14 Hands 2009 Hot to Trot Red Blend

this nice red blend comes from washington state. it is predominantly merlot, with some cabernet sauvignon, syrah & petit verdot. it sells for the very nice price of about $10-12. we tried one of their whites some time back and enjoyed it, so this was a no brainer for us. and i love red blends. the nose had lots of blackberry and sweet jammy black cherry notes. the palate was a nice juicy mouth full of blackberry and black cherry notes. this is not a big, bold red. more fruit up front and very soft tannins and some great mocha and toast notes in the finish. great to just sip on a chilly evening, or with your favorite stew or meat dish.

Cakebread Cellars Napa Valley Syrah 2009

cakebread is one of those wineries that you hear about and want to try based on reputation. we recently had the opportunity to try a couple of their wines. the syrah sells for about $55,  which is a bit pricey for me. the nose has black cherry, some nice violet notes, and some nice earthy notes that i like. the palate had blackberry, plum, black pepper and more of the earthy notes i usually associate with syrah. lots of tannins in this at the beginning, so open it up and let it sit for a while. nice long finish of fruit and smoky earth. nice wine. didn't blow me away. i guess i expected a little more based on the price and reputation.

Rubicon 2004

it has been a long time since i have blogged. 9/11 is a good place to make a fantastic statement about american wine and a celebration of life! this wine was a gift from a rep at rubicon estates from a wine festival in cincinnati. it has been laying for quite a few years and the 10 year anniversary of 9/11 and the celebration of a new chapter in the life of myself and my wife,the comely brunette, seemed a great time to uncork a really nice bottle of wine. this is a napa standard and is smooth as silk and exquisite! a nose of blackberry, black cherry, some smoke and a little violet. on the palate more sour black cherry flavors,  vanilla, black currant and a little smokey note. so smooth with subtle tannins, this could have easily been left in the bottle for several more years. but today it was excellent! this bordeaux blend sells for about $100. CHEERS!

Parducci Mendocino County Petite Sirah 2007

this is my 500th blog entry and i went to a trusted winemaker for a really nice red at a good price. parducci has a nice portfolio of wines. this one is no exception. the nose is loaded with cherry and blackberry, as well as some nice spice notes. the palate is big, bold and loaded with tannins so decanting is definitely needed. the flavors of blackberry, black cherry, spicy black pepper and some nice dark chocolate. this is a great food wine. try it with a grilled steak or hearty stew. we enjoyed this with a chicken/mushroom with vegetables and rice and it worked very well. sells for about $10-15 depending on where you are. (more expensive here in new york unfortunately)

Brazin Old Vine Lodi Zinfandel 2008

i really like a good, chewy zinfandel. this one from lodi california is right in my wheel house. selling for about $16, brazin is well worth a try. the nose has lots of black cherry and blackberry, some nice spice and vanilla and some mocha. the palate is very big and bold, with blackberry, plum and cocoa. there is some nice black pepper and some subtle earth notes. this is a chewy, full bodied zin with a long finish that begs for spicy red sauce pasta or a good steak. at this price it is very hard to pass up.

Stoutridge Vineyard Merlot 2008

after a little hiatus i am back with another wine from this new york producer. the merlot from stoutridge is made with grapes from long island. it is 90% merlot and 10% cab franc. it sells for about $26 and is like all their other wine, made in the old world style, unfiltered and unfined. the nose has some nice blackberry, earth and an interesting mint note. the palate is very interesting, with funky earth, lush blackberry and plum, and some nice soft tannins. awesome sipping wine! works with red meats or chicken as well. this wine is unfortunately can only be purchased at the winery. if you make it to new york and visit the shawangunk wine trail, it is well worth your time and money.

Two Oceans Merlot 2009

once again i am visiting a wine from south africa. and once again, i am impressed with the flavor and the price. south africa is one wine region that is really starting to turn out some nice wines. this merlot sells for about $9 and is definitely worth a try. the nose has nice fruit aromas of strawberry and some earthy notes. the palate has blackberry, black cherry, some nice chocolate and some smokey earth notes. i also got a little green pepper note in the finish. this is a good wine with red sauce pasta dishes and hard cheeses. or try it after dinner with some dark chocolate.

