DEXTER LAKE, BLEND - $15.99

Dexter Lake, 2009 Blend - Matthew Rorick Wines, Mendocino, CA.


It's pretty hard to miss the handlebar mustache that looks as if it was a doodle on the label drawn with a Sharpie. In fact, the first few times I saw it on the shelves, while I noticed it, I simply didn't pay it much mind; but a funny thing happened after my first tasting - obsession.


Dark, inky and opaque with a ruby hue, I took a moment to inspect the wine against a white sheet of paper in an effort to see the full spectrum of pink reflection to looming purple. Habitually swirling the glass and paying faint attention to the escaping fragrances, I found my attention pulled from color to nose, as if being beckoned by the unseen under nose curl of a cartoon finger.


On the nose: The first thing you pick up is the unmistakeable purple smell - violets floating high over the motion of the still spinning wine after you've given the glass a twirl. Along with that purple scent, you also get a slight herbaceous note like a blanket of eucalyptus lazily thrown over a bed of bing cherries. But after you've allowed the juice to settle and the aromas time to lift away from the surface - caught in the inward sloping of the glass - what you pick up is definitely a dark, dried fruit scent. Dates come to mind. And then high up top you start to pick up bits of pepper and spice.


The first sip: Sweet, soft and eluding, there's almost a blueberry note that's both refreshing and delicate, but the fresh sweet of the fruit is quickly pushed out of the way by the tannins. They creep in from the back at first, then the front, then the sides as the fruit becomes an essence quickly dissipating into a notes of clove, tobacco and allspice hovering over the tannic action - like watching fireworks from the viewpoint of the sky.


The finish:  A hot spice lingers in the back of the palate, quickly dissolving into an afterthought of that dried date smell detected on the nose as it lifts, riding the updraft of your breath like a plume of smoke climbing from a small fire.  And then there's the echo making you wonder what you just tasted and searching pictures in your mind for the right flavor descriptor, as the finish holds; holds; holds, then fades away leaving you wanting for another round of the same.


Here's what I can tell you about the blend (and this is my working it out, not a professional opinion, so it may be boring to read): Right off the bat you can pick up the petit verdot ( about 40%) - that's the source of the wonderful purple mist of violet scent, and soft spice that creeps in from the back of the palate. Then there's that deep spice of petite sirah (also about 40%), with it's smoky ripe, dark berry flavors. Both grapes are known for the inky powers of their skins, which is most likely the source of the enchantingly deep purple, opaque color. Now, the third grape in the blend is a bit of a mystery to me.  I asked a wholesale wine rep and he told me once that it was tinto fino, and then again later that it was touriga nacional, so I decided to do a little bit of my own homework. After some research I've discovered that a wine shop in chicago seems to think it's alvarelhao (otherwise known as brancellao, an aromatic grape sometimes used to make vino verde).  Since the mysterious third grape in this blend seems to have a softer acid, doesn't effect the color, adds fruit and notes of distant leather or tobacco, I'm inclined to put my money down that we're tasting young, tempranillo. (Otherwise known as: tinto fino.)


Pairing:
Dexter Lake is going to be best friends with pork chops thrown on the grill, maybe with a traditional dollop of apple sauce on the side. If bar-b-q sauce is in the mix, bring it. The weight of the meat, the sauces, the char, they're all going to blend perfectly. Don't shy away from grilled chicken either; or a steak - there are plenty of tannins to stand up to a nice cut of beef. On the lighter side, consider roasted beets with goat cheese, drizzled with olive oil and a sprinkle of fresh tarragon; or arugula with crumbles of gorgonzola and lemon zest. If you're considering a picnic, and looking for the right cheese, grab a baguette and pick up a triple cream brie, or a light blue cheese with a small jar of fig spread. Also consider cana de cabra (spanish goat cheese) or bucheron (french goat cheese). And for something to cut the creaminess, grab some tapenade - the salty texture will blend wonderfully with the pepper, spice and fruit of this amazing wine.

THE WOLFTRAP, BLEND - $10

The Wolftrap - 2010, Boekenhoutskloof Franschhoek, Cape of Good Hope, South Africa


People say different things about reading the "legs" of the wine when you swirl your glass. Some say that the definition of the legs will indicate the amount of alcohol, others say it'll offer a preview of the body of the wine. The most common feeling is that smell and taste are the only ways to judge a wine.  I think I'll have to agree with all three. When I swirled my ruby glass of The Wolftrap, what I saw was a sheeting, and then slowly, after a moment, extremely defined legs began to form indicating higher alcohol content (14.5%).  However, I wasn't swirling the wine so I could look at the legs, but rather I was trying to get a better look at the color - while the color density itself seems rather light, upon closer inspection it would almost appear as if there was a shadow looming at the core of the glass. Not an unfiltered cloud, mind you, just a sort of mysterious shadow that's there when you look at it, but then when you try to get a better look, it vanishes.


