Octavin Wine Night at Lima

$21-$30, 2 Corks, 2.5 Corks, 3 Corks, Prices, Ratings 3 Responses »
Aug 032010

***I attended this event for free ***

Last Monday night, I attended a wine event at Lima Restaurant & Lounge in DC, where I not only tasted a number of Underdog Wine Merchants’ wines, all of which were in the Octavin Home Wine Bar box, but also met and talked with a number of fellow wine bloggers and tweeps.

2009 Silver Birch Sauvignon Blanc

For most attendees, the evening started out with the 2008 Monthaven Winery Chardonnay, which I received as a sample earlier in the month.  Therefore, I skipped tasting that wine and went straight for the 2009 Silver Birch Sauvignon Blanc (website, snooth).  The Silver Birch was 100% New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc grapes and had a pale lemon-yellow color.  As I mentioned on Twitter, there was a great, citrusy nose—pink grapefruits and lemons.  In the mouth, though, the wine could have offered a little more.  It had a wetnap-like lemon taste and was missing the vegetal characteristics that make a New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc so unique.  The wine had a light body and medium-to-high acidity.  At a suggested retail price of $24 for 3 Liters, the Silver Birch Octavin Home Wine Bar is definitely a cost effective way to have wine at a party, BBQ, or picnic.  However, to be honest, buying this wine should more about cost and quantity than quality.  It’s not a bad wine, but it’s not a great wine, either.  Overall: 3 Corks

As I was finishing up my tasting notes on the Silver Birch, I started talking with Virginia Writing Wino, Ellen.  Ellen only recently started wine blogging, so we had a wonderful time talking about how she started, Virginia wines (since that is her blog’s focus), and the Octavin wines, while eating Lima’s tasty beef and potato empanadas and to-die-for chicken and butter shrimp skewers.

2009 Big House White

The next wine of the night was the 2009 Big House White (website, snooth).  The Big House White is a blend of 51% Malvasia Bianca, 14% Muscat Canelli, 13% Viognier, 10% Grüner Veltliner, 5% Pinto Gris, and 4% Riesling grapes.  The wine was a very light straw yellow color.  On the nose, there were white flower and honeysuckle blossoms, followed by a hint of stone fruit.  In the mouth, there were flowers, stones fruits, and a touch of salinity and something metallic.  Considering the sweetness of the nose, the wine was surprisingly dry.  It had a light-to-medium body and low acidity.  At a suggested retail price of $22 for 3 Liters, this wine just didn’t cut it for me.  I wanted to like this wine, particularly after talking with artisan winemaker Georgetta Dane, who was at the event.  Unfortunately, though, the wine felt a little flabby and lacked a strong personality.  Overall: 2 Corks

Almost as soon as I finished my tasting notes for the Big House White, a couple walked up to me and asked if I was Alleigh.  To my delight, I was face-to-face with Mark, from WineLife365, and his wife.  Mark and I started blogging within months of each other, so a natural friendship has developed as our blogs have grown.  While we have exchanged numerous emails and blog comments, this was the first time we met in real life, and I’m so glad that we had the opportunity.

After meeting Mark and his wife, I chatted briefly with LoganDC.  Logan was another person at the event that I hadn’t met before, even though we’ve tweeted with each other on numerous occasions and have several wine friends in common.  Hopefully, we’ll have a chance to do a live Twitter tasting in the near future.

Bodegas Osborne’s Seven

After talking with Logan, I skipped tasting the Big House Red, since I reviewed it a couple of weeks ago, and, instead, went for a glass of Bodegas Osborne’s Seven (winery, snooth).  Seven is made with 25% Cabernet Sauvignon, 25% Merlot, 18% Syrah, 8% Petit Verdot, 8% Tempranillo, 8% Grenache, and 8% Graciano grapes and had a medium-to-dark purple color.  On the nose and in the mouth, there was smoked meat, smoked meat, and more smoked meat, followed by a hint of violets and berries.  The wine had a medium body, medium tannins, and medium acidity.  At a suggested retail price of $22 for 3 Liters, this wine was ok.  I preferred the Big House Red, although several people I talked with throughout the night liked Seven better, so, clearly, the preference was up for grabs.  Overall: 2.5 Corks

2008 Boho Vineyards Old Vine Zinfandel

By this point in the night, I met back up with Mark and his wife, who were talking with DC Budget Wine Examiner, Rob, and we tasted the last of the wines—the 2008 Boho Vineyards Old Vine Zinfandel (winery, snooth).  The wine was a nice, dark purplish ruby.  On the nose, there were dark berries and plums with a hint of cooking spice.  In the mouth, there was berry jam and spice. At a suggested retail price of $24 for 3 Liters, this was my favorite wine of the night.  It wasn’t unpleasantly jammy or overbearing in alcohol, which can sometimes be a problem with Zins, and while the wine didn’t offer anything different, it was decent.  Overall: 3 Corks.

