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Can the Circle Be Unbroken? Bogle Phantom 2005

In between the last sips of the last glass of this bottle of Bogle Phantom 2005, I pick up my blue guitar and strum a few measures of that old hymn and wonder what it means. What circle? The reason this tune is on my mind has to do with the seemingly imminent passing of an uncle. He's about to leave a gap in the circle here, and I suppose he will join the circle of those who left before. This is a favorite song of his and he is on my mind.

Whenever I play my guitar, there are phantoms in my head. One tends to play tunes written or performed by those who have already left the room. I first picked up a guitar as a point of entry into the head of one such person. You can learn a lot from those who pass before.

Bogle Phantom turns out to be a lush wine, offering up lots of fruit preserves flavors and aromas, wrapped in sweet spicy oak overtones. Plummy, cherry and currant fruit abounds. The spice is a bit along the lines of a Moroccan blend, and there's a touch of vanilla in there as well.

The blend is 55% Petite Sirah, 42% Zinfandel, with the balance being Mourvedre (Monastrell). The spicy notes are brought out through the time spent lying in American oak barrels. Bogle is known for giving a lot of wine for the money, and Phantom always sells out quickly. I guess that's why they call it Phantom - it's elusive - hard to get a hold of, so to speak.

Earlier in the evening, we paired Phantom with some barbecue beef, of the sweet tomato variety. Anything of that hearty stick-to-your-ribs sort of food will pair well. Now that the last sip is gone, I put down my guitar and let go of the day.

Price: $19 (Nashville). Closure: real cork. Alcohol content: 14.5%

Hardly Petite: Michael David Lodi Petite Petit 2006 and EOS Paso Robles Petite Sirah 2004

Petite Sirah was originally known as Durif, named after Dr. François Durif who first crossed French Syrah and Peloursin in 1880. Acreage of this misunderstood grape has been on a roller coaster ever since, but is on an upswing once again.

Michael David Lodi Petite Petit 2006 is the perfect wine for the election season. Circus elephants grace the label, and a couple of glasses will make you believe Sarah Palin has foreign policy experience.

Like elephants whose size is imposing, Petite Petit is large. But also like the elephant, the personality is sweet, and the only risk posed is that of being stepped on. Michael-David's signature "smokehouse" aromas waft past the very ample aromas of ripe plummy fruit. On the tongue, the fruit is sweet, and the texture is smooth.

Petite Petit gets its name from the fact that a minor (15%) portion of Petit Verdot is blended in. All the fruit is sourced from Lodi, and the aging is 14 months in French oak.

Price: $17 (Nashville). Closure: Real cork. Alcohol content:  14.5%.

You might think someone just opened a fancy box of chocolates when you sniff EOS Petite Sirah 2004. Overtones of chocolate, caramel and nuts combine with loganberry fruit to create a nose that's coming into its own right now.

On the tongue, the EOS is brawny, not petite by any means. Bold and not for the meek, the fruit is deep and remains quite tart for a 4-year-old. There are plenty of tannins in the finish to carry the plethora of fruit and spice flavors.

Price: $15 (Nashville). Closure: Real cork. Alcohol content: 13.5%.

These are both very nice value-priced Petite Sirah's worthy of staining your newly whitened teeth. If pressed, I would take the EOS overall (by a nose), and paired with anything chocolate. On the other hand, I would take the Petite Petit for being best on the tongue, and for pairing with Barbecue.

Petite Sirah is at its best when paired with winter savory dishes like stews or pot roasts, but don't hesitate to serve it like Zinfandel, with burgers, pizza, chocolate, barbecue, or even your favorite smokable, if you're so inclined. For more information about Petite Sirah, visit the advocacy group: P.S. I Love You.

For all you Vince Neil (Motley Crüe) fans out there, EOS is working with Vince and now has a Vince Neil Petite Sirah available over the internet only. It's really affordable, and here's the link to the EOS web site where you can find it as long as it's available: click here.

2 Nice Australian Red Blends: Heartland Stickleback 2006 and Marquis-Philips Sarah's Blend 2006

There may be several bottlings of Stickleback 2006 out there, or at least, I've seen different compositions quoted for this vintage. This bottle reads, "51% Cabernet Sauvignon, 39% Shiraz, 10% Grenache". Stickleback has a lot of personality, and may not appeal to everyone equally. It's rather on the dark and brooding side, with lots of black fruit on the nose and some of those medicinal anise and eucalyptus overtones. For my money, this is a near perfect "10" in its price range, not over the top on alcohol (14%), and luxurious in terms of fruit and texture.  The finish is pepper spicy, warm and chocolaty, and continues to resonate deep black fruit all the way.

