Revelry Cab: The Perfect Choice for Your Holiday Revels

Forgot that last minute gift for Christmas dinner? Here’s a great recommendation!

Merry Christmas all…

The Rambling Vine

Revelry Vintners Red Mountain Cabernet Sauvignon 2009 Walla Walla

Happy, merry, gay, gleeful, blissful, carefree, joie de vie, ah, words

that should be apropos adjectives of all holidays. I hope that between December 1st and January 1st, your days are filled with festivities, loved ones, good food, and great wine!

Here is one word you might want to add to your favorite word (and wine) stock pile: Revelry.

Revelry Vintners makes terrific wine. When my husband and friend and I were in Walla Walla this fall, this was one of the wineries we stumbled into that we hadn’t researched and reviewed ahead of time. More often than not, when I venture into a tasting room I haven’t heard of before, if it’s recommended by another tasting room, it’s generally outstanding. I fell in love with a couple of their reds and especially their Riesling, which I plan to review later.

For now, I’m sticking with their grand master red, their 2009 Red Mountain…

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Trending now: Holiday Cocktail Party

I’m serving three Spanish reds at this years Holiday Cocktail Party.  (Starts at 6:30, no need to wait.  It’ll end up late night, if it’s done right).  Why Spanish reds?  Mostly because they rock and a bit mysterious for the novice to journeyman taster.  My prejudicial general comment – they taste somewhere between a Chianti and a Merlot.   But I also do get the side benefit of saying, “We’re serving three Spanish reds this evening”.

I’m very familiar with Rioja, which I love.  I wanted to try something else though.  I went with two Tempranillos and one Monstrell.

First up, the 2011 Paso A Paso Tempranillo – 2011, This one tastes young.  Almost beaujolais like.  Loving it with the pigs-n-blanket hors de houveres accompaniment, as I lose my thoughts staring at the leg lamp (yes, of course I have a leg lamp).

The second Tempranillo is the 2007 Codice.  Hoping the extra age will do wonders.   Ugh – Watered down raisins.  Not prune juice, which could be rich and raisen-ey.  Just blah.  Nothing.  Not offensive.  Just $5-clois-du-bois-like.

Third up, Tarima 2010.  Made from 100% Monstrell: gets right to it. It starts out powerfully, strong, but not too kung pow. A pleasant peppery finish.  My neighbor, Steve, loved it.  Steve likes good reds.

So the Monstrell rocked.  One out of three aint bad for me.  I did enjoy the Paso A Paso.  Will let a bottle sit on the shelf for 2 years.  Patience is a virtue, so I’m told.  However, the Codice will remain on the store shelf, as I pass by in the future.

Steve actually liked all three, which is what it’s all about.  Like what you like.

Silver lining – I like the variety.  Average wines make a great wine taste even better.  Plus not everyone loves the “tasting” factor.  Some just like an easy drinking red and all three qualify.  All three were a hit!