2007 Rumpus Syrah

Ok, seriously, how can you not just love a wine called "Rumpus"?!?!?  I saw this one on the WTSO cheapskate Wednesday a couple weeks back and couldn't resist, after all even if the wine was terrible, it's called RUMPUS!!!

Well, lucky for me and several friends who shared this purchase, it's not a terrible wine.  Quite the opposite, this is really an exceptional Syrah from California's Sonoma Valley.  No often times we see a syrah or "shiraz" and expect it to be lighter and a great pairing for lighter summer fare, or just sitting on the patio enjoying a glass of wine on an August evening, but this one is much more like a petite syrah, which is such a misnomer...

The Rumpus syrah is a blend of 86% syrah with the balance of Cabernet Franc, which is a blending grape that is so underappreciated in my opinion.  So in this instance you end up with a wine that is a deep ruby, almost inky color in the glass, so you get the sense that this is not the lighter side of syrah.  The nose is ripped with scents of cedar, leather and pepper, which merely whets your appetite for the wine that's to come.  The taste has an infusion of berries, with spice and delicate tannins that scream fine age worthy wine from the south of France!  But this is from California, showing that our friends outside Napa can compete just as effectively on the world wine stage.

I've been sipping this wine all evening as I've been cooking dinner, and thankfully I have a full glass left to enjoy with my summertime dinner of barbecued chicken breast, sweet potato fries and steamed asparagus.  Such a wonderful evening!  As for my rating, I would put this wine at a solid 8.5, and it was a WTSO cheapskate Wednesday selection for only $13!

2007 Catena Cabernet Sauvignon

So I was down in Dallas this week, and once a quarter we visit one of our favorite clients for their quarterly earnings release and conference call, and typically late night we finish our work then go out to dinner at Fogo de Chao, which for those of you unfamiliar Fogo de Chao is a Brazilian churrascaria steakhouse with locations around the US.  For the carnivores among us, this restaurant is paradise, as fully costumed gauchos go to each table with giant skewers of freshly grilled meat, ranging from top sirloin to bacon wrapped filet mignon to grilled lamb chops.  Every item is delicious, and rather than going up to a buffet, you simply have a card at your table, if you flip the green side up, they bring you meat, red side up means you need a little break.  It's really an amazing dining experience that everyone should try once in your life, unless you're vegan of course!

So at dinner, we typically have our host, the CEO of our client select the wine, and he has yet to disappoint!  That night he selected a 2007 Catena Cabernet Sauvignon from Argentina.  Now certainly Argentina is known not for Cabernet but for the classic Malbec which has put the nation on the wine map over the last decade or so, but I must admit, I'm not a big Malbec fan and the Cab was exceptional! 

The wine had a nice nose of blackberry, leather and earth, not unlike a very nice Cabernet from Napa or the Columbia Valley.  But the taste was wonderful, very dry, with flavors of black cherries and licorice and a long smooth finish.  As for my rating, I would put this one at a solid 9, but again I was not privy to the cost which might move that rating up or down, especially given restaurant pricing!  So I learned that Argentina does more than great Malbecs and as always the high protein diet is exceptional at Fogo de Chao!

2007 Muir Hanna Estate Muirs Legacy Bully Red

Another day another bottle of wine to try!  Not sure why I start months so strong and then lose energy near the end, maybe it's a natural cycle, or maybe it's a function of wine availability!  Last week was the WTSO Cheapskate Wednesday event, and I bought 6 different wines in the event (for those who haven't experienced it, think of a full day of all different wines on sale for a maximum of 15 minutes or until they're gone!). 

This wine is a really interesting blend for a number of reasons.  First, from a historical perspective, you can't underestimate the contributions of John Muir and Theodore Roosevelt on natural conservation in this country, plus Teddy Roosevelt is one of my favorite presidents, and both are featured on this label!  The wine for 2007 was produced with 100% grapes from the Oak Knoll District of Napa Valley, oohh! and it's a fine blend primarily of merlot (80%), with a lot of other grapes - 6.5% petite verdot, 5.5% cab franc, 3.5% pinot noir and the rest cabernet sauvignon.  This was a relatively small production of 640 cases, so I am happy to have a few bottles.

As for the taste, this one is a sure winner!  The nose embodies hints of leather, earth, cedar and tobacco, but interestingly the nose seems quite sedate.  Certainly it's not like some of those punch you in the face aromas of some Napa cabs.  The taste is well balanced and quite dry, I'll credit the heavy merlot influence there.  There are some hints of blackberry and spice that make this wine a really pleasant drinking experience, reminiscent of those times in Paris sipping a nice glass of medoc at a sidewalk cafe.   And since this was a Cheapskate Wednesday selection you know it was a bargain!  I would rate this wine a solid 8.0, but with a price of $11, I would add an extra bit to make it a great 8.5 value!