Ooo la la, what a bottle you have there.  Made up of Merlot, Zinfandel, and Syrah, Sexy Wine Bomb Blends Have More Fun hails from California, and promises to not be in the slightest bit creepy.  This isn’t typically a wine characteristic, but being blended may hide some of it’s imperfections.  Can Sexy Wine Bomb Blends Have More Fun be a Sex Bomb Bombshell it was meant to be, or is just a tart?

Sight:  Middling red, with a heavy dose of magenta on the center, and brick on the edges.

Smell:  Blackberry, plum, blueberries, and hints of cherry.  Spices in the background.

Sip:  Moderate palate, decent acidity, hints of spices in the forefront, baked cherries and plums, and blackberry jam.  Incredibly soft, and very smooth. [A.B.V. 13.5%]

Savor:  The finish is slightly tannic, but not overly, the finish is full of blackberry and plum, with notes of spice.

Sexy Wine Bomb Blends Have More Fun is just that, fun.  It doesn’t have the longest legs, or the biggest body, but it works what it’s got.  Smooth body, easy on the tongue, and ready for almost anything, Sexy Wine Bomb Blends Have More Fun is an easy pick for a tenner.  Bonus points for sexy picnics, bachelorette parties, and sorority affairs.

Verdict:  Round, Smooth, Easy Red Fruit
Price: $9.99
Healdsburg, CA
http://www.sexywinebomb.com/wine

Derby season is upon us, and this wine features horses (at least on the bottle).  It’s dry (like not sweet) which is how the horses like the track, but can it quench the thirst of the stands?  Let’s give the French a go in the American horse racing scene with Depréville Brut!

Sight:  Moderate gold, yellow.

Smell:  Slight toast, moderate pear, touches of green apple and lemon zest.  Hints of minerals.

Sip:  Soft, small bubbles,  minor acidity, minerality on the back of the palate,  hints of toast on the front with small amount of fruit (pear / apple / lemon).  Very generic palate.

Savor:  The acidity carries slightly, but overall is a little drying.  The flavor of minerality is the predominate finish.

Depréville Brut is about as simple as you get.  It has a nice acid backbone, and a complete lack of any depth.  Similar to diving into a swimming that’s not deep enough, it’s refreshing, but not enjoyable.  Mix it, or christen a boat, but drinking Depréville Brut straight isn’t the best idea.

Verdict:  Minerals, Acid, Simple
Price: $8.99
France
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WlkOtNJt2s8

It seems like Coastline has become one of the more ubiquitous brands across the country.  The orange bottle with the picturesque California coastline is in grocery stores and wine shops across the country.  To top it off, it’s from Paso Robles, an ‘in’ region, blowing away expectations on vintage charts for the past few years.  So does 2011 Coastline Zinfandel beat expectations, or is it a year to give it up? 

Sight:  Bright magenta, touch of brick.

Smell:  Blackberry, hints of mint, plum, and touches of cinnamon.

Sip:  Light to moderate body, starts out relatively smooth, and maintains a slightly bright nature.  The flavor leans toward plum, currant, and cranberry.  Warm, but not hot.  There is a nice spice and vanilla in the background.

Savor:  The finish is light on tannins, but has a nice spicy-caramel-blackfruit flavor.

2011 Coastline Zinfandel has a nicer finish than it’s body, but it’s still not bad.  It’s not overly complicated, but it is quite drinkable.  The fruit isn’t overly clear, but for under $10, it’s a nice compliment for a meal.  Grilling and chilling in the summer might be just what the doctor orders for 2011 Coastline Zinfandel.

Verdict: Black Fruit, Light Spice, Vibrant
Price: $9.99
Paso Robles, California

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Nick

Zinfandel is one of the most difficult wines to predict.  It can produce anything from the notorious white zinfandel to a deep, dark, jammy red.  It can also be made into a Port.  As a result, you don’t always know what you’re getting into.  Which way does 2010 Zinsanity Zinfandel go?  

Sight: Bright red, subdued magenta.

Smell: Raspberry, red current, cherries. Fairly simple and straight forward nose, light elements of earthiness.

Sip: Leads off bright and light, flavors of cranberry and not fully ripened raspberries are predominate.

Savor: The finish is short, and not overly powerful. Light tannins compliment subtle red berry flavors.

2010 Zinsanity Zinfandel is simple, fruit, and straightforward. Nothing is overly standout about the bottle, either positive or negative. The acidity is well balanced for food, but $9.95 is rather steep for whats in the bottle. Not the best or the worst, but 2010 Zinsanity Zinfandel is a potentially good partner for pizza or barbecue.

Verdict: Red fruit, light, bright, Simple
Price: 9.95
Paso Robles, California

Like all wine, cabernet sauvignon is influenced by the place where it grows to a great extent.  For instance, a new world cabernet sauvignon from Australia may not taste the same as one from Chile.  To an extent, this is due significantly to the climate of the region, and to a smaller extent the vintage.  2008 was a great year for Walla Walla in Washington, but wasn’t the best year for Argentina.  Can 2008 Kaiken Cabernet Sauvignon buck the trend, or is it too much weather to weather. 

Sight:  Brick red – core, slight orange on the edges.

