June 18, 2019
Made from 70+ year old vine Carignane and 12% Valdiguie, Frog’s Leap “La Grenouille Rougante” (The Flying Frog) is an intentional rosé, i.e. made like a white wine: grapes pressed off with juice barely affected by the red skins. The result is a style of rosé that Frog’s Leap makes as well as anyone in California. Get mandarin orange, subtle plum and strawberry fruits, citrus blossoms, white pepper and orange zest. Very dry and very healthy acidity…this is a white wine drinker’s preferred style of Rosé for sure. Think Provence/Southern France style.
June 14, 2019
Black ruby color, Rhone Valley-like aromas of berry liqueur, bittersweet chocolate, black pepper and lamb sausage. Taste begins with very ripe blueberries and blackberries, then crushed black peppercorns, smoked paprika, lavender and rosemary emerge. From mid-taste through the 20 second finish, the ripe fruit and savory spice/herb/floral flavor merge seamlessly. This Rhone-style Syrah, with the help of California sunshine, is a winner – on par with California Syrahs selling for much more. A DDWA “Great Value.” Lunar Ridge is a postage stamp-sized, northwest (setting sun) facing vineyard in Napa’s Coombsville District in Southeast Napa Valley. Owners Ray and Theresa Joske […]
June 12, 2019
Smells and tastes of fresh raspberries, red cherries, pomegranate, lavender, rosemary, black pepper and anise. Medium bodied…like a stronger Pinot Noir. Fine tannins cover the gums and palate, giving the wine body and force. Neither heavy nor light, this is right in the middle, making it ideal with a broad range of foods from roast chicken, pork loin, burgers, red sauces and even red-fleshed fish like salmon. Neyers Sage Canyon is a Rhone-style red blend of 45% Carignane, 25% Grenache, 15% Mourvedre and 15% Syrah. Napa vintners Bruce and Barbara Neyers and their winemaker Tadeo Borchardt get grapes for “Sage Canyon” from the Sierra Foothills, Contra Costa County, […]
January 9, 2019
This GSM is 70% G (Grenache), 20% M (Mourvedre) and 10% S (Syrah). A gorgeous wine, full of spice, sweet & uplifting strawberry and plum fruits, sweet earth and cured olive smells and flavors. The smell reminds me of Southern Rhone with its potpourri, fennel, musk and minty qualities. Perfectly ripe red fruits with a harmonic tang of acidity on the mid palate, followed by more savory spice at the end. I must admit I’m a little bit biased here because I love quality GSMs from anywhere, and I so enjoy the Benevolent Neglect wines as a whole. This is […]
October 1, 2018
Winery-Direct Discount for DDWA Members. Presented to you by Dan’s sister website, Flavor Mountain. Buy Benevolent Neglect GSM, Rosé and Riesling for 15% off, winery-direct, through April. Essential Benevolent Neglect reading: The Wine Offer on Flavor Mountain. Winery Profile. All DDWA Reviews of Benevolent Neglect. Order online from Benevolent Neglect. (Code required at checkout for discount.) Not a DDWA Member yet? Join here. Questions? Comments? Want help? Need the discount code? Contact me.
September 20, 2018
This “Rhone-y” red is 58% Syrah, 42% Grenache. Owner/winemaker Derek Beitler drew from three cool-climate Sonoma vineyards to make 500 cases of Skyhook Red Wine. I think the name Skyhook and the label take most down a path of expectation that requires a u-turn. Let me explain…an army of jammy, sweet-spice, soft red blends, a la The Prisoner, have taken the copy-cat highway to wine production and sales success. While Skyhook may look like one of these copy cats, it doesn’t taste like it. It has more in common with a spicy Paso Robles Cal-Rhone than an uber-ripe “modern red […]
March 3, 2018
A classic Australia GSM blend of 47% Shiraz, 32% Grenache and 21% Mourvedre. Blueberry sauce, roast coffee, black pepper, cola, anise, black raspberry and cherry compote smells and flavors. It has a big, rich mouthfeel yet with acidity that perks up the wine, especially on its 30 second finish. This plush, lush, full-bodied and classy red embraces classic Barossa power but also has finesse and complexity. At $40/bottle, for what you get this is a screaming deal!
February 13, 2018
Only 2 barrels (very neutral barrels) of this Languedoc, Southern French-esque Carignane/Grenache blend made from 75 year old, dry farmed, head-pruned vines. Smell and taste fresh pomegranate, dark wild plums, black pepper, licorice, herbs de Provence and dried violets. It’s medium tannins, medium/high acidity and zero barrel flavor point to its “Food Wine” placement. Grilled red meats and marinated white meats are a natural with the Trinafour Rosso Misto. About Trinafour Alex MacGregor has made tiny lots of delicious, interesting wines from eastern Mendocino County old-vine vineyards since the early 2000s. I’ve always loved his wines. This is the […]