After the event, Mark, his wife, and I were fortunate enough to eat dinner at Lima with Cork’d gurus, Lindsay and Jon, and Patricia Schneider Associates marketing wizards, Patricia and Shelia. The food mirrored the excellent appetizers that were served during the event and the service was impeccable.  The group’s conversation flowed over the delicious ceviches, guava-glazed BBQ ribs, lobster baked with mango-lime butter, and mussels in an Albariño, lime, cilantro and chili sauce.  Before any of us realized, it was midnight and time to head our separate ways.

2008 Big House Red being poured at Lima Restaurant & Lounge

Overall, the event was wonderful.  I had a chance to see the Octavin Home Wine Bar in action, taste some new reds and whites, eat fabulous food, and meet wine bloggers and tweeps that I’ve been corresponding with for over a year. Thanks to Stephen from Patricia Schneider Associates for inviting me to attend as a guest.  I’m sorry we didn’t have a chance to meet, but I had a great time and really appreciated the opportunity.

Posted by Alleigh at 8:15 pm Tagged with: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

A Paragon: Sauvignon Blanc

$11-$20, 3.5 Corks, Prices, Ratings No Responses »
Jul 282010

2008 Edna Valley Vineyard Paragon Sauvignon Blanc

Last Monday was one of those days that reminded me of how different my job can be.  Looking at the Capitol building every day, sometimes I start to take for granted that I live in an amazing city that is full of intelligent and interesting people, and the thrill of being on the floor of the House of Representatives while Members of Congress debate the merits of various pieces of legislation was the perfect reminder of what makes DC such a special city and what makes my job very exciting.  By the time I arrived home on Monday night, I was ready to open a nice bottle of cool white wine to celebrate the perfect start to the final stretch of the latest busy season at work.

The 2008 Edna Valley Vineyard Paragon Sauvignon Blanc (winery, snooth) was a pale, lemon yellow.  On the nose, there were yellow grapefruits, mangos, pineapples, and a hint of limes and grass.  In the mouth, there were yellow grapefruits, limes, pineapples, and a hint of oranges, wet stone, and grass.  The wine had a light body with bright acidity.

Is this worth a glass after work? Definitely!  If you see this wine in the store, grab it; you won’t be disappointed. At $16, this wine was refreshing and food-friendly.  Hubby made seared scallops for dinner, which turned out to be a nice pairing, as the wine did not overpower the light flavor of the scallops.  After spending the day wearing a suit in the ridiculously hot weather that has been plaguing the DC area, this Sauvignon Blanc had the crispness I needed to cool off and relax throughout the evening.

Overall: 3.5 Corks

Posted by Alleigh at 9:35 pm Tagged with: , , , ,

A Storybook With Vampires

$41-$50, 4 Corks, Prices, Ratings 3 Responses »
Jul 222010

2007 Storybook Mountain Vineyards Eastern Exposure Zinfandel

Sunday was one of those unfortunate days where I spent much of my day off working.  I thought last week would be the end of my crazy work schedule, but Friday before I left work, an unexpected issue came up, and suddenly Sunday turned into almost a full 8-hour workday.  By the time the evening came around, I was exhausted and looking forward to an evening of cuddling on the couch with Hubby while watching the one TV show that we watch together, our embarrassing guilty pleasure—True Blood.

The 2007 Storybook Mountain Vineyards Eastern Exposure (winery, snooth) was a dark, vibrant purple.  On the nose, there was a spiced berry jam, reminiscent of Hostess fruit pie filling. In the mouth, there were blueberries, blackberries, cooking spices, and a hint of strawberries and flower petals.  The wine had high acidity, high alcohol, medium tannins, and a medium body.

