Dalliance Lake County Red Wine – Far From Boring

46% Zinfandel, 18% Barbera, 17% Syrah, 14% Tempranillo and 5% Grenache from Lake County, California.

SRP of $20 and available for as low as $12. Sample received courtesy Dalliance Wines for review purposes.

From the bottle:

“Dalliance…amorous play, frolicking, a little on the side, or as the french would say – une affaire romantique….

This wine celebrates the many mysterious and hedonistic pleasures one encounters on the journey of life….The lush layers of unexpected flavors seduce the palette bringing excitement to whatever situation where wine enhances the occasion. This brooding blend of Zinfandel, Barbera, Syrah, Tempranillo & Grenache is all about enjoying an intense pleasure in the moment…

14.5% Alcohol”

There are a lot of red blends out there, but frankly, many of them are just plain boring. Don’t get me wrong, I love a good red blend but there’s a difference between a winery that is setting out to craft the best blend they can and one that is just using up leftover fruit. Today’s wine is definitely an example of the former.

The Dalliance Red comes from a winery that knows how to do red blends right — Shannon Ridge. These are the people behind the Top 10 rated Vigilance Cimarron (One Finely Crafted Cuvée) and the excellent Wrangler Red (Six Grapes, One Beautiful Blend).

On this wine the intrigue begins right with the label. No, I’m not talking about the picture, but the varietal listing which includes some of my favorites: Syrah, Tempranillo, Grenache, Barbera AND Zinfandel? Wow! So how does this intriguing blend taste?

The 2010 Dalliance Lake County Red Wine begins with a delightful aroma of strawberry, blackberry, raspberry, cinnamon and vanilla. Tasting the wine reveals a smooth, fruity blend with lots of different flavors — this wine has a lot of character. Molasses, strawberry, cinnamon, blackberry and a little spice highlight this sweet and jammy blend. The finish is dry and grippy with caramel and sweet berry notes that linger for a long time. A very interesting blend that is far from boring! The wine also holds up wonderfully on day 2.

See a listing of local retailers selling this wine here.

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