BLOOD OF THE VINES - GRAND THEFT AUTO

When Ron Howard's first film, "Grand Theft Auto," was made, I thought great wine was the Spanada my mom kept in the fridge.  I don't know how mom would feel about her favorite beverage being relegated to the category of "bum wine," but at  $7.70 for a magnum, it would seem to come in on the high side of that politically incorrect spectrum.

1977 was not a great wine year for me, but I recall it was a good vintage for Miller Genuine Draft.  I also recall I had great tan that summer, for the last time ever.  TFH guru Joe Dante says his first wine was Boone's Farm.  Our tastes in beverages changed for the better.  But just as there are some occasions that simply call for a can of beer, there are times when all we really need in a movie is a lot of action.

GTA - the movie, not the video game - is a rip-roarin', white-knuckle ride featuring car chases, a souped-up Rolls Royce, a police car, of course, and a lot of stuff getting blown up.  

Daddy's little girl rips off the Rolls and heads for Vegas to get married quickie style while everybody and their dee jay chases after.  A great performance by the late Real Don Steeleas the helicopter jockey is the highlight of the movie.  Well, you had to expect that comment since I'm a lifelong broadcaster.  

I worked for several years in the same building with Real.  I'm sure he didn't know my name, but he smiled and said "Hey, baby" every day as he passed me on his way in.  I always half expected him to flip me the keys to his Cadillac and ask me to have it washed and fueled while he was on the air.  But there was someone else employed to do that.  Tina Delgado is alive - ALIVE!

Grand Theft Auto is the name of the crime people keep committing during this film, and it's only natural that those stolen cars end up in a demolition derby climax.  More movies should take this way out.  The critics weren't driven to praise the film, but it made a truck full of cash at the box office.

There's not a lot of wine in this movie - thankfully, judging from the driving habits exhibited - but that shouldn't stop you from enjoying some while watching it.  You might try some that's made in a place where these cars could have ended up after filming.

Cerro Caliente Cellars is a San Luis Obispo winery located in a working garage.  Their wines are full-throttle single-vineyard Central Coast beauties.  Check their "Multi Viscosity" line at $36 each.  Their tasting room is decorated for gear-heads and, presumably, they have plenty of those red shop rags handy in case of spills.

Some other junk in the trunk:

Pismo Beach Classic Car Show - A car show in wine country?  I'm there.

Derose Vineyards - Near Hollister, California, Derose offers a line of wines named and labeled after classic cars.

Classic Car Wines by B.R. Cohn - More classic car labels, this time from Sonoma County.

Rolls Royce Wine Carrier - Stick this baby in the boot and open in case of emergency.

Krug's Rolls Royce Delivery Van - Maybe the perfect mix of vintage wine and vintage auto.

Race Car Wine Caddy - How is your man cave bar getting along without this?

Prince Charles' car runs on wine - and it was taken for a spin by the royal newlyweds.

Car runs on wine and cheese - Gas isn't expensive enough?

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EXPLORING BEAUJOLAIS: FLEURIE

This taste of the Beaujolais region concerns a wine by Alain Coudert, Clos de la Roilette, Fleurie 2010.  The label indicates it's a red Beaujolais wine - 99% of the wine from Beaujolais is red, produced from the Gamay grape.

Fleurie wines are often indicated as having a fruity and floral bouquet.  That would be underselling the case, here, as we will find in a bit.

Louis Dressner Selections imports this wine, and their website describes the evolution of Clos de la Roilette:

"In the '20s, when the Fleurie appellation was first created, the former landowner was infuriated with losing the Moulin-à-Vent appellation under which the clos had previously been classified.  He created a label, using a photograph of his racehorse Roilette, and used the name Clos de la Roilette, without mentioning Fleurie.  The owner vowed not to sell a drop of his wine on the French market and the production went to Switzerland, Germany and England.

"By the mid-1960s, the owner’s heirs had lost interest in the clos and a large portion of the land had gone wild and untended.  In 1967, Fernand Coudert bought this poorly maintained estate, and replanted the vineyards.  His son Alain joined him in 1984, and has been the winemaker since."