Kendall-Jackson Vintner's Reserve Meritage 2004

red bordeaux blends like this one are almost always a pure joy for me. kendall-jackson does this one right. i had this one cellared since 2008 and brought it out to celebrate the comely brunette's birthday. a worthy bottle for celebration. it is a blend of 65% cabernet sauvignon, 34% merlot and 1% cabernet franc that sells for about $18, it has the nose and flavor that appeal to my senses. the nose has black fruits, cocoa, some nice earth notes, and a little floral violet. the palate has blackberry and plum, licorice, some dark chocolate, hints of tobacco and some spicy sage. this is a beautiful wine with firm tannins and full mouthfeel with a finish that is long and elegant. great all by itself, try this with veal or hearty stews.

Il Bastardo Sangiovese 2008

i have to admit, i bought this one solely because of the name and the label. and the price was right too. selling for about $8, this tuscan wine is actually quite nice. the nose had some cherry and blackberry, a little earth and some light spice notes. the palate had most of the same, with blackberry and cherry flavors and just a little earth. the tannins were medium and the finish was long and fruity. this is a good pizza or pasta wine, especially at this price. this won't knock your socks off by any means. it is a fun, easy drinking every day table wine.

Kiona Vineyards 2004 Cabernet/Merlot

washington state winery kiona is a new find for me thanks to a recommendation from a local wine store. this bordeaux blend has a 'new world twist' with the following grapes: 72% cabernet sauvignon, 20% cabernet franc, 5% merlot, 2% syrah, 1% sangiovese. this wines sells for about $10 a bottle and tastes like a much more expensive wine. the nose has lots of blueberry, blackberry and black cherry notes. there is also some nice earthy aromas and a cedar finish on the nose. the palate is full of dark fruit. blackberry, black currant, and blueberry. nice inky notes as well as some nice oak and earth flavors. this is well worth your dollar and goes well with pasta and red sauce or a good steak. try it with some blue cheese and crackers.

Chateau Montlun Bordeaux 2009

i normally would wait to open up a bordeaux that is this new, but the meal the comely brunette and i were having begged for something french and earthy. and with this one selling for about $9, it was a no-brainer. a blend of merlot, cab and cab franc, it has a nose of earth, smoke and black fruit. the palate is beautifully subtle with flavors of blackberry and black cherry, mixed with earthy tones and cedar notes. nice smokey undertones and a long finish. excellent with the steak, mushroom and smashed potato dish we enjoyed. this is a really nice wine at this price and worth getting a few extra bottles to lay down for a few years.

Tall Horse Cabernet Sauvignon 2009

wow! a new year is here and it seems like forever since i have written anything. i didn't drink very much wine over the holiday, choosing to have other adult beverages for the most part. but this cab was one that i had while dining with family. it comes from south africa and as you know i have written about some very nice wines from this part of the wine world recently. and this one is also a keeper, especially when you consider the price is under $10. the nose is full of black fruits and a little spice. i got a little bit of earth on the nose too. the palate is very fruit forward, with blackberry and black cherry, with spice and a little bit of red licorice. very easy drinking red that goes well with barbeque, pizza, burgers and cheese.

Gamble Family Vineyards 2005 Paramount Red

i had the good fortune to win a magnum of this at the cincinnati wine festival a year ago. it is a blend of 35% cabernet sauvignon, 32% merlot, 30% cab franc, and 3% petit verdot. this is a beautiful napa valley bordeaux blend from a smaller producer. the 750ml bottle retails for about $60 and is well worth a try if you can get a bottle. lay it down for a while and open it for a special occasion. the nose has dark fruits and lots of leather, earth. and a little licorice. the palate reflects the terroir with lots of tobacco, leather, earth, chocolate and some slightly minty flavors, mixed in with blackberry and cassis. silky tannins and a long, finish round this out nicely. a big, beautiful red that works with red meats, red sauce pasta, hearty stews, or all alone by a fire when the weather tells you to stay indoors.

