Recommendation:Not Recommended.
Winery/Producer: MenaRick Vineyard and Winery; Ronda, North Carolina
Grape Variety: Touriga
Geographic Region, Appellation: Yadkin Valley, North Carolina
Vintage: Non Vintage
Price: $18.05 (with 5% six bottle discount)
Purchased From: MenaRick Vineyard & Winery
Pared With: Ham, baked beans and peas
Tasting:
He said: Very dark (almost opaque) purple/brown color. Strong Port or sherry aromas. Very smooth taste that is just like fruity, dry, sherry that carries through a dry medium length finish. VERY unusual wine…it’s like drinking port or sherry that’s not sweet or fortified. We like port very much and this has many of the characteristics, but in traditional wine form. It’s very interesting to drink and a lot better than many wines we’ve had. But, like the MenaRick Syrah we had last night, it’s in a price range where you can get a lot of VERY excellent wines. If this was marketed in a way that pushed its port/sherry characteristics it could be a real winner. When we had the Wilson Creek Almond Champagne I was very taken back at the first taste, but we have had many bottles of it since and have enjoyed them very much. If you like Port and/or sherry, you will probably like this wine, but because of the price were not going to recommend it. With that said, I strongly recommend you taste it if you ever get an opportunity to visit the vineyard. It’s like nothing I’ve had before!!!
She said: This is absolutely the most unusual wine I have ever tasted! The strong bouquet with a sherry like scent carried over into the berry flavor but with the sherry flavor more prominent. Unlike sherry, however, this wine is 12 percent alcohol rather than fortified sherry’s 15 percent. It is dry and medium bodied and lacks the thickness that is characteristics of sherry. I could not drink a lot of this at one time unless I slowly got into the Spanish custom of drinking sherry as a daily drink. Not a bad idea as I have always been very fond of dry sherry from the time I first began sipping it with my dear Aunt many years ago. Can I recommend this wine? Hard to say. If you like sherry then certainly give it a try, but be forewarned there are many good sherries that are cheaper.
Comments: See also our Wine Tasting at the MenaRick Vineyard and Winery.
Alcohol: 12%
Bar code: NA