I had gotten some of this on the Nov18, 2017, offer, and still had some, so I popped the cork on a bottle after checking both sites to determine that it was the same wine.
My first impression was that it had a little spritz, but that may just have been my tongue. But it is a fairly tart wine; it certainly stands up well to the crackers and cheese I’m having with it. It’s fairly full-bodied. There is a fair amount of dark fruit-- very much like some of the dark cherries I’ve had lately, perhaps with a touch of black raspberry. It still tastes like a fairly young wine, without any tannic blast to deter one from sipping it enjoyably. (At least not this one.) I didn’t get a particularly long finish, and what there was was sort of a fruit-alcohol combo that was nothing special, but not annoying.
This is waaaay better than pretty much anything you could find in a supermarket for less than about $12, IMO. I remember a quote from somewhere: “It’s a modest, unpretentious wine, but nonetheless eminently drinkable.” That pretty well sums it up, except to say that at 7.75 it’s a steal and at 9 it’s still a good deal.
If you’re like me and try a lot of different wines, particularly down in the lower price ranges, you end up with a lot of frogs-- you kiss them and they’re still frogs. Sometimes they have some merit, but need help. And that’s where an appropriate blending wine comes in. (I recently opened a bottle Montepulciano d’Abruzo which was classic light red Italian in style. A good wine, but not my style. I blended it with a bottle of the Gård, and the result was superior to either.) The PVR would work well in some blends.
@DickL Actually, it was a Montepulciano d’Abruzzo, and the blending wine was a '14 Besieged red blend that I’d picked up on a remainder sale. (I tried to edit my message, but wasn’t quick enough and got a stark “Forbidden” page. Boooo!)
The problem now is going to be to stop drinking this stuff. Maybe it’s the 14.5%, but it’s going down real well.
@DickL I don’t think that spritz was just your tongue. Previous Sextant Cabs have also had some spritz to them. Probably some secondary fermentation taking place in the bottle. Perhaps it is done on purpose?
@DickL Now around 15 hours later, I’m sipping on some more of the PVR, and it’s quite pleasant. The fruit is still at the forefront, but that’s fine. I think I’ll be happy drinking the case that I ordered.
@chipgreen Oh, good, I’m not imagining things. I don’t know why they’d deliberately produce a red wine with some spritz (it would be more likely with a white, I’d think), but I don’t think it hurts the drinkability of the wine. One could decant it through an aerator to reduce or eliminate the spritz, I would think. Or just open it the day before-- it’s lost it all overnight.
@DickL I don’t know why they would do it intentionally either but if it’s not intentional you’d think they would have figured out how to avoid it by now.
They also produced a Cab called Mirage that was blown out for around $80/case on wine.woot, that had so much secondary fermentation it was advertised as “Not Bad Fizzy Cab”
All that being said, I purchased and enjoyed both of those wines. Once the fizz blew off, those Cabs were smooth, easy drinkers. If I hadn’t spent so much money on wine lately I’d seriously consider grabbing some of this.
@chipgreen@DickL@ScottW58 I do remember this; FAIL.
Didn’t this one require the Mollydocker ‘shake’ ?
Also the
2009 Sextant Wines Cabernet Sauvignon
Chip mentioned.
I just need to give those away, to the uninitiated, if I can still find them.
@chipgreen@DickL@ScottW58 ScottW, correct. It’s a flaw. An unacceptable flaw no matter the mileage
One would think that whoever chose this wine to sell here would disclose that fact or would refuse to sell it here. Or maybe their tongues can’t pick up spritz anymore…or maybe it’s not fizzy.
How much more are you saving by buying a full case?
(Note: Tax & Shipping not included in savings calculations)
2013 Paris Valley Road Red Blend - $15 = 13.88%
Paris Valley Road, one of my favs. I did not hesitate to pick this up. Still have some from previous purchases on the other site. Never had one that was flawed but I will definitely check on one that I saved…later tonight
This wine yields aromas of bing cherry, chocolate, roasted fig, and espresso. Fine but sustained tannins hold the profile together giving way to a smooth and flowing texture. Finally, hints of black plum, pomegranate and ganache become evident on the exquisite finish.
