I had the pleasure of revisiting another "old friend" yesterday... Francis Ford Coppola Black Diamond Claret 2011. I love this wine, but it's been hard to find. Finally, my favorite wine retailer got some in, and I just happened in during a sale. Normal retail is about $18, I got this bottle for $12. SCORE! I bought four.
First of all, I think it's important to explain that Claret is simply the British name for Bordeaux blends. Throughout the Middle Ages, England, France and Spain were off-and-on mortal enemies. Since England didn't have a climate conducive to growing grapes, wine had to be imported. To assuage the sting of deficient terroir, the English renamed the Bordeaux blend as Claret, referring to the wine's color... or, perhaps, I should type colour. So, if you're an Agatha Christie fan, and you've read that Miss Marple or Hercule Poirot enjoyed a glass of Claret, now you know it's referring to the blending of Bordeaux grapes.
That concludes the history and literary portion of tonight's program. On to the wine...
The blend is 81% Cabernet Sauvignon, 9% Petit Verdot, 5% Malbec, 3% Merlot and 2% Cabernet Franc, blended by Corey Beck and aged 15 months in French oak. Expert rating is 90.
There's a faint sweet floral aroma, kind of like dusty rose, with a little vanilla. The taste is fairly dry, lots of berries, a little licorice and a touch of coffee. The finish is really nice, not overpowering, just kind of a subtle lingering. I enjoyed this wine with a homemade, spicy hot, sweet and sour Chinese-inspired stew yesterday, but it was even better with the medium rare steak topped with melted blue cheese and carmelized onions I had tonight. I heartily recommend this wine, especially if you can get it for less than $20. Cheers!
It's always nice to see an old favorite wine. Such was the case when I entered one of my favorite wine stores (Cellar Rat, downtown Kansas City) and found this Zolo Signature Red 2012 from Mendoza, Argentina. The Zolo winery is a progeny of Fincas Patagonicus, one of the most technologically advanced wineries in Argentina, where wine is sustainably produced.
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The winery's signature wine is Malbec (duh), but they also produce this blend which contains Cabernet Sauvignon, Bonarda, Merlot and Malbec grapes. It has a very dark, opaque garnet color. I pick up aromas of coffee and smoky cranberries. Lots of mocha flavor envelopes the palate, leading into tart cherries, earthy herbs and a tiny bite of peppery heat. The finish is long and rich with chocolate covered cherries. And, I have a feeling it will be even better tomorrow, after it's had a day to soften.
What I like about this wine is that it does not have the fruity sweetness of most blends, so it will work with just about any food. Oddly enough, though, what I thought as I was sipping it was how well its solid tannins would work with rich lobster or crab dishes dripping in buttery sauces. Or, most assuredly with my all-time favorite stew, cioppino... and, yes, I'm talking about pairing fish with a red wine... I'm a rebel like that!
I was surprised to find out it is rated between 86 and 90 by professional critics, yet I paid only $13/bottle. However, what was most telling was the high praise given by the everyday wine lover. I highly recommend this as an all-around versatile wine for almost any occasion, but it has 13.8% alcohol, so please drink responsibly.
