Tasting - Apothic Brew

Name: Apothic Brew

Variety: 55% Petite Sirah, 10% Teroldego, 8% Cabernet Sauvignon, 8% Zinfandel

Region: California (doesn't give specifics)

Country: United States

Year: 2015

Price: $14

Winery Review: The limited release red blend is infused with cold brew coffee. Notes of red fruit and toasted oak combine with hints of cold brew for a well-balanced blend that captivates you from the first pour. 

My Review: This week's theme for me was unusual. I found this gem while perusing the shelves at the local wine store. I thought this would be the perfect wine to try for this week. Two of my most favorite things combine! Wine + Coffee = ❤ I was a little wary at first. The few Apothic wines I've tried really let me down. However, I'm still drawn to them in store. I'm a sucker for their uniquely beautiful labels. I figured this was going to either be a disaster or the best thing I've had. I think I landed somewhere in the middle. 

This wine smelled very strongly of chocolate. Another of my favorite things. This was looking up. It also had a smoky undertone to the smell. I also smelled something like coconut and amaretto. It smelled just like an Almond Joy candy bar. It came out of the bottle a dark burgundy color. It was really quite pretty. I guess I was expecting it to be more brown since it was infused with coffee?

When I tasted it, it initially tasted like burnt chocolate and then left you with this horrible after taste. Like you had morning coffee breath. The second sip I took was much better. The chocolate wasn't so burn and I could taste the almond flavor now. I let it sit out overnight and tried it again. This time I could really taste the coffee coming through. It was a really odd sensation to begin with, but the more I drank, the more it grew on me. I will definitely say this is the most unique wine that I've every tried and it's definitely not for everyone. I did not try it with food, but I bet....if you wanted to be a lush...or have breakfast foods for dinner....this would be the wine to do it with. Maybe a Danish or a donut or something similar?

I actually really like this wine. It won't be my go to or daily drinker type wine, but I will definitely scoop up more of this limited release to keep around the house. 

Also, I will note, this did not last more than 2 days on the counter. After the end of the 2nd day, it tasted very vinegary and ruined the whole mix. This is a 2 hour wait to a max of 36 hours open kind of wine.