I encountered and tasted both the Mark West ‘Pinot Noir’ and the Avalon ‘Cabernet Sauvignon’ but did not realize until today that they shared a common thread with Peter Michael wines, winemaker Alex Cose now of the Purple Wine Company.
In The Purple Pinot Maker (San Francisco Chronicle) W.Blake Gray tells us the story of how and why ‘Winemaker Alex Cose pushed cult wines aside to make bargain bottles‘.
It might sound heretical or feel like high treason to some that he blends Chardonnay into the Pinot Noir and Syrah into the Cab.
Both wines are very popular in restaurants right now. I think that Mark West is a good bang for the buck.
I met more pricey wines (by the glass) like the Steltzner Claret for example who really did not live up to my expectations. The ‘Rock Rabbit’ Shiraz from Purple Wine gets thumbs down from yours truly.
Recent wine stories: Under the Tuscan skies, The Blend