Root:1 - Carmenere

Price: $10.99
Region: Chile
Year: 2009

Ok, so the new improved design of my blog lasted a week. Maybe I'll just change it up more often, but I'll go with this one for now. Tonight is a live review. My wife had opened a bottle of wine for dinner tonight, so I just figured I'd sit down and write about it. This is an interesting one for sure in that it isn't your run of the mill grape. This wine is primarily Carmenere and its from Chile. I actually think this grape was blended with the Cabernet Franc I had last week, but I'd have to go look at the bottle to be 100% sure. Anyway, I really wasn't sure what to expect, so here goes.

This wine had a dark red color to it that faded a bit as it got out to the edges. It was definitely a little clearer as it worked its way out. As I sit here and give the wine a swirl and a long sniff, I sense a bit of an earthy wine with a little bit of flowers mixed in. If I had to compare it to a mainstream grape, I would say it tends to have the aroma more like a Merlot. I really have no idea if this grape leans more towards that or something a bit more bold, but that is what first comes to mind. As I take a sip, I still get the earthy impression, with just a touch of tartness. What pops into my mind is that it is a bit thin, and lacks that smooth flavor and chewy tannins, but it is pleasant just the same. It is a good change of pace, but not something I would go back to very often.

Rating: 3.0 corks (Not a standout!)

Oveja Negra - Cabernet Fanc

Price: $9.99
Region: Chile
Year: 2008

I know it has been way too long since I wrote my last review. My backlog is piling up for sure. To be honest though, I had been getting a little bored of the site, and needed a little break. So, what I decided to do today was change things up a bit with a little design face lift. Hopefully you like the new format, but if not, feel free to comment and let me know. A FB like every now and again would hurt either :) So, as I said, I have plenty of wines to get to. It appears every other one in my book however is a Malbec, so I think I need to get out of that rut. Therefore, this week I am going to write about a Cabernet Franc I had recently. I'm not expert on the grape, but it seems to me to be primarily a grape used to blend along with other big reds (Meritage). Every once in a while though, I'll find a wine that is primarily Cabernet Franc. And when I do, I have rarely been disappointed.

My wife actually came home with a few wines a couple of weeks ago, and this Cabernet Franc just happened to be in the group. I was quite surprised, but definitely looking forward to giving it a try. I really loved the look of this wine as I poured it into my glass. It was a very consistent dark purple color. It was a couple of minutes before I gave the wine a smell as I was really enjoying the sight of this wine. A little surprisingly, it was not as bold a smell as the color would have made me think. It had a good mix of dark fruit smells, but just a bit faint. As I took a sip, the taste hit me upfront, and really didn't fade away until the back of the tongue. It was very consistent, with great balance and a yummy taste. It was definitely a smooth wine, and the winning streak continues with this grape. I really don't think I have had a a bad Cabernet Franc yet. Just makes you wonder why there aren't more on store shelves.

Rating: 3.5 corks (Yummy!)