Is this worth a glass after work? Definitely!  If you see this wine in the store, grab it; you won’t be disappointed. At $45, this wine is on the pricey end, but worth the cost.  It paired perfectly with Hubby’s steamed shrimp spiced with Old Bay seasoning, while also holding its own through a steamy night with Vampire Bill, Eric Northman, and Sookie Stackhouse.  The bad things on True Blood are right out of a novel, but only good things were coming from the bottle of Storybook.  And both were incredibly enjoyable and exactly what I need at the end of a long Sunday before the start of a busy week.

Overall: 4 Corks

Posted by Alleigh at 9:27 pm Tagged with: , , ,

Up To The Roof With Big House

$11-$20, 3 Corks, Prices, Ratings 2 Responses »
Jul 132010

***I received this wine as a sample***

2008 Big House Red

Normally, I write posts about my workday and the wine I enjoy in the evening, but this July 4th was a big wine holiday for me.  Hubby and I stayed in DC for the long weekend, and, in an effort to avoid the crowds that are drawn to DC for Independence Day, we tried not to stray too far from the condo.  Plus, this year, the high temperatures would have squelched any thoughts of heading to the National Mall for the Capitol 4th Concert and fireworks.  Instead, the holiday weekend was the perfect opportunity for me to open the box of 2008 Big House Red I had on my counter, as I could easily grab a glass on my way to the pool or before heading up to our roof deck, where we can watch not only the fireworks display over the Washington Monument, but also the fireworks in Maryland, which are visible along the horizon.

The 2008 Big House Red 3-liter Octavin Home Wine Bar (winery, snooth) was made with 23% Syrah, 14% Petite Sirah, 9% Grenache, 9% Montepuliciano, 6% Mourvedre, 6% Sangiovese, 6% Algianico, 6% Tannat, 5% Nero d’Avola, 4% Sargentino, 3% Touriga, 3% Barbera, and 3% Petit Verdot grapes.  The wine was a medium-to-dark purple with flecks of ruby.  On the nose, there was a blend of red and black berries, mainly blackberries, strawberries, raspberries, and cranberries.  There was also black pepper and something oily.  In the mouth, there were tart blackberries and strawberries, cranberries, smoke, cedar, and a touch of vanilla, dark plums, pepper, and something metallic.  The wine had low-to-medium tannins, medium-to-high acidity, and a medium body.

Is this worth a glass after work? Sure…you won’t be drinking anything out of the ordinary, but you’ll have a decent, reliable glass of wine. At $20 for 3-liters, or the equivalent of $5 a bottle, this wine has the quality/price ratio working in its favor.  It isn’t a wine that stands out as something special, but it’s a surprisingly decent option.  Admittedly, the 3-liter container is probably more than you need for after work, and it’s not a wine I would open and drink over a couple of weeks, as after several days, the wine developed a strong metallic taste; however, if you’re having a BBQ and are looking for a cost effective way to provide your guests with a good red wine, the 2008 Big House Red 3-Liter Octavin Home Wine Bar is worth considering.

I paired the wine with Hubby’s homemade Philly cheese steaks, which he makes with provolone cheese, and the wine definitely held its own with the big flavors of the sandwich.  The key role for the wine, though, was played when I brought it with me to watch the fireworks, and there is no question that was a perfect pairing—beautiful fireworks, friends from our building, my Hubby, and a good California red.

Hope everyone had good Fourth!!

Overall: 3 Corks

Posted by Alleigh at 8:00 pm Tagged with: , , , , , ,

Work “World Tour of Wine” Tasting

$11-$20, $21-$30, $31-$40, 4 Corks, 4.5 Corks, Prices, Ratings 2 Responses »
Jun 162010

For those of you who are Facebook fans, you already know that, at the end of May, I was working on a wine tasting for work.  After having put together a Spanish wine tasting for coworkers during our April slow period, one of my colleagues talked to The Big Boss about my wine experience and about our staff bonding event.  He was thrilled, and, as a wine lover himself, thought it would be fun to have a wine tasting for the staff in both of his DC offices.  The tasting was held the Tuesday before Memorial Day.

Half of the people attending the wine tasting were at my Spanish wine event, so I decided that instead of doing a second Spanish-focused tasting, this one would be a “World Tour of Wine.”  As the fun part of a tasting is being able ­to try new wines and broaden wine horizons, I wanted to focus on wines that moved away from the typical Cabernet Sauvignons, Merlots, and Chardonnays by presenting varietals that are easy to find in wine stores, but that many inexperienced wine drinkers might shy away from buying.  Additionally, since I was expecting 30+ people at the event, I wanted to make sure that I covered a range of wine styles.