The racehorse remains on the label to this day, although the Couderts apparently have no ill will at this point about the appellation.  The wine is labeled as Fleurie.

This is a complex Beaujolais Cru which retails for $20 and is a little stronger than a typical Beaujolais at 13% abv.  The average age of the Coudert's vines are 25-33 years and I am told it should age well for 5-10 years.

An initial cork sniff had me thinking I'd opened a bottle of sherry by mistake.  There's a huge nuttiness and something akin to caramel on the cork.  Once in the glass, the nose of the medium dark wine displays leathery cherry fruit, allspice and a hint of something burnt.

The palate is equally serious.  A very dark expression of cherries and roast come forward right away, and an almost muddy taste plays with the fruit as it shows black cherry, then blackberry, then a campfire flavor.  There is a fantastic acidity and a lingering tartness which begs for another sip to be taken.

In my sedentary travel through the Beaujolais crus, this is the darkest and most impressive wine I have tasted.

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EXPLORING BEAUJOLAIS: CHIROUBLES

The French wine region of Beaujolais has been the topic of a number of Now And Zin  posts this year.  During the holidays, I received a number of different Beaujolais wines to sample, and the experience has been illuminating.  I sample hundreds of California wines - and wine from all over the US - each year, but Beaujolais was one of the areas I had failed to explore properly until now.

After trying several wines from a few of the Beaujolais crus, I'm happy I've had the chance to delve into the region.  Today's wine comes from Chiroubles, a cru with some of the highest altitude vineyards in Beaujolais.  The climate is a bit cooler and the growing season somewhat longer as a result.  Wines from this region are said to be distinguished by their delicate, softly perfumed bouquets. 

This wine is the D. Coquelet 2010, imported by Louis Dressner.  Damien Coquelet is the winemaker.  A (very) little detective work shows him to be the stepson of George Descombes, one of the top growers in Beaujolais. This wine appears to come from his vineyard n Chiroubles, although Damien has plans to purchase vineyards of his own at some point.  One big distinction between the wines of Descombes and Coquelet is that the elder ages his wines a year, while the younger releases his early. 

The wine has an alcohol content of the more-or-less standard number for Beaujolais, 12.5% abv.  It shows a medium tint in the glass.  The nose is marked by raspberry and a bit of candy.  As advertised, very delicate floral notes surround the fruit.  Flavors of cherry, cranberry and a trace of cassis join a very nice acidity to make a wine that drinks like a light, slightly tart Pinot Noir.  It's really a beautiful effort. 

I see this wine selling online for $17 to $25 - worth it at the high end and a definite bargain at the low price.

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BLOOD OF THE VINES: KING OF COMEDY

In Martin Scorsese's "King of Comedy," Robert De Niro plays Rupert Pupkin, a demented fan obsessed with the late-night talk show host played by Jerry Lewis.  If De Niro's digs in Taxi Driver creeped you out, what did you think of his basement room in this movie?  The fake talk show set - complete with cardboard cutouts of host and guests - and the pencil-drawn audience to which he works while fantasizing about being the funny man onstage take delusion to new heights.

I began to wonder what kind of wine Rupert Pupkin would drink.  All I could think of were the cheesy one-liners printed on a thousand and one wine-related knick-knacks.  As I heard them in my head - in Pupkin's voice - they seemed to fit perfectly. 

"Wine gets better with age - the older I get, the better I like it." (rim shot)

"I cook with wine.  Sometimes I even get it in the food." (drum roll)

"I have a bottle of wine every night except when I don't feel well.  Then I have two." (ba-dum-bum)

"Wine - it's why I get out of bed every afternoon." (thunderous applause, weeping Pupkin blows kisses as he takes a bow)

As Pupkin might say in transition, "But seriously, folks," Robert De Niro is quite the wine connoisseur.  He has a taste for Italian wine - no surprise there - but he also holds the wines of director Francis Ford Coppola in high regard.  He detailed a couple of Coppola's best in his 

address at the 2010 Governors Awards.

