Color Profile: Rosewood
Nose: Cherry Tobacco
Flavor Profile: Black Cherry, Dark Plum, Cedar
Structure: Blunt yet silky tannins, proper acidity
Winemaking
Staying true to the J Dusi heritage grape, this red wine blend is layered with red wine varietals that round out this approachable and everyday affordable red table wine.
The Model M tractor was the first tractor purchased by the Dusi family back in the early 1900s, when their business demanded advanced tools to help facilitate the growth of their business. Naming the J Dusi red wine blend Model M, was inspired by the tool that helped the family forge on in the wine business in their early days. Model M was the modern tool of a venture set forth by J Dusi, providing a new wine to the retail marketplace. For J Dusi, Model M embodies A Family Tradition with a New Perspective.
Specs
Vintage: 2023
Varietals: 22% Petite Sirah, 20% Cabernet Sauvignon, 18% Zinfandel, 18% Cab Franc, 16% Merlot, 6% Other
Bringing J Dusi into the public realm of the wine industry has been a lifelong dream for me. I grew up living on the vineyard, participating in grape farming, and begging for my Grandfather to teach me the winemaking process.
My first vintage was when I was sixteen. My Grandfather guided me through the process from the recollection of the days when his family ran the original “Dusi Winery” back in the '50s. I learned from him, the REAL Italian way to make wine, which happened to be a slight variation of today’s California style wines.
My Great-Grandparents, Sylvester and Caterina Dusi, settled into Paso Robles in the early twenties. They had three sons: Guido, Dante, and Benito Dusi. They were active proprietors in many local businesses, including vineyards, farming, restaurants, and Dusi Winery. I was born and raised in the vineyard that my Grandfather Dante, his father, and two brothers planted in 1945. As vineyards were rare in the area at that time, Zinfandel was the Italian varietal of choice. They implemented the farming practices of head-pruned vines and no irrigation, dry farming. Today, 65 years later, we still carry on their farming traditions and uphold one of the area’s most loved vineyards. Dusi grapes can be found in some of the most sought after Zinfandels in Paso Robles.
Available States
AZ, CA, CO, CT, DC, FL, GA, ID, IL, IN, IA, KS, KY, LA, ME, MD, MA, MI, MN, MO, MT, NE, NV, NH, NJ, NM, NY, NC, ND, OH, OK, OR, PA, RI, SC, SD, TN, TX, VT, VA, WA, WV, WI, WY
How much more are you saving by buying a full case?
(Note: tax and shipping are not included in savings calculations.)
2023 J Dusi Model M Red Blend - $25 = 17.85%
It was nice to get called on to provide a wine review! After chilling it slightly, J Dusi’s “Model M” Red Blend 2023 is a robust, fruit-forward wine that checks many boxes for its price point. Dark fruit flavors of blackberry and black cherry are complemented by subtle notes of spice, vanilla, and a hint of smokiness.
However, the 15.9% 14.4% ABV takes center stage, overpowering the wine’s more nuanced characteristics and leaving me wanting a bit more balance. But, that was without a decant, and this is a 2023 wine, certainly with a screw top makes one believe it’s ready now, but I think with a decant some of the alcohol would blow off.
Despite this, “Model M” remains a solid choice, especially for its price. We happened to have a ribeye on the grill when the wine arrived so it was a nice chance to pair it with dinner. It pairs well with grilled meats like steak or lamb chops, and its bold flavors can stand up to rich, savory dishes like beef stew or BBQ ribs. If you’re looking for a full-bodied red blend that won’t break the bank, this is worth considering
@kaolis Hi there, The 14.4% is the correct one. I edited it here, but when I posted the above review on mobile it would not allow me to edit it. Sorry for the confusion!
