Frisk - 2012 Prickly Rosso


Holiday weekends, parties and festive gatherings of every shape and size always get my mind thinking about what kind of wine to serve. These events offer a particular challenge. What will make the casual drinker happy and still keep the wine lovers interested? And certainly it wouldn't hurt if it’s a wine that pairs well with a broad array of foods. Of course one answer would be to serve multiple wines but that has various complicating factors. So when possible I strive to find one main wine to serve at large gatherings. Here’s a look at what I plan to pour this upcoming Labor Day. The Frisk 2012 Prickly Rosso was produced from fruit sourced in the Victoria region of Australia. This offering blends together Merlot (51%) and Docletto (49%). Fermentation took place in stainless steel with a selection of yeasts. This wine features a bit of fizz brought on by the yeast. It has a suggested retail price of $11.

This wine leads with a boisterous nose that’s loaded with red plum and blueberry aromas. The palate is refreshing and filled with sumptuous red and black fruits. These flavors are lively and juicy. They’re joined by a host of spices and as mentioned a bit of fizz. The finish shows off sour fruit flavors that lean towards darker plum and black cherry. Zippy acidity keeps things in check here.

This wine works best with a nice solid chill on it. The alcohol content is fairly low and it goes down easy with all kinds of food. In addition to being delicious and versatile Frisk Prickly Rosso is a fun wine that will delight crowds. At $11 or less it’s hard to resist; drink it up this Labor Day Weekend!