2008 R Wines Southern Belle Shiraz

Whiskey with a splash of water, is just fine, whiskey and Shiraz?, well that’s a bit different. So, therefore, the Southern Belle Shiraz is different from every other wine reviewed on this site, first of all the Shiraz was partially aged for 18 months in American oak barrels that were previously used to age Pappy Van Winkle Kentucky Bourbon and secondly the alcohol content is 17.6% (that’s 35.2 proof for you whiskey folks). The wines importer, Dan Phillips, says “that it’s his sincerest hope that this wine offends every sommelier and Frenchman in the world.” The winemaker, Chris Ringland, makes fantastic wines and brings as much skill to the valued priced wines as he does to his more expensive efforts. Fruit forward, tasty wines, that have excellent balance and polish, if anyone can tame the over the top Bourbon barrels and the 17.6% alcohol, it’s Ringland.

The color is a beautiful almost black red with a blood red outer halo. Nice fresh black and blueberries at first and then the nose gets real interesting, leather, molasses, orange peel, petroleum jelly and vanilla. Wow, this is not your usual fruit bomb shiraz, dark fruit upfront and then coffee, toffee, black cherry cough drops, brown sugar, orange zest and oak spice. There are almost as many whiskey flavors as there is wine flavors. This is a rich, nuanced wine, even with the huge alcohol level and the bold whiskey barrel oak, there is a balance to the Southern Belle Shiraz, it feels more expensive than it actually is.

A very unique, must try wine. It may not be your go-to everyday wine, but this Southern Belle is an experience. It would really pair well with a full slab of ribs from your towns best BBQ pit.

2009 Folie a Deux Menage a Trois California Red

The menage a trois referenced here is the coupling of three grapes, Zinfandel, Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon. The actual blend is 46% Zin, 31% Merlot and 23% Cab, the grapes are sourced from vineyards all across California, basically wherever they can get the best grapes for the least amount of money. The wine is aged in French and American oak. Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot are 2 grapes that dominate most Bordeaux red wines and adding in some Zinfandel is a California twist on the Bordeaux blends. The alcohol level is 13.5%.

A deep dark, clear raspberry jello red. The nose does not give up much, a bit of strawberry, a touch of chocolate and not much else. Nicely fruit forward, soft round black and blueberry flavors, cocoa powder, raspberry and then you can sense the tannins in the mid-palate. The tannins are light, but give the Menage a Trois enough structure and body to hold the fruit together. There is a nice raspberry jam finish.

A good starter red wine for people who don’t know if they like red wine. Nice flavor, soft and approachable, but there is enough going on to please experienced red wine drinkers.

2009 Alexander & Fitch Alexander Valley Cabernet Sauvignon $7

Another Trader Joe’s exclusive. Alexander & Fitch is one of Bronco Wine Company’s (makers of Two Buck Chuck) labels. The grapes are sourced from Alexander Valley, which is located in the Northeast corner of Sonoma, California. Like almost all other Trader Joe’s wines, there is not much information concerning the making of the Cabernet available. Is it 100% Cabernet Sauvignon?, was it aged in oak? Ah, just drink the wine and don’t ask any questions. 13.2% alcohol.

Deep, dark, rich, burgundy red. Intense red berry nose, a hint of leather and a little alcohol. The flavor is strawberry, plum,  dark chocolate and then some blackberry. Light tannins, along with good fruit. The finish is blackberry, not super long, but tastes good.

A solid cheap bottle of wine. A very drinkable, everyday Cab. The lack of tannins make it a bit soft and lacking in structure, but for an everyday wine that’s not all that bad. The Alexander & Fitch Cabernet would pair well with burgers and steaks cooked on the backyard grill.

Marietta Old Vines Red Lot Number 52

A non vintage red blend sourced from Sonoma and Mendonco Counties in California. The main grape in the blend is Zinfandel, but three times a year a new version of the blend is released, Lot Number 52 is the summer blend. Marietta Cellars is a family owned Winery located in Geyserville in Sonoma. The alcohol content is 13.5%.

The color is dark, inky, black cherry red. The nose is blackberry, cherry and a touch of vanilla. A nice lush mouthfeel, very silky. Good ripe fruit upfront, plum, blueberry, raspberry and then a sharp hit if spice, with each sip, the spice smoothes out. A big strong blueberry finish.

Oh wow,this is the comfort food equivalent in wine. Simple yummy goodness in spades. Luscious ripe fruit, it actually feels good in your mouth. I want to try this with Mom’s Pot Roast. The Marietta Old Vines Red is the kind of wine you want to give to friends, there is no higher praise than that.

Here is a link to the distributors, if you need to see where you can purchase this wine in your area: http://www.mariettacellars.com/distributors/

2005 Cantina Novelli Montefalco Sagrantino

Sagrantino is a grape indigenous to the area around the town of Montefalco in Umbria, Italy. There are only about 250 acres of  Sagrantino planted and only a handful of growers producing this wine. Sagrantino makes a full bodied, very tannic wine. The Novelli Montefalco Sagrantino is aged for 16 months in new French oak barrels. The alcohol content is 14%.

