Given it’s cooler climate, Utah tends to be in a better position to grow white varietals, but that doesn’t mean they just make whites. Moving from white to red, let’s try Castle Creek Monument Red.

Sight:  A surprisingly deep purple with firm magenta edges.

Smell:  The initial whiff implies a jamminess of dark fruits.  The smell tempers out into leaner fruits like cranberries and currants, with hits of dusty, earthiness.  [Note: Mild hint of sulfur that dissipates after breathing for an hour or so]*

Sip:   Flabby to start before building hints of acidity. Things are jammy again, with a smack of plums and blackberries.  A certain dustiness pervades through the weight of the body.  Things are fairly simple, but the weight is impressive, and even tannic.

Savor:  The finish is no exception, carrying a wall of tannins mixed with dusty prunes.  The finish actually goes for decent period of time.

Castle Creek Monument Red is a simple drinker with a heavily dusted lean into darker fruits.  While it smells a bit like a dusty California Zinfandel, it doesn’t quite have the finesse of one.  That said, as a simple day to day drinker, there’s a number of nice qualities here, even if Castle Creek Monument red doesn’t offer anything to write home about.

Verdict:  Black Plum, Blackberry, Black Cherry, Lean
Rating: 66 – *Heavy deduction for sulfur fault
Price: $14
Moab, Utah