The Three Thieves, a.k.a. Charles Bieler, Joel Gott, and Roger Scommenga (a.k.a. Scommes), the guys who brought us those clever 1-Liter jugs, made a 50/50 deal with Trinchero Family Estates about two years ago forming the Rebel Wine Company. The goal of these odd bedfellows was to "liberate premium eclectic wine". Trinchero, parent of Sutter Home, needed some rebellious outsider thinking and the Thieves gained access to Trinchero's reach and bank. The venture came honky tonkin' to Nashville's Hatch Show Print for inspiration and "The Show" was born.
This California Cabernet is good, really. In fact, it could be the favorite house pour down at Tootsie's Orchid Lounge or any down home joint, like my house. But the genius of the offering is the genuineness communicated by the use of Hatch Show Print's archival letterpress graphics.
Hatch Show Print, founded in 1879 by brothers Charles and William Hatch, is now part of The Country Music Hall of Fame. Hatch has filled venues for many decades with their straightforward posters, each turned out by hand on crank presses, each inked with an artistic touch, each unique and expressive. In its first heyday, Hatch promoted circuses and traveling shows, country products like sausage and bread, jazz greats Duke Ellington and Louis Armstrong, the one-and-only B. B. King, and the stars of the Grand Ole Opry. Today, Hatch is busier than ever thanks to energetic fearless leader Jim Sherraden who breathed new life into the enterprise starting in the 1980's.
Countless companies and individuals now line up for a piece of the genuine character that’s cranked out down on lower Broadway. From Willie Nelson's upcoming new album cover
Pictured above: Jim Sherraden and Brad Vetter
The Three Thieves tapped Hatch's young letterpress print artist Brad Vetter to design the three labels for The Show Cabernet Sauvignon 2005. Vetter has been with Hatch about 2 years and previously designed a Three Thieves Jug poster, so he was enlisted once again. The Thieves' Charles Bieler had an idea of what he wanted and designer Vetter provided four outstanding alternatives. Three went forward, including his and my favorite, the one with the green parallax stripes behind the bucking bronco. Vetter, already a master of the medium, drew all the graphics from the existing archives of woodblocks and type at Hatch.
Technically speaking, The Show 2005 Cab is 80% Cabernet, the vast majority from Monterey and Paso Robles with a smidgen from Napa, plus 8% Merlot from Monterey, 6% Cab Franc from Napa, 3% Petite Sirah from Dry Creek and 3% Petite Verdot from Napa. The 10,000 cases produced saw French and American oak prior to bottling.
Excellent value ($15). Closure: Real cork. Alcohol content: 13.9%.
Style: Lush, fruit forward, with some oak spice.
Tasting Notes: Appearance: Deep ruby with a purple tint, translucent. Aromas: Black cherry, blackcurrant, vanilla, sweet tobacco and hints of sage flowers. Spicy, moderately tart and medium-bodied, the mouth filling dried red to black fruit and spicy oak flavors lead to a bucking good finish.
Comment: The only watch out is the classy heavyweight bottle. You might think there is still some wine left in it and find yourself empty handed.
Be sure and stop in at Hatch Show Print on your next trip to Nashville, or pop the cork on a bottle of The Show and drop in to the Hatch website for a one-of-a-kind show poster or a monoprint signed by Jim Sherraden himself.
The Show even has a "MySpace" page.
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I had this wine at a resturant in St. Charles, IL at Zaza's. Where can I find it here in my area?
Posted by: Donna Lindstrom | March 05, 2009 at 09:04 PM
I read a review in our local newspaper, got a bottle about a month later. (I remembered since I love cowboys and horses!)Wow! What a great wine. It is now my favorite cab and I will be bringing it to parties and I will be recomemding it often. Now which label do I like the best? I think the green one!
Posted by: Rosemarie Cola | March 31, 2009 at 04:25 PM
Picked up a 2007 bottle in Ellioctville, N.Y. Enjoyed it with friends, the only problem is we live in Niagara Falls, Ontario, Canada. Any wine stores in either Niagara Falls or Buffalo, N. Y. carry it??? Recently,looked for it around Painsville, Ohio and could not find it. Our Liquor Control Board of Ontario does not carry it, you might want to contact them. I'm sure it will sell!!
Thanks,
Roma
Posted by: Roma Boiko | April 14, 2009 at 02:22 PM
Great wine, i purchased some in AZ, but now i'm in Gilroy Ca, does anybody know where i can find some here.
Posted by: D | October 02, 2009 at 09:53 PM
This wine is readily available in BC Canada. $18.99/bottle. Contact bcliquorstores.com and see if they will ship! We love it too!!
Posted by: Karen | October 30, 2009 at 08:39 AM
who is the distributor in New York ?
Posted by: kirit kothari | November 06, 2009 at 12:24 PM