Welcome

Welcome to Vino-pinionated, a blog of wine reviews/opinions (hence the blog's title) from the perspective of David Zaccagnino (a.k.a. Dave Zack).


This blog focuses on (for the most part) California wines since I reside in the Golden State and attempt to buy locally as often as possible. Though I certainly enjoy wines from other regions of the world (I have cases of affordable French and Spanish bubbly), with all that California has to offer, why ship bottles of wine from all over the world when the state has so much to offer?!?!


Feedback (both positive and negative) is very warmly welcomed. Please, pull no punches; tell it like it is! And don't forget: life is too short for bad food and beverages, crappy restaurants, fake "friends," ill-conceived/poorly-executed music and movies, rotten politicians, and tepid opinions. Let 'er rip!!!


I've written approximately 250 previous wine reviews on cellartracker.com. If you're interested in reading any of my previous wine musings, please go to http://www.cellartracker.com/ and in the search window, type "davezack" and click on the "Users" box below the "Search" box. Click on the "Go!" button and enjoy!



Sunday, January 29, 2012

Ambyth Estate Rose (90 Points)

DATE CONSUMED
Sunday, January 29, 2012

VINTAGE
2010

WINERY/PRODUCER
Ambyth Estate

WINE NAME
N/A

TYPE OF WINE
Rose

COMPOSITION
51% Mourvedre, 34% Grenache, 15% Counoise

SUBNAME/NICKNAME
N/A

VINEYARD DESIGNATION
Stonecross & Mark’s Vineyard

REGION/A.V.A.
Paso Robles

ALCOHOL CONTENT
13.6%

PRICE PAID
$27.00

WHERE/WHEN BOUGHT AND/OR HOW PROCURED
We visited Ambyth’s winery in June, 2011 before Paso Robles’ “Pinot & Paella Festival.”  We discovered Ambyth’s fascinating wines during Paso’s “Rhone Rangers” seminar earlier that year and I just HAD to visit them to get a complete tasting of their fantastic wines.  We took my parents along for the ride and had, by far, the most interesting, fascinating, and rewarding wine tasting experience of my life!
We arrived on a cold, blustery afternoon and were met by Ambyth’s winemaker/owner, Phillip Hart, who told us, in essence, “It’s way too cold; let’s go into the house and we can do your tasting in there.”  We were treated to a tasting of Ambyth’s complete lineup, along with their delicious olives and oils, in the middle of their gorgeous home that overlooks their vineyards.  The wines were incredible, the home and views were fantastic, and the warmth and hospitality of Phillip and Mary (along with their adorable 6-year-old-ish son) was absolutely unforgettable. 
After we completed our wine tasting in the home, we went down to the tasting room and did some barrel and vat tasting of an incredible Zinfandel and a fabulous white blend.  As we left, we couldn’t help ourselves and had to buy half a case of their wines and a bottle of olive oil.
If I live to be 150 years old, I will NEVER forget that incredible/unbelievable wine tasting experience! 

BOUQUET
I drank this rose out of a white/sort-of-Chardonnay glass and didn’t get much of a bouquet.  I detected the faintest hints of rose petal, strawberries, and savory herbs, not too surprising given the Rhone varietals used in this rose blend.

TASTING NOTES
Upfront disclosure: I HATE comparing one wine to another; I often find those comparisons unfair, biased, uneven, and just downright not right.  Having said that, I’m about to compare this wine to a VERY similar rose from my favorite California winery, Tablas Creek, also out of Paso Robles.  I opened a bottle of Tablas Creek’s 2010 Rose about two weeks ago, which has a VERY similar compositional blend as Ambyth’s Rose (TC’s Rose consists of  59% Mourvedre, 30% Grenache, and 11% Counoise, almost identical (well, sort of) to TC’s Rose).  If I remember correctly, TC’s Rose was almost 15% alcohol, resulting in a heavy, almost-leaden mouthfeel.  It was a very interesting and, if approached with the right frame-of-mind, tasty Rose. 
While I prefer Pinot Noir Rose’s (read: Lynmar’s 2010 Rose of Pinot Noir, which was by far my favorite rose for all of 2011), this Rose is easily my second favorite rose of the last year or so.  Though similar to TC’s Rose on a varietal basis (as well as blend percentages), this wine couldn’t be more different.  While TC’s Rose was heavy and thick, Ambyth’s Rose is light-bodied, fruity, creamy, and delicious beyond belief!  Part of Ambyth’s philosophy is to make wines without sulfites (whenever possible/feasible), to produce wines at lower alcohol levels (thank you very much), and to be as true and pure to the land and fruit as possible by being Demeter and biodynamic certified (thank you very much again!).  The end result?  An interesting/delicious Rose with strawberry, sour cherry, and raspberry flavors up front, followed by savory herbs and fantastic acidity.  The wine lingers nicely and exhibits a backbone of cream and earthy terrior (it may be psychological, but I believe the Demeter/Biodynamic certification can be “tasted” in the bottle; with low alcohol levels and clean/pure farming principles, along with unfiltered and unfined winemaking, this wine has an essence of purity and “truth” that few wines dare approach).
Bottom line: this is a fantastic, fruity, creamy, earthy, “clean” Rose that most other Roses would die of jealousy and envy if compared to this wondrous beauty.