Smell:  Cola, dark cherries. red currants, and raspberries.  There are also hints of chocolate and espresso.

Sip:  There’s an herbal kind of nature to it, that channels flavors of thyme and sage,  the red fruit plays background driving cherries and currants to the surface.  The powerful nature of herbs give an earth taste, it has a full body, and a decent kick of acid.  [A.B.V. 14.5%]

Savor:  On the ending it pulls more toward espresso and cocoa with a slightly green undertone.  The finish is lengthy, and has firm tannins for structure.

2008 Kaiken Cabernet Sauvignon is very herby, almost as though it was a bit of a cool growing season in Mendoza.  The nature of the wine is a little bit stemmy, but has some pleasant background flavors to keep it enjoyable.  This is not a fruit forward pick, but more terroir driven.  All things considered, 2008 Kaiken Cabernet Sauvignon is not the best out there for cabernet, but for a pinch, it could be worth a try.

Verdict: Stemmy, Herbacious, Tannic, Earthy
Price: $10
Mendoza, Argentina
http://www.kaikenwines.com/

Young cabernet is always something of a gamble.  At its best, it can be a delightfully rich red wine that is mature beyond its years, but at the worst, a tacky red that shows little refinement.  The second of the Darkhorse contenders, 2011 Darkhorse Cabernet Sauvignon is looking to race across the finish line to your table.  Has it sprung forth out of the gate, or is it a stumble?  

Sight:  Deep purple in the core, but the hot magenta edges are a dead giveaway on the youth.

Smell:  Very fruity, blackberry, blueberry, plum.  The dark fruit smells are very concentrated.  Slight touches of tobacco and herbal notes.

Sip:  It starts sweet, which is mildly unexpected.  The sweetness relaxes, giving way to a moderate body and temperated acidity, with a few chocolatey notes, but primarily overwhelmed by blackberry concentrate and plums.

Savor:  The ending maintains a lick of the sweetness, but doesn’t go too far down that path.  Ditto on a light amount of herbal.  The overall ending is fruity in a concentrated and slightly jammy way.

2011 Darkhorse Cabernet Sauvignon is very young, and oddly sweet.  The flavors here are not refined, and they extremely fruit forward.  The character of the wine is not particularly robust, but it’s excitedly young.  Pairing wise, 2011 Darkhorse Cabernet Sauvignon might do well with pasta, pizza, or poultry, but it’s not a traditional steakhouse red.

Verdict:  Young, Fruit-Overload, Blackberry, Sweet
Price: $8
Modesto, California
http://www.darkhorsewine.com/

*Disclaimer: This bottle was a sample

If you’re looking for a few more choices, we also have last year’s reviews up, but at a year out, the bottles may have changed a bit.

Need a quick refresher on Brut, Extra Dry, or Sweet?  The sparkling sweetness guide has you covered.

Plus, a quick remind on how to open a bottle below the fold.

Last chance before new years to pick up a sparkling bottle, and just like Forrest’s mama said, you never know what you’re going to get.  Depending on the festivities throughout the night, it might be possible the guests might also not fully appreciate a $50 bottle of Champagne.  So how about something cheap?   Coming in at under $8 is Segura Viudas Brut Reserva, might put the pop in your celebration.  

Sight:  Very pale straw, small, plentiful bubbles.

Smell:  Green apple, pear, light toast and nuttiness

Sip:  Huge bubbles, explosive, green apple skin, and bitter nuttiness.  The acidity is big, bone dry, and light mouth feel. [A.B.V. 12%]

Savor:  Apple skin and lemon pith give way to a slightly bitter mouthfeel.

Segura Viudas Brut Reserva is not particularly complex, or easy going.  It’s a bit rough, but might be well at home for mixing.   The overall tartness is a bit short of refreshing, but not bad.  As a last minute save, Segura Viudas Brut Reserva will work, but there’s better out there for a dollar or two more.

Verdict:  Rough, Bubbly, Sharp, Tart
Price: $6.45
Spain
http://www.seguraviudasusa.com/

Korbel is one of the oldest wineries in California, even surviving prohibition.  Thanks to it’s distribution through Brown-Forman, it’s also one of the more prevalent brands that’s available around the country for around a ten spot.  Being widely available doesn’t necessarily mean you should show up at a party with it though.  Can Korbel Extra Dry make a good impression, or is it time to find another bottle.  

Sight:  Light gold, few, small bubbles

Smell:  Pears and honeydew are the most prevalent, but there’s a light lychee smell.  Hints of cloves and lychee.

Sip:  It’s dry, but not puckeringly dry.  The acidity is slightly high, but the bubbles are smooth.  Pear and honeydew remain the highlights, but oranges and tangerines are more prevalent.

Savor:  It dissipates quickly with just a wink of pear and orange zest.

Korbel Extra Dry benefits from it’s fruit forward heritage and the blend of grapes that go into California Champagne versus traditional champagne.  The pear and melon flavors are very easy going, and the dry character with just a hint of sweetness keeps it refreshing.  For those that aren’t champagne lovers, Korbel Extra Dry will do the trick.

Verdict:  Pear, Melon, Bright, Sweet
Price:  $9.95
Sonoma, California
http://www.korbel.com/