Syrzinlot?   Merzinah?   Zinmerah?   What would you call a Zinfandel, Syrah, Merlot blend?         These are the grapes in the North Coast Rocks! blend at Cornerstone, one of my favorite wineries in the Napa area.   Their tasting room is in downtown Yountville right across the street from the oh-so-awesome Bistro Jeanty.   Awesome wine and French food on the same block…  need I invent an excuse to take a trip up to Yountville?  :-)

Swirl… sniff…   WOW this is aromatic.   Right away I picked up some nice white pepper and raspberry.   The midpalate has some juicy, spicy, berry goodness and the finish is rich  and smooth.   I like this blend because it is approachable, yet has some pretty nice substance.   Spices and white pepper are definitely lingering on the finish – the bright fruit compliments the spicyness well.   This is would be a great burger wine, or it is perfectly fine on its own.    More and more wineries are producing less expensive blends to appeal to those who do not want to spend lots of money on a bottle, sometimes with scary results.   But this is one of the better quality blends I’ve tried, especially at the $18 price point.  Fun, yet robust with nice structure.

Only about 1,000 cases produced, but you can order online.   Or take a trip to Yountville  :-)

http://www.cornerstonecellars.com/redrocks1

$18/bottle

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