Kronick Wino

The 5 Processes of Wine Making - All Educated Guesses!

Tuesday, November 18th, 2008 | Wine Tasting Notes | No Comments

Well, really, don’t you think that when someone goes to produce a bottle of wine, it’s really just a bunch of educated guesses? That’s what the guys over at Roots Run Deep know about the art of making wine. And on top of that, we’re all guessing and pondering what to buy at the wine store! I mean, who REALLY knows what it is that would be the BEST purchase for them? I don’t even know that, and have drunk a LOT of wine in my life. So when I go into the store, I have an IDEA of what I want, but at the end of the day, it’s all one big educated guess.

Hence the topic of today’s wine review:

2005 Educated Guess Cabernet Sauvignon, Oakville, CA.

This was a skeptical call for me. I was told, by my partner in crime, Alex, that he LOVED this wine. But was it only because of the cool scientific looking label? Or the awesome name? I think it took me about 5 minutes to understand that when he asked me what it was called and kept saying ‘educated guess’ that he really meant that WAS the name of the wine. (Look, I have my blonde days….).  I had to get the bottle ordered by a friend at a local wine shop. It’s distributed by Opici Distributors in CT.

**You can purchase direct here. Expect to pay around $20/btl. But you can find it for cheaper if you look around.

But when I took that first sniff and sip, I was pleasantly surprised. And it only got better once it sat in the glass over the course of an hour. Actual blend: 85% Cabernet, 12% Merlot, 2% Petit Verdot, 1% Malbec.

Ok, down to the nitty gritty. What does it taste like???

First off, beware! This is not a wine for the faint of heart. It is BOLD, SPICY, SMOKEY & OAKY! All the things I love, but some might not be able to handle. The nose has this great aroma of a mixture of American / French oak.  When you sip, it’s got a great spice of clove and vanilla right off the front, then mellows out into a smoky oak flavor at back and top of your mouth. Flavors of mocha and bitter chocolate linger along the body. It finishes on the dry side, so it would be amazing with some chorizo / figs, or bbq chipotle steak skewers and glazed balsamic vegetables.  Some smokey aged cheddar would be nice as well! Drink now, but keep it for another 2-3 years if you must wait….. Enjoy!

Tags: $20 or less, 2005 wines, Cabernet Sauvignon, California Wines, Educated Guess, Napa CA, tasting notes