2012 Creekside Red
This is our second release of our very popular and versatile Creekside Red. The wine is a New World blend of California-grown Sangiovese, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Petite Sirah (Durif), blended with Minnesota-grown Saint Croix and Marquette. All lots were vinified separately utilizing whole-berry fermentation which produces wines with brightness and fruit-forward flavors. Aged in mostly Minnesota Oak barrels for nine months, this medium-bodied wine is a sure crowd-pleaser.
Aromas are very concentrated with all kinds of small red fruits like cherry, raspberry, blackberry and cranberry. The sweet notes from the new Minnesota oak barrels add to the bouquet, notes of leather, cedar and tobacco, and provide added complexity in the nose. On occasion when I smell this wine, it reminds me of my youth, camping and fishing in the mountains of California with my best friend and his dad, who smoked a pipe of cherry-flavored tobacco in the evenings by the camp fire. Fruity, rich and flavorful, smooth and inviting; this wine is wonderful by itself. It can even be chilled in the summer time or used as a base for red Sangria. On its own, it pairs well with grilled foods, pizza and tomato-based pastas.
