Besieged

Under a threatening sky, BESIEGED by rain clouds, lightening glinting in the hills, the winemaker worked alone to collect grapes destined for one of his debut wines. As he worked, the ravens cackled from above but instead of being harbingers of doom, they brought him good good fortune, becoming the totem for his winery.  The winery is Ravenswood.  And the wine.  It is Besieged.

I have to admit that the label caught my eye.  However, I do not buy wines solely on the label.  Many a bottle has stood on a shelf because I will not allow myself to be swayed by what is little more than marketing.  The one thing that led me to purchase a bottle of this wine was the blend ... Petite Sirah, Carignan, Zinfandel, Alicante Boushet, and Mourvedre.  I am a big fan of Petite Sirah, and have a great interest in both Carignan and Mourvedre.  But Alicante Boushet?  I had never heard of that varietal.  It was the prospect of having a wine made with a grape that I had never tasted.

The grape, Alicante Bouschet, is a hybrid, produced by crossing Petit Boushet and Grenache.  It was first cultivated by ... Henri Bouschet ... in 1866.  The result was a high quality grape that enticed French vineyards and winemakers throughout much of France, including Bordeaux, Burgundy and the Loire Valley, as well as by Portuguese vineyards in the Alentejo.  It is also a popular grape among winemakers and vineyards in California, including Joel Peterson of Ravenswood.

The Besieged pours a dark red to almost black. Something that echoes the colors of a raven's wings.  The aroma is full of fresh, ripe dark fruit, such as blackberries, black cherries and plums.  There is a slight spice or pepper in the background, but it struggles to make itself known amongst the fruit.

As for the taste, I have to say that I was truly impressed with this wine.  The elements include the fruit -- blackberry, black cherry, and plum.  The winemakers also suggest a rather peculiar spice ... cardamom.  And, I have to say, I actually picked up the cardamom in the wine.  It revealed itself for just a few moments before being wrapped in the dryness of the tannins in the wine. The finish is a little dry, but that is to be expected given the use of Zinfandel and Mourvedre.

When it comes to pairing, this wine is perfect for a grilled steak or other grilled meat, such as chicken or pork.  The fruit flavors, and the cardamom, contribute to the flavors of the grilled meat.  I paired this wine with my Green Fire Ribeye, which is a grilled steak with a rub made of green Hatch chile, coriander, cumin, onion powder and garlic powder.  Notwithstanding the use of chile powder, the wine still worked very well because the tannins are relatively tame.

I found this wine in a local grocery store.  A bottle runs from $14.99 to $16.99.

ENJOY!

The Phantom

There is a story that begins, "in the dark recesses of your cellar you sense a presence, hear footsteps."  You stand still, asking, "why is it these things happen to me when I am alone?" You slowly turn, looking over your shoulder only to catch, "in the shadows, a glimpse of muddy boots and old blue jeans."  Sights of "the lurking legacies of hard work and determination left by those who have come before you."

This story is on the label of Bogle Vineyards' Phantom (2008), a blend of old vine Zinfandel, Petite Sirah, and old vine Mourvèdre.  The exact blend is 51% Zinfandel, 47% Petite Sirah, 2% Mourvèdre.  The grapes were cultivated at Bogle's principal vineyard in the Clarksburg American Viticultural Area (AVA), along with its vineyards in the  Lodi and Amador AVAs. The wine is aged for two years in 1 year old, 2 year old and 3 year old American oak barrels.
 

The winemaker describes the Phantom has having "notes of boysenberry and black fruit are deepened with pipe tobacco and black pepper, with subtle clove and vanilla softly envelop the palate."  He added that the taste of the wine is "intense and luscious, the rich character opens to reveal red fruit of spirited cranberries and raspberries."

For me, the wine pours a dark crimson, with ruby hues around the edge and a center that appears nearly impenetrable to light.  The aromatic elements of the wine hint at black cherries, drawing one into the darkness.  With each sip, apparitions of dark plums, black cherries, and tobacco flavors cross the tongue.  And, just when it seems that the wine is gone, the tongue is gripped by some fairly strong tannins.

The grapes used in this wine -- Mourvèdre, Petite Sirah, and Zinfandel -- suggest that this hearty wine is best paired with roasted or grilled meats.  One could also pair this wine with earthy dishes, such as a stew or chili.

This wine is available at most wine stores and grocery stores.  The wine sells for about $23.99 a bottle.

ENJOY!

Joel Gott Wines Zinfandel (2008)

The name -- Joel Gott Wines -- has always had a familiar ring.  It was one of those names that I know that I've heard before, but I just could not remember when or where.  But when I saw a bottle of Joel Gott Zinfandel at my local Whole Foods, I decided to buy a bottle and do a review.  The goal was to find where I had first heard of the winemaker.  I ended up learning a lot more ... and, all the while, I enjoyed a great wine.

Joel Gott has been identified by Wine Spectator with "Robin Hood winemaking."  Gott purchased the sixteen acre plot of land that was originally a chicken farm, but later became one of the wineries of Sutter Home wines, or, as the Wine Spectator put it, "the House that Zin built."  Gott arranged the purchase of the site with the goal of wine makers pooling resources, sharing equipment and producing artisan wines.  The "Robin Hood" part is that Gott planned on leasing the tanks to larger winemakers and using the proceeds to provide the smaller winemakers with the opportunity to make their wines.

But I am not interested in their wines, at least at this time.  I wanted to try the Joel Gott Zinfandel.  Generally, Zinfandel wines are very intense in terms of the fruit, both in the nose and on the palate.  The nose of Joel Gott's Zinfandel wine is heavy on the blackberries laced with a little black pepper.  The taste of his wine is full of fruit, with blackberries, dark cherries and some spice. The ABV of this wine, as with many Zinfandel wines, is a little higher than your average wine, at 14.4% ABV.  But, you easily forget about that as you sip a very drinkable wine.

When it comes to pairing a wine like this Zinfandel, think red meat, like beef, lamb, venison and other game.  I think this wine would go well with my grass-fed strip steak with watercress chili salad or with a bistecca alla fiorentina.  This wine also goes well with aged cheeses, like blue cheese and aged hard cheeses. 

I am generally not a big fan of Zinfandels, but I really like this wine.  It transcends other Zinfandels that I have tried in the past and it is definitely one that I would have again.  I found this bottle at my local Whole Foods for about $16.99 a bottle and it should also be available at wine stores. 

ENJOY!