I also received a bottle of this from Alice and team, however was out of town for a long Memorial Day week and am only now getting home with access to the bottle. @lastgoodbye rat is spot on, although I don’t detect any smokiness. It seems like a great choice to pair with weeknight summer BBQ meats or tomato based pastas. I’m curious about the “other” in the blend noted above. The bottle does not list any of the grape varietal percentages.
2023 J Dusi Model M Red Blend
Tasting Notes
Winemaking
Specs
What’s Included
6-bottles:
Case:
Price Comparison
Not for sale on winery website, $240/case MSRP
About The Winery
Available States
AZ, CA, CO, CT, DC, FL, GA, ID, IL, IN, IA, KS, KY, LA, ME, MD, MA, MI, MN, MO, MT, NE, NV, NH, NJ, NM, NY, NC, ND, OH, OK, OR, PA, RI, SC, SD, TN, TX, VT, VA, WA, WV, WI, WY
Estimated Delivery
Monday, Jun 23 - Thursday, Jun 26
2023 J Dusi Model M Red Blend
6 bottles for $69.99 $11.67/bottle + $1.33/bottle shipping
Case of 12 for $114.99 $9.58/bottle + $1/bottle shipping
Previous offers:
8/7/24 (2020)
7/8/20 (2017)
Autobuy!
/giphy microscopic-sincere-gum
How much more are you saving by buying a full case?
(Note: tax and shipping are not included in savings calculations.)
2023 J Dusi Model M Red Blend - $25 = 17.85%
/giphy puzzling-pretty-servant
It was nice to get called on to provide a wine review! After chilling it slightly, J Dusi’s “Model M” Red Blend 2023 is a robust, fruit-forward wine that checks many boxes for its price point. Dark fruit flavors of blackberry and black cherry are complemented by subtle notes of spice, vanilla, and a hint of smokiness.
However, the
15.9%14.4% ABV takes center stage, overpowering the wine’s more nuanced characteristics and leaving me wanting a bit more balance. But, that was without a decant, and this is a 2023 wine, certainly with a screw top makes one believe it’s ready now, but I think with a decant some of the alcohol would blow off.Despite this, “Model M” remains a solid choice, especially for its price. We happened to have a ribeye on the grill when the wine arrived so it was a nice chance to pair it with dinner. It pairs well with grilled meats like steak or lamb chops, and its bold flavors can stand up to rich, savory dishes like beef stew or BBQ ribs. If you’re looking for a full-bodied red blend that won’t break the bank, this is worth considering
@lastgoodbye /showme narcoleptic-abstract-instrument
Nice writeup, looking forward to this.
@thompp Sure thing! I was surprised to see the great value here, at almost half off. Enjoy it!
Sorry in advance for the double-post. I wrote the first on mobile and it doesn’t allow the lab rat logo posting.
[mod: trimmed for content posted above, as the highlight is in place for that post and didn’t want to nuke the reply to this one]
Edit: given the low price point, I think this is an excellent Summer party and cookout wine.
Happy to answer any questions that folks have. Just @ me.
@lastgoodbye Nice note… you mention 15.9 abv, specs above state 14.4. Winery we site also says 14.4. Bit of a difference. Can you confirm, thanks!
@kaolis Hi there, The 14.4% is the correct one. I edited it here, but when I posted the above review on mobile it would not allow me to edit it. Sorry for the confusion!
@lastgoodbye nice the care you have taken
I also received a bottle of this from Alice and team, however was out of town for a long Memorial Day week and am only now getting home with access to the bottle. @lastgoodbye rat is spot on, although I don’t detect any smokiness. It seems like a great choice to pair with weeknight summer BBQ meats or tomato based pastas. I’m curious about the “other” in the blend noted above. The bottle does not list any of the grape varietal percentages.
@coolac5
Any heat as noted in the other report?
@rjquillin I noticed this on initial PnP but most of it seemed to fade after about one hour
We really enjoyed the 2017 Dusi Model M- still have one bottle on the rack as a reminder to buy if it came up again… and here we are!
/giphy taut-swanky-quicksand
