Jada

2005
Mirror
Pasa Robles, CA

A blend of 47% Syrah, 30% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 23% Merlot, I liked this wine. Although the alcohol content was higher than I like, it had a wonderful, warm black cherry scent followed by similar flavor, mixed with peppery heat and slight oak with a little kalamata olive thrown in. I have absolutely NO idea if I ate food with this. I think I did not!

We went to Johnny Bravo's (a.k.a. the Guy) cousin's house for a wine party. We had a good time and got home WAY too late. I proclaimed repeatedly the whole next day that I did not ever want to consume another glass of wine, or anything with alcohol, again. I somehow made it to church and back, then plopped down on the couch for many hours. My brother came and stood over me and said: "So, I guess this means you're not making margaritas tonight?" Ooohhhh - just the thought of smelling Tequila made my head pound with dizziness. I am MUCH better today. But I had to pound three bottles of Naked's "Green Machine" into myself over the last 24 hours. (Nothing like a litte spirulina and chlorella to "fix" me on bad days - my "mowed grass juice" as everyone at work likes to say.)

We had many delicious wines that night, including Halter Ranch Rose which was excellent with an arugula and salami salad. As I am partial to blends, Jada's Mirror stood out, surpassed only by just one glass of Halter Ranch GSM (Grenache, Syrah, Mourvedre blend). I could have stayed with the GSM all night and probably should have. I am positive I didn't have food with my glass of Jada. However, I did have vegetable tapenade and melted smoked gouda on crostini with the Halter Ranch and it was pretty darn awesome.

We also enjoyed taking a blind taste test by a California guest whose conversation and wine savvy I enjoyed very much. He had us try 4 different red wines and try to guess which varietal each was. I believe no one got it right. However, I was pretty proud of Johnny Bravo for exclaiming to me that he believed, whatever varietal we were tasting, they were all the same. He was right. They were all Syrah. The point of the tasting being all the same was to prove that each individual person has their own way of tasting, and each wine tastes different to each person. It was, to say the least, California Cool.


I'll be a flame burning in the darkness
And I will light what's in your heart
I'll be a flame in the dark
But I can't light what's not in your heart
-Beth Orton-


8.25 out of 10
16.3% alc. by vol.
$39 / 750 ml. bottle

Red4 Vina Robles

2004

Huerhuero

Paso Robles, San Miguel

California

Will definitely drink again. Although not wicked cheap, I think this is a great value - it tastes like a more expensive wine.

HAPPY HALLOWEEN

This wine is recommended to drink now, and for the next (3) years.

Once again, I am enamored with a blend. This delicious wine is 60% Syrah, 28% Petite Sirah, 8% Touriga, 3% Tannat - hence the name: "Red4". The bouquet is hard for me to describe. It was enticing, though it was like a broccoli - red meat scent for me. Strange, I know. Slightly spicey, but really nice black cherry fruit and slight vanilla flavor with a hint of cocoa before the finish (vanilla and chocolate do actually work together). The finish is slightly peppery. I enjoyed this alone and with a Kashi (http://www.kashi.com/) Mediterranean pizza (spinach, fire-roasted tomatoes, red onion, sweet red pepper, feta cheese with whole grain and flax seed crust).

Let me tell you brother, she’s been sleeping in the Devil’s bed.

And there’s some rumors going round,

Someone’s underground,

She can rock you in the nighttime’til your skin turns red.

Woo hoo witchy woman,

See how high she flies.

Woo hoo witchy woman,

She's got the moon in her eyes.

Witchy Woman - The Eagles

8.5 out of 10

$13.99 / 750 ml. bottle

14.3% alc. by vol.

http://www.vinarobles.com/