Like words, wine can convey many meanings. The complexity of our wine comes from embracing the art of blending… layering vintages, vineyards & varietals to obtain luscious flavor. The result is a thousand stories, but only one message… Enjoy our wine for what it is, an expression of the land that grew it and the hands that have touched it.
2018 The Messenger “Chara” Red Blend, Shenandoah Valley, California
Tasting Notes
The Shenandoah Valley is a sleepy enclave in the Sierra Foothills. If you are not looking for it, you are unlikely to stumble across it. It isn’t far away, but it isn’t on the way to where you are likely going. That is fine with us. This is California’s Gold Country, but the gold today is harvested, not mined.
The warm days make this the perfect terroir for Grenache and Teraldego. Some of the world’s most expensive and celebrated wines are made from Grenache and it is easy to see why. Spicy, yet soft with notes of raspberry and white pepper linger and the trademark cinnamon are all present. The hint of pine is compliments of the Teraldego.
When these two grapes dance in your glass and across your tongue you will taste their perfect rhythm.
Specs
Varieties: 88% Grenache, 12% Teraldego
Color: Brick Red
Body: Medium to Full
Texture: Super soft
Alcohol: 14.2%
2018 The Messenger Syrah, Sierra Foothills
Tasting Notes
Go big or go home. This is the Lizzo of Syrah: big and rich with talent as far as the eye can see. The Sierra Foothills has turned out to be “the place“ to grow Syrah in the US. The conditions are perfect to allow this grape to ripen to perfection and the soil to add complexity and richness. This natural wonder has a little Tempranillo taking the wine to new heights of deliciousness.
Wine Grapes were introduced to the Sierra Foothills during the 19th-century gold rush. What has evolved is a delightfully eclectic collection of vineyards, dominated by growers who farm with old-fashioned sensitivity for the land and environment.
Specs
Varietals; Syrah 90%, Tempranillo 10%
Appellation: Sierra Foothills
Alcohol: 14.9%
2018 The Messenger Malbec, Sonoma Mountain
Tasting Notes
Malbec can be a challenge to grow and ripen but this vineyard, high up in the Sonoma Mountain AVA is a wondrous spot. With its eastern face sitting above the morning fog these grapes enjoy the added hours of ripening needed to make the fruit into a lush, robust yet refined powerhouse. Small, dense clusters of flavor ranging from damson, cocoa, and sweet tobacco to pepper, violet, and a finish of chocolatey richness.
Specs
Varietiel: 100% Malbec
Color: Bright red
Body: Medium/ full
Texture: Abundant
Alcohol: 13.9%
What’s Included
6-bottles:
2x 2018 The Messenger “Chara” Red Blend, Shenandoah Valley, California
2x 2018 The Messenger Syrah, Sierra Foothills
2x 2018 The Messenger Malbec, Sonoma Mountain Case:
4x 2018 The Messenger “Chara” Red Blend, Shenandoah Valley, California
It started 20 years ago with an opportunity to work for a craft brewer in Western Australia. Showing up in Australia with a degree from the University of California, a good work ethic, and a “can do” spirit was the perfect combination of right place - right time. After three years down under, Kat moved back to the US and her husband, Australian Rob McDonald quickly followed.
They founded Old Bridge Cellars and began importing the legendary Australian wines they both loved…d’Arenberg, Jasper Hill, Yarra Yaring, Leeuwin Estate. Along the way, Kat took a break and went to law school, they planted vineyards in both Australia and the Napa Valley and began making their own wines including the eponymous named Mak.
In 2008, they founded Art+Farm Wine in Napa. Art+Farm is home to their single vineyard wines the girls in the vineyard, their outrageous blends-The Messenger, and their true varietals: Circadia.
Kat and Rob live in Napa with their two children and an odd-looking creature that is supposed to be a dog. Kat is a little obsessed with her heritage breed chickens and the eggs they lay and also her bees. Rob is obsessed with compost and growing the perfect tomato. Both are huge proponents of dry farming and see water as the single biggest factor in the future of agriculture.
Available States
CA, CO, DC, FL, GA, IL, MA, MI, MN, MO, NH, NJ, NY, NC, OH, OK, OR, PA, TN, TX, WA, WI
How much more are you saving by buying a full case?
(Note: Tax & Shipping not included in savings calculations).
