Let me just say that I took a chance on a screw top…and it paid off.

The “Big Tattoo Red” is a Chilean cab-syrah blend that was created by two brothers, a wine importer and a tattoo artist to honor their mother.  I would say that she should be very proud indeed, as this is an excellent wine for which I would pay more than twice the asking price of $10.99.

Mild plum scents first attract your nose to the glass on this blend, and then you are lambasted with a very smooth, very refined wine that is strong through the finish (yet silky throughout).

Were this a blind-tasting, and I had not purchased the wine, I would have put a $25-30 guess as to this bottle’s price point, and I would have guessed a California origin.  I say California as I have not yet had a Chilean wine that is quite so smooth (and high alcohol at 13.7%).

Big Tattoo Red - 2006 Cab-Syrah

I find it very difficult to believe that you could enjoy a wine at all through description alone, so please run out a pick up a bottle at your earliest convenience.  I stumbled upon this gem at the local Fresh Market, however, I do hope that they have (at least) national distribution.  Check out these guys out at www.bigtattoowines.com.

-Ryan

This recipe was an excellent find by my wife’s uncle when he visited the Cline winery.  I wasn’t able to find it online, so please see below for the recipe and an image.  Thanks Jim!

The wine that we used was a 2006 Cline Syrah.  Check out the CollinsWine review here.

Ingredients:

Cline Syrah Salmon

For the Salmon:

4 6 ounce salmon filets
splash of olive oil
1/2 white onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 jalapeno, diced
1 cup Cline California Syrah
1/2 cup ketchup
2 Tbsp red wine vinegar
1 Tbsp soy sauce
1/2 tsp cumin

For the Salsa:

2 ears of corn, husked
1/2 white onion
1 jalapeno
2 avocados, diced
1/2 bunch cilantro
1 lemon, juiced
1 Tbsp olive oil
1/2 tsp cumin

Preparation:

In a saucepan, saute the onion over medium high heat with a splash of olive oil.  When the onion starts to brown, add garlic and jalapeno and cook for two minutes.

Deglaze the pan with the syrah and cook until reduced to 1/3.  Add ketchup, vinegar, soy sauce and cumin. Bring to a boil, remove from stove, set aside.

Preheat grill to high.  Grill the corn on the cob, onion and jalapeno until they start to char on the outside.  Remove from grill.

Cut corn off the cob; dice onion and jalapeno.  In a mixing bowl, combine corn, onion, jalapeno, avocados, cilantro, lemon juice. olive oil, cumin, salt and pepper to taste.

Grill salmon on both sides.  Turn the grill to medium low and brush the salmon with the syrah BBQ sauce; two coats on both sides.

Serve with a dollop of salsa and a glass of Cline California Syrah.

Statistics:
- Price: $9.99 (on sale)
- Alcohol: 14%
- Value: Excellent

Tasting Notes:

Excellent value!  This syrah is dark and full-bodied, with a burst of chocolate on the nose that leads to a long, smooth finish with a hint of cinnamon.  We paired this with a California Syrah BBQ Salmon with Charred Corn and Avocado Salsa (recipe courtesy of Cline).

-Ryan

Seghesio Zinfandel: 2003 Sonoma County Old Vine

While many of you may have heard of Seghesio’s newest release, a 2007 Sonoma County Zinfandel that was ranked 10th out of 100 on Wine Spectator’s best wines of 2008 (93 points and 24 bucks), I stumbled across a 2003 Sonoma County zin in the bargain bin of a wine shop in Indianapolis.

I have heard very little buzz around the ’03 and I’m very interested to see if the Seghesio pedigree holds true for the slightly older vintages.

Having a relatively subtle appearance, this bad boy weighed in at 15.3% alcohol, forcing it to compete in the super-heavyweight division.  Never one to shy away from a good scrap, I waded right in with a corkscrew in one hand and a decanter in the other.

Round 1: The last thing I saw was legs
This dark, dark garnet-colored wine had some of the thickest legs that I’ve seen on a wine in some time.  I knew that I was going to get pummeled, I just hadn’t realized quite how badly.

Round 2: How a 2003 Seghesio almost broke my nose
Blackberries and black licorice dominate the nose on this wine.  Both are very subtle and deep, leading one to believe that this zin has experience and age.  Definitely an old, old vine zinfandel, the complexity and depth of the nose really show off the high concentration that these low-yield old vines can produce.

Round 3: TKO.
Subtle black currant, coffee and smoky figs are the predominate flavors.  The Seghesio presents itself as a well-balanced fighter that can hold the course…all the way to the finish.

