retaste: Menagerie 2020-2021
Dineen Cabernet Sauvignon, Sheridan Syrah, Amador Cabernet Sauvignon, Dineen Cabernet Franc 2020 with Mettler Petite Sirah (74%) - Regent (homegrown) 26% 2021
I have 4 left. Here are my comments on this wine:
Appearance - purple ink
Smell - good, complex nose, hard to describe, smoked meat
Tannin - good
Acid - good
Flavour - this is intense, full on red wine. I have 2 left which I will try to let age and drink on special occasions over the next 3-5 years. This is at least very good with the potential to be excellent. So I'll try to keep my mitts out of it so it can become excellent or very good-excellent. It has a good long finish and enough acid + tannin to age. I get the tannin in the aftertaste with the acid which is a good sign. This is primo red IMHO. Petite Sirah especially ultra ripe Petite Sirah like Lodi Mettler Vineyard's is tailor made for Cabernet Franc and or Cabernet Sauvignon. The Petite Sirah in this wine was sky high brix but un-raisined, tasty and fragrant like Italian Amarone. If you like Amarone, grow French American hybrid grapes and can buy Lodi Petite Sirah, including Mettler, if you are lucky then make a Lodi-French hybrid blend. Any red hybrid can work with Lodi red wine grapes. Blending Lodi reds with hybrids gives you much better balance in the reds i.e. acid, brix, balance. My guess is Minnesota and New York red hybrids will work also but I'm guessing because I only grow Regent and Marechal Foch.
Have fun
Wild things
You all make my heart sing
Wild things
Klaus