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Synopsis, Our Opinion:
One “Not Bad” and two disappointing.
Producer/Winery: Dave Phinney; Locations Wine; Modesto, California.
Grape Variety: New Zealand (Sauvignon Blanc), French red (A blend of Grenache, Syrah, and assorted Bordeaux varietals) and Spanish red (A blend of Grenache/Garnacha, Tempranillo, Monastrell, and Carignan/Cariñena).
Geographic Appellation,, Region, Country: New Zealand (Marlborough region), France (Rhone, Roussillon, and Bordeaux regions), Spain (Priorat, Jumilla, Toro, Rioja, and Ribera del Duero regions).
Vintage: Non vintage.
Price: $20.00 (with a “Locations Wine Dinner discount)
Purchased From: The Undercurrent Restaurant; Greensboro, North Carolina.
Paired With: Ready to heat meal for two with three bottles of wine ($140.00)
FIRST COURSE
Scallop and Salmon Cake, Pineapple-Coconut Salad, Curried Puffed Rice, Green Chile Sauce
New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc
SECOND COURSE
Slow Roasted Duck Leg, Red Onion-Fig Tart, Meadow Creek Dairy “Appalachian” Cheese, Raspberry Compote, Lemon-Peppercorn Dressed Greens
French Red Blend
THIRD COURSE
Roast Lamb Leg, Smoked Mushroom-Cassoulet, Blackberry-Tomato Romesco, Chorizo, Manchego
Spanish Red Blend
FOURTH COURSE
Strawberry short cake.
Tasting:
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New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc: Chilled before drinking. Clear, pale lemon color. Faint peach, gooseberry and melon aromas. Smooth, somewhat refreshing and a tad off dry mouthfeel, light to medium body and a 200-grit texture. Very powerful and dominating gooseberry flavor with a little grapefruit in the background. Fresh crisp acidity and a long bitter and juicy ripe grapefruit finish. An OK New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc sipping without food, but actually pretty good with the food. The very strong gooseberry didn’t disappeared when paired with food, but it did subside enough to make a good pairing with the SPECTACULAR scallop and salmon cake. This was a “Not Bad” New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc.
French red: Opened 90-minutes before drinking. Clear, pale purple/ruby color with a lighter rim. Light damp earth, cherry and blackberry aromas. A harsh juicy mouthfeel, medium body and a 60-grit texture. Abundant bitter blackberry fruit flavor. Considerable edgy acidity, quite grainy tannins and a medium-length bitter and raspy finish. With the diverse tastes of the food the wine really improved, but it was simply a harsh red wine and very disappointing.
Spanish: Opened 90-minutes before drinking. Just at the edge of being opaque, inky dark garnet color with a light purple rim. Very faint wet wood and dark fruit aromas. Somewhat smooth, intense, off dry and syrupy mouthfeel. Strong peppery spice and plum flavors. Bright acidity, raspy tannins and long bitter finish that was filled with sweet tobacco and ripe plum and resembled a Port finish. Okay, but a bit disappointing.
Vicky said both the reds were VERY “somniferous” (if you understand what that means you were probably one of her Latin students!!!)
Note: The food was nothing short of FANTASTIC. The scallop and salmon cake with the green chile sauce and the slow roasted duck were a gourmet delight and really set a new standard for “Take-Out food”.
Photo from Locations wine.
Alcohol Content: New Zealand (12.6%), French red (15%) and Spanish red (15%).
Closure: Aluminium covered 45mm Natural cork.
UPC Code: 8 51645 00425 6, 8 51645 00413 1 and 8 51645 00412 6
Imported by: Locations Wine; Modesto, California.
