On Tonight's Menu...Two Red Blends

So tonight I thought I would stray from the strict review of a single wine and review two red blends. I don't specifically seek out red blends, though I will pick them up now and again if they jump out at me. These two piqued my interest when I was shopping, both from their descriptions and their prices. Let's see how they faired.

NV Oreana ? 55% Cabernet Sauvignon/45% Syrah, California

Color - Dark red

Nose - Cherry, blackberry, spices

Taste - Be warned, straight off this has BIG BOLD FRUIT flavors. This thing is the closest to a fruit bomb of a red wine that I have ever tasted. The Cabernet Sauvignon seems nearly invisible, while what I can only imagine is the Syrah bombards my palate. Sure there are underlying tones of Cab goodness like vanilla, cocoa, blackberry and black pepper but you really have to search for them on every sip. I would love this wine if the cherry/blueberry/cranberry/gooseberry/(insert any other berry here) flavor didn't flood my mouth with every sip. The mid-palate holds all of the Cabernet Sauvignon flavors but they last for only a few seconds before they fade into a 20 second tannic and alcohol filled finish. The wine is medium bodied with a completely unremarkable mouthfeel. I don't doubt that the Cab in this wine would be a magnificent wine by itself but for this doesn't work at all. Overall, this is way too fruity for my tastes. This wine might be what some people are looking for, I'm not one of those people. It doesn't have the depth or complexity I'm used to. It's still a decent wine despite it's faults, even I can see that it's not a bad wine. I just can't see buying it again, but you'll have to choose for yourself.

Oreana Winery

2009 Thistle Dew Cabernet Sauvignon 65%/Petit Verdot 35%, Australia

Color - Purple with a dark red rim

Nose - Cherry, raspberry

Taste - There's some nice jammy, cherry fruit that jumps right out at me on the first sip. Though I will say this tastes way better a day or two after opening. The cherry hints fade into a nice mid-palate of tannins with a slight hint of heat. This wine is absolutely nothing spectacular; it's right in the middle of the pack of average, sub-ten dollar wines. It has a rather unimpressive nose, medium body, and medium finish. The aftertaste has tinges of clean fruit skins. I'm not even close to being familiar with Petit Verdot, this is only the second wine I've had that featured the grape. I would hazard a guess and say that this wine would probably be overwhelming and too young to drink if it didn't have a healthy dose of Petit Verdot. As a blend it's pretty decent. Reminds me of the Notro only this is more balanced and not as fruity. Overall, this is an OK wine. It's not too hot which is nice in a blend. I'd say it makes a nice sipping wine, food tends to run over it though it might hold up to fish, poultry and salads. Try it if you want to sip something new and don't want anything too complex, as this is a rather simple red blend.