Having tasted and written about a white and a rosé wine from the Locations series in recent weeks, we thought we would try one of the red wines. We started on familiar ground with the Locations CA red wine; a California blend.
Poured into the glass, the wine had a deep purple hue. The bouquet was fruit-forward, with notes of blackberry and cherry. Wet leather lurked in the background, providing a complex and appealing nose. Taking a sip I was struck by medium acidity and low tannins. There was a hint of jam on the front of the palate. The aromas of fruit were reflected in matching flavours of blackberry and cherry. There was not a lot of structure, but the Locations CA was a medium weight wine; an easy drinking red.
One of the benefits of the lack of information on the label is that allowed us to guess the grapes that made up the blend. We were led by that slight jamminess to pick Zinfandel as a component. With less confidence, we added Syrah to the blend. We then checked against the data sheets that we had been provided and it turned out that we were wrong. In our defence, the blend was far more complicated than a simple two grape mix: Petite Sirah, Barbera, Tempranillo, Syrah, and Grenache. This wide range of fruit was mirrored by the California regions from which it was sourced: Napa, Sonoma, Mendocino, and the Sierra Foothills. My disappointment at incorrectly identifying Zinfandel was lifted when I saw that noted wine critic, Robert Parker had written about this wine that: “…is loaded with intense wild berry fruit and a Zinfandel-like briarness…”
The Locations CA red has a recommended retail price of $19.99. 15,000 cases were made. It was an enjoyable drink, a red wine that is ready for immediate consumption.
Note:
We received this wine as a sample for review.
