, 2024
90/100
Solid bottle. Not the typical jammy Californian Cab Sauv.
2021 vintage
Taster #8710 · Dec 7, 2023
90/100
Great QPR. Bought this because it was made by the same producer that made a $9.99 TJ's PN from Santa Rita. Bought at Costco. Very varietal. Great bargain in a weekday wine.
2021 vintage
Taster #1361 · Nov 19, 2023
85/100
Good wine, easy to drink with good balanced flavors. It's not too complex on the pallet. Medium tannin. For the price I think there are better options to pick from with more interesting flavor profile, which puts this a bit lower on my personal preference.
2021 vintage
Taster #5215 · Nov 15, 2023
89/100
Nothing special
2021 vintage
Taster #3914 · Oct 19, 2023
75/100
Very dark Ruby, Bold, full bodied. Dark and red cherry , oak, med tannin med Acidity , high alcool. Drinks well. Did not let it sit ; took directly from the wine fridge for casual drinking.
2021 vintage
Taster #4076 · Aug 17, 2023
89/100
Solid wine at an excellent price
2021 vintage
Taster #6244 · Jul 3, 2023
82/100
A perfectly okay wine. Blueberry, plum, blackberry, leather. Soft tannins. Short finish. Paired well with BBQ. Overall, had higher expectations for this wine. Found it very unexciting and uninspiring. Easy drinking wine but not something I’d reach for again.
2021 vintage
Taster #4076 · Jun 2, 2023
89/100
Solid cab, nice fruit, not too tannic.
2021 vintage
Taster #4240 · Mar 10, 2023
84/100
Inky indigo in the glass. First glass, no decanting: Nose is very reserved and exhibits cherries and dark fruits. The palate is the same. It ends with prunes. Not a lot of dynamism here, and perhaps that's due to the wine still being young. It could also be due to being overly refined. It tastes very manufactured. All that said, it's a perfectly decent table wine. Went well with our dinner of vodka penne and smoker roasted Brussels sprouts.
2021 vintage
Taster #8860 · Dec 31, 2022
HEADACHE DON'T BUY BUT TASTES NICE, TOO BAD
2021 vintage