Vampires and wines have something in common. Neither should be left out in the sun.
Ok. Comic relief over.
Rather than be cliché and do a tasting of Vampire Vineyards for Halloween, we thought we would reach out to the avid readers in the group and celebrate the underworld of wine in conjunction with the release of the movie Twilight: New Moon (don’t act like you don’t know what we’re talking about).
Edward is obviously torn over whether he wants red or...red
Vampire Vineyards is an interesting wine making group with a cult following and an occult-ish website. Currently located in Paso Robles, CA, they produce and bottle several varietals (including White Zin…we guess that is supposed to be “blood light”).
The wine we tried was the 2008 Cabernet Sauvignon. The marketing team at VV is very serious about their theme, as the cork is a bright red. The wine had a nice purple color with that characteristic red rim. The alcohol was 13.8%, so not too high. It had a pleasant aroma that evoked red fruits with a subtle smoky essence. Now for the dirty details.
This wine seems to be a good “starter cab” for those who prefer more delicate reds. Not too heavy, but with enough body to stand up to rich food pairings. The fruit is obviously young, and needs some time to mature. If you tend to hiss at the idea of oak in your wine, this cab will be tolerable. The balance leans a little towards the acidic side, but we both agreed it would make a good sangria. At around $10, it is a middle of the road Cab. We did come into the experience with high expectations due to the exceptional PR.
The final thought? They are better at storytelling than they are at making Cabernet…but we’ll keep our minds open for the other varietals.
This just goes to show…drink wine because you enjoy it, not because you got wrapped up in the hype. There is no one right way to experience the fruit of the vine!