Winemaker Notes
Grapes are selected from estate vineyards in California and our Chalk Knoll Vineyards ranch in San Ardo within the San Lucas AVA in southern Monterey county just north of Paso Robles, California. Aged 17 months on 20% new French and 5% new American oak.
Suggested Aging: Enjoy now or cellar through 2020.
Price Comparison
$240 MSRP (not currently for sale from the winery)
About The Winery
Winery: Paris Valley Road Wines
As Paris Valley Road meanders along the scenic foothills of the Monterey Coast, it touches upon a particular section of vineyard rich with history. In the 1800’s under the Homestead Act, the LaCoumbe family began building and cultivating the land. Today, nestled in the Chalk Knoll Vineyards is an old adobe house dating back to the turn of the 19th century, still standing with a root cellar and a wind machine at its side. In the 1990’s the Stoller family of Sunridge Nurseries formed a partnership with Dana Merrill of Pomar Junction Vineyard & Winery and planted vineyards on the property for contracted production with the Mondavi family.
Today, Sextant Wines in Paso Robles has undertaken this property and winemaking operations for an exciting new venture. With Steven Martell at the helm of production and Brad Roberts leading the national sales, the venture has proved to be extremely successful. Paris Valley Road Wines pays homage to the French varietals – meticulously vinified and carefully blended into wines with distinct California signatures.
With the vineyard situated approximately 35 miles from the Pacific Ocean, its favorable terroir provides the ideal location for growing aromatic and complex grapes. “Planted on the highest peak of chalky soils, the vines produce fruit that give us wines with intensity and unique mineral qualities” says Craig Stoller, Proprietor of Sextant Wines. The soil features Lockwood Loam and Santa Lucia Clay-Loam which impart the signature minerality to the berries. “These geographical and climatic conditions lead to a long growing season which allows the fruit to develop an abundant flavor profile consistently from year to year” adds Bryan Wallingford, CKV Vineyard Manager.
Available States
AZ, CA, CO, CT, DC, FL, GA, ID, IL, IN, IA, KS, LA, ME, MD, MA, MI, MN, MO, MT, NE, NV, NH, NJ, NM, NY, NC, ND, OH, OR, PA, RI, SC, SD, TN, TX, VT, VA, WA, WV, WI, WY
And from Wine Enthusiast:
Paris Valley Road Cellars 2013 Founder’s Red
86 Points
Crushed oregano, red currant and a little bit of asphalt show on the shy nose of this wine that is sourced mainly from southern Monterey County. There is lots of brick, thyme and rosemary on the palate, with a bit of dried berry fruit.
PRICE $14, Buy Now
DATE PUBLISHED 12/31/2015
mk
If the release price of $14 from the winery is correct (and yes I know different markets may have some price variations) the MSRP comp here of $240 seems a bit of a stretch, maybe not if $70 a case shipping is the new norm…
@kls_in_MD Aww, it did sound interesting with the QPR, but I’m not needing to buy much wine just now. How do you PM here–whisper? If we try again, I’m often up Baltimore way.
Paris Valley is consistently a rock star QPR. If you want to up your game on the daily quaffer. this is it.
@Winedavid49 you’re tempting me.
@Winedavid49 I guess when my wife asks why I bought more wine, I can show her this post.
/giphy manifold-queasy-shame
I had gotten some of this on the Nov18, 2017, offer, and still had some, so I popped the cork on a bottle after checking both sites to determine that it was the same wine.
My first impression was that it had a little spritz, but that may just have been my tongue. But it is a fairly tart wine; it certainly stands up well to the crackers and cheese I’m having with it. It’s fairly full-bodied. There is a fair amount of dark fruit-- very much like some of the dark cherries I’ve had lately, perhaps with a touch of black raspberry. It still tastes like a fairly young wine, without any tannic blast to deter one from sipping it enjoyably. (At least not this one.) I didn’t get a particularly long finish, and what there was was sort of a fruit-alcohol combo that was nothing special, but not annoying.