PAIRING SUGGESTIONS
We paired this wine with pan-seared salmon steaks and veggies; it was a PERFECT pairing!  I’ve always found Roses difficult to pair with an appropriate food but salmon often seems to be Rose-friendly and such was the case in this instance.  Whether it be a Pinot-based Rose or a Southern Rhone blended Rose, you pretty much can’t go wrong with pairing a quality Rose with a perfectly-cooked salmon steak.

AGING POTENTIAL
Roses are meant to be drunk young, so I would suggest drinking this wine before the end of the year.  At the moment, it’s drinking beautifully right now, but if you have this bottle in your cellar, put it in the fridge to stop the evolution/aging/maturing process and drink this beauty with a seared salmon steak as soon as is feasible.

SCORE
90

Q.P.R. (QUALITY-TO-PRICE RATIO) (POOR, FAIR, GOOD, EXCELLENT)
GOOD – EXCELLENT

WINERY WEBSITE

Friday, January 20, 2012

2008 Loring Wine Company Aubaine Vineyard Pinot Noir (93 Points)

DATE CONSUMED
Friday, January 20, 2012

VINTAGE
2008

WINERY/PRODUCER
Loring Wine Company

WINE NAME
N/A

TYPE OF WINE
Red

COMPOSITION
100% Pinot Noir

SUBNAME/NICKNAME
N/A

VINEYARD DESIGNATION
Aubaine Vineyard

REGION/A.V.A.
San Luis Obispo County

ALCOHOL CONTENT
14.9%

PRICE PAID
$23.46

WHERE/WHEN BOUGHT AND/OR HOW PROCURED
Loring Wine Co. didn’t have a tasting room two years ago and only sold their wines via restaurants, retail outlets, and/or directly from the winery.  They were having a special “blow-out” special for their 2008 Pinots and we took advantage of that sale in April, 2010.

BOUQUET
This wine exhibits classic California Pinot traits: earth, black pepper, and dark/black fruit (black cherries, raspberries, and blackberries).

TASTING NOTES
This wine pours almost as dark as a Zin or Syrah!  This is definitely not a Burgundian Pinot; this is definitely a California Central Coast Pinot Noir.
This is a rich, dark, creamy, oaky, earthy, and spicy Pinot.  If you prefer light-bodied, strawberry- and cherry-inflected Burgundian Pinots, this is definitely NOT your type of Pinot.  If you prefer rich, complex, creamy, incredibly delicious California Pinot Noirs, then this IS your type of Pinot!

This Pinot has a lot going on.  Hitting the palate first is rich and creamy oak, barrels of black pepper and other herbaceous herbs (like rosemary and sage), shovels of earth/dirt, and truckloads of black fruit (black and/or sour cherries, blackberries, plums, and secondary levels of red fruits like raspberries and strawberries (a classic Pinot Noir trait)).  The wine’s structure becomes apparent mid-palate; there’s a fantastic balance of acidity, alcohol (despite it’s rather high 14.9% level), and depth of flavors and heft (this is a rather full-bodied Pinot, like many Pinots hailing from the Central Coast and Sonoma/Napa Valleys).  The finish is long, smooth, and lingering, all in a very good way.

PAIRING SUGGESTIONS
We had this fabulous Pinot with seared rack of lamb and veggies; the pairing was absolutely perfect.  Because this wine is dark and rich/medium-to-full-bodied, I would recommend pairing this wine with most red meats (like curried lamb shanks and grilled rib eyes) and other rich, dark, spicy red stews.  Salmon and duck are classic Pinot pairings; this type of Pinot is definitely NOT that type of Pinot.  I would recommend pairing this wine with any/all dishes that you would pair with a well-made Syrah or Zinfandel. 