The 2008 Directors Cut Cinema Sonoma County is not the '07 De Niro fondly remembers, but they say it will entice fans of Super Tuscans.  $23

Coppola's 2006 Rubicon Estate "Rubicon" Rutherford Red Blend should do nicely if you can't lay your hands on on the '91 Propritary Blend. $119

More? Funny you should ask...

Keep your eyes open for an Argentine wine called Rodrigo Mendoza.  That is said to be the name with which De Niro will label his wine if and when he closes the deal on a Mendoza vineyard. 

Viña Cobos uNico Mendoza 2006 - Until Rodrigo Mendoza appears, De Niro can probably spring for this $180 bottle and not hurt a bit.  Wine critic Robert Parker bestowed 96 of his prized points on this blend of 67% Cabernet Sauvignon and 33% Malbec.

Martin Scorsese did a short film for Spanish Cava producer Freixenet called "The Key To Reserva."  There are some pretty good takes on Hitchcock in it.

The Tribeca Grill Cookbook - De Niro wrote the introduction to this culinary tome featuring recipes from his famed NYC eatery.

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CIMARONE 3CV BANK 2009

Cimarone Winery is on Three Creek Vineyard in the relatively new Happy Canyon AVA of Santa Barbara County.  Roger and Priscilla Higgins own the vineyard and winery, and they emphasize Bordeaux and Rhone varieties in their Cimarone and 3CV labels.

The gravelly, hillside soil of Three Creek Vineyard is planted to Sauvignon Blanc, Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Sangiovese, Petit Verdot, Malbec, Merlot, Syrah and Semillon.  The Bordeaux grape varieties do very well in the warm climate of Happy Canyon, which is shielded from the cooling influence of the Pacific Ocean by the same mountains which channel that cool climate into the Sta. Rita Hills.  You can find out more about Happy Canyon - including how it got its name - in an excellent and interesting article from The Central Coast Wine Report on the Happy Valley AVA.

The Higgins have employed legendary Santa Barbara winemaker Doug Margerum to create their blends, but a change has come.  Los Olivos-based Andrew Murray is now the winemaker for Cimarone’s wines beginning with the 2011 vintage.  Murray has extensive success with his own Rhone-based wines at Andrew Murray Vineyards.

Bank is Cimarone's top-selling Bordeaux blend with a touch of Syrah.  It consists of 35% Cabernet Franc, 17% Cabernet Sauvignon, 17% Petit Verdot, 13% Malbec, 9% Merlot  and 9% Syrah.  The wine carries 14.5% abv and sells for $20.  Margerum is the winemaker for this ‘09 effort.

Bank is a dark purple in the glass with intense blackberry jam on the nose.  There are some clove and anise aromas, too.  The taste is heavily influenced by the Syrah as well.  Blackberry flavor stretches for miles, with a savory aspect that gives Bank a real old world feel.  The finish is lengthy.

This bottle - open for three nights - is, by the third night, more influenced by the Cabernet Franc.  The tannins still have bite, but the herbaceous, savory notes come forward mightily and a black plum profile nudges the blackberry out of the way.  This wine really undergoes quite a metamorphosis after opening.  Usually, I prefer a wine to have some time open, but I would not recommend letting Bank sit open for that long.  Upon opening, give it plenty of breathing or aeration, then enjoy.

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EXPLORING BEAUJOLAIS: A PAIR OF GEORGES DUBOEUF MORGON WINES

Georges Duboeuf is known for his eloquent and verbose vintage reports in which he yearly extolls the virtues of the Beaujolais crop.  "Divine! Dazzling! Voluptuous! Generous!" is just part of his report on the 2011 vintage.  The 2009 Beaujolais Crus are "truly the vintage of my lifetime," according to Duboeuf, while the Beaujolais Crus of 2010 prompted him to exclaim, "The Beaujolais region is on a winning streak."

Duboeuf has every right to use as many exclamation points as he likes.  Jean Bourjade is the Managing Director of Inter Beaujolais, the wine council representing the Producers of Beaujolais, and he echoes Duboeuf's praise of the last three vintages in Beaujolais.  He claims Beaujolais is the only French region in his memory to have three consecutive vintages of such high quality.