This is waaaay better than pretty much anything you could find in a supermarket for less than about $12, IMO. I remember a quote from somewhere: “It’s a modest, unpretentious wine, but nonetheless eminently drinkable.” That pretty well sums it up, except to say that at 7.75 it’s a steal and at 9 it’s still a good deal.
If you’re like me and try a lot of different wines, particularly down in the lower price ranges, you end up with a lot of frogs-- you kiss them and they’re still frogs. Sometimes they have some merit, but need help. And that’s where an appropriate blending wine comes in. (I recently opened a bottle Montepulciano d’Abruzo which was classic light red Italian in style. A good wine, but not my style. I blended it with a bottle of the Gård, and the result was superior to either.) The PVR would work well in some blends.
@DickL Actually, it was a Montepulciano d’Abruzzo, and the blending wine was a '14 Besieged red blend that I’d picked up on a remainder sale. (I tried to edit my message, but wasn’t quick enough and got a stark “Forbidden” page. Boooo!)
The problem now is going to be to stop drinking this stuff. Maybe it’s the 14.5%, but it’s going down real well.
@DickL I don’t think that spritz was just your tongue. Previous Sextant Cabs have also had some spritz to them. Probably some secondary fermentation taking place in the bottle. Perhaps it is done on purpose?
@DickL Now around 15 hours later, I’m sipping on some more of the PVR, and it’s quite pleasant. The fruit is still at the forefront, but that’s fine. I think I’ll be happy drinking the case that I ordered.
@chipgreen Oh, good, I’m not imagining things. I don’t know why they’d deliberately produce a red wine with some spritz (it would be more likely with a white, I’d think), but I don’t think it hurts the drinkability of the wine. One could decant it through an aerator to reduce or eliminate the spritz, I would think. Or just open it the day before-- it’s lost it all overnight.
@DickL I don’t know why they would do it intentionally either but if it’s not intentional you’d think they would have figured out how to avoid it by now.
It goes back to at least the 2009 vintage.
They also produced a Cab called Mirage that was blown out for around $80/case on wine.woot, that had so much secondary fermentation it was advertised as “Not Bad Fizzy Cab”
All that being said, I purchased and enjoyed both of those wines. Once the fizz blew off, those Cabs were smooth, easy drinkers. If I hadn’t spent so much money on wine lately I’d seriously consider grabbing some of this.
@chipgreen @DickL
Oh come on chip a cab with fizz is a flawed wine, the only way I’m buying a fizzy cab is if it comes in a champagne bottle.
@DickL @ScottW58 Haha, I hear ya’ it’s a flaw but one I can live with for the price - obviously YMMV!
@chipgreen @DickL @ScottW58 I do remember this; FAIL.
Didn’t this one require the Mollydocker ‘shake’ ?
Also the
2009 Sextant Wines Cabernet Sauvignon
Chip mentioned.
I just need to give those away, to the uninitiated, if I can still find them.
@chipgreen @DickL @ScottW58 ScottW, correct. It’s a flaw. An unacceptable flaw no matter the mileage
One would think that whoever chose this wine to sell here would disclose that fact or would refuse to sell it here. Or maybe their tongues can’t pick up spritz anymore…or maybe it’s not fizzy.
Paris Valley Road Red Blend
6 bottles for $53.99 $9/bottle + $1.33/bottle shipping
Case of 12 for $92.99 $7.75/bottle + $1/bottle shipping
2013 Paris Valley Road Founder’s Blend
How much more are you saving by buying a full case?
