Banshee Rosé 2019

Oh I love Banshee's wine so much, and this Rosé in no exception! The 2019 vintage is salmon in color and made with 48% Sangiovese, 25% Grenache, 16% Syrah, 8% Barbera, and 3% Zinfandel. Cantaloupe is all over it, with honeydew melon, lemon, and toast. I could smell it all night! This is not a quaffing rosé. This is one that you want to cradle and savor.

Listen to Mike and Joey talk about it on Grapes & Capes Episode #3!

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Grapes & Capes Episode #3: Robots don't eat cookies

Michael and Joey read The Ultimates #1 and Vision #1 while tasting Oak Farm Vineyards Fiano, La Crema Sonoma Chardonny, and Banshee Rosé. Wines provided by Colangelo & Partners.

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Wine #1: Oak Farm Vineyards 2018/2019, sitting on the leese

Comics #1: The Ultimates #1 (2002)

Wine #2: La Crema Sonoma Coast Chardonnay 2018, New World wine vs Old World wine, effects of oak, what is Zinfandel

Comics #2: Vision #1 (2015), Tom King's Batman, War of Jokes and Riddles, Tom King's comicsgate controversy, Scarlet Witch

Wine #3: Banshee Rosé 2019, how they make pink wine, orange wine, dry rosé vs sweet rosé

Comics #3: the death of Deadshot, DC Universe Infinite, HBO Max, call Tony Stark at 212-970-4133, Marvel getting cosmic

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Wine Quickie: The Federalist Bourbon Barrel-Aged Zinfandel 2016

This is the conclusion of five wine quickies that I've done for The Federalist this month, and in the first four I surprised myself by liking them all except one. The final wine is their Bourbon Barrel-Aged Zin from Mendocino County aaaaand.... well.... let's just say I'm really not into Bouron Barrel-Aged wine. Most of it is just garbage thrown in Bourbon casks for a few days so they can slap the Bourbon name on there. That said, I'm not crazy about this one here but I also don't mind it. The Bourbon flavor is there but not overpowering, and six months in those casks have mellowed out the Zinny characteristics. It's medium bodied with a lush mouthfeel, sweet tannins, and an acidity with a bit of a pop. There's aromas and flavors of raspberries, strawberries, tea, and lots of vanilla and caramel. So yeah, it's okay for a Bourbon wine. But I suggest their other Zins much more, though.

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Wine Quickie: The Federalist North Coast "Honest" Red Blend 2017

This is the second of five wines by The Federalist that I'm writing quickies about this month. The "Honest" Red Blend is from the North Coast appellation of California and it's 46.4% Merlot, 24% Zinfandel, 22% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 7.6% Malbec. It saw 15% in 35% new oak. Hey, and I'm liking it! It's dark purple in color with black cherries, blueberries, licorice, and hot cinnamon. Medium bodied with soft dusty tannin and an acidity that brightens the fruit on the finish into strawberries and raspberries. I'm being honest here (see what I did there?), this is a great deal for a $20 red blend!

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Wine Quickie: Bonterra Merlot 2017

Looking to spend $12-$13 on a Merlot? This is where I would be taking you first, because Bonterra year in and year out makes a Merlot that is everything that you want out of the varietal. It's medium bodied and wonderfully lush in mouthfeel. And it's loaded with blackberries, blueberries, plums, cinnamon, vanilla, and cedar. It truly is a prime example of varietal correctness for Merlot and one of the best in its price range.

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Wine Quickie: Artezin Old Vine Zinfandel 2017

Artezin is Hess Family's ode to the craft of Zinfandel, and for $16 it's one of my favorite suggestions for Zins in the $15 to $20 price range. This wine is 85% Zinfandel and 15% Petite Sirah out of Mendocino and sustainably farmed. It's garnet in color with violet highlights. There's a lot of tarragon on the nose along with plums, pomegranate, black table pepper, and black iced coffee. On the palate it's full bodied and rich, has soft and sweet tannin, and flavors of plums, raspberries, cinnamon, and tarragon. And I gotta say it is pairing INCREDIBLY well with this Gouda! Good stuff!

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Wine Review: Dane Cellars Buddah's Dharma Vineyard Chenin Blanc 2016

Bart Hansen is the founder and winemaker of Dane Cellars and just from the brief conversation I had with him over the phone two years ago I could tell he's just one hell of a guy. Funny, open, honest, and kind, with a big heart full of passion and love. Bart started off in the industry during harvest; trucking grapes from the vineyard down a hill, five tons at a time. In 1986 he started winemaking for Kenwood, and then hopped over to Benziger in 1998. But he left Benziger to become a stay at home dad to his son Dane. And when he felt like he needed to get back in the game, he founded Dane Cellars in 2007.

You can read all the reviews I've written on Bart's wine under the Dane Cellars label for the blog, but this time I'm reviewing his 2016 Valeria, 2016 Chenin Blanc, 2016 Zinfandel, and 2015 Cabernet Sauvignon. (PS: I still have a bottle of his 2012 Justi Creek Cabernet Sauvignon that I'm waiting to open on a special occasion and can't wait to see how it evolved)

This is 100% Chenin Blanc from the Buddah's Dharma Vineyard in Mendocino County that was whole cluster pressed, fermented in stainless steel, and aged in stainless steel, French oak, and concrete barrels, and saw time on the lees for about five months. Only 175 cases were made and it has a final ABV of  13.1%.

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Wine Review: Artezin Mendocino County Old Vine Zinfandel 2016

Holy crap, it feels like I've had this bottle forever. To be honest I've been kind of dreading it, because Artezin looks like a great thing with a great crew behind it but... it's *yuck* Zinfandel. I'm not going to get into my issues with Zin for the hundredth time, but let's just say that myself and Zin have issues.

Artezin, a part of the Hess Family Wine Estates, was founded in 2002 and has had Randle Johnson as its winemaker since the beginning. Artezin is focused on expressing classic Old Vine Zinfandel from Mendocino and parts of Sonoma by working with family-owned farms that have been growing Zin for generations.

The 2016 Mendocino Zinfandel is 84% Zinfandel, 14% Petite Sirah, and 2% Carignan. It was aged for fifteen months in French and American oak, and has an ABV of 14.9%.

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