Ben Glaetzer is chief wine maker for this very affordable Heartland label project. Ben is perhaps best known for the Glaetzer range, including Amon Ra, Bishop and Wallace, all very upmarket. Maybe I'll be able to afford to drink Ben's high-priced stuff down the road, and it's quite excellent. But for now, I can't get enough of his Stickleback. It's rock star red, on an indie budget.

Price: $12 (Nashville). Closure: Screw cap. Alcohol content: 14%.

Sarah's Blend 2006 is 60% Shiraz, 28% Cabernet Sauvignon, with minor portions of Merlot and Cab Franc. The 2007 is already released, but the 2006 remains available and is drinking very well. There's a lot going on in this bottle, built around aromas of red currants, smoke, and vanilla, with cedar and sweet spice overtones. Lots of oak spice and lush red fruit flavors are awash on a sturdy frame. The finish is well integrated and long lasting.

Marquis-Philips no longer has anything to do with Sparky or Sarah Marquis. Rather, this is now the project of R Wines' Chris Ringland and Lisa Weatherell, and Grateful Palate Imports' Dan Philips. The fruit is sourced from McLaren Vale, and aged in French oak, seasoned, for 12 months. Philips and Ringland have a good number of highly successful labels in the market, from the lovely raspberry-laden Bitch Barossa Grenache, to the sensually brilliant Roogle Riesling.

Price: $16 (Nashville). Closure: Screw cap. Alcohol content: 15%.

A to Z Wineworks Night & Day Oregon Red 2005

There is a Samuel Johnson quote on the back label that states, "The fact of twilight does not mean you cannot tell day from night." The choice of this obscure yet provocative and timely bite of wisdom from 300+ years ago would have to make you curious about what's in the bottle. It's a fair sight better than the reading on the back label of most bottles, or anything I could write. As they said in the 70's, "heavy, man". One would have to expect a deep wine experience to justify that line.

You won't be disappointed. There isn't a lot of buzz about wines from the Rogue Valley and surrounding area in southern Oregon. This part of the country is really out there. You can still get lost here, or perhaps you might "find yourself". A to Z Wineworks might have called this wine "Lost & Found", but "Night & Day" works fine. The points are, this is a well made Bordeaux-style blend and it's one that makes you think, maybe too much. This isn't a wine for mindless consumption.

A to Z Night & Day 2005 is 33% Merlot, 25% Cabernet Sauvignon and 20% Cabernet Franc, plus 6% Syrah, 6% Grenache, 6% Sangiovese, 2% Nebbiolo and 2% Tempranillo. The minor components stray from the Bordeaux theme, but tireless blending is a mark of the A to Z Wineworks. Often this skill is put to use assembling lots of Pinot Noir or Chardonnay, in search of synergy. Fortunately, they have not stopped with these better known Oregon grapes.

You might go on and on trying to describe this one, just as you might keep thinking about that Dr. Johnson quote on the back label. I'll say the aromas run the gamut of berries, from black to red, and there's tobacco and oregano in there with the fruit. The black is the base note, and the red is the melody. As you keep sniffing it, you pick up subtle wood spice, the atmosphere. On the tongue the intensity increases, there is pepper, and dusty cocoa tannins carry the mixed berry liqueur flavors through a rocky finish.

What did Dr. Johnson mean? I'm not sure, so how about another easier to get quote of his. "Wine makes a man more pleased with himself; I do not say that it makes him more pleasing to others."

Price: $15 (Nashville). Closure: Screw cap. Alcohol content: 13.9%.

The Schizophrenic Nature of Bordeaux Blend Minor Components: Hahn Estates Cabernet Franc 2006 and Deen De Bortoli Vat 4 Petit Verdot 2006

There are six varieties allowed in Bordeaux red blends. On the left bank, Cabernet Sauvignon is king; whereas Merlot rules on the right bank. Then there is Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot, Malbec and Carmenere. These are the "minor notes", that play an important role in rounding out each Chateau's proprietary claret. Of these four, Malbec stands on its own in Argentina, Carmenere does well on its own in Chile, but Cab Franc and Petit Verdot are much less frequently presented a lá carte.