The Messenger Mixed Reds - $15 = 9.99%
WE on the Syrah:
89 points. This full-bodied and well-balanced wine is packed with black figs, dark chocolate and black cherries that flood the palate, supported by moderate tannins. — Jim Gordon 3/1/21
WE again, the Malbec:
85 Points. Baked plum, tobacco and grippy tannin accent a simple, rounded expression of the grape in this approachable wine. — Virginie Boone 10/1/21
Annnnd guess who…
WE and the Chara:
88 Points. Beef and black-pepper aromas give this wine a big personality without totally overdoing it. It’s dry, full bodied, moderately tannic and backs up the oaky, spicy notes with good, subdued berry flavors. — Jim Gordon 12/31/20
I received the bottle of The Messenger Syrah on Wednesday. It was a mid-90s F day here in Florida and the bottle arrived warm. I put it in the fridge to try to cool it down before it cooked any further. I took the bottle out of the fridge several hours later and left it on the kitchen counter to rest.
I opened the bottle on Thursday night to enjoy a glass with a plate of spaghetti bolognese. My initial impressions after letting it breathe for 20 minutes are:
Look: The wine is a deep, dark red. Very rich and inviting looking, with fat, slow legs that meander down the sides of the glass.
Nose: Smelled tannic, earthy, and a bit spicy, with just the barest hint of black plum. Mostly I was getting alcohol and tannins on the nose.
Taste: The flavor was spicy. Overwhelming black pepper, cinnamon, and tannins, with a bit of alcohol burn. It was very, very dry and I struggled to find any fruit or complexity.
It was pretty disappointing. Clearly, the wine had cooked in transit. Tasting it, I could sense so much potential.
Not wanting to give up on the wine, I tried it again on Friday night. I let it sit in a wide mouthed glass for an hour. It improved a bit! The nose lost a lot of its unpleasant bite. Now it had a musty, dusty perfume like an ancient cologne. Unusual, but not unpleasant. The flavor improved even more than the nose. It lost its super spicy alcohol burn. It was still tannin forward, but not as strong as it had been on Thursday. But best of all, I finally got hints of chocolate and dark cherries on the front to middle palate.
So, my final impression of The Messenger Syrah is that it’s a great wine that shouldn’t be shipped to the South in the middle of summer. It’s a wine that I would probably buy under different circumstances. I love Syrahs and I believe that The Messenger is probably a really good example of a new world bottle. Uncooked, I think it’s likely well-balanced with earth, mineral, and dark fruit. I’m sure the chocolate and dark cherry are more prominent. If it’s not 1000 degrees where you live, I’d give this offer a go.
I received the Chara red blend a few days ago. I’ll qualify this report by saying we missed the first UPS delivery attempt, so this bottle had extra time to marinate in the UPS truck an extra day in the 100-degree temps of New Orleans.
First Whiff: Dark fruit aromas like cherry.
First Sip: Low to medium tannins, smooth mouthfeel, the fruit didn’t come through as much as I would have expected from the nose, but we did get some plum and pepper on the finish. We revisited this later and it did mellow out over some time.
Summary: I’m concerned about the heat having cooked the bottle, but this one felt like it’s a weekday sipper that could be enjoyed alone or paired with burgers and the price is in line with our expectations.
I’ll qualify this report by saying we missed the first UPS delivery attempt, so this bottle had extra time to marinate in the UPS truck an extra day in the 100-degree temps of New Orleans.
Instead of UPS, I prefer FedEx in situations like this, when you are notified of an arrival at a time when you may not be home. FedEx allows free drop-off redirection to local businesses, which is a far better option than having your delivery roast on the truck for additional days.
@GraysonM@PaleMongo Also I’ve gotten the UPS Sorry We Missed you tag several times when I was right there. Really frustrating. One reason I usually use the redirect to UPS Store feature, which requires a $20 annual fee per address (as discussed in next post).
@GraysonM@PaleMongo I also have been having a lot of problems with UPS. With my last Casemates order I was so frustrated with UPS. The 2 day delivery turned into 6 days. Complete mess especially living in the Arizona desert. I sure wish we could more options for shipping (like FedEx). Now that UPS drivers get paid $49/hour they sure aren’t making any efforts to do a better job. Please work with Wine Country to get us different shipping options. Thanks!
