Friday, September 28 from 4-7pm – Red Worlds from Around the World Tasting – $5/person………Free for Grape Nuts – Are you under the impression that a wine made with one grape variety is of a higher quality than one made with a blend of several grapes? If you answered yes, you might not know that blending is a very common practice all over the world and is the basis for some of the greatest wines on the planet. From Bordeaux to the Rhone Valley to Spain to California and on and on, blending grapes together to make high quality wines is a common practice and one that should be embraced.
Certain grapes just seem to work together, much like peanut butter works extremely well with grape jelly. You can doubt us or you can stop by this Friday to see and taste first hand how certain grapes, when blended together, create a better “whole” of a wine.
1. 2011 Chateau Pesquie Cotes du Ventoux “Terrasses” -Grenache and Syrah form the basis for some of the best wines produced in southern France, and this one is made up of 70% Grenache and 30% Syrah. Grenache contributes the ripe and lush red fruit components of this wine while the Syrah adds color and structure and spice.
2. 2010 Domaine la Garrigue Cotes du Rhone “Cuvée Romaine” – Here’s another 70/30 blend of Grenache and Syrah, but it tastes quite different than wine #1. From old vineyards in the village of Vacqueyras, this is a more rugged, rocky expression of the two grapes. It displays loads of dark berry and kirsch along with a strong streak of cracked black pepper and mineral.
3. 2009 Odisea Veritable Quandry Red Wine – Odisea is the California-based venture of Adam Webb, a lover of grapes of southern French and Spanish origin. This wine is made up of 12 or so different grapes, sourced from various old vine plantings throughout the state, with Syrah, Grenache, Tempranillo and Petite Sirah driving the bus. It is a big, rich, spicy red that displays notes of black cherry, blueberry, plum, white pepper and spice.
4. 2009 Gorman Zachary’s Ladder Red – Chris Gorman is young, ambitious and motivated to produce some of Washington state’s finest wines. We feel he is doing a pretty darn good job! His Zachary’s Ladder is a blend of Syrah, Cabernet Sauvignon and Petit Verdot, all sourced from Red Mountain. Just 450 cases of this lush, bold, fruit filled red wine were produced for the vintage.
5. 2010 Orin Swift The Prisoner – This Napa Valley blend is the brainchild of winemaker Dave Phinney, who doesn’t know how to make “shy” wines whatsoever. He blends 44% Zinfandel with 26% Cabernet Sauvignon, 18% Syrah, 9% Petite Sirah and little bits of Charbono and Grenache. His formula seems to be working, as this is one of the hottest premium wines on the market right now. It is ripe, soft and jammy with an abundance of overt flavors and a pleasure-bent personality.