A week or so ago, I put together a tasting of about a dozen Cabernet Sauvignons from around the world, with pricetags of $20 or less.

It was brutal. Lots of green, stemmy stuff from South America on the one hand, and cough-syrupy ripeness from California and Australia on the other.

Only one wine managed to win consistent praise from the tasting group — and not because it was particularly classic or complex. But it did have some pretty fruit, showed some balance and food-friendliness, and was overall just an easy wine to like. It was the:

Mirassou 2006 Cabernet Sauvignon California ($12). Nice for the price, with moderate blackberry and black cherry flavors and toasty vanilla and light spice notes. Medium- to light-bodied; decent finish. Easy to drink, on its own or paired with food. Ready to drink now. Locate this wine online or in your area.