With all of that in mind, I decided to begin the tasting with a traditional French Champagne—Montaudon Extra-Dry (snooth).  The palate cleansing & revitalizing sparkler was followed by two white wines—a 2008 Paul D Grüner Veltliner (winery, snooth) from Austria and a 2009 Spy Valley (winery, snooth) from New Zealand.  Following the lighter white wines were a South African Pinotage—2008 Painted Wolf (winery, snooth)—and a California Zinfandel blend—2008 Orin Swift’s “The Prisoner” (winery, snooth).  The tasting finished with a Spanish Sherry—Nectar by González Byass (winery, snooth).

Everyone enjoyed the Champagne, which was no surprise to me or to them.  However, the other wine that received the most questions and the most refill requests was Orin Swift Cellers’ The Prisoner, followed closely by Paul D’s Grüner Veltliner.  The wine that received the most mixed reviews was González Byass’ Nectar, although everyone was happy to have tried it as almost everyone mentioned that it was not a wine they would have tasted on their own.

The Big Boss was very happy with event, particularly as he found a new wine that to enjoy.  My coworkers tasted some wines that they loved, as well as some wines that they didn’t like, but there was a lot of conversation about those wines, as the likes and dislikes varied greatly.  All in all, it seemed like everyone had a good time and that the tasting was a huge success.

***As a note, while the wines above are the ones I planned to offer and prepared tasting notes for, the wine store was actually sold out of the Spy Valley on the day of the tasting.  Therefore, I used a 2009 Oyster Bay Sauvignon Blanc (winery, snooth) as a fallback.  I will do a separate review for the Oyster Bay, but wanted to keep the Spy Valley as part of this tasting, as I thought it was a slightly better wine.

Posted by Alleigh at 9:54 pm Tagged with: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Held Captive by “The Prisoner”

$31-$40, 4.5 Corks, Prices, Ratings No Responses »
Jun 102010

Three weeks ago was the due date of my second big work project that week, and while everything was successfully finished by 11am, there was a significant amount of blood (from numerous paper cuts) and sweat that went into the project.  Thankfully, there were no tears.  The completion of this project brought my most recent hectic work period to a close.  However, when I left work on Thursday, rather than the normal exhaustion that usually hit me after I finish a big project, I had a burst of energy, probably due to the fact that I was only working half a day on Friday and would be spending the weekend in rural Pennsylvania drinking wine, eating fabulous food, and talking late into the night with several of my girlfriends.  By the time I walked in the door of our condo on Thursday night, Hubby had finished making chicken stir fry, I was chatty, and there was just a general good feeling going into the evening, so I went straight for the California red that I recently purchased because of a review in Wine Spectator.

Orin Swift’s 2008 “The Prisoner”

Orin Swift’s 2008 “The Prisoner” (winery, snooth) was a blend of 46% Zinfandel, 26% Cabernet Sauvignon, 15% Syrah, 10% Petite Syrah, 2% Charbono, and 1% Grenache grapes and was a deep purplish ruby color.  On the nose, there were blueberries, dark cherries, nutmeg, cinnamon, sage, cedar, forest, and peat.  In the mouth, there was a berry pie—blueberry, blackberry, and a hint of raspberry—combined with chocolate, cinnamon, nutmeg, fennel, and cedar.  The wine had a medium body, medium tannins, high alcohol, and high acidity.

Is this worth a glass after work? It’s worth more than one!  What are you waiting for? At $40, this wine is on the high end for an “everyday” wine, but it’s well worth the cost.  “The Prisoner” is complex and food-friendly, with a flavor combination that is unique and delicious.  Due to the high alcohol content, though, the wine can be a little hot and harsh when consumed straight out of the bottle, so I recommend putting the wine through an aerator or decanting it before you drink it.  Also, while it’s worth drinking more than one glass, once you’ve given the wine a chance to breathe, the 15.2% alcohol content can be lost in the luscious flavors, so don’t let the wine take you by surprise.

