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Wednesday, September 23, 2015 - I've never been a fan of the tasting descriptor, "drop dead gorgeous," which is beloved by a couple of very well-known wine critics. After all, isn't that an adjective (or stream of adjectives) properly reserved for a truly stunning woman, or a breathtakingly beautiful sunset, or here's a stretch, the Ferrari 250 GTO that I just saw at an auto show? I mean really, what does "drop dead gorgeous" mean as applied to a wine? Does it mean that it's translucent or reflects light, or is fruit-forward, or is perfectly integrated? And, why is it that I've only seen Cabs and Syrahs --, and never a crisp Sauvignon Blanc, softly tannic Lagrein or earthy Mourvedre -- described as "drop dead gorgeous?" This weekend, I had the pleasure of tasting Refugio Ranch's 2012 Syrah-Petite Sirah blend, which is a cuvee comprised of 75% of the former and 25% of the latter varietals. The wine is darkest garnet almost inky with a truly redolent nose and pronounced flavors of blackberry, blueberry, black cherry, truffles, white pepper, licorice and oak. It has a lengthy, but slightly tannic finish suggesting that it will age gracefully in the cellar for at least five years. Oh, and before I forget, this wine is "drop dead gorgeous."

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