2008 Raphael Cabernet Franc

You know, I thought for sure we've never had a wine from New York, but it turns out four years ago we had a Marshall Field's brand sparkler from New York. While the new Macy's brand is tolerable, you can't tell me the stores haven't gone downhill since the name change, but that's a post for another blog. This wine ran me $14.

A garbagey nose - chocolate, rotten berries, and almost a red pepper thing.

Odd. Quite odd. Tasted blind I would've guessed some odd hybrid grade from the Midwest. Chocolate, raspberry, plum, eucalyptus, dirt, tobacco in a fuzzy feel sorta way...the tannins are mild on the palate, but there's quite a bit of weight on this...almost a Port feel without the burn or sugar.

Some black raspberry, fruit and leaf, on the finish and way in the back there is something strikingly reminiscent of the original green colored NyQuil.

Interesting? Yes. Beyond that though....

Score: 82

N/V Bully Hill Special Reserve Baco Noir

So long story short, I bought a bottle of this online for a coworker and grabbed a second one for myself. She mentioned loving Baco Noir, and I figured I'd try it before giving her this in case it was terrible (she had the varietal, but not from this producer). I popped this open, poured a glass with the intent of just testing it, putting it away and analyzing it later. After the first sip I felt compelled to write.

The nose is big – you don't need to swirl and the glass stinks – but in a strange, funky, earthy, sort of way – this almost smells like pure sassafras.

Weird – this is why you should try offbeat varietals – this is unlike just about any wine I've had. Funky, earthy, strawberry, raspberry, root beer, cola, fresh basil, even some mint with some tomacco (that's a tobacco/tomato hybrid). There's a hell of a lot going on here.

The finish fades rapidly with some cinnamon notes sticking around.

How is this? It's weird and fascinating. From an academic standpoint, this is phenomenal. From a “delicious” standpoint, I don't know. I do know that for a wine that's eight bones a bottle that this is once, twice, three times a bargain.

Wine: 9
Value: Shockingly great value - absolutely yes.

NV Marshall Field's Vivid Sparkling Rose

It’s ironic, no? A New York sparkling wine is our fond farewell to the Chicago institution Marshall Field’s after being taken over by those New York bastards.

This is a sparkling rose, according to the bottle, from New York.

What’s it like? Sparkling White Zinfandel if I had to compare it to anything.

Lots of wine people scoff at White Zin. I’m one of those people who feels that White Zinfandel is what it is. It’s alcoholic Kool-Aid. It’s not terrible, but it’s certainly not wine...more wine cooler than anything.

I get strawberries in this one, it’s sweet, but not overwhelmingly so and there’s no acid. I pretty much just described White Zinfandel to you. Inoffensive, sweet enough, and fruity. It is what it is...don't buy this expecting a quality wine, buy it realizing it's essentially "adult Cherry 7-Up."