AGING POTENTIAL
This wine is drinking beautifully right now and based on it’s acidic, rich, creamy, and well-structured core, this wine will probably drink wonderfully for another 10 to 15 years.

SCORE
93 Points

Q.P.R. (QUALITY-TO-PRICE RATIO) (POOR, FAIR, GOOD, EXCELLENT)
Good-Excellent

WINERY WEBSITE
http://www.loringwinecompany.com/

Sunday, December 25, 2011

2007 Lynmar Hawk Hill Vineyard Pinot Noir (93 Points)

DATE CONSUMED
Saturday, December 24, 2011

VINTAGE
2007

WINERY/PRODUCER
Lynmar Estate

WINE NAME
Pinot Noir

TYPE OF WINE
Red

COMPOSITION
100% Pinot Noir

SUBNAME/NICKNAME
N/A

VINEYARD DESIGNATION
Hawk Hill Vineyard

REGION/A.V.A.
Russian River Valley, California

ALCOHOL CONTENT
14.3%

PRICE PAID
$63.00

WHERE/WHEN BOUGHT AND/OR HOW PROCURED
Received from the winery’s wine club in December, 2009

BOUQUET
Oh yeah, this wine came from the R.R.V.; there’s absolutely no doubt about that!  This wine displays CLASSIC R.R.V. elements: earth (especially a chalky character), pepper, and black fruits.  The R.R.V. has one of the most terrior-driven, unmistakable/unique bouquets for Pinot; I can usually spot a R.R.V. Pinot (by nose) within a nanosecond upon first whiff. 

TASTING NOTES
This is a gorgeous, delicious, silky, powerful, yet elegant Pinot.  There are huge, complex flavors going on here, with incredible richness and density.  Fruit-wise, there’s an orchard’s worth of red and black fruits, like black cherries, plums, raspberries, and blackberries, followed by gobs of black pepper and savory herbs.  And of course there are shovels of that chalky R.R.V. earthiness in the bottle as well.
This Pinot exhibits absolutely classic R.R.V. terrior.  It is beautifully well-balanced and structured, perfectly oaked (not too much, not too little, but just right; Goldilocks would have loved this wine if she wasn’t too busy sleeping in other people’s beds!), delicious beyond belief (the flavor profile is miles deep; I mentioned a few fruits and herbs but there’s so much going on here flavor-wise that a flavor expert could probably write pages upon pages of all of the flavor elements present in this bottle). 
Bottom line: this is one of the best Pinots we’ve had all year (the other contenders seem to be other Lynmar Pinots!).  The reason we joined Lynmar’s wine club is because upon our first visit to their tasting room in the R.R.V. we absolutely loved every single wine that we tasted; every Chardonnay and Pinot Noir was exquisite.  California doesn’t produce many Pinots better than this one.

PAIRING SUGGESTIONS
We paired this wine with an herb-stuffed Italian pork roast (seared, then braised in white wine and onions for hours; it was as good as this wine!) and the pairing was fantastic.  This is a rich, medium-to-almost-heavy-bodied Pinot and should be served with rich, serious meat dishes.  I would imagine this wine would pair best with heavily-spiced steaks, rich stews, oxtail ragu, prime rib smothered in mustard seeds, Kosher salt, and a mountain of freshly-cracked black pepper. 
Pinot is a classic wine to pair with duck and salmon; this Pinot is NOT that type of Pinot.  Pair salmon or duck with a light-bodied Burgundian-style Pinot (like the 2006 Windward Pinot from Paso Robles).  This Pinot should go with rich, heavy, serious meats and stews.  This Pinot thinks it’s a Cabernet Sauvignon from Napa; treat it that way (though it’s MUCH more interesting than a Napa Cab (though there’s nothing on Earth wrong with a quality Napa Cab)).

AGING POTENTIAL
This wine is drinking beautifully beyond belief at the moment.  Based on its structure, I would imagine it would continue to age and mature well for the rest of this decade.  Which begs one question: who on Earth possesses the self-restraint to let a bottle this fantastic sit in their cellar for another ten-ish years?!?!  Certainly not me!  I wouldn’t be able to sleep at night knowing this beauty was seductively aging and teasing and calling out my name every night.

