Sunday, August 3, 2008

Spellbound 2004 Petite Sirah, Lodi

I had this wine New Year's eve this past winter at a hotel restaurant in Pittsburgh, a night before a cross-country flight. It was delicious and was probably the most enjoyable part of the evening (think infant grabbing at sharp knives, thhttp://www.blogger.com/img/gl.link.gife table cloth, everything within reach and complaining loudly when she couldn't have them. Rhonda and I had to eat one at a time, turned away from Teagan so she couldn't see what was in our hands and mouths, otherwise she'd reach for it and scream when she didn't get it).

Anyway, back in California, I haven't seen it anywhere, which is weird since it's a California producer. Then this summer on a trip to the east coast to visit family, we stopped at the Big Red Liqour barn on the New Hampshire state line, and lo and behold, there's the Spellbound. Bought it for around $13, I think.

Just opened it up this week, and after decanting a bit, I got a lot of vanilla, or vanilla bean, on the nose. Really strong scent. There was also some hints of tobacco and oak. In the mouth, an immediate explosion of blackberries, followed by spice, and a finish of strawberries. The tannins are nice, they coat your mouth completely but don't overwhelm.

I wanted to find out more about the wine and winery, but the website doesn't have much info.

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