Ooo la la, what a bottle you have there. Made up of Merlot, Zinfandel, and Syrah, Sexy Wine Bomb Blends Have More Fun hails from California, and promises to not be in the slightest bit creepy. This isn’t typically a wine characteristic, but being blended may hide some of it’s imperfections. Can Sexy Wine Bomb Blends Have More Fun be a Sex Bomb Bombshell it was meant to be, or is just a tart?
Derby season is upon us, and this wine features horses (at least on the bottle). It’s dry (like not sweet) which is how the horses like the track, but can it quench the thirst of the stands? Let’s give the French a go in the American horse racing scene with Depréville Brut! And Dupreville is off
It seems like Coastline has become one of the more ubiquitous brands across the country. The orange bottle with the picturesque California coastline is in grocery stores and wine shops across the country. To top it off, it’s from Paso Robles, an ‘in’ region, blowing away expectations on vintage charts for the past few years. So does 2011 Coastline Zinfandel beat expectations, or is it a year to give it up? Coasting down the road
Big changes will be coming to First Pour Wine, in the mean time, we have a short survey we’d love your input on!
Cheers!
Nick
Zinfandel is one of the most difficult wines to predict. It can produce anything from the notorious white zinfandel to a deep, dark, jammy red. It can also be made into a Port. As a result, you don’t always know what you’re getting into. Which way does 2010 Zinsanity Zinfandel go? Light bright
Like all wine, cabernet sauvignon is influenced by the place where it grows to a great extent. For instance, a new world cabernet sauvignon from Australia may not taste the same as one from Chile. To an extent, this is due significantly to the climate of the region, and to a smaller extent the vintage. 2008 was a great year for Walla Walla in Washington, but wasn’t the best year for Argentina. Can 2008 Kaiken Cabernet Sauvignon buck the trend, or is it too much weather to weather. Cool Climate Cab
Young cabernet is always something of a gamble. At its best, it can be a delightfully rich red wine that is mature beyond its years, but at the worst, a tacky red that shows little refinement. The second of the Darkhorse contenders, 2011 Darkhorse Cabernet Sauvignon is looking to race across the finish line to your table. Has it sprung forth out of the gate, or is it a stumble? Not an odds on favorite
Stuck at the store right now and can’t decide? Here’s a quick overview of the sparkling we’ve tried:
| Wine | What It’s Like | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Top Tier | ||
| Korbel Extra Dry | Pear, Melon, Bright, Hint Sweet | $9.95 |
| Charles de Fère Reserve Brut Blanc de Blancs | Tart, Round, Baked Apple, Dried Apricot | $9.95 |
| Conde de Caralt Brut Cava | Lemon, Bubbly, Peach, Hint Sweet, Minerality | $8.99 |
| Mid Tier | ||
| Casa Sant’Orsola Asti | Sweet, Very Bubbly, Honey, Nectarine, Apple Peel | $9.99 |
| Freixenet Brut Cava | Dry, Smooth, Apple, Yeast | $7.45 |
| Barefoot Bubbly Brut Cuvée | Crisp, Clean, Lemon, Apple | $9.99 |
| Rondel Brut Cava | Crisp, Clean, Very Fizzy, Pear, Toast | $7.99 |
| You Can Do Better Tier | ||
| il Corigiano Extra Dry Prosecco | Apple, Stonefruit, Aggressively Bubbles | $7.99 |
| Segura Viudas Brut Reserva | Rough, Aggressively Bubbly, Sharp, Tart | $6.45 |
If you’re looking for a few more choices, we also have last year’s reviews up, but at a year out, the bottles may have changed a bit.
Need a quick refresher on Brut, Extra Dry, or Sweet? The sparkling sweetness guide has you covered.
Plus, a quick remind on how to open a bottle below the fold.
Show me how to pop that cork
Last chance before new years to pick up a sparkling bottle, and just like Forrest’s mama said, you never know what you’re going to get. Depending on the festivities throughout the night, it might be possible the guests might also not fully appreciate a $50 bottle of Champagne. So how about something cheap? Coming in at under $8 is Segura Viudas Brut Reserva, might put the pop in your celebration. Its the end of the year
Korbel is one of the oldest wineries in California, even surviving prohibition. Thanks to it’s distribution through Brown-Forman, it’s also one of the more prevalent brands that’s available around the country for around a ten spot. Being widely available doesn’t necessarily mean you should show up at a party with it though. Can Korbel Extra Dry make a good impression, or is it time to find another bottle. Pear and Melon
