Behind the Cork™ - Derange Red Blend by The Prisoner Wine Company

2015 Derange ($100)

I was familiar with The Prisoner Wine Company and the amazing works of Dave Phinney but had not heard of the Derange Red Blend. And, maybe that was a good thing. Because when I opened this bottle I had no idea what I was getting into. And, wow, was I in for something very special!

But then I realized that Dave Phinney is no longer involved with the Prisoner that made him famous. The Prisoner is now the property of beverage giant Constellation Brands. Nonetheless, this is an amazing wine.

This Derange Red Blend is composed of Cabernet Sauvignon, Petite Sirah, Merlot, Syrah and Zinfandel (proportions are not listed in their on-line tasting notes).

The fruit was pumped over twice per day to extract maximum color with balanced tannins. After 15–25 days on skins, the grapes were pressed off, keeping any hard press separate. The new wines were barreled down into French oak (50% new) where they went through 100% Malolactic conversion and then were aged for 18 months.

This red blend is chock full of black cherry, clove spice, blackberry cobbler, and vanilla toast. The mouthfeel is full-bodied but the ultra-soft tannins and balanced acidity are simply an amazingly delicious combination!

This truly a great one! Cheers!

Just a Few More Tidbits on Wine Bottles

Last time we explored the various shapes of wine bottles and learned that they are based on traditions that continue to today. Here are few more tidbits about wine bottles:

• The color of wine bottles originally had their origins in helping to protect the wine. Dark bottles protected the wines from premature spoilage. So, wines that age longer, like reds, will almost always be in dark green bottles.

• Today, the color of a wine bottle is still used to protect wines but they are also based on tradition

  • Bordeaux bottles are most often green for red wines (e.g., Cabernet Sauvignon, Bordeaux Red Blends, Zinfandel, and Merlot) or clear for white wines (e.g., Sauvignon Blanc and Chenin Blanc)

  • Burgundy bottles are usually green (e.g., Pinot Noir and Chardonnay)

  • Alsace bottles come in clear, green or amber (e.g., Riesling)

• The wine bottle colors shown in the photo are (left to right) clear, antique green, dead leaf green, dark amber, amber and Champagne green

• Looking closely at wine bottles, you’ll notice that some are flat on the bottom while others will have a deep indentation known as a "punt.” These indentations were originally put there by early glassblowers to ensure a bottle could stand on its own. Without a punt, the rounded bottle needed some other means of staying upright. Which leads us to Chianti…

• Chianti bottles were originally wrapped in straw for two purposes: hand-blown glass bottles had round bottoms and could only stand up-right with the aid of the straw basket, and the baskets served as added protection during shipping

• The foil cover that goes over the top of a wine bottle, covering the cork, is called a capsule. While the capsule was originally used to protect the cork, today it is largely decorative. The color of the capsule has no meaning and is usually chosen to best match the bottle and label

  Cheers!

Behind the Cork™ - Fournier Reserva

2014 Fournier Reserva ($50)

This Dominio Fournier Reserva is from Ribera del Duero in Spain. It is produced from 100% Tinta del País grapes which are more commonly known as Tempranillo.

The grapes come from the terraced sides of the Duero River which winds through more than two kilometers along the edge of their property.

Their Tempranillo vines average being more than 25 years old with some plots being more than 60 years old.

The “Reserva” designation means that a wine must be aged at least 12 months in oak and spend two years in the bottle before being sold. This Fournier Reserva was aged for 18 months in 100% French oak barrels.

This Fournier Reserva is a big full-bodied wine with strength of flavors rivaling a Cabernet Sauvignon. On the nose it was powerful with aromas of black fruit and spices. On the palate it’s big and tannic. The back- label recommendation is to “Decant and serve at 17 deg C” (63 deg F). I let mine decant for two hours which did help knock down this really big Tempranillo. It paired well with steak.

This Fournier Reserva does not have the delicate red cherry flavors often associated with Tempranillo, it is a big full-bodied wine that works with “roasted meats and casseroles, and strong matured cheese” as suggested in their notes. Cheers!

---

Disclosure of Wine Sample Submission: I received this sample at no cost for review. The opinions expressed are entirely my own.

Sample Provided by Rebekah Polster, Donna White Communications

Ever Wonder? What Does the Shape of a Wine Bottle Mean?

Wine bottles come in many different shapes, sizes and colors. Ever wonder what the significance is of the shape of a wine bottle?

The simple answer is that wine bottle shapes are largely based on tradition. And, many of the traditions are based on early glass-blowing techniques.

The Burgundy bottle (far left and far right) is most often used for Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. This makes a lot of sense - Red Burgundy is traditionally Pinot Noir and white Burgundy is Chardonnay. These bottles have a long neck and sloping shoulders.

The Bordeaux bottle (Second from the left) is the most common bottle type. A Bordeaux bottle has straight sides and high shoulders. The most popular type of wine in Bordeaux are Cabernet Sauvignon/ Merlot blends. With white wines, this shape is most often associated with Sauvignon Blanc. But, being the most traditional shape, you’ll find lots of wines sold in this shape of bottle.

The Rhône bottle (middle) looks a lot like the Burgundy bottle but is just a little thinner and taller. The neck is slightly longer with more sloping shoulders. Rhône bottles are often embossed with a coat of arms below the neck. This style is also used for Grenache, Mourvèdre, and Syrah.

The Alsace bottle (fourth from the left) is taller and thinner than other types. The main grape contained in Alsace bottles is Riesling.

So, there you go. With these four bottle shapes you should now be able to identify the style of wine before you even read the label!

Next time we’ll take a quick look at some other unique things about wine bottles. Until then, “Cheers!”

Behind the Cork™ - Fournier Crianza

2016 Fournier Crianza ($30)

This Fournier Crianza is from Ribera del Duero in Spain. It is produced from 100% Tinta del País grapes which are more commonly known as Tempranillo.

The grapes come from the terraced sides of the Duero River which winds through more than two kilometers along the edge of their property.

Their Tempranillo vines average being more than 25 years old with some plots being more than 60 years old.

The “Crianza” designation means that a wine must be aged at least for one year in oak and spend one year in the bottle before being sold. This Fournier Crianza was aged in 80% French oak and 20% American oak barrels.

The Fournier Crianza is medium ruby in color. It has black cherry, black fruits and spice on the nose. On the palate it is full-bodied with firm tannin. After decanting for a couple of hours the tannins softened a bit revealing its more delicate flavors and a hint of tartness on the finish.

---

Disclosure of Wine Sample Submission: I received this sample at no cost for review. The opinions expressed are entirely my own.

Sample Provided by Rebekah Polster, Donna White Communications