Judging a wine by its label
Roshambo Winery, The Reverend Zinfandel, Sonoma 2005, Approx $19 US, depending on location.
When i picked this wine out i had it pegged in my head from the outset. The bottle has a clean, well put together lael that is, while not brushing the marsupial nomenclature of some wines, entirely too cute. This wine label’s function is clear from the outset “take me to a suburban barbecue, where people will inquire about me,” a wine truly built around the label, and little more.
Of course with a smug setup like that, you the reader was bound to see me falling victim to my own prescient sense and delighting in the schadenfreude, so i shant dissapoint. The wine is good, and not just in a generic “good” sense, but rather a specific sense of good. On the nose there is nothing special to note, it is a zin through and through with its black pepper and dried fruit coming through strong, no surprise there. The interesting bits about this wine are all on the tongue, where underneath the fruit and the spice was a nice earthiness, and something reminiscent of the roughness of green bell peppers, both of which gave this wine a much more food friendly mouth than anticipated. After the disappointment last time i am happy to give this wine a raised eyebrow out of no raised eyebrows.
What to listen to: Something unexpected and earthy, like Neutral Milk Hotel
Where to buy: here
saignée 