(Note: Tax & Shipping not included in savings calculations)
2013 Paris Valley Road Red Blend - $15 = 13.88%
Paris Valley Road, one of my favs. I did not hesitate to pick this up. Still have some from previous purchases on the other site. Never had one that was flawed but I will definitely check on one that I saved…later tonight
/giphy unimportant-statuesque-camp
Tasting Notes
This wine yields aromas of bing cherry, chocolate, roasted fig, and espresso. Fine but sustained tannins hold the profile together giving way to a smooth and flowing texture. Finally, hints of black plum, pomegranate and ganache become evident on the exquisite finish.
Winemaker Notes
Grapes are selected from estate vineyards in California and our Chalk Knoll Vineyards ranch in San Ardo within the San Lucas AVA in southern Monterey county just north of Paso Robles, California. Aged 17 months on 20% new French and 5% new American oak.
Specifications
Price Comparison
$240 MSRP (not currently for sale from the winery)
About The Winery
Winery: Paris Valley Road Wines
As Paris Valley Road meanders along the scenic foothills of the Monterey Coast, it touches upon a particular section of vineyard rich with history. In the 1800’s under the Homestead Act, the LaCoumbe family began building and cultivating the land. Today, nestled in the Chalk Knoll Vineyards is an old adobe house dating back to the turn of the 19th century, still standing with a root cellar and a wind machine at its side. In the 1990’s the Stoller family of Sunridge Nurseries formed a partnership with Dana Merrill of Pomar Junction Vineyard & Winery and planted vineyards on the property for contracted production with the Mondavi family.
Today, Sextant Wines in Paso Robles has undertaken this property and winemaking operations for an exciting new venture. With Steven Martell at the helm of production and Brad Roberts leading the national sales, the venture has proved to be extremely successful. Paris Valley Road Wines pays homage to the French varietals – meticulously vinified and carefully blended into wines with distinct California signatures.
With the vineyard situated approximately 35 miles from the Pacific Ocean, its favorable terroir provides the ideal location for growing aromatic and complex grapes. “Planted on the highest peak of chalky soils, the vines produce fruit that give us wines with intensity and unique mineral qualities” says Craig Stoller, Proprietor of Sextant Wines. The soil features Lockwood Loam and Santa Lucia Clay-Loam which impart the signature minerality to the berries. “These geographical and climatic conditions lead to a long growing season which allows the fruit to develop an abundant flavor profile consistently from year to year” adds Bryan Wallingford, CKV Vineyard Manager.
Available States
AZ, CA, CO, CT, DC, FL, GA, ID, IL, IN, IA, KS, LA, ME, MD, MA, MI, MN, MO, MT, NE, NV, NH, NJ, NM, NY, NC, ND, OH, OR, PA, RI, SC, SD, TN, TX, VT, VA, WA, WV, WI, WY
Estimated Delivery
Thursday, August 23rd - Monday, August 27th
This sounds interesting, @cbrehman or anyone in PDX interested in a split?
And from Wine Enthusiast:
Paris Valley Road Cellars 2013 Founder’s Red
86 Points
Crushed oregano, red currant and a little bit of asphalt show on the shy nose of this wine that is sourced mainly from southern Monterey County. There is lots of brick, thyme and rosemary on the palate, with a bit of dried berry fruit.
PRICE $14, Buy Now
DATE PUBLISHED 12/31/2015
mk
https://www.winemag.com/buying-guide/paris-valley-road-cellars-2013-founders-red-other
fwiw
If the release price of $14 from the winery is correct (and yes I know different markets may have some price variations) the MSRP comp here of $240 seems a bit of a stretch, maybe not if $70 a case shipping is the new norm…
In for 6 since I dont have much room left.
Any interest around Baltimore?
@kls_in_MD I’m outside the DC beltway and could split a case with you.
@Bszamd OK, I’ll pull trigger. hopefully some left.
@Bszamd … Nope
@kls_in_MD Aww, it did sound interesting with the QPR, but I’m not needing to buy much wine just now. How do you PM here–whisper? If we try again, I’m often up Baltimore way.
No wonder I like this wine so much. From Sextant - one of my very favorites!