2003 Rutz Pinot Noir Sonom Cuvee

2003 Rutz Pinot Noir Sonom Cuvee

Enjoyed a glass of this very balanced Pinot at Bern's Steakhouse in Tampa. First time at Bern's and a first sampling of the Rutz. I'll be finding a bottle.

NV (oops) Carmenere Valle Central

NV (oops) Carmenere Valle Central

Britney Spears, a certain friend to the Rampant Oenophile, had an (un)forgettable performance opening the 2007 MTV Video Awards last night, and I thought we could look at (oops), from Pearlfisher. This morning, I bet that Britney wished she had enjoyed a bottle of wine instead of doing the MTV thing again.

(oops), parentheses and all, represents Pearlfisher's marketing spin for four new wines (three reds and a white) from Chile. The labels have a newsprint theme and each wine has different stories and headlines. Every rampant oenophile knows what kind of sucker I am for a cool label concept.

I'm impressed with the Carmenere Valle Central 2005. (oops) did a great job with this deep purple red wine. The label promises blackberry aromas underscored with pepper and spice. Frankly, (oops) doesn't have undertones of anything. Spices, oak, and pepper fill your mouth and nose instantly with this full bodied wine. You'll notice herbaceous goodness pairing this wine with meats and strong cheeses. It compliments potent food flavors, so would overpower anything light. Go for the NY Sirloin and a bottle of this bold red. Expect a strong finish and mouth feel, and expect to buy two bottles. ABC and World Market both offer (oops) for under $10.

Find more detials at rampantoenophile.blogspot.com

Tasting Tags: bold pepper red spicy

NV Pinot Evil

NV Pinot Evil

I was expecting better from this affordable French import, but reports of the glut of great French wine didn't improve this one a bit.

I was expecting a full bodied Pinot capable of pairing with bold food flavors. I got a funny bouquet and lackluster legs. The color seemed flat instead of full, and the mouth feel of Pinot Evil was dry, more like a Cabernet. Not inspiring.

The flavors just fell flat. Nothing inspiring. It may improve with time, however. If you have enough time to drink a few glasses, you won't care as much about the flat-ish flavors and slightly dry mouth feel. I did my best, but this one won't be in my cellar.

Tasting Tags: dry flat weak

2004 Reilly's Barking Mad

2004 Reilly's Barking Mad

As a kid, I read comic books, so I'm very sensitive to cover art. Sometimes the comic inside lived up to its flashy cover, but sometimes not. It's the same way with wine. I'm a sucker for a great label, but often disappointed with the beverage beneath.

In this case, Reilly's Barking Mad Shiraz lives up to its label. It's a bit fierce and fiery and not for everyone. The description promises blackberry, plum, and peppery flavors and spicy oak tones. You'll lose the fruit for the pepper and other spices. On first blush, this barking dog has a big bite. You smell the pepper and a tinge of heat before drinking. Slosh this Shiraz around in your mouth to get the full effect, and you may have a tough time swallowing. It's got some spice, and there's a genuine sense of pepper on your tongue and nose.

I can't recommend this Shiraz as a friendly wine to sip with friends. I should have paid more attention to the label's description. Barking Mad expects to be served with food. Herbed lamb is offered as a suggestion, indicating that it's got a full body to stand up to bold food flavors. Unfortunately, I paired it with mixed nuts and Miami Vice, so it was a bit overpowering to me. I look forward to trying Barking Mad with spicy or bold meat dishes to see how this howler handles itself with real food. Give it a whirl if you like spicy Shiraz, but have a different bottle on hand for your less adventurous guests. Website lists it at $15, but I've seen it for $9-$11 at local wine shops, ABC, and Total Wine

Tasting Tags: bold oak pepper spice toasted

2004 Four Puppies

2004 Four Puppies

On my last trip to Northern California, I literally stumbled upon The Wine Room in Kenwood. I started visiting tasting rooms early that morning, so stumbling was the best I could accomplish. At any rate, The Wine Room is a retail tasting room that fronts for several wineries, among them The Friendly Dog Winery. As we know, I'm a sucker for a good label and have eight dogs of my own, so I knew I would be going home with some Friendly Dog wine.

Currently, there are 5 bottles that pay homage to various famous dogs at the winery. You can select favorites like "Bingo," "Barney I" or "Barney II." I tasted all of the wines during my visit to The Wine Room, but remember very little of those tastings. It was very early, remember, and I had not enjoyed lunch, yet. I do recall leaving with a few bottles, though, because I liked the labels and noticed them again when I sobered up.

I heartily recommend Four Puppies, and not just for the cute label. It's called a "Muttage" to magnify the "cute" factor, but it is really a Bordeaux blended with Sangiovese. I'm sure that I enjoyed this wine at The Wine Room since I bought two bottles, but I really enjoyed the wine yesterday with friends. We are all of the "cute label, let's buy the wine" persuasion, so everyone got a kick out of the 4 Sheppard puppies on the bottle. We also enjoyed the full fruity flavor of this medium bodied red. It's got a big bouquet and pleased everyone's nose. One friend found it dry, but I don't agree. It's very mellow and slippery on the tongue. It's a Bordeaux, so it was a young wine and didn't have the dryness that I associate with Cabernets. It paired very well with the blue cheese burgers we enjoyed, as well as the spicy appetizers. I nibbled on Irish cheddar for my first glass, then filled my cup for my "burger course."

I recommend finding a "Forever Home" for these puppies and rescue a bottle or two for yourself. It's a very friendly wine that pleases.

Tasting Tags: berry fruit