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29 February, 2016

Scotto Cellars Heavyweight Wine

Comments : 5 Posted in : Cabernet Sauvignon, Petite Sirah, Red Wine on by : The Gourmez

Scotto Cellars is a family-owned winemaking company based in California with vineyards in Amador County, Lodi, and Napa Valley. I received sample bottles of two wines in their Heavyweight line: the petite sirah and the cabernet sauvignon, both sourced from the greater Central Valley. Obligatory disclaimer: Sample means these wines were free to me, but they’d cost you around $13 at most retail locations.

Heavyweight Wines

I’m always excited to compare wines with similar backgrounds, though the similarity among these two offerings stops at being from 2012 and using a little petite verdot in the final blend. Regardless, I scored them within four points of each other on the Quini scale, which means both pleased me, although the petite sirah was the only one that ventured into the more memorable avocado rating:

avocado rating

The cabernet sauvignon didn’t do half bad, earning a chicken and a wing:

Chicken the Gourmez Rating 3/5 Average

Unfortunately, my various forms of digital review-giving failed to preserve my overall thoughts on the petite sirah, although the Quini profile survived in graphic form.

Heavyweight Wine Petit Sirah Review

To make that a little clearer, I found it well-balanced with a good finish, and I especially enjoyed its toasty and vegetal notes coupled with dried berry.

For the cabernet sauvignon, my description lives on: A wine of potentiality. Presently a funnel of spice, sucking you into a pit of blackberry tar. In time, the funnel may dissipate into mist, and the tar bake to brownies, but will I wait that long?

In other words, aging is recommended to realize this wine’s full potential — but it definitely has that potential. Here’s the Quini profile (ignore that it says White Stone Vineyards):

Heavyweight Wine Cabernet Sauvignon Review

For me, the petite sirah is a heavyweight I’d gladly go up against again, and the cabernet is likely to graduate to another weight class in time.

Other Bloggers’ Thoughts:

Stay Rad Wine Blog on the Petite Sirah

If I were tasting this blind, there’s this essence of petite sirah that’s there, this darkness, this brooding nature to the flavor of this. But it also has this nice, sharp, acidic backbone. . . . It’s not overly dense. It’s a good food-friendly, weeknight type of wine. 87+

Pull That Cork on the Cabernet Sauvignon

Medium ruby garnet in the glass with dark fruit and vanilla aromas. The first sip was a bit sweet. The second less so, with berry fruit, red fruit, a bit of tobacco and smooth, well-integrated tannins. The flavor lasted fairly long and finished with dark fruit flavors. Easy to drink and enjoy.

I’m with Jeff on the petite sirah, but Nancy and I differ a fair bit on the cabernet sauvignon! Such is the wine bloggers’ life: endless variety of opinion. Regardless, both wines are strong offerings at that price point.

Tasted December 2015 and January 2016.

 

 

5s COMMENTS

5 thoughts on : Scotto Cellars Heavyweight Wine

  • March 1, 2016 at 10:25 am

    Ooooh…I’m really intrigued by the Petit Sirah. I love them, but I feel like it’s a hard wine to find, particular under $15.

    • The Gourmez
      March 1, 2016 at 1:06 pm

      Petit Sirah is growing on me; I was a hard sell, as the first several I tried had were too tight, and I’m often impatient with decanting. 😉 But I’ve found some great ones recently, including this!

  • March 5, 2016 at 6:58 am

    I am also a hard sell on Petit Sirah, but when done well it can be quite good. I love the cute labels here too – I’m a sucker for a good label.

    • The Gourmez
      March 18, 2016 at 12:34 pm

      Aren’t we all, if we’re honest? It’s just as important for my fiction career! Book covers, bottle covers; art matters.

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