Table Wine welcomes Emily Peterson, marketing director at Banshee Wines, to our store on Friday, November 4 to sample the wines from this hot, young producer. Banshee Wines has a goal to deliver distinctive wines that beat the pants off many costing twice as much………..and we think they’re succeeding!
Started by a group of industry insiders, including my fraternity brother Noah Dorrance,Banshee specializes in finding hidden gems in other wineries’ cellars and then blending those barrels to create awesome wines. No, this isn’t a small family winery (like the ones we specialize in), but they buy all of their fruit from small family wineries and they’re absolutely delicious. The tasting runs from 4 to 7 p.m. and the cost is $5 per person, and it’s free for Grape Nuts. No RSVP is needed.
The secret is that today, high-end wineries can’t sell all the wine they make and they don’t want to lower prices because they don’t want to diminish their brand. They would rather sell some of their wine to us and protect their luxury prices. Fine by us and even better for you.
1. 2010 Banshee Sauvignon Blanc Napa Valley – 98% of this juice comes from one of the most notable Sauvignon Blanc producers in California………it could be Randy Mason, but I didn’t say that. Super fresh and grassy, this is ripe and loaded with fresh melon, orange blossom and fresh cut hay.
2. Banshee Pinot Noir Sonoma County – This was the first wine I purchased from this producer. Grapes come from both Sonoma Coast and Russian River sites, and 2009 was a great growing season for Pinot in Sonoma. It is a complex Pinot with dark cherry fruit and sweet earthen minerality held together by bright acidity and long, ripe tannins.
3. 2007 Banshee Red Wine Central Coast – This Grenache, Syrah, Mourvedre blend, with fruit coming mostly from Paso Robles, is like a Cotes du Rhone on steroids. Oozing with ripe red and black cherry and raspberry fruit, it is rich and full bodied, supple and pleasurable.
4. 2007 Rickshaw Wines Red Wine Napa Valley – A blend of 60% Merlot, 34% Cabernet Sauvignon and 6% Petit Verdot, this is a great wine from a great vintage for Bordeaux varietals in Napa. Smooth and plush, it simply tastes like a wine that costs $25 to $30………..but it costs a lot less!
5. 2009 Banshee “Mordecai” Red Blend California – Here’s a lovely blend of Syrah, Zinfandel, Mourvedre and Grenache from various top sites and growers throughout California, including a Turley single vineyard Zin source! This is big and bold, ripely fruited and spicy red wine, and you will absolutley love it!
6. 2007 Banshee Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley – Sourced from one of Napa’s elite producers (we can’t say who!) this wine struts pedigree. It was made by one of the top three winemaking consultants in the world, and the winery sold this exact wine with a different label for $100 a bottle. This big, bold, forward Cab was made to go with a grass fed NY strip. Light up the grill baby!