@GraysonM@PaleMongo@pmarin In our area of NEO, our driver said that they don’t ring doorbells any more! I missed mine wine for two days in a row. On the third day, I put post-it all over the front door area stating that I was home. I even left our garage door open!
@Mark_L Yeah, @rebelgator, how do you get it for $10? In any case FedEx did it for no charge, or at least used to when it was used here for wine shipments.
Plus if you have multiple addresses you may ship to, as I do, the UPS up-charge profit fee is $20 for each address.
@pmarin@rebelgator@ttboy23 Thankfully my local UPS store does not do this. I have received at least 8 shipments since renewing my UPS membership before this summer.
I returned for a weekend away to find a casemates package. I hadn’t checked my email closely enough and missed Alice’s!! My sincere apologies for the delayed review!! OK, now for my two cents…
I brought a case of the Messenger Albariño and enjoyed the light summer sipper and an attractive price. It piqued my interest of what’s in this bottle…
Pop & Pour:
A nice garnet color and no legs to speak of
Nose:
Heavy alcohol and beyond that you can get the sense it’s a malbec
Pallet:
Smooth mouth feel. Some dark berries & chocolate like sweetness
Finish:
The alcohol burn dominated. This definitely needs some air to open up…
45 minutes later:
Nose:
Alcohol is gone revealing dark fruit and a berry sweetness
Palate:
A nice silky mouth feel. Decent dark fruit burst but not very nuanced.
Finish:
Some pepper and chocolate
IMHO this is a baby Malbec. A cellar saver for sipping and pairing with some pizza, red sauce and maybe some grilled red meats. If I didn’t have too many cellar saver reds I’d have been in for a case.
The Messenger
2018 The Messenger “Chara” Red Blend, Shenandoah Valley, California
Tasting Notes
Specs
2018 The Messenger Syrah, Sierra Foothills
Tasting Notes
Specs
2018 The Messenger Malbec, Sonoma Mountain
Tasting Notes
Specs
What’s Included
6-bottles:
Case:
Price Comparison
Not for sale online, $312/case MSRP
About The Winery
Available States
CA, CO, DC, FL, GA, IL, MA, MI, MN, MO, NH, NJ, NY, NC, OH, OK, OR, PA, TN, TX, WA, WI
Estimated Delivery
Monday, Sep 25 - Tuesday, Sep 26
The Messenger Mixed Reds
6 bottles for $74.99 $12.50/bottle + $1.33/bottle shipping
Case of 12 for $134.99 $11.25/bottle + $1/bottle shipping
2018 Chara
2018 Syrah
2018 Malbec
More details needed! pH/TA? Which vineyards?
Also, why the odd spelling for Teroldego?
How much more are you saving by buying a full case?
(Note: Tax & Shipping not included in savings calculations).
The Messenger Mixed Reds - $15 = 9.99%
Why is shipping a month out?
@benj I wish it was 3 months out….
WE on the Syrah:
89 points. This full-bodied and well-balanced wine is packed with black figs, dark chocolate and black cherries that flood the palate, supported by moderate tannins. — Jim Gordon 3/1/21
WE again, the Malbec:
85 Points. Baked plum, tobacco and grippy tannin accent a simple, rounded expression of the grape in this approachable wine. — Virginie Boone 10/1/21
Annnnd guess who…
WE and the Chara:
88 Points. Beef and black-pepper aromas give this wine a big personality without totally overdoing it. It’s dry, full bodied, moderately tannic and backs up the oaky, spicy notes with good, subdued berry flavors. — Jim Gordon 12/31/20
fwiw
The Messenger Syrah
I received the bottle of The Messenger Syrah on Wednesday. It was a mid-90s F day here in Florida and the bottle arrived warm. I put it in the fridge to try to cool it down before it cooked any further. I took the bottle out of the fridge several hours later and left it on the kitchen counter to rest.
I opened the bottle on Thursday night to enjoy a glass with a plate of spaghetti bolognese. My initial impressions after letting it breathe for 20 minutes are:
It was pretty disappointing. Clearly, the wine had cooked in transit. Tasting it, I could sense so much potential.
