World Wine Weblog

Cline 2003 Ancient Vines Carignane

Wow -- this is a big, chewy wine!  I picked up a bottle of the 2003 Cline Ancient Vines Carignane at Top Foods ($15) last week.  Amy and I had sampled some of this when we visited Cline back in 2000 (I think they were pouring the 1998 vintage).  I remember liking it, but not this much -- we bought 3 cases from the vineyard, but none of their Carignane.   I'll be getting more of the 2003.

Carignane holds the distinction of being one of the most widely planted red grape in France. It is also grown abundantly in Italy, Spain, Algeria and Israel and was once the most planted varietal in the new world. It has traditionally been used as a blending grape with good tonnage yields, excellent acid and big tannins. Cline Cellars is one of a few wineries to produce the wine as a varietal. Dark ruby in color, our Ancient Vines Carignane has a firm structure and shows aromas of cedar, clove and nutmeg and flavors of plum and dark berries. It’s a perfect match for grilled meats, pasta dishes, even pizza with goat cheese.

In a rare elaboration on the winemaker's comments, I'll note that what I taste in the wine most reminds me of the dried Wild Blueberries we get from Trader Joe's.

Rosenblum 2003 Contra Costa County Red Wine, Oakley Vineyards

When I picked up the Red Flyer at Trader Joe's on Friday, the description of the wine posted on the blackboard did not say much about the wine flavor.  Since most of its varietal components (Syrah, Mourvedre, Grenache, Carignane, ... er, and "Clone X") can span a spectrum from light to full, I asked Chris about whether it had much body to it.  He confirmed that it did (and I verified that Friday night), and suggested that if I really like red blends with full body, I should try the Rosenblum table wine.

Last night, I verified that his assessment of the 2003 Contra Costa County Red Wine, Oakley Vineyards, was also on the money.  This blend of Zinfandel (69%), Petite Sirah (16%) and Carignane (15%) had a similar profile as the Red Flyer, only more of everything: inky-dark color, significant viscosity, spice, big body and a long finish.  Unfortunately, it also costs more ($17) than Red Flyer -- and most of my other TJ wine purchases -- so I wouldn't put in the "everyday wine" category, but I'll be getting some more of this for my "occasional wine" category.

I couldn't find any reference to this wine on the Rosenblum web site, so here's what it says on the bottle:

The wine shows robust color with a bouquet reminiscent of rich plums, ripe cherries and chocolate.  The flavors are dark blackberry, cherry and cassis with hints of chocolate and spice.

Oh, and on a separate, but TJ-related note: Chris told me that what I call the "lunar wines" at Trader Joe's -- Thunder Moon Petite Sirah, Purple Moon Shiraz, Full Moon Viognier, and Old Moon Zinfandel -- are all made by Delicato Vineyards.

2003 Red Flyer: Wine-label-centered Sociality

Another great value from Trader Joe's ($6 per bottle), Red Flyer is an inky-dark wine, with medium to full body, and a lot of spice.  The bottle label is pretty catchy, and the overall marketing quotient is pretty high throughout (with a sci-fi / Star Wars theme and a subtle, perhaps unintended, reference to a wagon many of us may remember from childhood).  I'm especially drawn to the intention expressed on the label that the bottle itself is intended as a conversation piece, a variation on the theme of object-centered sociality I blogged about on my main blog yesterday.  Unlike many other wines with a significant marketing emphasis (Marilyn Merlot comes to mind), this one is a pretty good value.  I plan to pick up some more to see if it has the intended [conversational] effect when served to a larger group.

Name: Red Flyer Wine
Home Planet Coordinates: California, U.S., Earth
Fruit Harvested from Original Life Source: Fall, 2003
Top Secret Vinifera Composition: Syrah, Mourvedre, Grenache, Carignane
Laboratory Data: Acid, pH, Alcohol
Prepared for Colonization in Small Wooden Containment Devices for 11 Months
12-Bottle Units Created for Human Consumption: 15,000
Monetary Output: $8.99
Invasion Begins: March 15, 2005

Red Flyer represents an emerging new genre of wines that I am referring to as "entertainment wines." These wines offer exceptional value and serve as the centerpiece of any dining experience. The fanciful themed label was designed to replicate old sci-fi movie posters, specifically "War of the Worlds" and is meant to spark conversation, bring a smile to the face and laughter to the heart.

This secret blend of Syrah, Mouvedre, Grenache, Carignan, and Clone X is blended in the tradition of the French Rhone wines. Clone X, the secret ingredient, was smuggled from outer space in the hyperbolic chamber of one of the forward thinking grays.

[Update, 15-May-2005: This wine is produced by Hahn Estates.]

[Update, 25-June-2005: The secret ingredient is Durif, aka Petite Sirah.]