SCORE
93

Q.P.R. (QUALITY-TO-PRICE RATIO) (POOR, FAIR, GOOD, EXCELLENT)
GOOD

WINERY WEBSITE

2008 Tablas Creek Esprit de Beaucastel Blanc (91 Points)

DATE CONSUMED
Saturday, December 24, 2011

VINTAGE
2008

WINERY/PRODUCER
Tablas Creek Vineyard

WINE NAME
Esprit de Beaucastel Blanc

TYPE OF WINE
Southern Rhone-style white blend

COMPOSITION
65% Roussanne, 30% Grenache Blanc, 5% Picpoul Blanc

SUBNAME/NICKNAME
N/A

VINEYARD DESIGNATION
Estate grown and bottled

REGION/A.V.A.
Paso Robles, California

ALCOHOL CONTENT
13.5%

PRICE PAID
$28.80

WHERE/WHEN BOUGHT AND/OR HOW PROCURED
Received from the winery’s wine club in October, 2009

BOUQUET
I took this bottle out of the fridge for about a half-hour so it wouldn’t be too cold, which should have helped with the wine’s bouquet.  Perhaps there was too much oil in the air (from the fried crab cakes), masking the wine’s bouquet.  What I could detect was some tropical fruits, peach, and melon elements, along with pepper and savory herb undertones.

TASTING NOTES
As consistent as political corruption and pro athlete sex and violence scandals, I knew a Tablas Creek blend would deliver (just a bit more elegantly than the politicians and pro athletes).  This wine exhibits FANTASTIC acidity and minerals, making for a wonderful food wine.  The wine is beautifully well-structured, very rich, smooth, and creamy as well.
Minerals are the most prominent characteristic; a wine critic would describe it as “wet stone” (like any of us has ever sucked on a rock or put a handful of wet pebbles in our mouth before!).  But as a slight defense of those wine critics, if I HAD ever sucked on a rock for any length of time, I would imagine that minerallity would be similar to that of this wonderful blend. 
Next in line are the spices, especially plenty of white pepper and savory herbs like rosemary and thyme.  There’s also a floral “thing” going on here that wasn’t terribly obvious with the bouquet but seemed to standout in the flavor profile.  And of course there’s fruit: kiwi, white peach, a variety of melons, and mango, with just a suggestion of pineapple.
I’m assuming most, if not all, of the fermentation for this wine took place in an oak vessel, based on the rich, smooth, slightly waxy and caramelly mouthfeel.  I also sense an earthiness one doesn’t usually associate with a white wine; that’s evidently Tablas Creek’s world famous terrior!
This is a very nice, food-friendly white blend and a marvelous alternative to the Usual White Suspects (Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc).  The flavor profile is deep and interesting with a long, elegant, lingering finish (which most politicians and pro athletes are sorely lacking). 

PAIRING SUGGESTIONS
We paired this wine with Arthur’s fresh crab cakes served on top of an arugula and fennel salad.  It was a match made in heaven (like a corrupt politician and a filthy/disgusting prison).  This wine would pair well with a wide range of foods because of its acids, fruits, and minerals, like just about any seafood dish imaginable (raw oysters, linguine and clams, baked/grilled swordfish, etc.), chicken pot pie, or baked garlic chicken.  Hell, this would probably pair well with prime rib (ok, perhaps I’m going a bit too far with that one……).

AGING POTENTIAL
According to TC’s vintage chart, this wine is at peak maturity right now.  I have the impression, however, that there isn’t a lot of life left in this bottle.  This type of TC blend could/would/should usually age well for years, but I sensed “the end is near.”  I could be way off on that, but I would recommend drinking this wine before the end of 2012 (and I have one more bottle of this beauty and will be drinking it soon).

SCORE
91

Q.P.R. (QUALITY-TO-PRICE RATIO) (POOR, FAIR, GOOD, EXCELLENT)
GOOD

WINERY WEBSITE

Sunday, December 4, 2011

2006 Tablas Creek Vineyard Tannat (92 Points)

DATE CONSUMED
Saturday, December 3, 2011

VINTAGE
2006

WINERY/PRODUCER
Tablas Creek Vineyard

WINE NAME
Tannat

TYPE OF WINE
Red

COMPOSITION
88% Tannat, 12% Cabernet Sauvignon

SUBNAME/NICKNAME
N/A

VINEYARD DESIGNATION
Estate grown and bottled

REGION/A.V.A.
Paso Robles, California

ALCOHOL CONTENT
15.0%

PRICE PAID
$28

WHERE/WHEN BOUGHT AND/OR HOW PROCURED
We bought this bottle at the winery’s tasting room in November, 2008.  We were so taken-aback by the quality of TC’s wines that we joined their wine club that day (I’m assuming the price we paid for this bottle is the wine club member discounted price).

