This Dry Creek blend has no less than seven different grape varieties. It is a red wine party in a bottle!
The blend is 38% Merlot, 19% Syrah, 18% Malbec, 8% Cabernet Franc, 6% Carmenere, 6% Petite Verdot and 3% Petite Sirah. For the 2011 vintage, a combination of small yields and long “hang time” resulted in exceptionally ripe, concentrated flavors.
I bought a half-case of the 2009 vintage a couple years ago and loved it. That vintage was driven by Syrah and even had a white grape (Viognier) in the mix.
The 2011 Maison Rouge is deep ruby in color with medium body. Red raspberries come to the forefront on the palate. It offers a full, rich taste with notes of plums and herbs mixed in.
Contributing to the rich mouthfeel is malolactic fermentation. The wine is aged for 18 months in French barrels.
In all, this is a very nice Bordeaux style wine. The 2011 vintage has lush, soft flavors and less of the brambles, which I liked in the ‘09. For $15 this is a nice upscale wine experience from one of the world’s great wine regions.
Rating: 3 of 5 Value: 3.5 of 5
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