Unfamiliar varietal blends can yield wines as delightful as a chef’s creations, or as scary as Frankenstein’s monster. Or even both at the same time!
The world of wine, after all, is a very traditional place. You can’t just open a winery in the Haut Medoc, throw some Cabernet Sauvignon, Pinot Noir, and Zinfandel into a new creation, and call it Bordeaux. Even in Italy, when producers famously started tweaking the Chianti blend with Cabernet or Merlot to fashion pricey Super Tuscans, there were some generally understood principles about what worked and what didn’t.
Substack Chat
Today we feature a Merlot, Zinfandel, and Petite Sirah mix. What do you think of such non-traditional blends?
Classic blends like Bordeaux’s variably proportioned mix of Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Merlot, and others have passed the test of time and popularity. Tuscany’s Sangiovese-dominant Chianti blend and the Southern Rhône’s delicious Grenache-Syrah-Mourvèdre recipe are popular because they work, and their nuances have been worked out over centuries.
Over on the U.S. West Coast, though, winemakers pay a lot of attention to regional boundaries like Napa or Sonoma (which, after all, can add market value to the label), but aren’t so restricted by varietal rules and standards. That’s how we got such delights as “Rhone Ranger” wines riffing on the traditional blends of Southern France, or “Cal-Ital” wines featuring the grapes that Italy made famous.
Sometimes American producers go a step beyond, dismissing European traditions entirely in the quest for new and fascinating flavor combinations. As with any innovation, new and untried combinations might work well, or they might yield a muddy mix of undistinguished flavors. But creative winemakers are willing to take risks in the pursuit of success.
Such risks can pay off. Last autumn, for instance, in a tasty, unexpected red blend, I reported on an impressive Washington State red blend of Sangiovese, Nebbiolo, and Syrah that persuasively brought together flavors of Tuscany, Piemonte, and the Rhône.
“Ever drive by rows of vineyards and wonder how they grow? Most vines are actually dry-farmed, meaning they’re only watered a couple of times a year—aside from natural rainfall. This technique encourages the vines to focus all their energy on producing high-quality clusters, instead of excess leaves or overbearing fruit. A little water, a lot of care, and a focus on what really matters.”
–Oct. 18, 2024 Instagram post by Sean Minor Wines.
Today we return to the topic with an impressive non-traditional blend of Merlot, Zinfandel, and Petite Sirah assembled from sustainable vineyards across California’s North Coast: Sean Minor Nicole Marie Red Blend.
This blend worked out so well that winemaker Sean Minor named it after his wife, Nicole, his partner and co-owner in their family-owned winery – originally named Four Bears in honor of their four children. Their daughter, Elle Minor, after graduating from college, has also joined the team as production manager and assistant winemaker.
Sean Minor Nicole Marie Red Blend is a dark, extracted wine with abundant cherry and red-berry fruit, a fragrant scent of black pepper, and a restrained whiff of oaky vanilla. It easily makes its case for a price tag that usually falls in the lower to middle $20s.
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Today’s Tasting Report
Sean Minor 2022 Nicole Marie North Coast Red Blend ($23.99)
A blend of 50% Merlot, 25% Zinfandel, and 25% Petite Sirah from sustainable vineyards across California’s North Coast, Sean Minor Nicole Marie Red Blend is a very dark purple color with a thin garnet edge. A mix of red fruits shows in its aroma – juicy cherries harmonizing with strawberries and raspberries – backed by a grind of black pepper and a restrained whiff of oaky vanilla. All that fruit comes across in a dry, properly acidic flavor framed by astringent tannins in a long, cherry-berry finish. It carries its 14.5% alcohol well. (March 25, 2025)
FOOD MATCH: This is a natural companion for steaks, roast beef, or lamb; it would pair well with a mix of hard and soft cheeses, or a plant-based mushroom risotto or hearty lentil stew.
WHEN TO DRINK: It’s good now, with a food match to tame the tannins, but two to five years under good cellar conditions could see it evolve.
VALUE:
This widely distributed wine spans a range of prices: Wine-Searcher.com shows a $22 average U.S. retail price; I paid $24 for it at a local wine shop, and it’s available from the winery for $28. However, Wine-Searcher finds it at many vendors in the upper teens. It’s a good wine that justifies a mid-$20s price tag, but it’s always good to shop for the best price.
WEB LINK:
Here’s a winery fact sheet on the 2023 vintage.
FIND THIS WINE ONLINE:
Check prices and find vendors for Sean Minor Nicole Marie Red Blend on Wine-Searcher.com.
Read about Sean Minor wines and browse a selection of its wines and vendors at this Wine-Searcher link.
Check this Wine-Searcher link for information about California’s North Coast and a selection of wines from the region.
Find the wines you want
Explore Wine-Searcher
Wine-Searcher.com is the place to go online if you want to find where to buy a particular wine that interests you. What’s more, Wine-Searcher.com offers so much more. It’s well worth a visit just to discover its many features, including its popular list of the world’s Top 10 Best Value Wines.
Good wines we’ve tried under $10.99!
Want tips to still more good, inexpensive wines? Here are Wine-Searcher links to vendors and prices for a bunch more wines for $10.99 or less that I’ve told you about in recent years. In some cases, the prices may have risen over the $10.99 mark since I reviewed them, but they should still be excellent bargains. Please tell us about your favorites!
- Casal Garcia “Alegria” Vinho Tinto ($9.99)
- Boutinot Cuvée Jean-Paul Rouge ($7.99)
- Santa Cristina Toscana ($7.99)
- Santa Marina Toscana Rosso ($7.99)
- Famille Perrin Ventoux La Vielle Ferme ($8.99)
- Boutinot “Uva Non Grata” Vin de France Gamay ($9.99)
- Laroque Cité de Carcassonne ($10.99)
- Famille Perrin 2019 “La Vielle Ferme” Rouge ($7.99)
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