Could it be that Cab Franc and Petit Verdot play the important role of improving the versatility of a claret that's based on Cabernet Sauvignon and/or Merlot? If so, at their best, these are "chameleon" varieties, able to fit in with whatever surroundings they find themselves in. They are the "funny" grapes, the schizophrenic grapes, and that's a good thing. Thankfully, new world wine enterprises are experimenting with stand-alone Cab Franc and Petit Verdot. Cab Franc is popular around Walla Walla, Washington, and Petit Verdot is gaining strength in Australia.

These two wines illustrate the positives of their schizophrenic nature, as well as pointing out the uniqueness they contribute to more noble blends.

Hahn Central Coast Cabernet Franc 2006

Cab Franc could be called the love grape, what requires lots of foreplay. It doesn't ripen until it's ready, and that typically means late November in the northern hemisphere. There is an advantage to taking your time, which is why I love Cab Franc.

When someone sticks their neck out and makes a Cab Franc, on its own, I want to taste it. Hahn Estates, who has a knack for turning out great value and authentic flavor, quietly released Cabernet Franc 2006. Figure most of their Cab Franc goes into their top notch affordable Meritage. Fortunately Hahn isn't afraid to throw caution to the wind and put out this Cab Franc.

You can expect tons of soft raspberry fruit packed into an atmosphere that's lightly perfumed and elegantly smoky.  Here is the embodiment of finesse, to be enjoyed at one's leisure. The fortuitous schizophrenia comes into play when pairing this Cab Franc with any mood or food. It goes great with everything. From cedar plank salmon to duck to steak, or just by itself, mix it up!

Price: $16 (Nashville). Closure: Real cork. Alcohol content: 14.3%.

Deen De Bortoli Vat 4 Petit Verdot 2006

Petit Verdot is said to play a role in "stiffening the mid-palate" of Cabernet Sauvignon based Bordeaux blends. It is used to deepen the color and add more tannic backbone. And, it is said to be the grape that contributes that "pencil shavings", or what I call "oregano" character. Some consider it a bit difficult to tame on its own, like Tannat.

In Australia, Petit Verdot has been coming into its own. In fact, Deen De Bortoli Vat 4 Petit Verdot seems to sell better than its siblings in the range, that includes better known Sauvignon Blanc, Shiraz, Merlot, Cabernet and Pinot Noir. De Bortoli has consistently scored well with this Petit Verdot, pleasing the palates of all the world's gurus, from Food & Wine, to the Wine Advocate, to the Wine Spectator.

Expect lots of red ripe fruit, almost candy-like, to evolve out of your wine glass past your nose. I wouldn't disagree there is some essence of oregano here, although it's certainly not overwhelming. There isn't a lot of oak influence showing through, a fact that may just mean the integration job was masterfully executed. Sprinkle in a hint of tobacco, and that's it. The tannins are juicy but not harsh. Here again is a schizophrenic wine that can play well in a range of situations.

Price: $14 (Nashville). Closure: Screw cap. Alcohol content: 14.5%.

No wonder these varieties find their way into fine Bordeaux blends and California "Meritage" blends. It's perhaps not that they impart some special, polarizing essence that must be kept in small amounts to be palatable. Quite to the contrary, it seems these are the moderating influences that bring an extreme Cabernet Sauvignon or Merlot to the center.

Want to have even more fun? Mix these 2 lovely wines together!

California Field Blends: Ten Mile Red 2005, Laurel Glen Lodi REDS 2006, Marietta Cellars Old Vine Red Lot 46

In California, before prohibition, wine growers planted their vineyards with mixed varieties, like quilt work. When it came time to harvest, they usually picked them all at the same time, even if all the grapes didn't have the same level of ripeness. And they co-fermented the crush, everything in the vat together. It was easier, and some people continue to say better, to get a blend to come together and reach a more seamless accord.

These "field blends" were Zinfandel dominated, because that was the star grape of the era in California. Other varieties typically found in these blends included Carignane, Petite Sirah (aka Durif), Alicante Bouschet, Peloursin, Syrah, and Barbera. There remain old vineyards, usually with head pruned vines, dotted around California, from Napa and Sonoma to Lodi. Once thought of as Zinfandel plantings, DNA testing has revealed many old Zinfandel vineyards include a supporting cast of other varieties. Each wine farmer planted their own proprietary combination, to produce a more harmonious and rounded end product in the barrel and bottle.