This is one of the best bottles that I’ve had the pleasure of enjoying in quite some time.  Keep your eyes open, and maybe you too can find a hidden gem

Thanks,
Ryan

PS – If you’re in the Cincinnati area and you do find some little treasure (and feel like sharing), please post a comment!

In Fall of 2008, Ryan and I had an amazing meal at Tra Vigne in Napa Valley.  The wine of choice for the evening was a 2005 Frog’s Leap Zinfandel. If you are not familiar with Frog’s Leap, they are a totally organic and self-sustaining winery located in the heart of Napa. Ry actually had a chance to hear the founder of Frog’s Leap speak at Viticulture 2006 about how he got his start in wine making (by stealing grapes from Stag’s Leap). When we visited Napa last fall, we had hoped to tour the Frog’s Leap winery but were not able to secure a spot on the very popular Frog’s Leap tour.

In lieu of our tour, we felt obligated to enjoy a bottle of Frog’s Leap  Zinfandel with our meal. As an appetizer, we had a wood-fired pizza with figs and gorgonzola. The remainder of the meal could be an entire post on its own, but suffice it to say that we spent the latter part of our evening on the Tra Vigne patio under an arbor of grape vines savoring the remainder of our zin.

It should come as no surprise that when, on a recent trip to Indianapolis, we spotted a 2002 Frog’s Leap Zinfandel in a small wine store we didn’t think twice about taking it home. Knowing that the bottle was begging to drunk, we enjoyed it on a Tuesday evening with bison steaks, a fresh tomato and basil salad and some oven roasted fingerlings. We decanted the wine about an hour prior to eating and we each took a small sample. It was good, but we knew that it would only get better. When dinner hit the table an hour later and we were ready to give the wine our second shot, the nose on the pour alone was enough to tell us that it was worth the wait.

Although this ‘02 Zin didn’t have the vibrant, deep purple color of so many younger Zinfandels, it still held its own displaying a deep and soft ruby tone. Buttery, yet slightly reminiscent of tart fruit on the nose, it is certainly a more subtle example of the wide array of Zinfandel wines produced in California, likely due to its age. On the tongue this wine is still primarily fruit-forward. Plums, cherries and figs dominate the mouth. However, the second sip and subsequent finishes tease the palette with just the slightest hint of fresh sage and aged asiago. A playful contrast between young and old.

As I glance back through this review, I realize that I have spent more time reflecting on the memory our first experience with this wine than of the actual 02 bottle. It’s not that the 02 isn’t great, because it is. The memory is brings back is better, though, and in that place and time, almost any wine would have been memorable.

It has been a few weeks since I have enjoyed a bottle of wine that was deemed “post worthy”, but this one ranks right up there.

While the bottle may look a little cartoonish (likely because of the cartoons), Michael and David Phillips in Lodi have really released an excellent bottle in this “Petite Petit”.

On the nose, it’s very jammy with hints of grilled fruit and figs.  Awesome.

On first sip, gorgeous.  Wickedly lovely. Wow. I love this wine.

I’m not sure how the elephants on the bottle come into play, or if we are supposed to think that this “Petite Petit” is some sort of freakshow - but this wine is really, really good.  I’ve seen it on the shelves a few times, but I had a hard time buying an un-tried, un-reviewed wine for $18.  My wife made this decision much easier for me by bringing it home on a Saturday afternoon, and I wasn’t disappointed.

To my thinking, this one is a good candidate for a case discount.

Cheers, and enjoy the circus.

-Ryan

Petite Petit - Petite Sirah / Petit Verdot

I haven’t had a post in a while, but it’s likely that I hadn’t had any good wine….until now.

We found this Broadside cab at a wine tasting at our local wine bar, and we were really impressed.  We actually picked up half a case of these bad boys, and so far, we haven’t been disappointed.

It’s an 07 from Paso Robles and nothing that I had ever heard of before.  Ohio wine laws are strange - only one distributor can sell a wine to retailers and restaurants/bars within the state, thus creating a local wine monopoly (please be patient, for I do have a point).  What this means for Ohio wine consumers is that if I find a bottle in the Cincinnati area that has been distributed by a small, Cincinnati-based distributor, you will likely not be able to find this bottle elsewhere in the state, or even as far North as Columbus.  The rest of the world will likely not be affected, but people in Northern Ohio are definitely missing out, this wine is killer.

Whether it be buyer’s remorse, or a genuine love for a good cab - this smooth, mellow cab is a nice alternative to many of the high-alcohol California-style cabs that I’ve become accustomed to.  While it’s no light weight at 14.1% alcohol, it does have a more refined and well-rounded flavor than many of its peers.  If you have the opportunity, I promise that this cabernet will not disappoint.  I can’t back that up with anything meaningful, but I really enjoyed it.