Not wanting to give up on the wine, I tried it again on Friday night. I let it sit in a wide mouthed glass for an hour. It improved a bit! The nose lost a lot of its unpleasant bite. Now it had a musty, dusty perfume like an ancient cologne. Unusual, but not unpleasant. The flavor improved even more than the nose. It lost its super spicy alcohol burn. It was still tannin forward, but not as strong as it had been on Thursday. But best of all, I finally got hints of chocolate and dark cherries on the front to middle palate.
So, my final impression of The Messenger Syrah is that it’s a great wine that shouldn’t be shipped to the South in the middle of summer. It’s a wine that I would probably buy under different circumstances. I love Syrahs and I believe that The Messenger is probably a really good example of a new world bottle. Uncooked, I think it’s likely well-balanced with earth, mineral, and dark fruit. I’m sure the chocolate and dark cherry are more prominent. If it’s not 1000 degrees where you live, I’d give this offer a go.
The Messenger Chara
I received the Chara red blend a few days ago. I’ll qualify this report by saying we missed the first UPS delivery attempt, so this bottle had extra time to marinate in the UPS truck an extra day in the 100-degree temps of New Orleans.
First Whiff: Dark fruit aromas like cherry.
First Sip: Low to medium tannins, smooth mouthfeel, the fruit didn’t come through as much as I would have expected from the nose, but we did get some plum and pepper on the finish. We revisited this later and it did mellow out over some time.
Summary: I’m concerned about the heat having cooked the bottle, but this one felt like it’s a weekday sipper that could be enjoyed alone or paired with burgers and the price is in line with our expectations.
@GraysonM
Instead of UPS, I prefer FedEx in situations like this, when you are notified of an arrival at a time when you may not be home. FedEx allows free drop-off redirection to local businesses, which is a far better option than having your delivery roast on the truck for additional days.
@GraysonM @PaleMongo Also I’ve gotten the UPS Sorry We Missed you tag several times when I was right there. Really frustrating. One reason I usually use the redirect to UPS Store feature, which requires a $20 annual fee per address (as discussed in next post).
@GraysonM @PaleMongo I also have been having a lot of problems with UPS. With my last Casemates order I was so frustrated with UPS. The 2 day delivery turned into 6 days. Complete mess especially living in the Arizona desert. I sure wish we could more options for shipping (like FedEx). Now that UPS drivers get paid $49/hour they sure aren’t making any efforts to do a better job. Please work with Wine Country to get us different shipping options. Thanks!
@GraysonM @PaleMongo @pmarin In our area of NEO, our driver said that they don’t ring doorbells any more! I missed mine wine for two days in a row. On the third day, I put post-it all over the front door area stating that I was home. I even left our garage door open!
@GraysonM @jliebent Agree. Dump UPS.
For $10 a year you can do the same with UPS. I get most of my wine shipments sent to the ups store nearby
@rebelgator UPS charges $20/year.
@Mark_L Yeah, @rebelgator, how do you get it for $10? In any case FedEx did it for no charge, or at least used to when it was used here for wine shipments.
Plus if you have multiple addresses you may ship to, as I do, the UPS up-charge profit fee is $20 for each address.
@Mark_L @pmarin @rebelgator Some UPS Stores charge an additional $5 per delivery “because it’s alcohol”.
@pmarin @rebelgator @ttboy23 Thankfully my local UPS store does not do this. I have received at least 8 shipments since renewing my UPS membership before this summer.
The Messinger Malbec
I returned for a weekend away to find a casemates package. I hadn’t checked my email closely enough and missed Alice’s!! My sincere apologies for the delayed review!! OK, now for my two cents…
I brought a case of the Messenger Albariño and enjoyed the light summer sipper and an attractive price. It piqued my interest of what’s in this bottle…
Pop & Pour:
A nice garnet color and no legs to speak of
Nose:
Heavy alcohol and beyond that you can get the sense it’s a malbec
Pallet:
Smooth mouth feel. Some dark berries & chocolate like sweetness
Finish:
The alcohol burn dominated. This definitely needs some air to open up…
45 minutes later:
Nose:
Alcohol is gone revealing dark fruit and a berry sweetness
Palate:
A nice silky mouth feel. Decent dark fruit burst but not very nuanced.
Finish:
Some pepper and chocolate
IMHO this is a baby Malbec. A cellar saver for sipping and pairing with some pizza, red sauce and maybe some grilled red meats. If I didn’t have too many cellar saver reds I’d have been in for a case.