Variety: 29% Carignane; 28% Zinfandel; 16% Grenache; 10% Syrah; 9% Petite Sirah; 4% Souzao; 2% Tinto Cao; 2% Touriga Nacional
Region: Mendocino County, California
Cost: $20 (SRP)
Winemaker’s Notes: The Parducci True Grit Reserve Red has inviting aromas of plum, black cherry, and creamy coconut that lead to velvety smooth flavors of dark blueberry and cherry accented by leather and spice cake.
My Review: It’s been a while since I’ve had what I would call a “kitchen sink” wine – a wine where no single grape is more than 50% of the make up; this one has 8 different grapes in the mix. But do they work together?
By and large….yeah. In the glass the wine was a dark garnet color, while in the mouth it was light with flavors of blueberry and soft oak; the Granache really shined through for me with the Zinfandel close behind, which was funny for me since neither of them was the “dominant” grape in the blend.
I didn’t pair this with anything, choosing instead to sip on it by itself, but given a chance I would pair this up with a saucy pasta or saucy meat like St Louis style ribs; something with some acid of its own to go with the wine
While I certainly have had better wine, it’s by no means bad, and for $20 you can do a lot worse (and I have). Is it my favorite wine I’ve had lately? No. It is it my least favorite wine I’ve had lately? No, and not by a long shot either. It’s a perfectly acceptable “Tuesday night” wine – maybe not terribly memorable, but certainly nothing you’ll regret spending money on either.
Editor’s Note: I received this wine as a free sample for review.
