INITIAL NOTES:
This bottle doesn’t say what the grape or blend is; I assumed it to be a blend. It was only the next day that I looked on line to find the breakdown: 58% Zinfandel 30% Syrah 12% Cabernet Sauvignon. I never would have guessed that!
I drank this wine myself as Darcey called and said she would be spending the evening with friends, so these are my notes, alone, with no friend here to share. I had already opened the wine, so, what’s a guy to do? I drank!
ON THE NOSE:
A very muted nose at first, only hinting at some fruit, but eventually opening up to a nice sweet vanilla aroma with some faint earthy smell that I can’t quite describe, and just a hint of bacon; the bacon is a first for me, though I’ve heard others use this descriptor. The nose begins pouring through after about three hours exhibiting rich cherry and mineral side-notes, black pepper, black licorice, and a little bad breath thrown in at the last moment – hopefully not my own! After opening up this wine has a very big nose indeed, comforting and delicious.
ON THE PALATE:
The initial palate displays a solid mouthfeel with more acidity than tannin, an OK balance with a finish of clean gun-metal and rainwater disappearing after 30 seconds. The wine is round and cool, not showing too much berry, and once it hits the mid-palate it disappears into the finish rather quickly, like a teenager after a meal when the dishes need to be done. After three hours The Grappler begins to come into its own with rich cherry flavor ringing through the nose and spilling onto the palate with abandon, coupled with sweet licorice. The mouthfeel begins to show character now too, with some hesitant chalky tannins just waking up to balance the bold acidity that I didn’t like earlier. I am yet again shown by the wine how patience can be rewarded. Earlier I was, I admit, thinking bad thoughts about this wine, feeling I had wasted $15 on it, and thinking of all the nice wines I have been drinking for 8 and 9 dollars. I am like this, emotionally, anyway, so I guess it’s no surprise. I emote quickly and judge quickly, but I have a great talent for also being able to change emotions and judgments in a heartbeat once the situation changes, i.e. I don’t hold onto things too long. That’s a nice skill to have with a wine. This one is opening, and I am feeling better about it, and feeling better about drinking alone, though I miss Darcey being beside me commenting on her take of this interesting blend.
I’ll drink this wine into the wee hours of the morning, so I’ll get a good sense of what it offers. I still hesitate to keep a wine overnight, even though I read that many others do it. Too many wines simply turn to vinegar, and I just can’t let that happen if I can avoid it. Still, the other night a leftover glass of Lucciaio was indeed quite good the next day, so … perhaps I will leave a glass or two and see what tomorrow brings.
In the meantime this Grappler is becoming more and more bold, and demanding that I take it seriously. I really like the balance now; the only thing out of place is the heat of the alcohol and am not surprised to read on the bottle a 14.7% alcohol content; I remember when 13.5 was a lot, but these days that’s considered a baby for reds. Perhpas this is a young wine that would benefit from a few more years in the cellar! The fruit is big now, too, having become a cross between cherry and raspberry and turning more into a fruit-bomb than I had originally anticipated. The mineral notes are still present, but now accented by the sweet licorice and vanilla. The finish on the mid-palate has dramatically changed as well, from "disappearing" earlier to lasting quite a while now, with all the fruit slipping down the sides of the tongue ending with the mineral/gun-metal tastes.
OTHER NOTES:
All wines eventually show all they have to offer, I suppose, and I am sometimes let down when I reach this point in the life of a bottle I am enjoying. I have also noted that some begin a decline in my very presence, which is why, I want to add here, that I am leery of leaving a bottle open overnight, or for several days, even though I have read that many do this. I feel that if I do the vinegar demons will visit, and then it’s all over. I am also dubious of decanting for similar reasons. One thing Darcey and I always notice is how a glass of wine will eventually wither and lose its brilliance and depth, but upon a new pour from the bottle it is like a fresh start, big nose, complex palate, et al. Why would we decant a bottle and have its life-force die away before we get a chance to enjoy it fully? The more we drink and experience, of course, the more we will learn about which and when to decant, which and when to leave open overnight.
Often I buy two bottles of something I think I will like and have indeed experimented with these concepts. These notes I write become quite valuable to us at such times, reminding us of where we’ve been and teaching us to take chances. As with anything, I suppose, the outcomes will vary, and we will make mistakes, and some wines will remain under-appreciated. This is the beauty and the art, however, of wine, of wine consumption, of feeling into and listening to what these wines have to say. You think that daft? Think again, for these elixirs have something to teach us about ourselves, our ways of being, or, more appropriately, our ways of non-being. This is why, I think, I love wines that are made more naturally, where nature takes its course, only guided sparingly and lovingly by the winemaker. I believe in the life-force of food, and I most certainly believe it of wine. This Grappler is a fine blend and a very good bottle of wine. I was happy to stop here and be present with this effort; it treated me well and lasted through the night and into the morning.
(Click here for an explanation of our ratings ...)
My Rating: 90
Would I drink it again? 
Yes, absolutely, I would drink this wine again, hopefully with Darcey!
Would I buy it again?
Yes, especially given that Darcey did not get to taste it, but also due to it's fairly good QPR; at $15 it isn't a steal, but a darned good price for what you get.