Salesmanship aside, Georges Duboeuf is the most recognizable name in Beaujolais wine.  He represents over 400 winegrowers in the region and his name is a mainstay in the French section of supermarket shelves worldwide.  In this post we'll explore Morgon, one of the twelve Crus of Beaujolais. 

Both of these bottles are produced from Duboeuf's Morgon vineyards, both are marketed as "red Burgundy wine," both have a 13% abv number and both sell for about $16.  The wine with the more serious looking label is a grower-specific wine from the vineyards of the late Jean-Ernest Descombes.  His daughter Nicole now tends the wine business.  The wine with the flower on the label is made from Duboeuf vineyards, but is not grower-specific.  These bottles were provided to me for sampling purposes.

The Morgon Cru lies south of six Beaujolais crus and north of three.  Gamay is the main grape, as it is in all of the Beaujolais region.  In the 14th century, the Dukes of Burgundy kicked the Gamay grape out of Burgundy in favor of Pinot Noir and Gamay took root in Beaujolais to the south.  Morgon has a long history with grapes - it was home to the vineyards of the Romans.  The volcanic and granitic rock found in the crumbling soil of the Morgon region supplies the terroir. 

The Descombes bottling has a bright nose full of cherry and raspberry.  The palate is full and refreshing with a zippy acidity.  The tannins show restraint while cherry and raspberry flavors are laced with a very slight hint of citrus.   I really get a sense of the minerals in these flavors. 

The flower label bottle shows the same fruit on the nose, but has more of a mineral or vegetal overlay.  It's not quite so bright - fairly dark, in fact.  The palate is less delicate as well, with a darker aspect to the fruit and a bit more tanninic grip.

Keep an eye out for more exploration of the Beaujolais crus here on the Now And Zin Wine Blog.

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WINE TASTING EVENT: AROUND AUSTRALIA IN 80 SIPS

Wine lovers looking to broaden their horizons and learn a little more about wine regions they don't try very often should keep an eye open for events like this one.  Around Australia In 80 Sips - held at the Pacific Design Center in West Hollywood on January 12, 2012 - offered a chance to travel around Australia in a wine glass.

80 Sips is part of a series of tasting events - held in different American cities every so often - in which participants can discover different facets of the wine world.  This time, Australia was the topic.  Wine Australia and G'Day USA combined to bring a few dozen Aussie winemakers to the US to pour some sips and open some doors.  Additionally, the event served as a fundraiser for St. Vincent Meals On Wheels.

About a year ago I attended an Australian wine dinner which was also presented by G'Day USA.  This event, however, was a walk-around wine tasting, which offered a chance to sample many more wines than in a dinner setting.  The downside, no dinner.  That's alright, I came for the wine.

The way this event was set up was a table-to-table exploration of the different wine regions of Australia.  This allowed tasters to get an isolated view of each region's grapes and terroir.  There were 40 or so wineries participating in the show, each featuring multiple examples of their efforts.

The McLaren Vale and Barossa Valley of South Australia were represented by almost half the wineries present.  Having had ample exposure to those regions, I tried to focus on the ones that were unfamiliar to me in the time available.

Tasting notes:

Western Australia

The Margaret River region seems to be the Napa Valley of Australia, with so many Cabernets and Chardonnays featured.

Cape Mentelle Sauvignon Blanc/Semillion, Margaret River - Very nice, grassy nose, quite fresh.  Herbal notes on the palate, too.  Refreshing.  $15

Leeuwin Estate Art Series Riesling, Margaret River - Not terribly fruity, but a very nice acidity.  $22

Plantagenet Unoaked Chardonnay Omrah 2009 - Very clean taste. Would have sworn there was a bit of wood, at least.

Vasse Felix Cabernet Sauvignon 2005, Margaret River - Rosy nose, black cherry on the palate.  Great tannins.   Was told '05 is a good year.  Can't argue that.  $30

Victoria

Heathcote's cool climate Shiraz lead the way here.

Jasper Hill Occam's Razor Shiraz, Heathcote - Biodynamic. Very dark, full of minerals and dust, blackberry and spices.  $38

Tahbilk Marsanne, Nagambie Lakes - Oldest winery in Victoria.  Tropical fruit, salinity, nice acid, nutty finish.  $14

Mt. Lahgi Ghiran Shiraz 2004 - Big jammy nose, very dark fruit, black cherry cola finish.