Alicante Bouschet was popular during prohibition because growers believed its thick skin made it a superior grape for transporting by rail to auction rooms in the east.

As an interesting side note, we can thank the White Zinfandel craze that began in the 1970's for preventing many old field blend vineyards from being ripped out in favor of the burgeoning Cabernet, Merlot and Chardonnay trade.

Now that we can determine what's in a vineyard, co-fermentation is not all that common. Most wines, even those that mimic old fashioned field blends, are picked and fermented in separate lots, then blended just before bottling. That gives the wine maker more degrees of freedom, leaves less up to chance, and it's just the modern way.

Just like Bordeaux blends have stood the test of time, so have these truly American Zinfandel blends. These blends also offer real bang for the buck, giving authentic personality to a casual everyday red wine. These are certainly amazing "spaghetti wines", and also do great justice to a seriously good pizza, anything mesquite grilled, or anything with a southwestern slant to it. And of course, they stand alone equally well.

Let's take a look at three that go beyond making the grade. All 3 of these blends share the same deep purple ruby color, almost opaque. They aren't drastically different in terms of aromas or flavors, either. They're all recommended.

Nine North Wine Co. Ten Mile Red 2005

Nine North Wine Company gives the 2004 vintage composition as 64% Petite Sirah, 18% Zinfandel, 8% Barbera, 8% Malbec and 2% Carignane.

This is the plummiest of the three, with lots of fresh cherry in the nose also. The undertones are spicy, in the direction of a Moroccan spice blend. The fruit is plummy and red on the tongue. You get that dusty structure, and a sense of licorice as the wine finishes.

Price: $15 (Nashville). Closure: Real cork. Alcohol content: 13.5%.

Laurel Glen Lodi REDS 2006
Laurel Glen says Reds is comprised of 60% 70-year-old Zinfandel, 30% 116-year-old Carignane and the balance Petite Sirah.

Reds displays a bright raspberry nose from the get-go. You also get some roasted undertones akin to chocolate or mocha, and a hint of ground pepper. The fruit is lush, with more cocoa and pepper evolving on your tongue. The nice dusty (but not overwhelming) structure asserts itself as the wine finishes.

Price: $10 (Nashville). Closure: Screw cap. Alcohol content: 14.5%.

Marietta Cellars Old Vine Red Lot 46
Marietta doesn't give out its proprietary blend. Like one's age, sometimes it's best to keep it a secret. They do say the blend is primarily comprised of Zinfandel, with Petite Sirah and Carignane and smaller amounts of Cabernet and Syrah and "various other Italian varietals" rounding out the blend. Is this the most authentic "field blend" of the three?

Old Vine Red is the meatier, that is to say smokier, of the three. It's not overwhelming in the smoke department by any means, but there's more there. There is plenty of fruit in the nose and on the tongue, definitely a Zinfandel-like fusion of raspberry and dark cherry. The flavors are well integrated and it's the "jammiest" of the three. This is the fullest bodied of the 3 wines, with very smooth dusty tannins, and finishing with a touch of vanilla.

Price: $13 (Nashville). Closure: Real cork. Alcohol content: 13.5%.

If I had to rank the 3 wines, it would have to be put in context. None is a clear winner without a frame of reference. They're all recommended. But the Ten Mile Red would be my favorite with spicy food, along the lines of something with Moroccan spice, a curry, or cumin. Reds is my value priced favorite, if I'm on a tight budget, and it's my favorite to drink by itself  or with a piece of dark chocolate or similar dessert. Old Vine Red would be my hands down favorite for spaghetti, pizza, burgers, or most casual cuisine. No wonder every lot of Old Vine Red has been completely allocated since 1978.

If you're thinking about testing these wines with some spaghetti, here's a sauce that's also recommended. Dave's Gourmet Red Heirloom spaghetti sauce is worth looking for. You can buy it online, or discover it as I did, at Marshall's off-price department store. Our heirloom tomatoes aren't ripe yet, so this sauce caught my eye. I like any jar variety spaghetti sauce whose first ingredient is "tomatoes", not "tomato puree". I also like to see a low sugar content (4 grams per serving here), and I like the fat to be olive oil (extra virgin here). You might like it meatless, but we added lean and naturally raised ground beef and some sauteed onions and garlic (to season the meat). Serve it over thin whole wheat spaghetti.

Bodegas Alto Almanzora Este 2005

Este, or 090 degrees on the compass, is a sleeper. After tasting from 3 or 4 bottles of the 2005 vintage, I continue to be impressed with the intense aromatics and the fireworks display of fruit in the mouth.

