Bordeaux Wine Enthusiasts

I usually prize classic, old school, food friendly wines. But every once and a while I just want something fruity and fun. EDIT: a good fruit bomb, high quality stuff that doesn't offend my more conservative instincts. Aussie and recent CDP booze bombs are not my ticket.

I usually reach for a southern Rhone on those nights, or maybe a Cali Syrah or Zinfandel, or some times a modern Spanish wine. But I could use some other ideas.

What fruit bombs work for BWE?

Sorry, not a single one for me...

Not that I've had many or seek them out much but in my small experience nobody out fruitbombs the Aussies. To paraphrase Paul Hogan, "Now that's a fruitbomb."

These two are in my cellar:
2013 Michel Gassier Côtes du Rhône Villages Cercius
2014 Jeff Carrel Languedoc Les Darons

Take a cold shower, and the urge for a fruit bomb will pass.

I've clearly come to the right place!

Split the difference and open a young Ridge-Great structure and since it's young you should get fruit right up front. Once they start to mature it spreads so nicely across the palate.

Young CA Cabs are big and fruity, something like a 2007 or a 2013 would hit that mark.

Zinfandel would be especially apt, although I consume very little of that, even RIdge Geyserville which I buy, isn't drank all that much.

Cameron Hughes lineup in particular hits those spots, at very fair prices and good quality.

Generally not so available at retail stores / vendors other than a few bottlings at Costco, so one has to get them direct from their website.

California:

Saxum
Alban
Booker
Turley
Carlisle
Bedrock

Spain:

Alto Moncayo
Aalto
Pintia
Cualquier garnacha de Domaine Lupier

Weirdly I don't like anything of Turley, but do like Aalto.

If I am in the mood for a fruit bomb, I just prefer freshly squeezed valencia orange juice...

I make an old fashioned with some single barrel Jack Daniels and a few amarena cherries. After all not gonna have a fruit bomb with food anyways.

Zinfandel and things like Zin are our go-to FB's.

Turley
Bedrock
Linne-Calodo

Turley has a much lighter hand at the tiller in recent years, Arv.

But seriously - the "take two aspirin and call me in the morning if it hasn't gone away" approach seems best.

Penfolds Grange or Bin 707 Cabernet

There are also some great Californian pinots that might qualify, like Rhys

There is a lot more to choose from in the white wine spectrum, including Sauternes/Barsac.

New world Chardonnay would be an obvious example but even some white burgundies.

This New Zealand Chardonnay was good. It is a Kumeu River.

In the foreground is my dog Twizzler who I would like to announce is running for President of the United States.

Comte Flaneur wrote:
In the foreground is my dog Twizzler who I would like to announce is running for President of the United States.

The top candidates are so bad that Twizzler might be more popular. Just make him/her learn what Aleppo is...

Aleppo, that's the Greek term for extended batonnage resulting in a slightly oxidative style of white wine? Or wait, is that an acronym?

Went to the biweekly tasting of cheap wines at the local wine store here and brought home a 2013 Bodega Nekeas Garnacha El Chaparral de Vega Sindoa to have with pizza. 60 year old vines I thought this wine was very well done especially considering the price. Fair amount going on for a ripe, licorice-fruited wine that was not heavy or gooey.

AlohaArtakaHoundsong wrote:Went to the biweekly tasting of cheap wines at the local wine store here and brought home a 2013 Bodega Nekeas Garnacha El Chaparral de Vega Sindoa to have with pizza. 60 year old vines I thought this wine was very well done especially considering the price. Fair amount going on for a ripe, licorice-fruited wine that was not heavy or gooey.

This used to be a go-to QPR for me, along with Tres Picos... haven't tried either in years, I should seek some out.

We also picked up and put down a 2012 Bodegas Burgo Viejo Rioja Crianza. Not exactly a fruit bomb but let's say a more crowd pleasing formulary which I found to have phases of depth and gravity. Nicely ripe, good acidity, decent scale but no heat. This was along the lines of a modern, Howable, young, low high-end Bordeaux. Would be interested in tasting their Reserva (if they make one).