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Amelie 2004
Thursday, September 21st, 2006 10:02 amThis week we tried a new wine, the Amelie 2004. It is a Cabernet Sauvignon-Merlot blend (75%-25%) from Mankas Hills Vineyards in St. Helena, CA. The label declares "twelve months aging in a blend of small oak barrels has added balance and complexity to the original creation. Though best enjoyed with friends anround a table, Amelie's elegant aromas and flavors make it the perfect wine for any occasion." We paired the wine with a mildly spiced spaghetti sauce (with ground turkey).
The wine had a nice, deep color and a mature fruity flavor. I wouldn't call it a "big" red by any means. It was very pleasant (I've not been the biggest red fan, but I'm slowly learning to appreciate them). The flavors leaned more towards dried fruits instead of the bright, lush fruits I really enjoy in young pinot noir and beaujolais, but they weren't so pronounced as to make me feel like I was drinking something pompous or snooty. There was a lingering spiciness in the finish that enhanced the spiciness of the food. I thought that was really cool, because it's hard to find a wine that will stand up to a spicy food without tasting hugely of tannins.
I wouldn't necessarily call it a picnic wine, it was definitely a sit-down dinner style, for sipping and enjoying with food and conversation. It won't draw your attention away from the activities at hand, but will definitely enhance your enjoyment of them. Does this make sense? I feel that some wines are so big, or complex, or challenging that they require all of your attention, and you must be in the frame of mind that the wine will be the center of attention for the evening. Amelie isn't one of those. I think it would make a great "house" wine. We have a house white, a pinot grigio from CA that is just clean and light, not sweet but not really dry, and I think Amelie would be a good red analog of that. Something you can drink anytime you're in the mood for a glass of red.
The Amelie retails for $14.90 through the winery, but I have no idea if it is being distributed in WI. I've got a particular fondness for wines in the $10/bottle range. I think mainly because if I try something new, and I don't like it, I'm not so upset over the expenditure. The more I spend, the more I want to know ahead of time that I'll be happy with my purchase. But having tried this wine, I can see myself spending the little bit extra, especially if I'm inviting friends over for a dinner party.
So how did I come by this bottle? Well, this is the truly delightful part of the story. My new BFF at work sent me this link: http://www.mankashills.com/blog/ The June 11, 2006 entry of the blog invites bloggers to contact the winery for a free bottle of Amelie. This is their marketing strategy for this wine. Their hope is that honest reviews from bloggers all over will generate enough word of mouth to generate interest in their product. So, if you enjoy wine, have a blog that is over 3 months old, and are over 21, they'll send you a bottle too. Andrea, from Mankas Hills was very friendly and polite, letting me know first that my email had been received, when the next shipment would go out, and finally sending me the tracking number. I also liked the really cool wine pack the bottle arrived in. I've now got a box that I can use to ship a bottle to some lucky friend. :)
All in all, I'd say if you see the Amelie in a store, go ahead and give it a try.
The wine had a nice, deep color and a mature fruity flavor. I wouldn't call it a "big" red by any means. It was very pleasant (I've not been the biggest red fan, but I'm slowly learning to appreciate them). The flavors leaned more towards dried fruits instead of the bright, lush fruits I really enjoy in young pinot noir and beaujolais, but they weren't so pronounced as to make me feel like I was drinking something pompous or snooty. There was a lingering spiciness in the finish that enhanced the spiciness of the food. I thought that was really cool, because it's hard to find a wine that will stand up to a spicy food without tasting hugely of tannins.
I wouldn't necessarily call it a picnic wine, it was definitely a sit-down dinner style, for sipping and enjoying with food and conversation. It won't draw your attention away from the activities at hand, but will definitely enhance your enjoyment of them. Does this make sense? I feel that some wines are so big, or complex, or challenging that they require all of your attention, and you must be in the frame of mind that the wine will be the center of attention for the evening. Amelie isn't one of those. I think it would make a great "house" wine. We have a house white, a pinot grigio from CA that is just clean and light, not sweet but not really dry, and I think Amelie would be a good red analog of that. Something you can drink anytime you're in the mood for a glass of red.
The Amelie retails for $14.90 through the winery, but I have no idea if it is being distributed in WI. I've got a particular fondness for wines in the $10/bottle range. I think mainly because if I try something new, and I don't like it, I'm not so upset over the expenditure. The more I spend, the more I want to know ahead of time that I'll be happy with my purchase. But having tried this wine, I can see myself spending the little bit extra, especially if I'm inviting friends over for a dinner party.
So how did I come by this bottle? Well, this is the truly delightful part of the story. My new BFF at work sent me this link: http://www.mankashills.com/blog/ The June 11, 2006 entry of the blog invites bloggers to contact the winery for a free bottle of Amelie. This is their marketing strategy for this wine. Their hope is that honest reviews from bloggers all over will generate enough word of mouth to generate interest in their product. So, if you enjoy wine, have a blog that is over 3 months old, and are over 21, they'll send you a bottle too. Andrea, from Mankas Hills was very friendly and polite, letting me know first that my email had been received, when the next shipment would go out, and finally sending me the tracking number. I also liked the really cool wine pack the bottle arrived in. I've now got a box that I can use to ship a bottle to some lucky friend. :)
All in all, I'd say if you see the Amelie in a store, go ahead and give it a try.
