18 August, 2010
Novella Synergy 2008
Posted in : Other Red Blends, Red Wine on by : The Gourmez
Novella Synergy 2008
Paso Robles, CA
This is a very smooth blend of bunches of varietals. The nose smells richly of ripe strawberries and blueberries. There’s a hint of spice.
It’s a lightweight wine and easy to drink. Tannins are light, and the strawberry is in full effect when sipping, with a small amount of spice that enhances it. After a glass, though, I found it rather blasé: there was nothing to excite me in it, even if there was nothing to put me off, either.
2 stars
Other Bloggers’ Thoughts:
Jason’s Wine Blog on the 2004 vintage
The notes are a bit sparse. On opening the nose seemed hot and spicy. On the tongue it started the same with cloves leading the way. Towards the middle it showed some darker berry flavors that were on the weak/flaccid (when is the last time that has been used when not discussing ED) side before ending even a bit tart. After a few days it showed a bit more. The fruit was a bit richer, a bit bolder tending towards chewy. The nose still seemed hot with some subdued dark fruit lingering. On the palate the fruit was apparent but the overall profile tended to the generic side.
All in all a typical manufactured type red, trying hard to please everyone which while usually making a decent wine also limits the upside as it can only be so good. At $7 it is tough to reconsider. At $5 it would be worthy.
Food Snob on a Tuesday Night on an unknown vintage
. . . this is an excellent bottle. It describes itself as “plum and berry . . . with a long elegant finish of currant, mocha and spice.” I feel that’s fairly accurate; however, I get a distinct earthiness toward the finish that works just delightfully with the dark fruit flavors. I don’t really find anything I’d categorize as mocha (I imagine this means chocolate and coffee, appealing to the Starbucks crowd are we?). However, I could easily see how the dark earthy flavors I’m picking up could be interpreted into a dark earthy chocolate and dark earthy coffee (time for a definition: when I say earthy, I mean things like dirt, wood, and the general feeling of being in an old forest.)
De-Cantation on the 2007 vintage
. . . a light style red blend, 2007 Novella Synergy. A well-rounded blend of Zin, Syrah, and Sangiovese. This red from Paso Robles is nothing fancy, or over the top, but definitely a nice wine to share. The sweetness and big berry fullness of a zin, with the dry and full-bodied balance of the syrah and sangio.
Reviewed 7.27.10.