Overall: 4.5 Corks

Posted by Alleigh at 8:00 pm Tagged with: , , ,

Putting On My Zinfandel Dancing Shoes

$10 and lower, 3 Corks, Prices, Ratings 2 Responses »
May 202010
Last Friday was a rough workday for me.  I’d missed a Thursday night “reunion” happy hour with former coworkers because I had to work late, and from what  my current coworkers told me on Friday morning, it was a bad happy hour to miss.  There were some good stories and fun times had by everyone who attended.  After catching up on all the gossip, I tackled my most recent project with a determination to make a significant dent in the rapidly growing pile on my desk.  When Hubby text messaged me halfway through the day to say that he was going out with some of his friends and that it would probably be a late night for him, I quickly paused to respond that he should have a good time and then went back to my task at hand.  By the time the day was over on Friday, I was exhausted, although I’d accomplished a lot.  I left the office a little later than usual, particularly for a Friday, but since I was on my own, that was ok.  With the severe thunderstorms that were happening in the DC area that night, I decided to keep things simple by going to the local 7-11 on my walk home from the Metro, where I meant to purchase dinner, but walked out with an inexpensive bottle of wine.

2008 Dancing Bull Zinfandel

The 2008 Dancing Bull Zinfandel (winery, snooth) was a medium-to-dark ruby color.  On the nose, there was blueberry jam, blackberry, and black cherry aromas, followed by a lot of cedar, smoke, earth, and vanilla.  In the mouth, there was IHOP syrup (although without the viscosity), blueberries, nutmeg, cinnamon, and vanilla.  The wine had low tannins, and high acidity and alcohol.

Is this worth a glass after work? Sure…you won’t be drinking anything out of the ordinary, but you’ll have a decent, reliable glass of wine. At $10, this wine surprised me.  As it was a wine that I purchased at the 7-11, I didn’t expect much complexity and figured it would be simply passable.  Was it the best Zin I’ve ever had…no.  But considering that I was “slumming it” when I purchased the bottle, it was a very drinkable, had a number of things happening both on the nose and on the palate, was very food-friendly.  The wine not only went well with my Thai takeout, but also was a nice pairing with my night of knitting and cheesy chick flick.

Overall: 3 Corks

Posted by Alleigh at 10:30 am Tagged with: , , , ,

A Zinfandel That Rocked My World

$21-$30, 4 Corks, Prices, Ratings 3 Responses »
Apr 282010

***I received this wine as a sample***

2007 Earthquake Zinfandel

I finished my 2nd big project in two weeks this past Wednesday, and while I’m always anxious right before a deadline, everything turned out really well.  There were definitely a few hiccups along the way, but in the end, both my supervisor and “the big boss” were happy.  After spending the rest of the afternoon catching up on the emails and paperwork that piled up, for the first time in a couple of weeks, I was able to leave work on time.  I admit that I jumped at the chance, and waiting for me when I walked in the door was a nice dinner and a good bottle of Zinfandel.

The 2007 Earthquake Zinfandel (winery, snooth) was a medium-to-dark purplish ruby.  On the nose, there were blueberries, blackberries, nutmeg, cloves, and alcohol followed by a touch of cinnamon, vanilla, and earth.  In the mouth, there were blueberries, boysenberries, blackberries, and baking spices, mixed with vanilla, earth, and alcohol.  The wine had medium tannins and a medium-to-full, velvety body.

Is this worth a glass after work? Definitely!  If you see this wine in the store, grab it; you won’t be disappointed. At $28, drinking this wine is like having a delicious piece of suede slide caress your throat.  I’ve reviewed a couple of other wines from Michael David Winery, one that I purchased and one that was sent as a sample, and while I enjoyed them both, it’s definitely worth spending the extra money to buy the Earthquake. The wine is smooth and delicious on its own, but when paired with cheese ravioli in tomato sauce and garlic bread, it practically sings.

Overall: 4 Corks

Posted by Alleigh at 8:00 pm Tagged with: , , , , ,

6th Sense On St. Patrick's Day

$11-$20, 3 Corks, Prices, Ratings 2 Responses »
Mar 172010

***I received this wine as a sample***

In 2004, I went to a local Irish pub with several of my friends to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day.  While a group of us were standing around talking, a guy not with our group came over and introduced himself as Mike before starting to talk to one of my girlfriends.  Mike had a few beers (as had most people in the bar) and was insisting that he was from Fargo, ND; however, as one of our own friends was from Fargo, we recognized that this guy’s accent was different.  I started to say something to him about it, but another guy stepped in to save Mike.  While the conversation between Mike and my girlfriend died shortly thereafter, the wingman and I spent the rest of the night chatting and having a good time.  We exchanged numbers at the end of the night.  A week after that St. Patrick’s Day meeting, the wingman and I went out on our first date, after which my closest girlfriends said they had premonition that he was going to be different…and 6 years later, we’re happily married.  Hubby and I both agree that neither of us knew as quickly as my girlfriends, but sometimes your friends see things that you don’t.  To celebrate our meeting and St. Patrick’s Day, I made a nice dinner and opened a bottle of 6th Sense Syrah.

