Behind the Cork™ - Serial XXVI Red Blend

2021 Serial XXVI Red Blend ($35)

Serial Wines is a part of the John Anthony Wine & Spirits portfolio, including John Anthony Vineyards, Serial Wines, Weather, and JaM Cellars.

After decades of grape growing and winemaking in Napa Valley—first on his family’s estate and then under his own label, John Anthony was introduced to the wine growing community in Paso Robles by their current winemaker, Jeff Kandarian - a multi-award-winning winemaker.

This Serial XXVI Red Blend from Paso Robles is 90% Cabernet Sauvignon, 3.5% Petite Sirah, 3.5% Tempranillo, 1.5% Syrah and 1.5% Grenache. It was aged in 25% new French oak and 24% new American oak.

Serial XXVI is a medium ruby red in color with nice red and black fruit aromas. On the palate, this medium-full-bodied wine has red and black fruit flavors with medium tannin and medium-high acidity. It’s got jammy fruit flavors with a touch of sweetness on the finish.

This Serial XXVI Red Blend is very easy-drinking with lots of fruit-forward flavors. It’s a nice fit as this week’s Behind the Cork™ Wine of the Week. Cheers!

Behind the Cork™ - Union Sacre Wines Gewurztramminer

Union Sacré Wines Gewürztramminer ($19.99)

For winemaker Xavier Arnaudin, winemaking has always been about people. He was born and raised in France and started his career not in the cellar, but in the kitchen, studying to be a chef. In 1999 he left the Rhône Valley and headed to California where he met Phillip Muzzy. They dreamed of making wine and in 2014 produced their first vintage as Union Sacré Wines co-owners.

This 2021 Union Sacré Gewürztraminer is an "orange" wine from California's Arroyo Seco appellation. It’s called an “orange” wine because the grape skins spend an extended time in contact with the juice, producing its deep golden color. In this case, the 100% Gewürztraminer grape skins were fermented with 40 days of skin contact.

This wine is a golden color with green highlights. On the nose, it has aroma of grapefruit, orange zest, honeysuckle, with hints of spice. On the palate it has soft flavors of lychee, tangerine and tropical fruit along with a hint of spice on the soft, smooth finish. The acidity is well balanced. [ABV: 12.1%]

If you have any hesitations about Gewürztraminer, this is a really nice one that won’t overwhelm you with sweetness or acidity; it’s soft and smooth. And, at this price, is a great fit as this week’s Behind the Cork™ Wine of the Week. Cheers!

Behind the Cork™ - Laurent Dublanc Cotes du Rhone

2024 Laurent Dublanc Côtes du Rhône ($7.99)

The Côtes du Rhône region is the largest AOC, accounting for two-thirds of Rhône's production.

Côtes du Rhône is a region-wide appellation for red, rosé and white wines covering the entire Rhône Valley. It includes more than 170 villages.

A small proportion of the appellation's wines are white, but the best known Cotes du Rhône wines are red blends based on Grenache, Syrah and Mourvedre (GSM blends) which produce bold and spicy flavors. 

This Laurent Dublanc Côtes du Rhône is a GSM blend that is deep purple in color with aromas of red fruit, plum with hints of herbs and just a bit of earthiness. On the palate, this wine is medium-bodied with moderate tannin, medium acidity with nice flavors of cherry, raspberry and stewed strawberries. It finishes soft with a bit of spiciness.

Laurent Dublanc Côtes du Rhône is a nice and easy-drinking wine at a great price. That makes it a great fit as this week’s Behind the Cork™ Wine of the Week. Cheers!

Behind the Cork™ - Adelaida Anna's Estate Vineyard Syrah

2016 Adelaida ‘Anna’s Estate Vineyard’ Syrah ($36)

Nestled into the rolling foothills of the Santa Lucia Mountains near Paso Robles, California, there is an idyllic contemporary winery owned by the Hoffman family and operated by Dr. Stanley Hoffman and his two sons, David and Michael. The vineyards which are 1400-1800 feet above sea level, all produce estate-bottled premium wines. 

 The story of this uniquely successful operation goes back to 1964 when Dr. Hoffman planted his first French varietals Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, and Cabernet Sauvignon because he had found the climate, terrain, and chalky lime-rich soil of his Central Coast ranch to be comparable to the viticulture regions of France. 

This Adelaida Syrah is 100% Syrah that was fermented in concrete and stainless steel tanks and aged in French oak (32% new) for 18 months.

It is a deep purple in color with delicate aromas of blackberries and tobacco. On the palate, this full-bodied wine has rich dark fruit flavors of blackberry, plum with some spice and pepper. The oak aging leads to nice vanilla flavors. It has a long finish that is smooth and balanced.

This Adelaida ‘Anna’s Estate Vineyard’ Syrah is a terrific wine that is affordable and obtainable. That makes it a perfect fit as this week’s Behind the Cork™ Wine of the Week. Cheers!

Behind the Cork™ - Marques De Cacres Crianza

2021 Marqués De Cáceres Crianza ($13.99)

Enrique Forner founded the Bodegas Marqués de Cáceres winery in Spain in 1970. Don Vicente Noguera, the 7th Marquis of Cáceres (granted by the King of Spain) and a Grandee of Spain (a high-ranking nobleman of the highest rank in Spain), was a childhood friend of Forner and business partner who gave the winery his name. They had a special relationship that was forged when they were children and lasted until their final days.

Today, Juan Noguera, Vicente’s son, preserves the title of Marquis of Cáceres and has retained a direct personal relationship with the Forner family.

This Marqués de Cáceres Rioja Crianza is made from Tempranillo with some small amounts of Garnacha, Tinta and Graciano. The grapes were fermented in stainless steel. Maceration with the skins lasts up to 20 days in order to extract color, aromas and structure. Malolactic conversion occurred in new oak barrels and stainless steel tanks. The wine was then aged for 12 months in French oak (60%) and American oak (40%). The barrels consisted of 25% new oak, 25% oak used for two vintages and the other 50% in oak barrels that were used for a maximum of 3-4 vintages.

This Marqués de Cáceres Crianza is medium ruby in color with aromas of cherry and fig with hints of tobacco. On the palate, this medium-full bodied wine has nice flavors of cherry and red plum with medium tannin and acidity. It finishes lean and smooth with a hint of oak.

This is a really nice wine that’s easy to sip by itself but also pairs well with dishes with tomato-based sauces, stews, steak, grilled vegetables, barbecued chicken, smoked dishes, peppers. It’s a great value too! This makes the Marqués de Cáceres Crianza a great fit as this week’s Behind the Cork™ Wine of the Week. Cheers!

Disclosure of Wine Sample Submission: I received this sample at no cost for review.

Media Sample Provided by Marqués de Cáceres, Imported by Vineyards Brands