Color – Purple with a reddish rim
Nose – Dark brown sugar, plum, fresh pipe tobacco, gingerbread
Taste – While wandering the aisles of a Trader Joe’s that was not very close to my house I found the 2008 vintage of this wine and had to try it. Previously I’ve reviewed the 2007 and 2009 but the two closest Trader Joe’s to my house didn’t have the 2008. I’d read reviews of this vintage all of them calling this the vintage to get if you like this particular blend. On the one hand I was dubious that this would be that much better than the 2007. But on the other hand I just knew it had to be better than the 2009. I popped, poured, swirled, sniffed and sipped…and found out that if this isn’t my favorite vintage of this particular wine, it is the most balanced vintage. Let this get some air (20-30 minutes worked for me) and then take a nice swirl, sniff, sip and let the magic begin. The attack is much like the nose; dark fruit (mainly plum and cherry), brown sugar/molasses and baking spices. None of those flavors truly stand out; they merely blend together nicely and then fade into a beautifully mild-mannered mid-palate. The mid-palate really only features two things, but they work together in perfect harmony; firm tannins and tingly, biting alcohol. The alcohol lasts a little longer, staying as the mid-palate segues into the medium length finish. The tingle from the alcohol evades a long finish and mixes nicely with more fruit (plums again), berries (blackberry and maybe boysenberry) and then a mélange of tobacco, bittersweet chocolate, black pepper, dust and smoke. This is a full bodied wine, with a balanced attack, playful mid-palate and deep, dark finish. The aftertaste is one of burnt brown sugar, smoke and leather, which sounds quite harsh but in reality is extremely pleasing.
Overall, I still prefer the 2007 Trentatre Rosso over this slightly younger version. I admit this is the most balanced in flavor and texture, but it’s also a little more subdued (especially during the attack/mid-palate). The finish here is sumptuous and I would drink this wine if only to get to the finish, but the 2007 is the pick for me. This is still a good-to-great QPR (I challenge someone to recommend a 6 dollar bottle that is as complex or fulfilling as either the ‘07/’08 Trentatre Rosso. I don’t think it can be done); and would recommend this bottle over just about any other Cabernet Sauvignon, Carmenere, Malbec, Merlot, Shiraz or red blend out there at a comparable price point. Get this one if you can find it, preferably by the case.
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