Clear, bright, medium-deep intensity, ruby red. Clean, medium intensity aromas of dark fruit, plum, blackberry, sage, and cedar. Dry on the palate, medium-high tannin, medium body and acidity. Flavors of black cherry, blackberry, charred wood, bitter herbs, and moss. Pair with herb crusted lamb or a spicy black bean burger.
This is my third year writing about wine iPhone apps for Palate Press and VinTank. You would have thought last year’s version would have been the hardest when we analyzed over 450 apps for 20 key factors. In fact, it was the apocalyptic remnants of the category we saw this
A very nice, approachable cabernet blend. Attractive nose of ligonberries and anise, even a hint of sugar cookies, of all things. It has the advantage of being 13.5% alcohol, so it does not have the nose burn that so many high-alcohol cabs seem to have these days. Light tannins and
Blackberries and brambles show in the nose, with a vanilla background from American oak. The palate is dark and deep, with earthy mulberry backed by black cherry. Mild black pepper and tobacco leaf show on the mid-palate, lingering over a mid-length finish with the mulberry. The depth and complexity of
Thankfully, the Pew Research Center has more important things to do than to figure out what the public thinks about wine writers. I fear that if they undertook the task, they would find that many people view wine writing with some degree of scorn. And some of it would be
The nose is a treat in itself, aromas of fresh-ground medium-roast coffee and black cherries, tinted around the edges with fresh sage. The same coffee-cherry theme shows on the attack, the initial taste, adding hints of cola, milk chocolate and licorice on the mid-palate. Tannins are mild and silky, with
That lovely cigar box and cedar nose so typical of many Spanish reds is immediately forthcoming on the nose, along with some herbal elements. Black cherry fruit is forward, and the wine is a bit clumsy in that regard. Tannins are still sharp, giving a somewhat dusty finish, but still
Caution: this article may ruin your wine-tasting plans for Mother’s Day. The renowned wine scientist, writer, and taster Emile Peynaud remarks, towards the end of his book on The Taste of Wine, that “thanks to the astonishing diversity of wine styles, one can always be sure of finding one (or