Yarra Valley

Look for Pinot Noir and Chardonnay in this region.

Bindi Chardonnay 2009 - Lightly oaked, great finish.  From a high elevation vineyard.

Giant Steps Sexton Vineyard Chardonnay - A little heavier on the oak.  $35

* Innocent Bystander Pinot Noir, Yarra Valley - Lively strawberry nose, strawberry soda on palate with a kick of lemon zest. $20  A great buy.

New South Wales

Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc in Orange, Semillon and Shiraz in Hunter Valley.  A fellow named Mark poured me through these, and he was by far the best teacher at any table.  Mark would come around pour from in front of the table so he could show on the map where the wines were produced.

Brokenwood Semillon, Hunter Valley - Nice zip.  10% abv.  Distinct mineral nose, pears and tropical fruit on palate.  From lower Hunter Valley, which Mark cited as a  "crap place to grow grapes."  due to heat and humidity.  They try to harvest early and beat the monsoons.  Heard it called the "anti-chardonnay."   $19

Eden Road Wines Hilltop Shiraz, Canberra - Chalky mineral nose, tastes big with black fruit, good acidity  $22

* Inkberry Shiraz Cabernet, Central Ranges -  From a hilltop vineyard.  60% Shiraz, 40% Cabernet Sauvignon.  Floral nose, spicy plum and cherry palate very, very smooth  $14  Unbelievable value.

Robert Oatley Rosé of Sangiovese, Mudgee - Beautiful, dry, light pink, strawberry and raspberry flavors.  $19

Clare Valley

This region is known for Rieslings which are dry and ageworthy.

Kilikanoon Mort's Block Riesling 2009, Clare Valley - Big petrol play on the nose and palate   $20

* Wakefield Estate Cabernet Sauvignon, 2009, Clare Valley - BIG mint and eucalyptus aromas, great tannic structure and acid.  $17  Great value.

Limestone Coast 

Coonawarra's Cabs show great character.

Henry's Drive Parson's Flat Shiraz/Cabernet Sauvignon 2007, Padthaway - A refined nose, beautiful raspberry/cassis with mint on finish.  $40

* Henry's Drive Reserve Shiraz 2007, Padthaway - Brambly, brawny, blackberry nose, palate raspberry and blackberry, very masculine, burly.  $35  Well worth it.

Penfolds Bin 128 Shiraz, Coonawarra - Floral minerals with a big grip.  $26

McLaren Vale

This South Australia region likes ripe Shiraz and savory Grenache.

Chapel Hill Bush Vine Grenache, McLaren Vale - Cherry, good acidity, big tannins.  $27

d'Arenberg The Coppermine Road Cabernet Sauvignon, McLaren Vale - Big cassis and clove notes.  $65

Mr Riggs Shiraz, McLaren Vale - Elegant and huge, tobacco on the nose.  Tastes rich and red.  $66

Adelaide Hills and Langhorne Creek

They like their Sauvignon Blanc in Adelaide Hills but it was a red from Langhorne Creek that grabbed me.

* Brothers In Arms Shiraz 2002, Langhorne Creek - Very much like a Cab with graphite on nose and palate.  Great tannins.  $20  A steal.

Penfolds Thomas Hyland Riesling 2011, Adelaide Hills - Fruity with nice acid.  $14

Wakefield Estate Pinot Noir, Adelaide Hills - Violets.  $17

Zonte's Footstep The Lake Doctor Shiraz/Viognier, Langhorne Creek - Nice floral with black fruit.  $16

Eden Valley

Riesling is cited as the big thing here.

Barossa Valley

The South Australia region wows 'em with Shiraz and Grenache/Shiraz/Mourvedre blends.

I didn't see any Tasmania wines, but they may have been represented on the sparkling wine or dessert wine table - I ran out of time before reaching those delights.

