EXPERIENCE THE HOLIDAYS

Hello,

I’ll keep this short, simple, and easy today in an effort to translate that mentality to my

entire holiday shopping experience this year. Sometimes you want nothing more than for

someone to just tell you WHAT to buy. I’ve attempted to elicit this answer from both my girlfriend

and mother and so far I have a humidifier to work with. Thrilling. More exciting than this is a

brand new winery to the state of Ohio, Experience, who are offering positively quaffable Napa

Valley wine at a price that will not make you wince.

Experience’s 2012 Napa Valley Red Blend is a current release and is dominantly Zinfandel

based, with Cabernet Franc, Petite Sirah, and Merlot providing a bit of backbone. The wine sees

12 months in American Oak and the fruit and oak are quite well integrated. Upon first opening

the wine, bold fruit is immediately the star. Plenty of blackberry, blueberry, and dried plums are

at the forefront. I revisited the wine hours later after having tasted it with some of the staff and

found a bit more nuance… touches of espresso, vanilla, and smoke. The wine is bold and full

bodied, but its six years of age have rounded out any tough edges. Those tannins are smooth

and lingering. If you love modern, bold, and fruit forward Napa wines yet don’t wish to shell out

$50 each time you pick up a bottle, look no further. Have someone in mind who’d love a bottle of

wine for Christmas, yet you don't know what they like? This is it. I poured a glass for Mary

and the moment she tasted it, her eyes lit up.

Experience’s Napa Valley Red retails for $22.99 a bottle and is sure to catch on the

longer it is available in the state. Just remember though, you heard it here first. Also available

but more limited is their 2012 Napa Valley Cabernet ($29.99) and Sonoma Pinot Noir ($24.99).

Due in Friday, let us know if we can set any aside for you.