I review this wine first only because it is a local wine, and I have been a fan of the vineyard's owner (Maynard James Keenan) since I was a teenager. I picked this wine up from Total Wine for 16.99, which is cheap compared to other wines from Mr. Keenan. I hadn't read any reviews of Caduceus wines though I had watched "Blood Into Wine". With all that being said, on to the review.
Color - Dark red bordering on violet
Nose - Black Cherry, Pepper (very light in the nose)
Taste - This wine was very dry to my taste on the attack, with just a hint of black cherry and plum. The tannins were very present (I like strong tannins and this wine has a lot of them). Large alcohol bite on the finish and in the throat, though I didn't find this off-putting. The wine is spicy with hints of tobacco flavor as the attack lessens. When paired with red pasta the fruit shines through and the bite and acidity lessen somewhat. Very enjoyable with food, a little overwhelming by itself. Pepper and spice also pull through quite a bit with red pasta. On the third tasting I tried it with a nice Jarlsburg Swiss and a gouda. The wine evinced lovely vanilla flavors with hints of coconut just as the wine left my tongue, very pleasant.
Overall - Though this wine is great when paired, especially with cheese, it's far too expensive to be a regular drinker when other much cheaper wines taste so much better. I'd say buy it now and leave it sit, then drink it on special occasions (I plan to). It's really good, though not by itself, pair it well and you'll love it. It tastes better warmer in my opinion 65 degrees or above and when decanted for at least 12 hours.
Caduceus
No comments:
Post a Comment