Last Night's Bottle - 2009 Cupcake Red Velvet

Sometimes I tend to be biased when it comes to wine.  It's safe to say we probably all are to some extent.  I tend towards red as opposed to white, I don't usally like wines Pindar that don't indicate what varietal they are & I almost always shy away from fancy girly names & labels.  And then there is Cupcake.  This bottle broke 2 of my 3 general rules.  But as they say, some rules are made to be broken.

While I do prefer the standards, I am not ignorant to the fact that some of the best new winemaking is heavy on blends.  Some might feel that blends might disguise the fact that the grapes used in them are not grade A.  Although a valid discussion, the casual drinker will not often find there to be a difference.  For me, it allows winemakers to get more creative and bring something to the market that you haven't already had before.

The 2009 Red Velvet may not be the holy grail of an inexpensive blend, but I assure you that you will most likely not be disappointed. This wine is a blend of 47% Zinfandel, 29% Merlot, 19% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 5% Petite Sirah.

The nose provided a mix of creamy yet jammy aromas.  Notes of cranberry, cocoa & blackberry stood out almost immediately.

The palate was strikingly similar.  Medium bodied, yet lively at the same time.  Velvety Silky texture mixed with dark fruits & mocha with an extended finish.  A well rounded wine but perhaps a touch too sweet.

I often find myself trying to place wines in their proper environment.  In this instance my vote would be for a good starting wine.  What I mean by this is that it fits in nicely at either the very beginning or end of the evening.  Not something I would encourage you to place on your dinner table, but perfectly good to hand off to your guests when they trade you their coats at door.  And no, I wouldn't dare to suggest serving it with Red Velvet cupcakes.  I'll leave that for the marketing geniuses to figure out how much raw creativity oozes from making such a statement.

And with that, I leave you. 

Until next time...

Cheers,
ES

http://www.cupcakevineyard.com/