Bodegas Alto Almanzora Este 2005 can boast an 89 point rating from Wine Advocate and the good wine-keeping seal of approval that is implied with any wine imported by Eric Soloman. It's beyond me why Este isn't a swifter seller here in Nashville. Perhaps it's our desire to know the grape variety, which is conspicuously missing from Este's label. The blend is proprietary but is believed to contain 60% Monastrell (Mourvedre), 10% Garnacha and 10% Tempranillo, plus smaller amounts of 3 other grapes we all know (Cab, Merlot and Shiraz). Describing the synonyms of Monastrell is enough to put some people off a wine that's not Cabernet, Merlot or Shiraz. Yes, maybe it's a grape identity crisis. Or it could be we don't know where Valle del Almanzora is. (It's located in southeastern Spain.) It's not on our radar of impressive places of origin.

Whatever the reason, there is still 2005 Este to be bought for under $10. (The 2006 is perhaps even better according to Wine Advocate, as reviewer Jay Miller gave it 90 points.) The 2005 is drinking superbly right now. Think about anything off the summer grill, from hot dogs to burgers to chicken to sausages and wash those thoughts down with a glass of Este. If you're a bear of a wild salmon eater, take a break from Pinot Noir. Here's a great quaff for wild Coho, especially if you like to do the cedar plank technique.

The aroma is intense, slightly perfumed, with lots of red fruit and seductive undertones of vanilla and wood spice. There's a purity to the aroma that can't be described singularly. You might pick up cherry cola when you taste it, but with lots of backbone and assertiveness. The finish is dusty dry and sticks around nicely. This is definitely a more elegant wine, with lots more going on, than you expect. Especially if you aren't sure what to expect.

The label features a simple, stylized drawing of an Andalusian mare. Also known as the purebred Spanish horse, the Andalusian dates back 20,000 years in this area of Spain. These are an intense, agile and elegant breed, an thus an appropriate symbol for this wine. If you see Este at a good price, don't hesitate. It's an exceptional red blend.

Price: $10 (Nashville). Closure: Plastic cork. Alcohol content: 13.5%.

Mano A Mano La Mancha Tempranillo 2005

There are more and more Spanish wine buyers out there every day, and as a result Spanish wines have been on the increase in price. But you can still find a surreal deal if you know where to look. If you haven't gotten involved with a Spaniard yet, don't be timid. Now is the time. Man, oh man, this Mano A Mano es muy bueno, comprende?

El genio importador Jorge Ordonez serves up a boat load of exciting wines every year, and it is with bated breath that many of us wait for each ship's booty. I don't get to taste them all, but of the ones I've tasted recently, Mano A Mano La Mancha Tempranillo 2005 is the Dali. Casual as a Zin, but it's not a Zin, and it's not a Shiraz, even with its spice and perfectly subtle yet passionately smoky undertones; it's well, a Tempranillo, from the very macho and carefree sounding area La Mancha, the home of Don Quixote. With just a half a year in French oak, this Tempranillo doesn't take itself too seriously. Hold the bottle up to your ear and you might hear Flamenco. You are present as Charo is shredding a guitar to a disco beat.

The color is deep purple ruby, inviting you to smell it. The aromas are fruit filled, tilting to the red and exotic, intoxicating, and surrounded by those perfectly subtle smoky undertones I mentioned. The overall message is more complex than you expect, powerful yet graceful, fast paced yet well coordinated and harmonious. If you've never gotten to know Tempranillo, let this be your example of what a young one can be. There's a lot of body here and a lot of soul. "Meaty, dense and chewy", Robert Parker said, and you would agree. The finish is dusty, dry, but doesn't kick you as hard as you might expect. That's a good thing. That means you can drink more of it!

Price (Nashville): $11. Closure: Nomacorc (LDPE synthetic cork). Alcohol content: 13.5%.

The Hunt for October Red

Click for a larger picture of these bottles.

The hunt for October red has turned up a whole lot of alternatives. Here are four to get the week off on the right track. I love them all and have repeated them in search of my favorite. I can't say which is best because they're all top notch, each perfect for the season, and each priced at about $15 or under per bottle. Two are from Spain, continuing on my October theme; one is French and one from Washington State. Perhaps the balance of the month will turn up something from California.

