Dark Horse Merlot

The Dark Horse marketing department calls winemaker Beth Liston a renegade.  They say she mixes classic technique with game-changing innovation.  Her colorful tattoos up both arms are not exactly outlaw territory anymore, and she claims a fairly sedate wine-family upbringing.  Liston says she grew up in vineyards and was always covered in mud.  She also resists taking full credit for the Dark Horse wines, choosing to spread the love amongst the entire winemaking team.  The Modesto winery produces a full line of wine styles, including a Merlot, which I sampled. 

The grapes for the 2015 Dark Horse California Merlot are harvested before the Cabernet Sauvignon fruit, which the winery says is an unconventional move.  The Merlot is blended with Petite Sirah, Petit Verdot and Dornfelder to help bring a bigger, bolder flavor profile.  Dornfelder, by the way, is a grape created by German horticulturists and is used to beef up the red wines of that country.  Aged in French oak, this Merlot's alcohol tips only 13.5% abv and the wine sells for around $10.

This wine comes on strong, with a nose of blackberry and anise, joined by lesser touches of smoke and leather.  On the palate, watch out for those early tannins.  They bite, but settle down considerably after the bottle's been open for awhile.  Jammy dark fruit carries a ton of spice notes with it.  Oak is noticeable, to be sure, but it's a sweet effect rather than a savory one.  The wine is medium-dark ruby in color at the edges, blackening nearer the core.

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Redwood Creek Chardonnay 2011

I generally stay away from wines which bear a formulaic name like this one does.  I don’t remember who characterized this type of wine naming, but it seems to be most popular on wines produced in Modesto, California.  The idea is to have a two-word name, the first word being an iconic symbol and the second being a natural reference.  It could be Rabbit Run, Cauliflower Gully, Cedar Brook, Forest Glen or Black Mountain.  In this case, it’s Redwood Creek, a part of the Gallo empire.

Winemaker Cal Denison - an outdoorsy-looking fellow - has crafted a reasonably nice Chardonnay with an unfortunately nondescript name.  I enjoyed a glass of it at the Callender’s Grill on Wilshire Boulevard.  I tend to show up there quite a bit, not because its such a great bar, but because it’s geographically convenient.  It’s just down the street from my favorite Starbucks, which has become an office-away-from-home for me.

It is one of the cheaper wines on the Callender's  list, but it’s pretty good for the $5 happy hour price. Much appreciated is the good pour from the longtime bartender there.

The wine is medium full in the mouth - brisk and refreshing, actually.  A light acidity is just enough to provide a spark, but not enough to bite.  Tropical fruit and lemon peel come forth on the nose, while the palate shows pears and a bit of citrus with a hint of green apple.  The oak is not at all overdone, something that is unusual in a cheap wine.  Lots of oak is no substitute for good grapes.

While this wine won’t be giving anyone thrills and chills, it’s a solid effort at a lowball price point.   If you try just a little bit, you can probably find it in a supermarket for five or six bucks.  The hotter the day, the better it will taste.


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