WTN/30-Day Wine Advisor: “When the Deep Purple Falls”
As wine lovers, we often fall into rut, looking for the glamour in that great vintage, that rare grape, the perfect terroir or the ideal food match. In today’s Wine Advisor, we’re going to put all that aside as we explore that most famous wine made from the finest Concord grapes grown on the shores of Lake Erie. While Westfield, NY is known mostly as the home of Welch’s Juice and jams, this winery is well known.
Now, here is today's tasting report, a fine value in a rustic New World Concord.
Mogan David Concord Wine ($4.49)
Clear but very dark blackish-purple, almost inky; clear garnet at the edge. Grapey red fruit and spice with hints of mixed berries. Varietally correct. Flavors are consistent with the nose, fresh and sweet, perhaps a hint of jelly as a backdrop to the fruit. Tannins aren't obvious at first tasting, but show up as dry and rather scratchy astringency on the finish. Warm at 18% alcohol, a bit rough and rustic; but there's nothing the matter with that in this "wine of the country" Kosher wine, fine with simple fare. Mogan David Wine Company, Westfield, NY. (April 1, 2008)
FOOD MATCH: Fine with American cheese and pepperoni. And although probably not Kosher, I’ve found this wine to pair up nicely with deep fried pork rinds. They also make a Blackberry wine that I’m sure participants of the Food Lovers will run out to buy, just to make this great sounding Blackberry Wine Cake.
VALUE: The $4.49 price point for quality labrusca wine is almost disappearing as the puny dollar continues to weaken. This rustic red, however, is well worth the toll.
WHEN TO DRINK: Drinkable now and not really meant for aging, but any time before Saturday night would be ideal.
WEB LINK: I couldn’t find a web site
FIND THIS WINE ONLINE: I’m sure you could Google search, but why?
