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Phoenix Ranch Cinsault,
a delicious, unique and c***p summertime red,
is this week's Money Wine.
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Greetings!
Been over two weeks since many of you have heard from good ol' Back Room Wines.
The holiday weekend + big Hot Dog & Wine event had us cool our engines with national emails. How was our Hot Dog & Wine Event (Dog Day Afternoon, if you will) you ask? Very well, and thanks for asking! Almost 2K raised for Napa Valley Hospice. 217 hot dogs served by local chef Kevin Simonson and crew. Cases and cases of wine poured by three generous wineries: Brick Angel, Cain and Phoenix Ranch. Excellent music by Davies Dukes and "Tom and Steve" truly set the tone for a fun afternoon. Face painting for the kids was a nice touch.
It was a great event. Now we move on.
What better tasting event for the heart-of-summer than the crisp, refreshing wines of the Loire Valley? Come in tonight (Thursday) and tomorrow (Friday) for a littleMuscadet, Sancerre, Montlouis, Bourgueil and more.
Our daily wine flight for July is "Four Reds, Four Grapes."
It's a great way to taste the difference between four examples of the respective grapes.
Wine Bar updates are after the featured Money Wine...
...which was paired with the Chili Dog last Saturday. Phoenix Ranch Cinsault 2009 ($17).
Cinsault, the 4th or 5th most important grape of Chateauneuf-du-Pape, grows sporadically in warm California climates. Don't see it as its own variety too often. If all Cinsaults were this good, and this well-priced, you would. But there's a catch! Can't just snap your fingers and come up with 100+ year old, dry farmed Cinsault like this. Character comes with age. Check it out.
Go for Baroque. Dan
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Money Wine
July 8, 2010
Money Wine: a wine that anyone who loves good, rich, utterly delicious wine will enjoy A LOT, and is an EXCEPTIONAL VALUE.
TODAY
A Rhone-style red from Lodi. It's full of flavor and character.
And what a price!
PHOENIX RANCH Cinsault
"Bechthold Vineyard" Lodi 2009 $17/bottle
Cinsault comes after Grenache, Syrah, Mourvedre in a Chateauneuf-du-Pape blend.
I believe it runs neck and neck with Counoise, but if I knew that for sure it would be downright geeky. Cinsault's attributes are a spicy/floral aroma and soft mouthfeel. It likes the heat, which makes it very useful in Southern France. In fact, it's the fourth most widely planted grape there. It's hard to find Cinsault in California, though.
My first experience with Cinsault from "Bechthold Vineyard" was a bottle of Turley (ordered off the ZuZu wine list). Wow, it's so tasty! And such a pleasure to drink. Unfortunately, Turley made next to nothing of this wine, so it was a one-night stand.
Then local vintner Richard Phoenix told me that he made a 2009 "Bechthold" Cinsault, and he really thought it was better than the Turley. I tasted it last week, a few days before Hot Dogs & Wine. I agree. It's delicious. Our guests sure loved it with the Chili Dog last Saturday.
The "Bechthold Vineyard" is wild: 125 year old, scraggly old Cinsault vines eek out less than two tons an acre of fruit. Artisan wineries seek out their fruit, yet the price stays low. Good for us.
Chances are good that you haven't had Cinsault, and are asking, "what's it like?" Well, it's SOFT like a good Carneros Pinot Noir. It's SPICY like an old vine Zinfandel... It's FRUITY like a Merlot from a very warm climate, like northern Napa. Hope that helps.
My tasting notes: Smells and tastes of fresh blueberries and wild strawberries, black
pepper and mincemeat. The soft tannins and forward flavors make it a
fun, easy, delicious drink now.
Looking for a delicious red you can open any night of the week, without concerns of price or lack of reason to pop something good?
Stop right here. You've found it.
Buy PHOENIX RANCH Cinsault here
You may also reply to this email with your order,
or, call us, toll-free, at 877-322-2576
Thank you!
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Taste
Loire Valley Wines
Thursday (tonight)
and Friday (tomorrow)
July 8 and 9,
5 to 8 P.M.
Muscadet, Sancerre, Menetou-Salon, Bourgueil, Montlouis, Savenni่res and more. 7 wines for you to enjoy.
Here's the tasting sheet plus a dandy little Loire Valley wine map
$15/tasting
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Wine Bar Updates
| The Back Room Wine Bar is open 7 Days a week.
Come in anytime the store is open for a wine flight. This was one of our blind tastings  |
July's theme: "Four Reds, Four Grapes."
Want a little bite? Our cheese plates are "The Bomb."
Check out our wine and cheese pairings.
Right now, I'm digging the Smoked Goat Cheese Cheddar plate with a half bottle of DASHE Zinfandel 2008.
The whole wine shop is your wine list.
Drink any wine in the shop and pay retail price.
(For example, SHAFER "One Point Five" Cab 2007:
$70 at Back Room Wines, $100-$150 at a restaurant.
And our wine glasses are really good too!)
Our Wine Bar page tells you everything we offer, every day.
Click here for all our tasting events in July.
Drink more Grenadine. Dan
Daniel Dawson
Owner, Back Room Wines Corner of First & Main Streets (First Street
Entrance) Downtown Napa, California 94559 Phone: (707) 226-1378 Toll Free # is
877-322-2576 email: daniel@backroomwines.com |
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