Varietal: 47% Zinfandel; 29% Merlot; 19% Cabernet Sauvignon; 5% Petite Sirah
Region: California – USA
Cost: $14 (SRP)
Winemaker’s Notes: Reddish purple in color with aromas of chocolate, deep rich blackberries, and red fruits that carry through to the palate to a creamy mocha finish reminiscent of a blackberry chocolate cupcake with mocha coulis. Pairs well with sweet and spicy Hoisin steak, BBQ bacon cheeseburger, or dark chocolate fondue.
My Review: I’ve had Cupcake Vineyards wines before, so when this sample showed up, I was excited to give it a try as it looks to be their first offering of a blended red. On a night when I was home alone cooking for myself, I decided to open it up and give it a try with a dinner of meatballs and rice with gravy. Nothing too fancy, but nice and hearty against the end of winter weather outside.
The wine was a darkish red in the glass with hints of violet streaking through that were really only visible when I swirled the wine. On the nose I got blackberries and red fruit, but didn’t really pick up the chocolate that the tasting notes claimed would be there. In the mouth the fruit and berry continued on with a hint of what I can only call cola (no brand names here) and a bit of tartness on the finish that I actually enjoyed.
Paired with my simple dinner of rice and meatballs it was a pretty good compliment, though with the cola and berry flavors I would love to pair this with with a BBQ bacon cheeseburger – the mixture of sweet and tangy would be great from both the wine and the food.
Cupcake is doing a great job of putting out wines that maybe aren’t setting the world on fire, but are certainly good solid wines that can be relied on. If you’ve never tried any of their wines before I would recommend grabbing a bottle, and if you’ve tried their whites and enjoyed them, I can’t think of any reason why you wouldn’t want to give the 2009 Red Velvet a try. If you can’t find it near you, you can follow this link and have it shipped to you.