The color is inky black in the center with strawberry red around the edges. A touch of mushroom along with blackberry and blueberry, creme brulee and a whiff of alcohol. Nicely balanced, dark berry fruit, a bit of creamy milk chocolate, cherry cola and plum. The tannins are definitely there, but integrated into flavors, a very nice balancing act. A long cola and berry finish.

This is a big boy, with all the tannins and the 16 months of new French oak, you can probably lay this wine down for 15 years. The Novelli Montefalco Sagrantino cries out for an aged steak at one of those old school Steakhouses.

2007 4 Vines Old Vine Cuvee California Zinfandel

In a word: Cankles. The soft, rich, smooth red color spreads over your tongue like dimples on cellulite. Dark and warm with a hint of sparkle. She beckons. Feels like home fries. Behind the glass, her legs are so long. It’s rich without being pretentious. She’s picked blackberries in the hot sun and nuzzled under an oak tree. Her story is yet to be told and landing pad still unknown. Ambitious but knows her place. This Zin feels like a marabou negligee without the feathers. Good thing too, they would only go to my head later. Just wrap those cankles around my neck and….escape. For at least a glass or two.

2009 Trader Joe’s Vinas Chilenas Cabernet Sauvignon $4

I think I’m getting addicted to these Trader Joe’s cheapie wines, every couple of weeks I have to try another one. I can’t pass up a new wine on display by the entrance door. The cheap wines are not always to my liking, but at 5 bucks and under, I can’t get to worked up about so-so wine. The good thing about Vinas Chilenas  is that cheap wine from Chile tends to be better quality than cheap wine from just about any other place, so Vinas Chilenas may bring more to the table than Trader Joe’s Charles Shaw wines can. This Cabernet Sauvignon is sourced from the Central Valley in Chile. Like most other Trader Joe’s exclusive wines there is almost no other information available. Alcohol content is 13.5%

The color is crystal clear dark plum red. The nose is on the simple side, some red fruit, a little chocolate and a grassy aroma. Some strawberry, a little plum, dark chocolate and then a slight bite in the back of your mouth from the tannins. The finish is dark chocolate and berry and disappears in a hurry.

A very drinkable Cabernet, not exciting by any means, but far better than it needs to be for the price. The Vinas Chilenas Cabernet Sauvignon would do just fine with pizza and burgers and a bottle of this stuff will cost you less than either the burger or the pizza.

2009 Urban Uco Malbec

100% Estate grown Malbec from the  Uco Valley in the Mendoza Region of Argentina. The wine is aged three months in French oak barrels. Argentina is known for it’s Torrontes white wine and Malbec red wine. Malbec is a French grape mainly grow in the Cahors region of France, but Argentina has become very competitive in terms of quality and price. Alcohol content is 14.5%.

A dark opaque ruby red, in France Malbec is known as “the black wine” and the Urban Uco Malbec lives up to that name. The nose is not fruit based, it’s spicy and rich exotic spices, a flowering Magnolia tree, with the scent of a newly mowed lawn. Medium bodied, dark red fruit, at first, then blueberry followed by a touch of spice. Malbec’s used to be big hairy tannic wines, but the tannins here are soft and slightly sweet. A good, reasonably long berry finish.

A very balanced, well made wine.  Would be very versatile with food,  you could pair it with burgers or pizza, but it’s quality would also enhance upscale menus. I have seen the Urban Uco Malbec on several wine lists, it’s quality to price ratio would make it an excellent pick

2007 Temptation Zinfandel

Sourced from the Alexander Valley and Dry Creek Valley in Sonoma, along with a bit from Solano (east of Napa), California. 91% Zinfandel, 8% Sangiovese and 1% Syrah. Aged for 12 months in American oak, 25% new oak. Alcohol content is 14.2%.

A deep dark, but see-thru red. Black and blueberry, stewed prune and a light curry spice on the nose. Tart black cherry upfront, then some softer flavors such as plum and blueberry. Altoids spice with vanilla kick in the mid-palate. The finish is blackberry and spice, but fades quickly.

The label has a skeleton offering wine to some 15th century plaque victim and any wine with skeletons on the label automatically get extra points. It tastes real good, so that adds points, it does not cost much, so that adds points, the Temptation Zin would pair very well with BBQ, so that adds points. Doing math when you are drinking wine is not recommended, so we will never know how many points the Temptation Zinfandel gets. But, to sum things up, it tastes great, is reasonably priced and has skeletons, two thumbs up.

2008 Black Ridge Cabernet Sauvignon – $9

Sometimes, supermarket wines rise above their humble origins and really deliver the goods. There is nothing about the Black Ridge Cab that leads you to believe it is anything but average, that is until you taste it. But here it is, a nice real Cabernet Sauvignon for under 10 bucks.

Blended with a little Cabernet Franc and Petite Sirah, this wine has black cherry and cassis flavors with an oaky rich finish. Steak and roast lamb would be a perfect fit.

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