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Wine Definition
- Vintage2005
- TypeRed
- ProducerDrytown Cellars
- VarietyBarbera
- Designationn/a
- VineyardLyman Vineyard
- CountryUSA
- RegionCalifornia
- SubRegionSierra Foothills
- AppellationCalifornia Shenandoah Valley
- Display optionsDefault
6/7/2009 - jdkru wrote: 88 Points
pretty good, delicious but lacking structure.
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2/7/2009 - NPWolfe wrote: 86 Points
Most places in the country don’t have good pit barbeque. Most people in the country eat stuff-that-is-called-barbeque and as a result have a low (though misguide) opinion of the genera. Fortunately I live in the epicenter (right outside Austin, Texas) of good pit barbeque. Central Texas barbeque is mostly brisket, with ribs and chicken not far behind and to a lesser extent pork and turkey. The qualitative difference between good pit barbeque and stuff-that-is-called-barbeque is as vast as the difference between McDonalds and Chez Panisse. Oh, and Central Texas pitmen were using all natural local products 100 years before Alice Waters was born. Really good pit barbeque is aromatic (yep, meat can be aromatic), succulent, flavorful, and fall apart tender. The traditional beverage to drink with barbeque is beer. Finding a wine that works and works well with barbeque took a long time (not that I had any problem with the search).
This wine has a Hemingway style and charm and I could imagine him drinking it in the mountains with Spanish partisans. It is rustic, with direct flavors, sharp features, and is meant to be gulped rather than savored. The aroma is cherry vanilla cola that was stored in oak barrels. The structure is acidic and tannic enough to be sharp and distinct without being unpleasant. Big flavors of cherry, red liquorice, plum, and raspberry. The flavors had the directness of the flavors in Hansen’s All Natural Soda. Acidic finish with cherry chaser. I have found the wine at its best when served 5 to 10 degrees cooler than cellar temperature, think just above white wine temperature. At this temperature it is perfect with barbeque.
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6/25/2007 - NPWolfe wrote: 87 Points
Summer in Texas is not a good time to be drinking a big red wine at room temperature. Last time we had this wine we drank it at cellar temperature and kept it slightly chilled. We did the same thing this time. Very strong berry flavors that stayed around at the cooler temperature. Nice oak, tannin, and fruit balance. Very enjoyable.
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6/5/2007 - NPWolfe wrote: 87 Points
We were fixing a mixed grill and eating outside. Since it was in the 90's, we decided we would drink the wine at cellar temperature and kept it slightly chilled. Very nice berry nose that persisted at the cooler temperature. Rough and rustic. Nice oak and tannin with strong berry flavors. Just the perfect wine for having outdoors with sausage and loins.
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3/23/2007 - NPWolfe wrote: 85 Points
Medium bodied. Nice balance in the taste. Raspberry flavors nicely set off by oak. Very nice nose of blackberries that faded all too quickly. A little hot on the finish. All in all a pretty complete wine and a very nice wine for $16. There are plenty of wines that score in the mid 80's that I would not want to drink again. However, there are also those wines that score in the mid 80's that I would be delighted to drink again. This wine falls into the latter group. Next time we have lasagna this wine is coming out of the cellar.
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