Lifestyle Wine By Phillip Silverstone
Thorn Merlot 2013, Napa Valley (approx. $40) Small, premium vineyard lots of Merlot were used to create Thorn. The Merlot was blended with Syrah and Malbec to add more structure and depth of personality. There’s so much going on with both the perfume and the taste of this wine, helped along by its aging in wood. The fragrance drifting from glass to nose has the dark berries you would expect, but with a hint of cappuccino. The taste has a unique flavor of prunes and plums and Bassetts Liquorice Allsorts (which I’ve adored since childhood). The blend of grape is 77% Merlot; 23% Malbec and Syrah. THE PRISONER Red Wine 2014, Napa Valley (approx. $45) In 2003, THE PRISONER was launched and lead to the resurgence of blends incorporating Zinfandel with the unlikely “mix” of Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah, Petite Sirah, and Charbono. What you might call the “A-Lister” grapes blend. Once again we have the rich, dark, plummy fruits both in the wine’s fragrance and following through to its taste. The Cabernet gives a distinct hint of chocolate to the flavor mix. A combination of different oaks in the aging process gives incredible depth and flavor and personality to this remarkable wine. SAVED Magic Maker Rosé 2014, California (approx. $18) If you are planning on a pink wine this summer, look no farther. This is the one! SAVED is a collaboration between two artists who come together to share in each other’s craft. Their mission is creating fearless wine blends with singular
personalities and powerful flavors from varietals — both well-loved and rare — sourced from the best sub-appellations across California. Scott Campbell is a contemporary artist, inspired by the enduring symbolism wine brings to our tables. Clay Brock is a second-generation winemaker who excels at crafting California varietal wine blends. SAVED represents the freedom and sanctuary you get by committing fully to your passions. The grapes in this blend are awesome and most definitely my favorites: Pinot Noir, Grenache, Cabernet Franc, Orange Muscat, and Sangiovese. Yum Yum!!! The grapes were picked in vineyards in Monterey, Santa Maria Valley, and Paso Robles. Each vineyard’s bounty is handled and blended separately to maintain delicate fruit balance. And please don’t confuse sweet and fruity. This wine is bone dry but with enough fruit to satisfy anybody who enjoys a “sweeter” rosé. The two are often confused. The flavor is a shopping basket of summer fruits and the wine is crisp and refreshing and ideal to quaff while enjoying the summer sunshine. CUTTINGS Cabernet Sauvignon 2013, California (approx. $50) This wine combines the intensity and depth of Cabernet Sauvignon with the structure and richness of Petite Sirah and Syrah. A small amount of Zinfandel adds a nice layer of complexity, while encompassing a signature, vibrant spiciness. Some 80% of this wine is made from the Cabernet and I enjoy the flirtation in my mouth with the 20% blend of the other three grapes. There are ripe summer berries edging the rich dark cabernet flavors with a hint of coffee beans. And the wine was aged for
18 months in oak barrels, which gives so much intensity to the nectar in the glass it’s almost a magical experience on a starry summer night. Blindfold California White Wine 2013 (approx. $30) This is a dynamic white wine blending every grape we’ve ever had a “crush” on: Chardonnay, Viognier, Roussanne, Marsanne, Grenache Blanc, Chenin Blanc, and Semillon. If you enjoy the white wines of the Rhone, this wine is a modern spin on the flavors you’re familiar with. The perfume from your glass will immediately remind you of a fruit bowl of summer treasures, from peaches and oranges to limes and honeydew melons. The maturation of the wine in oak barrels adds so much more character to the blend; you have a creamy, honeyed, nutty flavor, which is ripe and refreshing and deliciously seductive. Ravenswood Besieged 2014, Sonoma County (approx. $18) According to the winery: “Under a threatening sky, BESIEGED by rain clouds, lightning glinting in the hills, winemaker Joel Peterson worked alone to collect grapes destined for one of his debut wines. As he worked, ravens laughed from above, but instead of being harbingers of doom, they brought him good fortune, becoming the totem for his winery.” Well, I for one, congratulate the winery for employing somebody who was clearly inspired by Wordsworth or Keats when writing that beautiful introduction to the wine. I didn’t know if I wanted to drink it or applaud it. However, I deferred to my better judgement and drank it. The njlifestyleonline.com
LIFESTYLE | Summer 2016
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