California Table Wine Peju Winery Provence $22
We bought this Peju California Table Wineon our visit to Napa Valley back in August of 2005. After a day of saturating our palates with robust reds and crisp whites, this refreshing, deep rose-colored wine stood out to us. We purchased a bottle, planning to drink it at a summer dinner party. Instead, it gathered dust on our wine rack for four years - guess the occasion never seemed quite right!
When we finally brought the bottle with us to enjoy with Alice's family on the Cape last week, we were a little nervous that it might have gone bad, but it was as delicious as we remembered! This wine is meant to be served chilled, and is perfect with a cheese plate. We enjoyed it with smoked gouda, jarlsberg, and aged cheddar, and found that the wine complemented - but didn't overpower - the cheese. It features bright strawberry, cherry, and rasberry scents, yet is not too sweet and has a soft finish.
The wine is a proprietary blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Zinfandel with Chardonnay and French Colombard from Napa and Mendocino counties. We felt that the flavors of Zinfandel and Chardonnay especially came through, and that the wine strikes a delicate balance between the dryness and fullness of a red and the citrus freshness of a white. It's definitely worth trying if you're looking for a summer appetizer wine with a bit more substance!
A&T Ranking: 8.5/10
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