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BLOOD OF THE VINES: DAUGHTER OF DR. JEKYLL

Wine Goes To The Movies with

Now And Zin and Trailers From Hell

If you spend a lot of online time atTrailersFromHell.com, you probably have an affinity for the low-budget horror films of the 1950s.  Off-kilter story lines, scenery chewing, on-screen gaffes - not a problem!  In fact, bring 'em on!  That's what we came here for.

"Daughter of Dr. Jekyll" is right in your wheelhouse.  It's low-budget horror of the highest degree.

Gloria Talbott learns she is Dr. Jekyll's daughter and, not surprisingly, her life takes a downward turn.  Fearing a split personality which mirrors that of the good doctor/bad doctor, she thinks she's a monster who "prowls the night, lusting for blood," as the trailer indicates.  She's fairly distraught about all this.  She's not sleeping well.  Mysterious stains appear on the nightgown, and it's not spilled wine.  People are beginning to ask questions about the gruesome murders that occur at night after she closes the bedroom door.

The film was released in 1957 on a double bill with "The Cyclops," and that's a great way to watch it even today.  Oddly, both films star Gloria Talbott.  It's that split personality thing.

John Agar - who was apprently in between John Wayne movies at the time - wears a striped jacket that makes him look like a cross between a circus barker and a soda jerk.  I can only guess that he must have shown up at the wrong wardrobe department on the first day of shooting.  Make a drinking game out of his appearances in that silly getup and you may end up with a split personality in addition to a splitting headache in the morning.

Pairing wine with this movie might be as easy as grabbing the first thing you see where you keep your booze.  "John Agar's jacket is driving me to drink!"   But we always take a little more care than that when selecting our pairings.  Not much, but a little more.

Let Gloria Talbott play the bad daughter.  Good Daughter Wines has a Chardonnay to balance out the picture.  It's made from what the winery calls "gently farmed grapes" in cool climate North Coast California vineyards.  There's just enough oak from which to fashion a stake in case things get out of hand.  It's low budget, too - about $11 per bottle.

More drinking daughters:

Farmer's Daughter Wine - From Australia's Mudgee region, northwest of Sydney, the Farmer's Daughter line ranges from $18 to $30.

Channing Daughters Winery - These wines hail from the North Fork of New York's Long Island.  $17 - $42.

Seven Daughters Wine - California wines that pair beautifully with their cheesy website.  $14

Rancher's Daughter - A wine store in Montgomery, Texas featuring only Texas wines.  Operated by a pair of rancher's daughters, no less.

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WINE COUNTRY NEW JERSEY: VALENZANO WINERY

New Jersey's wine industry is the seventh largest in America, producing over 1.7 million gallons of wine in 2009.  According to the Press of Atlantic City, New Jersey's wine industry has exploded over the past ten years, with four times as many wineries opening their doors over the past decade.

Wine making in New Jersey dates back to the 18th century, although the Garden State's first commercial winery - Renault - didn't open until 1864.  In 1981, state laws limiting the number of wineries were changed.  Now New Jersey boasts over 40 wineries.

January 2012 should see a legislative vote on direct shipping in and out of the state, which would be a boon for New Jersey winemakers.  Here's a Wine Spectator article on that legislation. 

Valenzano Winery is a family-operated vineyard located in Shamong, New Jersey, in the New Jersey Pinelands less than an hour east of Philadelphia.  They produce wine from  grapes grown in Southern New Jersey.  The winery was licensed in 1996, taking the winemaking 

hobby of Tony Valenzano, Sr. to the commercial level.  The Valenzanos now have three locations, and they aim to produce 30,000 gallons of wine - quite a growth from the 500 gallons produced in their inaugural year.  

From the Valenzano website: "We produce both Merlot and Chardonnay, along with a selection of vitis-labrusca varietals and hybrids that are unique and specific to the southern New Jersey microclimate.  For the past decade, we’ve also been working with dozens of different varietals in accordance with our soil, climate and growing season.  ...Cynthiana, also known as ‘Norton,’ the only North American varietal which can produce a big, bold, old-world style table wine, has garnered us the coveted Governor’s Cup two years in a row -- a first in the Governor’s Cup competition!"  Valenzano also produces a signature red wine from Chamboucin and wines made with Cabernet Franc, Vidal Blanc, and Cabernet Sauvignon.

