When I first started First Pour Wine, there was a feature called Splurge Saturday.  The idea was simple, explore more upscale options that might fall outside of the $10 range.  One of the first wines that I tried this way was Rhiannon, which featured a goddess, and charmed me with its deep flavors of oak and jammy fruit.  After leaving Ohio, I hadn’t seen Rhiannon in years, so when I found a bottle on the shelf in Utah, I was sorely tempted to try it again.  Sadly, I was flying wine back from Utah, so there was no room in the luggage, and I feared I’d missed my chance.

Low and behold, I was thrilled find Rhiannon here in Ohio when I returned.  Given the excitement to give it another go, how does Rhiannon 2013 compare?

Sight:  Bright magenta, edge to edge

Smell:  Cherries, blackberries, and touches of vanilla all join together.  There’s a deep fruitiness to the nose, with hints of spice.

Sip:  The body is incredibly smooth, round, and moderately bright,  and flavors are packed with cherries, blackberries, blueberries, and hints of vanilla.  There’s a round, smokey, caramel like sweetness that slides along in the background that wraps around the fruit.  There’s a deepness to the flavor that keeps enticing you to explore.

Savor:  The ending wraps your tongue in velvet, with smokey berry flavors and hints of vanilla and caramel.  The finish is long and drawn out.

As with the last time I had Rhiannon, I’m totally impressed with the value it brings to the table.  The flavors are on point, with depth in combination of slightly sweet fruit, and complex oak elements.  The tannins are firm, lending it potentially sweeter dishes with a decent fattiness, like duck with cherries or chicken in mole.  Again, Rhiannon is one of those very interesting wines for the price.

Verdict:  Smooth, Vanilla, Cherries, Berries
Price: $11
St. Helena, California