Frontier Red Lot No. 111 Review

Fess Parker Winery

Santa Maria, California, USA

Fessparker.com

14.9% abv on the label

$11.99 a bottle

From: Super Fine Wine & Liquor

NV – No Vintage

California Red Wine

Blend: 36% Syrah, 20% Cinsaut, 12% Petite Sirah, 11% Grenache, 8% Carignane, 6% Tempranilla, 3% Souzao, 2% Counoise, 2% Mourvedre

I think they may have missed one or two other grapes!

Appearance: ruby red body

Aroma: after letting the glass breathe for a while the nose seems a little more under control; big time peppery spice at first, as the nose settles – a berry bowl mixture comes to mind and it seems on the tart side of the berry taste

Flavors: right after opening the bottle it is a little tart; the tannins and acidity seem a little wacked out for the moment; black currant, raspberry, dark cherry, and cranberry come into play; nice spice note; a little earthy – more like a watery earthy style or mineral water

Mouthfeel: tart; soft flannel feel; tannins have a little bite; moderate acidity; mineral water on the edge; thin on the back and aftertaste;

To the Point: not bad for a 12 dollar bottle; drinks like a 12 dollar bottle; Lot No. 122 drank like a 25 dollar bottle for only 12 bucks; probably at it end for age; Lot No. 90 is out – I’ll have to look for this one.  

Frontier Red: Review

Barbecue Edition

Lot No. 122

NV

California Red Wine

Fess Parker Winery

Santa Maria, California, USA

Fessparker.com

14.9% abv

$10.00 a bottle (case price)

I purchased this at the Fine Wine Source in Livonia Michigan.

This NV – no vintage wine had me interested when I sampled it at Jimmy’s store. 

I have to say that for a 10 dollar bottle and a no vintage on top of that this is one damn good bottle of red wine. 

Appearance: this has one dark body for a wine at this price, deep purple with a shiny ruby edge.

Aroma: this is one complex aroma for any price.  It is just a guessing game waiting to happen – ‘what do you smell’.  Big time berry bowl – I’ll call it black cherry, black currant, boysenberry; a nice touch of spice – a little pinch of sage and white pepper; there is a good smoky note and it also reminds me of a fresh box of cigars in a quality cedar box and with 800 cigars in my humidor I think I know that smell. 

Flavors: this is not one of those wines that just fool you with a nice bouquet and then quits on the flavor.  Take all those notes from the nose and add a little sweet 50% dark chocolate and a touch of hardwood.

Fess Parker Played Daniel Boone and Davy Crockett in Movies and TV Shows 

To the Point: this wine tasted really good in the store and so good that I bought a case.  I think I’ll get another one if there are any left.  (Jimmy save me a case)  If you ever see this one don’t buy just one bottle you will be disappointed if you do.  Dollar to Taste = Value; and that means this is the best value out there.  Most $10.00 bottles I water the grass with them.     

Here are the Vineyard Notes:

73% Camp Four Vineyard in the Santa Ynez Valley, 20% Schied Vineyards in Monterey County, 4% French Camp Vineyard in Paso Robles, 3% Rodney’s Vineyard in the Santa Ynez Vallery.

Here is the blend:

40% Syrah, 20% Merlot, 18% Grenache, 9% Petite Sirah, 5% Mourvedre, 4% Cinsault, 2% Caringnane, 2% Tempranillo.  I think they should have found one or two more grapes to add this assemblage of fine grapes.  I wish they put the years to each of the grapes.