The theme of September’s tasting was “wines that are best for a cookout,” so I did what I would do if I was going to a cookout: I went to the grocery store and picked up some wines that looked interesting and were priced right. There wasn’t a lot of science behind this one because that’s the way I roll at BBQs. Big Red fired up the grill and made burgers and we served them with all the classic sides.

We blind tasted four wines:

Like the last tasting, each Tribe rallied around certain wines. Unfortunately, none of the Accessible Tribe members could make it, but here are the reactions from the rest of the Tribes:

The Balanced Tribe loved the Andrew Rich Syrah. They detected scents of dark berries and jam, along with a little oak and grass. They liked how it paired with Big Red’s burgers and consistently complimented its smoothness. It was a solid hit with the Balanced bunch.

The Developed Tribe’s favorite was the Cycles Gladiator Cab. They reported aromas of spice, smoke, burnt sugar and orange peel. One sipper smelled “overheated vacuum cleaner”—and it was still his favorite wine! (Perhaps he has fond associations with vacuum cleaners). Tastewise, the Developed tribe detected carmelized fruit, syrup, pepper and milk chocolate. They also appreciated the Cab’s silky body and lack of tannins.

The Complex Tribe didn’t love anything. In retrospect, it may have been because none of these wines was complex enough. Their favorites were the Syrah and the Cab. Though they found the Syrah a little sweet, calling out flavors of fruit candy and jam, they thought it might go well with a garlicky dish. They liked the Cab better, for its fruit-forward flavor and hints of wet pavement on the nose.

 

IMG_0412_EDITIf the Accessible Tribe had been here, I suspect they would have been drawn to The Renegade 2010 Red Wine. The crowd found it pleasant and drinkable with nice berry, chocolate and earth flavors. Inoffensive, but very light.

You will notice that there was no love for The Velvet Devil 2010 Merlot. I bought it for its cool label and funky name. But The Devil didn’t live up to its marketing. A roundup of reactions to the nose included “dirty socks,” “Elmer’s glue” and “rubber shoes.” Folks found it too dry and medicinal tasting. One member of the Complex Tribe said it improved with food. That was about it for positive feedback on this one. Note to self: Don’t get sucked in by the label or the name.

If you haven’t already, take the quiz to find out which Wine Tribe you fall into. Then you can follow your Tribe online and sample their recommendations. If you have any favorite cookout wines please leave a comment with your recommendation. Cheers!

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