Pendulum 2007 Columbia Valley Red Wine, $17.99

OK. I almost got killed buying this wine at Toast in West Hartford Center. I ran across the street just as the light changed & I literally had to hold out my hand to stop two cars from mowing me down. Ah, story of my life. Good thing the ADA gave me life insurance.

This is not a bottle I would normally buy. First of all, what kind of grapes are in it? The back of the bottle doesn't say much except for "Intense flavors of berry, chocolate and spice artfully blended to achieve a complex and worldly wine." Not really my style. But it does have a 14.1% alcohol content. I can live with that.

I'm coming up on the one-year anniversary of my beloved Grandpa's death. For those of you who have been reading my wine blogs long enough to remember, my grandfather passed away last year on June 4th. Grandpa, who adored sweet wines, would have been intrigued by the description on the back label. And that is the reason I bought it, as well as the reason I'm opening it up right now.

In the glass, it looks like any other red wine - cab, syrah, merlot, take your pick. The body is so heavy that the wine clings to the side of the glass for a good 10 seconds before the legs begin to form - long, thin, spindly legs that take their time traveling down the glass. The scent of rubbing alcohol assaults my nostrils first, but midway through the sniff, I get this fantastic chocolate-covered cherry scent, much like the dark chocolate chocolate-covered cherries from Russel Stover that have the liquid-filled centers. Mmm, chocolate-covered cherries.

To borrow a phrase from the wine lord Gary Vaynerchuck, this wine has obnoxious silkiness to it. It is so lush, smooth & silky in my mouth, it feels like I am holding a wad of satin sheets in my mouth. (The real satin sheets, not that fake crap.) On the palate, I get this intense chocolate/cherry/berry mix, like I'm dipping fresh fruit into dark chocolate fondue. Oh, delicious. The finish lingers, reminiscent of grenache. I bet the predominant grape in here is grenache, which is totally cool by me.

The best part about this wine is that it's not sweet. Sure, it sounds sweet with its fruit & chocolate flavors, but there's a spicy little zip to it. It's like a dinner wine that's trying to be dessert-friendly. It could be great with dessert, but right now I'm liking it just as it is, chilling by myself with a glass in my hand. It makes me want to visit Walla Walla, WA.

Cheers!

Kate

P.S.: This is my official blog post in remembrance of Grandpa. On the actual date - June 4th - I will be attending his memorial mass, followed by my cousin Jen's wedding. I don't know if this wine would've been sweet enough for Grandpa, but I bet he'd be ballsy enough to try it. I miss you, Grandpa, and I still love you.