Harmony Hills Refrain 2007

ohio winery harmony hills makes some very nice wines. refrain is a 50/50 blend of cabernet sauvignon and cabernet franc. usually these are both grown on the winery property in bethel ohio. but the 2007 freeze did a number on the cab franc, so the grapes were imported from the west coast. the result was something a little different, but still quite nice. nice nose of black cherry, blackberry and earthy leather. the palate was more of the blackberry, some black cherry and some nice earth and leather. nice tannins and excellent finish. sells for about $14 and works well with hearty stews and pastas.

Rudi Schultz Syrah 2007

a have two more wines from south africa that i would like to write about. first is this beautiful syrah from winemaker rudi schultz. i love a good syrah and this one will now occupy a place near the top of my list of go to syrahs. selling for about $35 (but do some searching and you can save about $5), this 100% syrah has a nose of black cherry, raspberry and some nice earth tones. the palate is more black cherry, along with blackberry and some nice cocoa powder. nice earthy flavors and some tar and licorice in this one too. excellent red if you like a full bodied red with lots of flavors and medium tannins and a long finish. break out the steak, hearty stew or the red pasta dish for this one.

Mulderbosch Faithful Hound 2006

sorry for the shortage on the postings, travel time got in the way. waiting for me when i arrived at home this evening was this red blend from south africa. this is a bordeaux blend of 41% cabernet sauvignon, 36% petit verdot, 10% cab franc, 9% merlot, and 4% malbec. if that doesn't get you interested, then you are not a red wine fan. the nose is loaded with black currant, spice, some earth and a little leather. the palate has blackberry and licorice flavors with some black cherry and plum also. the tannins are not too overpowering and the wine finished very nicely with some earth and tobacco notes. excellent wine for this weary traveller. my palate was not quite up for subtle flavors and this red satisfied the need for something a little bolder. great all by itself, but try this with red pasta or a nice steak. sells for about $20.

Kanonkop Kadette 2008

we are back to the south african wines with this beautifully complex red blend from the stellenbosch region. this wine is a blend of 50% pinotage, 25% cabernet sauvignon, 15% merlot, and 10% cabernet franc. nice bordeaux blend with the added twist of the always interesting pinotage grape. the nose had lots of dark fruit, like black cherry and blackberry. some nice licorice, smoke and tar aromas also. the palate is big and juicy, with flavors of blackberry and plum. nice tar, smoky cedar and earth flavors in the mid-palate and into the finish. i enjoyed this with grilled burgers. sells for the really nice price of about $14. buy two and lay one down for a couple years.

Laurel Mountain Vineyards Merlot (N/V)

i head back to the groundhog wine trail in pennsylvania for this red. the laurel mountain winery was the first stop on our recent visit. and unlike the baco noir that i wrote about, this merlot is not a sweet red. in fact, it was tannic enough to require a little decanting. the nose was black cherry, herbal and spice (rosemary), and some slightly earthy notes. good beginning. and the palate was equally as nice, with plum, blackberry and some slightly smokey notes. as i said, this red was fairly tannic at first, but mellowed as the wine opened up. i also got more of the herbal notes on the palate too. sells for $15 and is excellent by itself, but will work with red sauce pasta or a nice grilled steak.

Stonyridge Church Bay Merlot Cabernet Franc Waiheke Island 2006

entry #400 is a special red that the comely brunette and i received from our daughter. she purchased it at the stonyridge winery in new zealand and unfortunately the wine is no longer available. i have had this laying in my cellar for a couple of years and this was the perfect occasion to open it up. the blend is merlot and cab franc. the nose was loaded with black fruit, specifically cassis, black currant and a little plum. also picked up some nice anise and leather aromas. the palate was a nice, complex mixture of plum, blackberry, leather and earth. nice tannins and a somewhat jammy mouth feel with a beautiful, long finish. i am sorry to know that i won't be able to purchase more of this. excellent with grilled meats. this wine sold for about $45.

Sharecropper's Cabernet 2008

one more from the owen roe selection tasting i was at recently. all grapes are from the columbia valley in washington. the nose is full of ripe blueberries, dark cherry and black currant. got some nice smokey notes on the nose too. the palate has blackberry and licorice notes up front and the finish had some interesting cigar flavors. there was a little cedar in there as well. this is a nicely structured cab. not too big like some of the california cabs can be. this one sells for about $20. i am thinking grilled steak or burgers with this one.