Wine Review: The Legend of the Vine has Arrived

What is in a legend? Apparently legends can be made from 80% Cabernet Sauvignon, 12% Merlot and 8% Petite Sirah. Legend of the Vine Cabernet Sauvignon is a ripe red wine, plum tasting, chocolate hinting, smooth wine that provides twice its value for a fraction of the price. Aged in 92% French Oak and 8% American Oak it provides just touch of oak spices to its mix (1).  The combination of different red wines enhances the taste and body of the offering. 

Legend of the Vine’s brand is considered unique. It appeals to Millennials who were raised on medieval shows like Game of Thrones and video entertainment something akin to Legend of Zelda. The bottle is wide and broad while the label appears like something from the ancient world. The taste seems to match its mystical inheritance. 

It is difficult for new products to make a presence on the market and compete against much stronger funded brands. According to Cardoso, et. al. (2013) having a brand personality can make all of the difference in finding a level of exposure. Brand personality can help customers manage and formulate a concept of the offering which leads to greater memory recall and purchase frequency. 

Legend of the Vine is also dark and ripe in the genre of winter wine that some may associate with an ancient era. Grapes picked early in the formation of Cabernet Sauvignon wines are sour and have fresh vegetative flavor while grapes picked at later stages are hot, bitter, fruity, and contained sweetness (Heymann, 2013).  The Legend of the Vine’s ripe and fruity flavors is from a ripe grape that matches its hardy brand impression. 

Cabernet Sauvignon is the prince of all wines. As a thick winter wine it contains an abundance of tannins that make it difficult to pair with light seafood, and vegetables (2).  It is recommended that such wines be paired with bbq fatty meat foods or strong tasting fish like tuna and shark to balance out the tannins. Most cheeses are not recommended with this type of wine. 

The Legend of the Vine

http://www.thewinebar.com/Legend-of-the-Vine

Cardoso, I. et. al. (2013). Determinants of the perception of the personality of brand: an application to the Azores regional brand. International Journal of Academic Research, 5 (2). 

Heymann, H. et. al. (2013). Effects of extended grape ripening with or without must and wine alchohol manipulations on cabernet sauvignon wine sensory characteristics. South African Journal of Enology & Viticulture, 34 (1).

Wine Review: Rozak’s Pinot Noir

Rozak Pinot Noir Santa Barbara County can be characterized as smooth and sweet with a little acid aftertaste. It is more wet than dry. The deep ruby red color matches it high strawberry and raspberry palate. There is also a bit of green taste coming from something like pine or similar foliage. The wine is appealing to the palate and is priced for the average wine drinker making it a casual dining wine.  

The Rozak winery started with only a few hundred acres with a small percentage of the land cultivated for fruits. Eventually the farm began to produce greater volumes of grapes and wine. The owner was raised in the city and made a transition to the countryside to start his farm. No power, electricity, or even vines. Through hard work he developed something great.

Pinot Noir is made from a Burgundy grape that needs a particular climate and fickle growing style (1). Due to its difficult to grow grape variety most Pinot Noirs are pricy. Rozak offers an affordable brand that matches some of the higher priced alternatives. You may want to check out the top ten Pinot Noir Wine Picks to see what other brands are available on the market that also have high reviews. 

According to Food & Wine Pinot Noir works well with fish, roasted chicken, game birds, and stews. A heavier and meatier food appears to go well with the brand. This depends on the actual tannin levels of the wine. Higher tannin levels complement fattier foods.  For hunters this is a great wine for their seaside or land based catches. Don’t come out of the thicket unless you have a Pinot Noir by Rozak in your wine cellar.

http://www.rozakwines.com/

Wine Review: Cellar No 8 Pinot Noir

There are great tasting Pinot Noir wines for under $10. Looking for strawberry jam, medium-bodied, spicy, subtle tannins and a tropical flavor with just a touch of nutmeg you may want to try Cellar No 8 Pinot Noir. A great wine for the dinner table and back yard events. The wine offers a fruity and subtle flavor that will not overpower your casual wine drinkers. 

The winery was started in California in 1881 by an Italian immigrant family. They invited others come and work the land for a profit. They eventually formed their own community on the 1,620-acre parcel of land. Over the years they expanded and developed a colony of 6,000 acres with dozens of families working together for a profit. No 8 was the name of one of their cellars and holds some of the colony’s history.

Great tasking wine is not the only Cellar No 8 is offering. Pinot Noir is full of resveratrol that according to a 1999 study in the American Journal of Enology and Viticulture it can improve cardiovascular health, nervous system functioning, and fight cancer (1). Women should drink no more than one 5 oz glass a day and men should drink no more than 10 oz a day to receive the maximum benefit. 

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Wine Review: Castle Rocks Pinot Noir for Summer Sipping

Summer is almost here and it is time to switch from hardy winter wines like Merlot to something a little softer like a Pinot Noir. Castle Rock’s Pinot Noir has a strong showing in the market with a number of enthusiasts on the Web stating it is a great wine for the price of under $10.00. Wine and Spirits Magazines rated it as one of their top 17 American Brands with a specialty in Pinot Noir.

In relation to other Pinot Noir brands, Castle Rock is also a dry wine of rose pedal aroma. There is a touch of strawberry and raspberry in the taste. A warm and light after taste that doesn’t hang past five seconds. The color is soft red much like a rose wine. It would make a great selection for meats and vegetables due to its light and subtle taste.

Castle Rock is not your normal winery and can be better classified as a virtually winery. What this means is that they do not actually own the land or winery but found a way to lease the extra capacities of other wineries. They buy the grapes from growers and then make their wine at their locations to create a variety of styles and offerings. A nice way of doing business without all the fixed overhead.

http://www.castlerockwinery.com/