Their vineyards are mainly in the Shamong area, but they also source grapes from vines at a number of other small farms in New Jersey.

Valenzano Winery states that they aim to produce wines not to please critics, but to please wine drinkers.  They make a big claim: "We would match any of our wines against any wines produced in California or Europe in the same price range."  The Valenzano wines range in price from eight to 17 dollars.

Valenzano Winery was kind enough to provide me with four of their wines to sample, and they were quite impressive overall.

Valenzano Merlot, Outer Coastal Plain, 2008

This Merlot is touted as a "West-coast style," although it has only a 12.5% abv number.  It sells for $15.  Medium dark in color, light goes through it easily.  The nose is very rich and loaded with fruit.   Blackberry, plums and cassis stand out.  There is a good deal of American

oak spice also prominently displayed.  On the palate, smoke, licorice and cinnamon show strongly.  Flavors of strawberry and blackberry with the aforementioned smoke are joined by a hint of an herbal note.  This green quality is in the background behind the fruit and spice the first night the bottle was open.  The herbaceous quality took over on second night and stood as an equal to fruit on the third.  It reminds me of Cabernet Franc quite a bit. 

Valenzano Merlot, Outer Coastal Plain, 2010

This more recent vintage of Merlot again shows a terrific nose full of fruit.  The wine is extremely dark, black almost.

Very aromatic black cherry, mocha and chocolate dominate. There is a vegetal angle which is quite dark - not green, but like black olives. The palate is rich and dark, too, with currant, blackberry, black pepper and black olives in a setting of strong tannins and fantastic acidity. The lengthy finish is much appreciated.

Valenzano Cabernet/Merlot, Outer Coastal Plain, 2010 

The bottle shows the 2008 vintage stricken in magic marker, with 2010 written in its place. The label also shows a blend of 40% Cabernet Franc, 40% Merlot and 20% Cabernet Sauvignon, but Anthony Valenzano tells me the '10 has 40% Cabernet Sauvignon, 40% Merlot and 20% Cabernet Franc. 

On the nose, this very dark-hued wine displays an incredible array of dark fruit and baking spices.  There is also a green element, as if the grapes were whole-cluster pressed.  The Cab Franc makes its way to the front of the olfactory show without trouble, while Merlot and 

Cabernet Sauvignon assist. 

Very clean and appealing on the palate, the Valenzano Cab/Merlot is vibrant and fresh. There's no mistaking the flavor of the Cabernet Franc, or the lip-smacking acidity. The Merlot's spice makes a play, as does the minerality of the Cabernet Sauvignon.  There is a sour cherry flavor that lingers beautifully into the finish. Tasting this wine on an 80 degree Los Angeles day made the illusion of spring more vivid.  I envision this wine will also be great when chilled a bit and served outdoors at summer picnics. 

The wine is great for sipping - medium bodied and easy to drink - but has the necessary qualities to make food pairing easy.  It grew darker in flavor over the course of several days open.  After enjoying it for a while, it hit me that I was drinking a $10 bottle of wine. It's quite a value at that price.

Jersey Devil Port 

This Port-style wine is made with Cynthiana grapes - known as Norton in some places - and is fortified with brandy and oak-aged for three years.  It carries a whopping 19.5% abv and sells for $16.

I smell greenness behind the dark fruit.  I also smell a lot of that brandy, which is actually a 93% oak-stored grain alcohol.  I have loved Norton on the occasions I've tried it, and find the grape somewhat masked by the other factors involved here.  This a wine that should find favor with people who like to sip hard liquor.  That is what comes through the strongest. 

The Port-style was not much to my liking, but the Merlot based wines were outstanding.  In fact, the Cabernet/Merlot is one of the best wines I've had in the past year or so.  The Valenzano website shows a number of wines - made with both grapes and other types of fruit - which look quite interesting.  Apple cider, cranberry and blueberry wine catch my eye, as do wines made from grapes like Chambourcin, Cynthiana, Vidal Blanc and a Cabernet Franc blush!  

Valenzano is winery that definitely has some interesting ideas about wine and is worth a look.

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