On the suggestion of my friends at Primo Vino, I decided to try this wine. They told me it wasn't a high seller, but that it had nothing to do with the quality of the wine. For some reason people seem to have preconceptions about it based on the label. My impression of the label is that it looks like all the energy went into producing a beautiful label. So I'm prepared to be wrong.
This big red has a deep brick hue, and the scents remind me of a dark Autumn evening: Earth, fresh raked leaves, mineral, tobacco, fig and a hint of blackberry; assertive with a spicy backbone. Classic Cab. On the tongue I get a rush of deep, roasted plums, coffee and spice with beautiful smoke and oak. The tannins are somewhat assertive but calm down quickly to leave a fairly dry finish. This wine is well-structured and has great flavor, though it is a little tight. I recommend letting it breath for a few hours before enjoying - this smooths out the character of the wine which may seem a little harsh straight out of the bottle.
The Flora Springs Cab is unlike the typical California Cabernet, however. The flavor profile is focused on smoke, leather and spice. The body is more narrow as well, all but ignoring the big round berry flavors you'll find in most others. Reminiscent of old-world style, it doesn't bother trying to compete with the fat Cabs next door: Its purpose is singular, and Flora Springs accomplishes this pretty well.
Tonight I'm enjoying it with coffee-braised roast beef with caramelized onion gravy and roasted root veggies. A great match!
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