2006 Core “Santa Barbara County” Red Wine
We were cleaning up our wine selection when we noticed a red blend that had escaped us in a dark corner. Core is a Syrah – Mourvèdre – Grenache blend and it should not be kept waiting for this many years. California blends typically don’t hold for as long as French blends. Fearing it was a little past the time it should be enjoyed, we approached this wine with skepticism.
Our brand new decanter, a Christmas present from friends, came in handy for letting this wine breathe for 30 minutes and when we sipped tentatively Wow were we surprised that it was still good, actually it was quite excellent. The color got a little rust hued, but still had nice red tones. The nose opened with bold red Fruit aromas with orange peel notes and a lovely touch of sweetness. The well-aged jamminess was delightful too – like a hint of rapsberry marmalade.
This wine is reminiscent of rustic cowboy country with robust bouquet of sweet black cherry, currant, pepper, orange peel and anise are well balanced. Country singer Brad Paisley comes to mind with his blend of country and southern rock music. Smooth tannins and prolonged spicy & sweet finish. Corina immediately wanted to pair it with rich chocolate cake and Judit was thinking about beef or lamb. So we were contemplating what food to pair this wine with and came up with a slow braised beef, but by the time we were done talking the wine was gone.
Now to our Tasting Notes:
Wine: 2006 Core “Santa Barbara County” Red Wine
Region: Santa Barbara / California
Winery: Core Wine
Varietal: Rhône-style Red Blend of Syrah – Mourvèdre – Grenache
Color: Dark red with touch of rust
Nose: Well-spiced deep red Fruit aromas with orange peel notes and a lovely touch of sweetness
Taste: Let it open for at least 30 minutes! This wine is reminiscent of rustic cowboy country with robust bouquet of sweet black cherry, currant, pepper, orange peel and anise are well balanced. Smooth tannins and prolonged spicy & sweet finish.
Price: $20
Pairing suggestions: Braised or Roasted spicy Meats in wine sauce
J Pairing: Rustique Beef Brisket
C Pairing: BBQ Pulled Pork Pizza
J & C Points: 4.4 and 4.3 of 5
