a "milder" cabernet?

[pinot evil]

My wine and I are fans of nice pinot noir in the $12-$20 price range. We've tried a couple cabernet sauvignons, but they've been pretty harsh (to us.) We know that the tannins are necessary to balance hearty red meats, etc., but are there some softer cabernets out there (maybe some blends?) that we would like better with a good steak?
Thanks!
PE

[Innkeeper]

Almost any Cabernet Sauvignon you can buy for less than $10 will be soft. The better of these are the first lines from Australia and South Africa. Look for Rosemont, Lindemans, Black Opel from Oz and Excelsior from SA as good places to start.

[robr]

Those from Sonoma are also usually on the softer side.

[wineguruchgo]

While this is a massive generalization look for Cabs or any red wine for that matter with a low alcohol level.

Any wine under 14% will probably be tolerable to you. With that comes a lower tannin level.

Again, this is a massive generalization but one that you can usually count on.

[pinot evil]

Thanks for the tips, all. I'll stop by Sam's Club tomorrow and see what they have.
[img]http://www.wines.com/ubb2/smile.gif[/img]

[wondersofwine]

You might look for the basic Simi Cabernet Sauvignon (a Sonoma winery). They say they have an active tannin-management program (like destemming the greener clusters) and I find their wine to be approachable earlier than some other C.S.

[Innkeeper]

Any Sonoma wine (any carrying other than a California appellation) that is soft; I would stay away from. Soft tannin should not be confused with a soft wine.

Soft, or crewy tannin is something other than harsh or tight tannin. Soft wine is synonymous with flabby. Am not sure what PE is looking for. It sounded more like soft wine than soft tannin, but am certainly willing to stand corrected.

[pinot evil]

I was looking for a cab that had a bit softer (less harsh) tannins. I bought a bottle of Kenwood and Beringer Founder's to try - I was told that these may be closer to what I'm looking for. Both have alcohol levels at 13.5%. Thanks for all your help!
PE