Black Fruit Wine Reviews
I drank these 9 wines and tasted black fruit, blue fruit, bright, graphite, oak, red fruit, smooth tannin, smooth tannins, spice, violet. The wines are aged, small production and came from a variety of sources, including wine clubs, wineries, and wine stores.
Wine reviews by: Jessyca Frederick |
A great example both of the winemaking style from Écluse Wines and and the ageability of their wines (and red wines from Paso Robles).
Tasting notes: black fruit, smooth
2019 Stag’s Leap Winery Oakville Cabernet Sauvingon
The nose was classic blackberry and graphite, with a hint of pyrazine. It was fairly bright for a Napa Cab, and lighter bodied than I expected, too. I tasted cedar and clove, blackcurrant, and some plum.
Tasting notes: bright, black fruit
2019 Stag’s Leap Winery Block 20 Merlot
Among the three wines I tried from Stag’s Leap Winery in April, this was my favorite. I like Merlot and I’m not ashamed to say so.
Tasting notes: smooth tannins, bright, black fruit, blue fruit
On the palate I tasted red fruits, blue fruits, black fruits (all the fruits, no, not really). The tannins were slightly grippy.
Tasting notes: red fruit, leather, grippy tannins, black fruit, blue fruit
2019 Babylonstoren Babylonstoren Shiraz
Well-balanced, rich, deep, beautiful fruit-forward Shiraz — an excellent sipping wine. Brambly black fruit was dominant, with some subtle raspberry fruit in the background. A long slightly vanilla finish was supported by fine-grain tannins.
Tasting notes: black fruit, brambly, raspberry, vanilla, smooth tannin
2017 Thacher Winery New Routine
Big, mouth-coating red wine featuring dark red fruits, black fruits, and a host of other savory flavors.
Tasting notes: dark red fruit, black fruit, pepper
2020 Naked Wines Camille Benitah Volute
When I taste wines like this one, I’m reminded that Napa Valley wines are mostly overpriced and overhyped. It showcases Napa’s red wine grapes and terroir without breaking the bank.
Tasting notes: black fruit, graphite, chocolate, oaky, smooth tannin
2019 Luca Wines Luca Old Vine Malbec
A well-made, smooth Malbec with delicate spice, hints of espresso and violet, and enjoyable notes of black and blue fruits.
Tasting notes: smooth tannin, espresso, violet, black fruit, blue fruit
2018 Three Wine Company Old Vines Field Blend
This red blend embodies all of the best qualities of its grapes — a bit of spice, a bit of oak, some red fruit, some black fruit, a touch of smokiness… without being a punch in the mouth.
Tasting notes: spice, oak, red fruit, black fruit, smoky
Notice: I hold no formal wine credentials. I am a wine geek who has consumed 1000+ of bottles from 100+ different wine clubs and 1000s more bottles that didn’t come from those wine clubs. I do not accept payment for wine reviews, and I do not accept payments to influence my opinions. I happily accept free wine (and I buy wine).
Why read my wine reviews: Wine taste is subjective. What I like may not be what you like. I try to leave room for you to form your own opinions, so I don’t provide a score or a rating. I do point out wines that are an incredible value or truly not worth the money. I note flaws, wines that don’t have typicity (because this matters if you are buying wine without having tasted it yourself), when wines are out of balance, and when wines lack appropriate body.
I don’t like wasting money (or anything for that matter). I’m careful about where I spend my money and my mindset as a reviewer is to be careful about where you spend yours. I don’t believe a high price tag equals quality and I know for sure there are wines of very good quality that are also a great value.
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