Eric Soloman's European Cellars is an importer many people trust. It's like a seal of approval for any Spanish wine in the eyes of many value conscious Americans. Eric brings us Capçanes Mas Donís Montsant Red 2004 ($15) and Mas Que Vinos Ercavio Tempranillo Roble 2005 ($13). Both are deep purple in the glass, but the Ercavio has more of an unfiltered appearance, showing some haziness under a halogen beam.

Mas Donís 2004 is mostly old-vine Grenache (80% Grenache with 20% Syrah) and has a perfumed black cherry nose with teaberry and hints of pencil lead. The body is medium, the flavor's tart and the mouth feel is moderately tannic. The cherry fruit along with some vanilla flavors come together nicely in the dusty dry finish. The only thing I don't like is the plastic cork. Why must anyone use that blasted plastic cork? Alcohol content: 14%.

Ercavio Tempranillo 2005 spent 5 months in French American oak and has a lovely aroma of black raspberry, loganberry and apple pie spice, plus the scent of a tobacco shop. Lush and fruit forward, this is what I would describe as a masculine comfort wine, and it would pair perfectly with a cheeseburger. The closure is a Nomacork*. Alcohol content: 13.5%.

Jean-Philippe Bourgeois was the General Manager for Eric Solomon for 6 years, and now he is bringing French values to the American market. Château Capion 1C Rouge 2005 (Vin de Pays de l'Hérault, $13) is a blend of 35% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Syrah, 20% Cabernet Franc, 15% Merlot and was barrel aged for 14 months. That sounds like a recipe for a great Bordeaux but this gem of a red comes from further south. Still you get the deep purple color and aromas of black currants, dark berries and hints of vanilla. The rich blackberry cobbler flavors envelop the mouth in a far reaching luscious dry finish.

The Magnificent Wine Company is the mass-production wing of K Vintners of Walla Walla, Washington. KV is the project of Charles Smith who brings us such magnificent wines as "The Creator". You might walk right past House Wine 2005 ($11) due to the rather "in your face" and non-standard graphics on the label. You might mistake it for a generic red blend but it's anything but. The blend is 54% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot, 11% Syrah, 3% Malbec and 2% Cabernet Franc. Here's another ideal Bordeaux blend, and the latitiude is virtually the same as Bordeaux. The resulting aromas and flavors are much better than the average house wine, with dark berry flavors and aromas, resolving nicely in to a lush dry finish that echoes the virtues of barrel aging. The closure is a real cork. Alcohol content: 13.9%.

*The Nomacork is a composite resin artificial cork that is similar to the Neocork, but the Nomacork brand is much more popular in terms of units sold.

Pannotia Vineyards La Tierra De Castilla Garnacha 2006

Pannotia Vineyards is a virtual winery whose name was chosen to signify bringing together the wine world ("all the world is a single continent" = Pannotia). The founders describe Pannotia as "a new concept in wine, offering American wine lovers a portfolio of emblematic wines from around the world". Begun in the Spring of 2006, Pannotia managed to sell 10,000 cases in year 1 and their goal is 20,000 this year. They have put together a nice portfolio of what I would call "alternative wines", including Spanish Grenache, Argentine Malbec, Torrontes, Chardonnay and Cabernet Sauvignon, and Mendocino Zinfandel.

Pannotia brought on board Master Sommelier and Master of Wine Doug Frost as their consultant. I say he's a good choice. After all, who better to help break through the vast wine landscape than probably the only person with his level of wine expertise who also has a vast collection of punk rock and weird music records. Pannotia obviously does not want their wines to be confused with "your father's Oldsmobile".

Pannotia's labels currently all feature paintings by Cedar Falls, Iowa artist Gary Kelley. Gary has been hard at it producing works and perfecting his vibrant style for 35 years. It was Kelley's artwork that first made me take notice of Pannotia's line. Kelley's works range in scale from wine labels to 80-foot murals. You may have seen his murals in Barnes & Noble or his illustrations in Rolling Stone magazine.

Pannotia Garnacha 2006 is sourced from "the limestone hills south of Madrid".

In the glass the color is vibrant, deep candy apple red with bright purple edges and translucent. Sour cherry and framboise fruitiness is surrounded by black pepper and nuanced with a little bit of ash. Youthful bones and a medium body carry the dried cherry and pepper flavors well.

Excellent value ($12). Closure: Plastic cork. Alcohol content: 13.5%.

Yep, this is an emblematic Spanish Garnacha (Grenache).