When I’m headed to a party, or planning to entertain masses in my home I look for crowd pleasing wines to serve. Left to my own devices I gravitate towards the esoteric; most though want something tasty to drink alongside their sandwich. So in these cases I often seek out blends. They can offer a range of flavors to keep savvier folks interested, and plenty of out front satisfaction for those who just want something that goes down easy. Often times these blends are ones that includes Zinfandel or Syrah. Today I’ll look at one from California that is widely available.
Apothic Red 2008 California Winemaker’s Blend was produced using fruit from vineyards throughout California. This offering is a blend of Syrah, Zinfandel, and Merlot. The alcohol content is a modest 13.1% and this wine is available all over the country for a suggested retail price of $14.
Red and black fruit aromas are plentiful on the nose of this 2008 California wine. Once you take the first sip you’re hit with a solid wallop of sweet berry fruit that continues through the fruit driven, bright palate. Towards the back end of the palate dried fruit notes emerge and they lead to the finish which shows off cinnamon and nutmeg spice notes as well as white pepper and a nice assortment of sour fruit flavors. Sufficient acidity keeps things in check.
Apothic Red is a appealing, up front wine that will play well large groups of people. Whether you pair it with a burger or a slice of pizza this wine will work well. It has everyman, everyday appeal. This the sort of release everyone should have a few bottles of on hand, to serve to surprise guests, or to pair with leftovers.