BOUQUET
This wine exhibits gobs of black fruit and spices on the nose, such as plums, blackberries, black cherries, black pepper, and savory herbs.  This wine’s bouquet foretells a beverage that will pack a wallop of flavors.

TASTING NOTES
Usually, a wine’s bouquet seldom lies.  And this wine is certainly no politician on the campaign trail.  As the nose suggested, there is TONS of black pepper and savory herbs that hit the palate first, followed closely by rich, creamy black fruit (plums, blackberries, and black cherries, just like the bouquet suggested/hinted).  There is also a nice stony/minerally character that compliments the wine’s tannic/acidic structure.  The finish was smooth and well-balanced for such a fiercely flavorful and tannic wine. 

Though only five years since harvest, this wine is still young and fresh.  We decanted this bottle at least an hour before dinner; if you have the same bottle, I would recommend decanting this wine for at least one to two hours. 

I would compare this wine to a Syrah if you’re unfamiliar with Tannat.  This is a very French varietal (whatever that means!) with nicely complex flavors with a firm, tannic backbone.  This is a delicious, dark, rich, creamy wine with fantastic depth-of-flavors.  I was unfamiliar with Tannat three years ago and based on this wonderful bottle, I’ll be on the look-out for other Tannats in the future (especially those from TC!).   Tannat is usually used in blends, and though not 100% Tannat, this is easily one of the most interesting single varietal wines (or close to it) that I’ve had all year.  This is just one more example why Tablas Creek is my favorite California winery.  There’s never a dull moment when there is an open bottle from Tablas Creek on the table!

PAIRING SUGGESTIONS
We paired this wine with Barefoot Contessa’s Beef Bourguignon and it was a wonderful match.  Because of its rich, creamy, tannic structure, this wine would also pair well with a ribeye steak smothered in Kosher salt and freshly-cracked black pepper, curried lamb shanks, and just about any other red meat dish, especially rich stews.  To quote my cousin Jennifer: “If you love Pabst Blue Ribbon, you’ll love this!”  Jennifer was recently released from a mental institution, so take her quote with a grain of salt (perhaps a mountain of salt would be a more appropriate analogy?).

AGING POTENTIAL
This wine is drinking very well right now, but as I mentioned above, this is still a young, virile, FRESH wine that will probably be at its peak in another five to ten years.  Like a quality Bordeaux/Rhone blend, this wine could probably age beautifully for another 20+ years.  My best guess is that this wine will mature gracefully and elegantly up to about 2040 or so.

SCORE
92 Points

Q.P.R. (QUALITY-TO-PRICE RATIO) (POOR, FAIR, GOOD, EXCELLENT)
GOOD - EXCELLENT

WINERY WEBSITE

2006 Tablas Creek Vineyard Mourvedre (91 Points)

DATE CONSUMED
Saturday, December 3, 2011

VINTAGE
2006

WINERY/PRODUCER
Tablas Creek Vineyard

WINE NAME
Mourvedre

TYPE OF WINE
Red

COMPOSITION
90% Mourvedre, 10% Syrah

SUBNAME/NICKNAME
N/A

VINEYARD DESIGNATION
Estate grown and bottled

REGION/A.V.A.
Paso Robles, California

ALCOHOL CONTENT
14.5%

PRICE PAID
$28

WHERE/WHEN BOUGHT AND/OR HOW PROCURED
We bought this bottle at the winery’s tasting room in November, 2008.  We were so taken-aback by the quality of TC’s wines that we joined their wine club that day (I’m assuming the price we paid for this bottle is the wine club member discounted price).

BOUQUET
Knowing how well TC’s wines age and mature (as well as knowing the characteristics of southern Rhone varietals), I assumed this bottle would need at least an hour or two of decanting, which I dutifully performed.  The bouquet exhibits a cornucopia of red and black fruit (especially raspberries and black cherries (similar to a Pinot Noir)), along with plenty of black pepper and savory herbs, as well as hints of earth and oak.  Blind folded, I would/could have assumed this wine was a Pinot Noir.

TASTING NOTES
Keeping the Pinot Noir theme going, the first thing to hit the palate is rich, spicy, zingy red fruit; like the bouquet suggested, that would mean mostly raspberries, strawberries, and sour cherries.  Next up is TONS of black pepper, along with rosemary, sage, and a few other herbaceous elements.  The finish reveals a bit of earth and oak, along with firm tannins.  This wine, even after five harvest years, is still incredibly young and fresh.  Due to its fantastically well-structured acidity, this wine will probably stay young and fresh for another 10+ years!

