2012 Viszlay Vineyards Five Vines Estate Red Blend Russian River Valley

Located in the Russian River Valley of Sonoma County, this small production boutique winery is a hidden gem. I was introduced to Viszlay Vineyards through my affiliation with Cellar Angels. The winery produces these small lot estate wines with grapes harvested from their 10 acres of vineyards. Varietals grown on the property include Chardonnay, Pinot Noir (yes after this blend I can only imagine how good their pinot is), Zinfandel, Petite Sirah, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Malbec, Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot, Alicante Bouschet and Prosecco which is the only vineyard in Sonoma County growing this grape.

Not a large operation by any means, you will find owner John Viszlay wearing the hat of wine maker and winery operations head honcho. Son Tony handles the marketing and finance aspect of the business. I can tell you both you brought a smile to my face as soon as I tasted this beauty.

The 2012 Five Vines Red Blend consists of 42% Merlot, 29% Cabernet Sauvignon, 13% Malbec, 8% Cabernet Franc and 8% Petit Verdot. From the moment the cork was pulled there was this rush of a fruit bouquet followed by hints of earthiness, dried herbs and spicy currants. As you continue to swirl I was completely mesmerized by the complexity of the layers of aroma dancing through my nose. Not even a drop had touched my palate and I was already in love with the wine.

The mouth is silky and juicy with cherry showing off throughout the taste. Plenty of dark ripe fruit with each sip but the cherry makes another appearance so you don't forget about her. The spicy currants with a slight kiss of creamy vanilla lead to a long soft finish. I tasted this at various stages over the course of 5 hours and it was tight when first opened but with each passing hour it reached a point where my only thought was WOW. I have a second bottle to let age for another 5 years and can only imagine how good this will be.

Tasting at Viszlay Vineyards is by appointment only and I highly recommend making one. This my friends is some special juice. Don't miss another opportunity like this and sign up to become an Angel on Cellar Angels. It's free so don't wait.

Cheers
Dan