I suppose that's to be expected. I was looking for an affordable yet interesting bottle, and when I found this Syrah, Mourvedre, Viognier blend, I couldn't help but feel a little excited. Syrah and Mourvedre are commonly blended in Southern Rhone, as Syrah and Viognier are commonly blended in Northern Rhone, but seldom does one see the three blended together. This wine was either going to be a flop, or fantastic - which is always the case when you're on the hunt for something alluring and unusual, at a reasonable price.


On the nose: A gentle note of cascading flower petal aromas swirl like something there, but not there. It was as if the bouquet itself was making tight, invisible laps around the inside of my glass, similar to a dusty pack of horses rounding a track until finally one pulls ahead as the rest fall in behind in order of strength and voracity. At first you can pick up the black cherry, but then when you close your eyes and allow the bouquet to infiltrate your senses you begin to pick up notes of eucalyptus, butter, and spicy hints of cedar. Just when you think that's all there is to it, you'll be able to pick up glimmers of vanilla bean that glisten in short flashes like light dancing on windblown water.


The first sip: Soft and silky on the palate, the mouth feel of the wine is so light that it almost feels like drinking an idea of cassis. A lucid mist of currant rolls around your tongue with a heavy vapor that dissipates into a dryness that holds like a memory, the way a line in the sand is left when waves roll back from the shore. Speckles of black pepper come to life just before the finish and evolve into a tobacco flavor that reminds me of how the inside of a wooden cigar box smells.


The finish: Creamy and light; a lingering spice hangs like a distant neon sign glowing in the dark with a gentle heat that looks hotter than it is. A tobacco after breath hovers dryly as the tannins lightly coat your palate, offering the suggestion of a chocolate covered Bing cherry.


This medium bodied wine is the perfect weight for summer evenings and lighter, hot weather cuisine. The 65% portion of Syrah is ironed out by the 32% of Mourvedre, softening the round edges and buffing them until smooth. 3% of Viognier added is like the shammy that brings out the shine of a balloon filled with helium creating a wonderfully light and flavorful wine that has tannic structure and complex fruit, but yet remains low in acidity.


PAIRING: 
Buttery and creamy sauces are going to be a natural match, along with chilled lobster. But don't be afraid to put this wine beside grilled chicken, pork or lamb chops. Pasta salad with olive oil, ripe tomatoes, fresh mozzarella and a dash of oregano; or even traditional caprese. For dessert, fresh fruit of any kind with a dollop of creme fraiche, or real whipped cream; black forrest cake; creme brulee.

YARD DOG, BLEND - $10.99

YARD DOG, 2009 - Red Heads Studio - South Australia.

I bought this bottle for $10.00 and was completely surprised by the blend.

The nose on this wine is purple. That's the best way I can explain it. It's violet and purple smelling - the way that lavender or grape soda smells - with a deep dark color that veers towards almost being brownish. I know, odd.

The first sip is soft and delicate with nice fruit that's strong in the currant and blackberry world; ripe black plum and dark chocolate tastes are in there too, but the real surprise is the mouth feel. It's silky and creamy, and then out of nowhere there's this amazing spice that lingers all over your tongue and inside your cheeks.

This elegant, spicy mouth feel is almost like eating Red Hots when you were a kid; and the hot of the distant cinnamon blends so well with the berries, and violet, and notes of dark-dark chocolate that you'll want to keep recreating this experience. Hold the wine in your mouth for a moment and really taste it and let your senses feel the spice; swallow, then take a deep breath and taste the way the chocolate clings to your exhale. It's a wine that's easy to understand and appreciate.

You don't often see a blending of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Petit Verdot that isn't a bordeaux (those being three of the five main blending grapes used to make a red bordeaux). What's interesting about this bottle is that it's 60% Petit Verdot, and that's where this delicate purple sensation is coming from, along with part of the delicacy of that amazing spice. The rest of the spice is coming from the generous 25% portion of Cabernet Sauvignon, which is also adding a bit of backbone. And the remaining 15% being Merlot, well, that's the softness - that silky, velvety feel holding it all together.

This is one amazing bottle of wine - especially for $10 bucks.  Since finishing my bottle I've been thinking about it more and more and considering my next meal.

PAIRING:

For this one: BBQ! Ribs, chicken or duck, something rich and flavorful with a sweetness.  Or pizza even. It has enough acid to stand up to tomato sauce without a problem, and any toppings, too. And if you're planning a night of cheese and a baguette, then try out some stronger cheeses, like an aged cheddar, or a washed rind brie.