A Good Blogger Tip: David Coffaro Escuro

We read a lot of wine blogs yet, oddly, we rarely purchase the wines that our fellow bloggers recommend. It's not that the reviews aren't intriguing, it's just that either a) I'll never remember the name b) I'd have to order it and get it shipped to relatives in a neighboring state or c) my wine cabinet is already full. Oh, and d) we want to experiment and post blog entries about new wines!

However, last time we were at the Vineyard, we spotted a bottle from David Coffaro which we recognized from a post by Dr. Debs on Coffaro Winery futures. We are not in a place where we are going to be buying wine on futures but, this bottle was there, and we were there so we said "let's try it!"

David Coffaro
Escuro California Red Table Wine
90% 2004 10% 2003
Lodi: 30% Alvarelhão & 12% Touriga Nacional
Dry Creek Valley: 40% Cab Sauvignon, 11% Petite Sirah & 7% Zinfandel
Production: 220 Cases
Alcohol: 13.9%
Price: $24.99

I don't know when I've ever taken a whiff of a red wine where the first aroma to hit me was bread before this wine. Bread, and then some vanilla, and some strawberry, and then chocolate, and then hay. On the palate we get some strawberry, then metal (first sip), and then a longish finish with cinnamon/allspice and chocolate.

I like the balance of this wine: It's lush but not overly fruity. It's dessert-like but not sweet, and it's warm but not hot.

The image that comes to mind drinking this wine is a strawberry, dusted in cinnamon and toasted over a fire on a metal skewer like a marshmallow, and then right as you're about to pop it in your mouth, it slides off the skewer into the ashes for a second. The other image that comes to mind is the Benzinger vineyard in Sonoma for some reason (just throwing that out there).

You don't need to eat food with this wine but, I had it with some chicken and it worked. Let's face it: When is the last time you made prime rib or duck at home to go with your wine? I don't want to have to drink white wine every Sunday just because I'm having chicken. Chicken goes with everything (that's my story and I'm sticking to it!) I also had it with chocolate--that worked too.

By the way, if you are interested in the 2004 David Coffaro Estate Cuvee, check out A Passionate Foodie's review.