2011 Tikveš Vranec Red Wine

Happy Sunday!  It was exceedingly hot today, so I spent much of the day indoors, doing some chores and some online work, including a wine blog post!  As for the wine, tonight I'm enjoying a bottle that's been in the cellar for a number of years, the 2011 Tikveš Vranec red wine.  Vranec is one of the most popular varietals in Macedonia, where this wine was produced, and interestingly, the name means "strong, black and powerful horse (black stallion)" which I found interesting as the glass I poured certainly did this imagery justice.  So let's see how it tastes!

The wine is really a black stallion in the glass, with bright ruby along the edges.  The nose presents aromas of prune, blackberry, peppery spice and wild game, very stallion-esque.  The taste is a rush of ripe black fruit, blackberry, currant and plum that transition nicely to some notes of cocoa powder and green grass midpalate.  The tannins are robust, providing for a very dry finish that lingers for a minute or more.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 8, as it's a very interesting wine that was also fairly inexpensive if I recall.  This wine would pair marvelously with venison or duck, with the fruit and earthy character accenting the game character.  Tonight I am enjoying this wine with a plain Jane Sunday dinner of grilled ribeye, along with some mashed potatoes and steamed broccoli.  Cheers!