This is a delicious, perfectly-oaked, spicy, zingy red with wonderful depth of flavors (just like a quality Pinot Noir) with legs so young and fresh, this wine could probably run three or four marathons after putting in a 12-hour day at work. 

PAIRING SUGGESTIONS
We paired this wine with Barefoot Contessa’s Beef Bourguignon and it was a wonderful match.  In keeping with the Pinot Noir theme, this wine would also pair nicely with duck, steak, prime rib, lamb, and just about any kind of richly braised meat dish.  Or, you could really get crazy and take my cousin Jennifer’s pairing suggestion: “Serve with Hostess Ding Dongs for dessert!  Unfortunately, NOT good with Twinkies!”  She may have been kidding, but who knows………  She’s that kind of gal.

AGING POTENTIAL
This wine is drinking quite well right now, but as I mentioned above, this is still a young, virile, FRESH wine that will probably be at its peak in another five years or so.  My best guess is that this wine will be eminently enjoyable up to about 2025 or so.

SCORE
91 Points

Q.P.R. (QUALITY-TO-PRICE RATIO) (POOR, FAIR, GOOD, EXCELLENT)
GOOD

WINERY WEBSITE

Thursday, November 24, 2011

Fess Paker Frontier Red Lot No. 101 (85 Points)

DATE CONSUMED
Wednesday, November 23, 2011

VINTAGE
N.V.

WINERY/PRODUCER
Fess Parker

WINE NAME
Frontier Red Lot No. 101

TYPE OF WINE
Red

COMPOSITION
A blend of Syrah, Grenache, Petite Sirah, Mourvedre, Cinsault, and Carignane (varietal percentages are never revealed on the back of the label; for current release percentages, consult with Fess Parker’s website).

SUBNAME/NICKNAME
N/A

VINEYARD DESIGNATION
N/A

REGION/A.V.A.
California

ALCOHOL CONTENT
15.5%

PRICE PAID
$9.99

WHERE/WHEN BOUGHT AND/OR HOW PROCURED
Got this bottle at BevMo; anytime I buy anything at BevMo (especially during their 5Cent Sale) I always pick-up a bottle of Frontier Red.

BOUQUET
This wine exhibits plenty of red and black fruit (strawberries, blackberries, plums, and cherries), lots of spices (savory herbs and black pepper), earth, oak, and hints that this will be a rich, creamy wine.

TASTING NOTES
Sho-Nuff, there’s a spice cabinet’s worth of spices going on here (especially savory herbs like rosemary and sage, along with black pepper), along with a Freightliner’s worth of red and black fruit (raspberries, black cherries, plums, and blackberries).  The wine pours very dark and has a well-balanced finish.  The tannins are not overwhelming and the finish is relatively smooth.  This is a typical Frontier Red, which are all rich, creamy, slightly oaky, earthy, and tannic blends.  The flavor profile, which should be obvious by the inclusion of all those fabulous Rhone varietals, is nicely complex and deep, especially for an affordable, quality red blend.

For the price, this wine is tough to beat.  Lot No. 101 isn’t my favorite version of the Frontier Red (I gave Lot No. 91 a score of 90 points; obviously, I LOVED that version).  But for an affordable, rich, chewy, creamy, oaky, earthy red, one would be hard-pressed to find a more consistently delicious red blend out of California.  I’ve had $100 blends that weren’t as good as this $10 bottle!  We’re sitting on a bottle of Lot No. 102 and Lot No. 111.  Think I’ll let those bottles age for a year or two and see how that works.

PAIRING SUGGESTIONS
We served this wine with racks of lamb spiced with Kosher salt, freshly-cracked black pepper, and chopped rosemary.  The wine paired very well with the lamb and would pretty much go well with just about any red meat dish, especially curried lamb shanks, Beef Bourguignon, or any rich stew.

AGING POTENTIAL
Being non-vintage, this wine is meant to be drunk fairly young and/or upon release.  But this wine has the structure (and the varietals used in the blend have the aging characteristics) to age and mature for several more years.  Despite being non-vintage and affordable, I wouldn’t be surprised if this wine aged beautifully for 10 to 20 years.

SCORE
85

Q.P.R. (QUALITY-TO-PRICE RATIO) (POOR, FAIR, GOOD, EXCELLENT)
GOOD to EXCELLENT

WINERY WEBSITE
http://www.fessparkerwines.com/