Region: California
Nice raspberry and leather nose with plenty of clove. The wine is surprisingly thin before the spices fill in the gaps. Clove is indeed one of those spices, and anise is, too. The fruit is there, but it's second fiddle to the spice. In addition to the raspberry, there is a smoother fruit flavor, perhaps persimmon, but maybe even mango. The wine is plenty good for your daily glass.
It has a deep purple color. I get aromas of Dusty Gummy Bears, and Blackberries, flavors of Sour Cherry, Blackberries, Prunes, Oak, Soil and Vanilla on the palate. Light peppery finish.
The 2008 started off dry and sweet, with both mellowing a bit as the wine sat for a few minutes. The 88% Petite Syrah and 12% Zinfandel blend was entirely drinkable and went just fine with our Italian dessert of mascarpone . . . At $5.50 a bottle one could say "what do you expect?" and you may very well want to give it a try yourself. However, even at this bargain price, there are better bottles on the market today that succeed where this offering fell short (and even for $5, who wants a mediocre wine?).
Reviewed 4.11.10.
