Fox in the Vineyard

A Day 2 wine

I usually like wine best the day it’s opened. Just me, just my preference. Occasionally a wine will taste better to me on Day 2, but I don’t find that often. This one was a Day 2 favorite for sure, and the story behind its name is a sweet one, which I’ll get to below. Next time I buy it, I’ll open it and let it marinate a day first.

When I first tried it yesterday, I was unimpressed. I was leaning heavily toward a low 6 out of 10. I love wines that really pack a punch on that first sip, and this one I found lackluster. Not entirely bland, but lacking the flavor component I was looking for. I will say that in wine school (Wine School of Philadelphia), I struggled to profile Cab Sauv more than any other wine, which surprised me, because Cab Sauv has been my favorite for years.

Velvet, like Rylan Porter’s voice

Yesterday I did enjoy the velvet texture on my tongue. If you’ve read my first two books, you may remember that I described Rylan Porter’s voice as velvet. It makes me think of dark, rich, not-so-smooth but not-so-rough texture. Something that evokes eerie warmth and mystery. That sense really comes out in this wine on Day 2.

And so do the notes

This wine sang to me when I took that first sniff today. Chocolate, leather and tobacco. I’m getting dark cherries today, and it’s so much more powerful than it was yesterday. The flavor profile is all there, everything I can smell and more, with a slight hint of tanginess from those dark cherries. I’m enjoying the taste much more today. It really needed a day to rest. I’m going to raise its score to a 7, and make a note that I want to give it another go sometime. It’d be good to compare it to some other Cab Sauvs.

“This wine sang to me when I took that first sniff today.”

Where in the world is Paso Robles?

I’m terrible at geography. Just awful. Which is funny, because I have always LOVED looking at maps. They fascinate me, especially topography. I love to see the mountains and valleys, the rivers and lakes drawn out as though they’ve been done just for me. So for those like me who don’t know where in California Paso Robles is without looking at a map, it sits about halfway between Los Angeles and San Jose, a short drive inland from the coast.

The story behind the name

It’s a premier AVA, and you’re going to find some great Rhone blends, Cab Sauvs and Zinfandels there. What really touches me about this Cab Sauv, though, is the sweet story from the winemaker. You can read about it here, and how the wine got its name: Our Story – Textbook. If there’s one thing I love more than a good wine, it’s a good story.