Seeing Red!

Brittany Bowman
Oct 12, 2016
6 min read

Aloha!

Today I want to break away from what I typically write about and give a few wine reviews. This is something I have been wanting to write about for some time but have been reluctant as it doesn't coincide with an AIP lifestyle. With that said, I cannot deny who I am and what I love - and that is wine. I have come to appreciate wine & its intricate tastes by manner of profession. I was hired as a wine representative with very little knowledge and only a small appreciation for it. What I didn't realize was, what I looked at as only a job would turn into a love affair. Through many "Wine Steward Meetings", I had the opportunity to enjoy many different wines with different food pairings & get paid to do it for 8 hours straight. It was a nice perk to say the least!

Despite the fact that I have many favorites, I wanted to show you three of my current favorites. I would continue purchasing these as long as the vintages tasted closely to the last. All reds. Each distinct & memorable. Here are my current three: 2015 "19 Crimes" Red Blend, 2014 Lindeman's Gentleman's Collection Red Blend - Batch No. 2, & 2014 Run Riot Pinot Noir.

2015 - 19 Crimes - Red Blend

If you love a dry but fruit forward red with a little history added to it, albeit of criminally good taste, then this wine is for you! The makers of 19 crimes have based their marketing business around the criminals of Europe who were sent into exile to Australia, in lieu of the death penalty. On the bottle is a "mugshot" of a real criminal plucked out of the pages of history. These were the men who were sent to a penal colony for their crimes and ended up forging a new country.

On the 19 Crimes website, their description for this brilliant red is:

"Defiant by nature. Bold in character. Always uncompromising."

For you history buffs, the convict's mugshot on the red blend bottle is that of John Boyle O'Reilly. If you go to the 19 crimes website here, it reads:

"Only those who have stood within the bars & heard the din of devils

& the appalling sounds of despair...can imagine the horrors of the

hold of a convict ship." - John Boyle O'Reilly

Some men overcome adversity. Others make an art of it. In 1867, John

Boyle O'Reilly was given a sentence second only to death in its

severity: transportation. O'Reilly, however, was no ordinary convict.

He published poetry throughout the harrowing journey to Australia &,

once there, outwitted prison guards to escape to America.

Man! Talk about history! This is a blend from South Eastern Australia and imported into Napa. It is made of 82% Shiraz, 12% Grenache & 6% Mataro (Mourvedre). The abv is 13.5%. It is mostly dry with a very slight sweetness. It is fruit-forward, smooth & well balanced from start to finish. This is a medium to full bodied red with a black cherry & red garnet rim which diminishes into a deep blackberry core. Upon first scent, you get a smell of over-ripe blackberry & blueberry with undertones of vanilla, chocolate and light toast.

When I first tried this blend, I was pleasantly surprised. It had been one I wanted to try for awhile, not just because the label was intriguing, because I had heard so many great things about this wine. I couldn't find any "official" ratings for this wine, however, in consumer reviews it had scored between 4 to 5 stars with a rating of 89% to 93%. So if that doesn't speak to the taste factor of this wine, I don't know what will.

I would pair this wine with a savory dish such as bbq chicken pizza or bbq pork with a sweet & spicy marinade. You can find this bottle between $8.99 to $11.99 and is widely available in most grocery stores & Costco.

2014 - Gentleman's Collection - Batch No. 2 - Red Blend

Moving on to a level of sophistication, this wine is as bold as it is gentlemanly. Created with Dr. Lindeman in mind, the back label reads:

In 1843, Dr. Henry J. Lindeman, an upstanding man of formidable character,

started his own winery. In doing so, he set his sights on civilizing a hard

drinking colony nation onto more gentlemanly pursuits, such as the

enjoyment of a fine drop.

This was a wine I was given for free during a wine steward meeting. It was one of the first bottles I uncorked when I got home & I have to say I was very pleased. Made with Shiraz, Grenache & Cabernet Sauvignon, it is medium bodied & packed with bold flavors of dark fruits, black cherry & a long oak bourbon finish. Nearly opaque & purple-red in color, this blend lends olfactory hints of roasted coffee, black fruit, caramel & sweet bourbon oak aromas. At 13.9% Abv, it is only slightly above that of 19 Crimes. With it being a more sophisticated blend, you will find this bottle ranging from $15.99 to $20.99 in most grocery stores. This bottle was Vinted & bottled in Napa, CA.

This would pair perfectly with a slow-cooked rack of lamb or a penne dish with bacon, swish chard, & jack cheese with a red sauce. Unfortunately, at this time, I cannot find any ratings on this particular bottle or vintage. I will continue to look and update this post when I do.

2014 - Run Riot Pinot Noir

Run Riot is definitely new to the scene with only one wine to speak of - Pinot Noir. Let me tell you...when I started drinking wine it was all about the sweet ones. I would say the easiest transition from a sweet wine to what I call more "sophisticated wine" is a pinot noir. I have since gone on to expanding my palate, but I still cannot pass up a good Pinot Noir. Especially if I am looking for something more light to medium in body compared to the heavier red counterparts.

Run Riot seeks to bypass all of the stops and traditions, rebelling-on despite the industry standards. It speaks to a more wild side of those who wish to do as they please, be damned what may. The makers over at Run Riot chose a wild boar as their mascot because, as they put it, wineries hate wild boars. There motto: Riot On! How could you not love a new winery that comes out blazing with a rebel yell?

Located in the central coast of California, this Pinot Noir is garnet in color and lends to aroma's of dark cherry, ripe raspberry, juicy cranberry, spice & smoked meat followed by cocoa powder & barbecue spices. This is a fruit forward wine with a clean finish. What I enjoyed was the bright acidity & soft, round tannins. At 14.5% Abv, this wine is definitely up there in alcohol content compared to the other two. You can pick up this bottle for around $20 at most grocery stores. I would pair this bottle with pork, poultry, rich fish such as salmon or tuna, and game meats like deer.

In Closing

I must say I am in no way a wine connoisseur, I just know what I've tried & I know what I like. There is still an abundance of different wines I still have yet to try. These three I have mentioned are certainly not my most favorites but they are the ones I would purchase again in the future. They are great mid-level wines you can have as an everyday wine for dinner. What I love about these particular wines is, they are not widely known brands as say J.Lohr or Kendall-Jackson. I feel like I am drinking from a well-less known gem. The only one I would exclude from that list is 19 Crimes. This one has picked up a huge amount of momentum since it first hit the scene.

Let me know how you liked this review! Do you want to see more wine reviews in the future? What are some of your favorite wines? Please share! I'd love to hear what everyone else is drinking these days!

Mahalo!

Brittany Bowman

- "Wine is bottled poetry." - Anonymous -