Red Blend Wine Reviews
I drank these 10 wines and tasted black fruit, bright, cherry, chocolate, oak, oaky, pepper, red fruit, smooth tannin, spice. The wines are aged, food friendly, organic, 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
This delightful, balanced, and unique red wine offered savoriness and tart cherry, after slightly sweet butter cookies. Wrapped up with a cherry bomb at the back of the mouth.
Tasting notes: cherry, savory
2021 Stolpman Vineyards Estate Rosé
This particular vintage was never especially fruity — sometimes the strawberry and watermelon leap make your mouth water, but in this vintage the fruit was way more subtle than that.
Tasting notes: bright, strawberry, watermelon
2012 La Rioja Alta Viña Ardanza Reserva
Rioja Alta (both a region and the winery which produces this wine) is an insider favorite, typically because it offers such great drinking value and ageability.
2017 Zenato Amarone Classico della Valpolicella
This wine was magnificent and has made me completely rethink what I know of Amarone. The critics were mesmerized and so was I.
Tasting notes: cassis, liqueur, cherry, fig, prune
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 Ana Diogo-Draper Red
Portugal is one of the world’s best wine values right now and food-friendly red wine styles like this one are contributing to its growing popularity.
Tasting notes: red fruit, spice, smooth tannin
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
2020 Quinta Nova Pomares Duoro (Tinto)
This Duoro Tinto is smooth, with subtle fruit and spice. A bright and food-friendly wine that while enjoyable was not necessarily unique.
Tasting notes: smooth tannin, red fruit, spice, bright
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.
Learn more about me or get in touch.