This uniquely shaped 375ml bottle looked like a bottle of port!   For some odd reason, I thought this bottle looked like it belonged on a pirate ship.   Arrrrrrrrrr!   OK, onto the wine.   The nose on this is so strong and perfume-esque.   Dark fruit, tons of earthiness and spice.   On second sniff, I get some pine and caramel.   The mouthfeel and finish is acidic but tannin is almost non-existant.   The acidity is a bit much on it’s own and food is essential with this wine.   This wine is a bit scary and unapproachable – if someone had never tried wine and opened this as their first bottle, he/she may be scared off from wine for good.  But I can see why a fan of the Rhone varietals may enjoy this.

$7.99/half bottle

Single

Finding an 8 year old Cabernet for $15.99 at Whole Foods is pretty sweet!   I decided to give this bottle a little while to breathe before trying it since it is an ’04.      This smells like blackberries, currant, mocha, pine, and nutmeg.   The mouthfeel is smooth and the finish still has tons of grip and intensity.   I was hoping to get more fruit and not as much tannin and tree bark.   Definitely wondering how this one will taste in a year or two and I may pick up a bottle to try it when it’s turned 10 (in 2014!).   This is a wine that needed food and was a bit much on its own.   If I had some bacon wrapped dates here, I think the pairing would have been very nice!

$15.99/bottle

Double