Please keep rockin’ in the free world,

Ryan

Check out the Broadside, it

I’m barely containing my excitement for this one, it’s that good.  However, I’ll do my best to cork my immaturity and take a measured approach to this wine’s evaluation and report card.

First, a little about Mazzocco.  They are smallish, very pleasant winery in Sonoma.  While they do produce other varietals than zinfandel, zins are what they do really, really well.

And now, for a recap on all of your favorite subjects:

Sight - “The perfect color for nail polish.” - Sarah.   While I’m not sure what she actually means, it’s a very dark red.  I’m guessing that this is pretty close to what sin actlooks like.

Smell - This is exactly what earth and summertime smell like, all muddled into a nice little cocktail.

Sip - “Bacon fat.  Bacon fat and toast.” - Sarah.  I’m going to have to go ahead and call bullsh!t on this one, Sarah.  While I might be able to get some toast, bacon fat is the last thing that I want in my zin.  Hell, I like bacon fat, it’s what makes my bacon taste so good.   And I can definitely taste some sort of creamy, fatty flavor to this - and it’s good.  I just can’t agree with bacon fat.

Savor - “Bacon!” No Sarah, I’m sorry.  I don’t think that you actually are getting bacon on “savor” portion of this standardized test.  However, what I do think that you may be picking up is a little tartness.  Not much but a little.  I guess I would expect that out of a wine that’s weighing in at 15.7% alcohol.

Swallow - “Very smooth. Pleasant with hints of non-sugary fruit.  Smooth.”  Spot on, Sarah.  I completely agree.

Winemaker Antoine Favero has really outdone himself on this one.  Have you every seen “Once upon a time in Mexico” with Johnny Depp?  Well, there is a scene where Johnny Depp’s character tastes a local Mexican dish that he perceives to disrupt the balance.  The dish is too good.  That’s how I feel about this wine, it’s almost too good.

If you haven’t had the pleasure to try a Mazzocco, I sincerely recommend that you do whenever you have a chance.  They don’t have very much (if any) distribution on the East coast, so you will likely have to pick it up from their store at mazzocco.com.

Cheers,
Ryan

I don’t know whether I’m imagining things, or whether I have actually had the Twisted Zin before.   If I did, it certainly wasn’t memorable or I would probably not be drinking it now.

Did it used to have a yellowish label?

Regardless, I saw a bottle of the 2006 for $6.99 at the local grocery and I thought I would give it (another?) try.

It’s nice and dark, like a zin should be, but I’m not getting anything on the nose.  I mean nothing.  What does this mean?  Either I’m slipping, which is likely, or the wine just isn’t giving me anything, which is very likely.

If I dig really deep, I can get a subtle, some-sort-of-dark-fruit-jammy flavor.  But, it’s fleeting.

All in all, I prefer it to the box.  It’s ok - not awful.  Not great.

It’s just not a memorable wine, although I would say that this zin isn’t a bad value for the price point.

Cheers, here’s to finding a better bottle by dinner!
-Ryan

I consider this to be one of my few true victories of the week.  I picked this bottle up at the local grocery store for two reasons:

1. Sweet label (I would bring this bottle to a dinner with friends and pretend that it was expensive)

2. $7 - I’ll take a case, please.

Prominently displayed on the front of the bottle is a very Italian-sounding name and “Sicilia“.  I may be a sucker, but it worked.  On the back of the bottle is a picture of Italy’s boot, with a focus on the toe.  Why bother commenting on the back of the bottle, you ask?  Good question, I won’t waste any more of your valuable time with that nonsense.

It’s a very drinkable bottle. It’s dark, full-bodied and keeps me from drinking from a box.  Dry, full bodied, mellow, 13.5% alcohol - what’s not to love?  A glass or two makes me think of the pleasant smell of burning firewood, or maybe just something pleasant and toasted (this is not a commentary on my current level of sobriety, it’s the first bottle of the evening).

All in all, a very decent bottle of wine at a very decent price.  While it is certainly not the best bottle that I’ve ever had, it’s a very solid purchase and I don’t think that you’ll be disappointed.

Does anyone have any other Nero D’Avola’s that they would like to recommend?

I have really been trying to give the French a honest go at it, but I feel that many of their wines are light and weak.  My rational mind tells me that I’m an idiot, and that I just don’t have the palette to appreciate good wine.

But deep down, I would rather shotgun a 30-rack of Keystone Light waste my time on a wine that light.

Viva la revolution!
-Ryan