Happy Sunday! I got a few things accomplished this afternoon, including painting the base coat of the windmill I brought home yesterday as well as smoking a large short rib plate which will be my dinner tonight. Which brings me to the wine I've opened this evening, the Eclipse Bourbon Barrel Cabernet Zinfandel blend from the Dry Creek Valley of California. This wine was made by a friend of mine which he does as a hobby, sourcing grapes from California and blending and aging the wine for his friends. So, given that my dinner will be barbecued tonight, I couldn't think of a better wine than a Zin-Cab blend!
The wine is an inky color with a deep garnet color along the edges, as you might expect from such a blend. The nose presents aromas of leather and oak, with some undertones of blackberry jam. Take a sip and you are treated with an evolving series of black fruit, blackberry, blueberry and currant that transition easily to some notes of charred oak and mineral midpalate. The tannins are somewhat subdued, which opened the door for some pronounced acidity on the dry finish.
Overall, I would rate this wine a 7.5, as it's a solid effort from my friend, but could be a bit more refined in complexity. As I mentioned, this wine would pair well with barbecue, and it just so happens that I'm enjoying this wine with dinner on the patio, barbecued beef short ribs along with some mustard baked beans and sriracha slaw. Cheers!
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