2007 6th Sense Syrah

The 2007 6th Sense Syrah (winery, snooth) was blend of Syrah and Petite Sirah grapes and was very deep purple with slow forming, but drippy legs.  On the nose, there were juicy fruits—mostly blackberry, blackcurrant, and dark plums—followed by a touch of blackcurrant leaf and tobacco.  In the mouth, there were blackberries galore, followed by some black plums and a touch of tobacco and pepper.  The wine was very high alcohol, and had high acidity, strong tannins, and a medium-to-full body.

Is this worth a glass after work? Sure…you won’t be drinking anything out of the ordinary, but you’ll have a decent, reliable glass of wine. At a suggested retail price of $16, this wine was good, but a little unbalanced and boozy.  That said, I paired it with chicken Parmesan and garlic bread, which helped tone down some of the acidity and alcohol, and made the wine quite enjoyable.  All in all, the 6th Sense Syrah is a decent wine at a decent price, and it was great addition to the dinner celebrating Hubby and I meeting 6 years ago today.

Overall: 3 Corks

Happy St. Patrick’s Day!

Posted by Alleigh at 8:00 pm Tagged with: , , , , ,

Mission Accomplished: Wine Guerrilla Stikes Again

$21-$30, 3.5 Corks, Prices, Ratings 1 Response »
Mar 122010

*** I received this wine as a sample***

As part of my new job, I often have the opportunity to join several of my colleagues from other offices on conference panels to talk about the work we’re currently doing and to provide some insight into what future projects may look like.  Monday morning, I started off the week on one of these panels, talking to a group of about 1500 people.  Admittedly, I was not thrilled about starting off the week with a presentation, but I love talking on the topic.  Each panelist gave a short, 3-minute overview before the moderator started a question and answer session.  During the 45 minutes of discussion, there were 3 applause interruptions, 2 of which were in response to something I said.  While that was flattering and I left the conference with a good feeling, I didn’t think more of it.  My boss was speaking to the same group on Tuesday morning, so my focus was in preparing him for his speech.   I was taken aback when I learned that not only did people come up to him after his speech, but also were emailing and calling his office to tell him that they thought I gave a great presentation.  Receiving that type of praise, particularly at a new job, is invaluable, so, to celebrate a great start to the week, I went home and opened a fun bottle of wine to help end the day on as good of a note as the week started.

2007 Wine Guerrilla Dry Creek Valley Zinfandel

The 2007 Wine Guerrilla Dry Creek Valley Zinfandel (website, snooth) was made with 85% Zinfandel, 6% Malbec, 4% Petite Sirah, 4% Cabernet Franc, and 1% Alacante Bouchet grapes.  The wine had a deep ruby color, with a purple hue.  On the nose, there were baked blueberries and blackberries mixed with a spice cabinet full of cinnamon, cloves, and a hint of ginger.  In the mouth there were berries and spices, plus a little bit of cocoa dust and something herbaceous.  The wine had good tannins, medium acidity, and a medium body.

Is this worth a glass after work? Definitely!  If you see this wine in the store, grab it; you won’t be disappointed. At $22, the wine offers what you expect from a California Zin.  It was initially a little hot in the mouth, which was a little distracting, but, in general, it’s a food-friendly wine that pairs perfectly with BBQ short ribs, while also being enjoyable on its own.

This is the second bottle of wine that I’ve had from Wine Guerrilla (click here for my review of the 2007 Goat Trek Vineyard ‘Block 6′ Dry Creek Valley Zinfandel), and I continue to be happy with the wines.  Wine Guerrilla’s mission is to take the best Zinfandel grapes in California and create a wine that epitomizes the true character of a “California Zinfandel,” and the spiced, baked berries in the 2007 Dry Creek Valley definitely accomplish that mission.  Added to the fine artistry of the wine is the distinctive creativity of the labels, which are designed by Los Angeles artist Sean Colgin’s labels.  With the wine and labels put together, Wine Guerrilla has created an enjoyable Zinfandel-drinking experience.

Overall: 3.5 Corks

Posted by Alleigh at 8:00 pm Tagged with: , , , , ,
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