Synopsis, Our Opinion: We called this a “Not Bad” California red wine.
Producer/Winery: Matthiasson Family Vineyards; Napa, California.
Grape Variety: Italian blend – 30% Montepulciano, 30% Barbera, 25% Aglianico and 15% mixed blacks.
Geographic Appellation, Region, Country: California (from the (Windmill Vineyard) Dunnigan Hills AVA, Yolo County, California).
Vintage: 2015
Price: $19.80 in a 1 Liter bottle (with a 10% mixed case discount)
Purchased From: The Caviste Wine Shop; Winston-Salem, North Carolina.
Paired With: Vietnamese Saigon Tacos (flower & corn) tortillas; shredded pork butt; Vietnamese pickles (carrot & daikon); lemon Sriracha Aioli and a side of black Forbidden Rice).
Tasting:
-
Opened 90-minutes before drinking. Clear, ruby color with a purple tint and the same color rim. Light aromas of mostly cherry, combined with hints of blackberry and a little alcohol on every pour. Smooth entry, refreshing, light body and a 150-grit texture. Juicy, fruity, cherry and raspberry flavors, edgy acidity, light smooth tannins and a long, slightly tart, juicy fruit finish. This was a one liter bottle of juicy California red wine that if blind tasting we would probably have called a Rose. We had two bottles of this wine, the first was paired with a wide assortment of (very mild) Mexican food; it was a good pairing and we were very positive about the wine. This bottle didn’t pair well, probably because of the merid of strong flavors in the Vietnamese Tacos…one of the best flavors was the chiffonade leaves of Shiso (Perilla frutescens) that we got from Russ Anderson’s wife several years ago. Russ is the owner of the Caviste Wine Shop where we bought this wine. In the end we called this a “Not Bad” California red wine.
Photo from Windmill Vineyard.
Alcohol Content: 12.2%
Closure: Crown cap.
UPC Code: Not available.
Imported by: Not applicable.