Cellar 4201 Warrior Red — Wine Review

Rain, rain go away!  But at least it makes the choice of red, white or rosé easier.  Tonight we went for the Warrior Red from Cellar 4201 Vineyard.  This red doesn’t disappoint.  It’s a full-bodied red, but it’s not over the top.  The well-balanced nature makes it perfect to pair with food or to enjoy on its own.  

After decanting the wine, the first thing we noticed was the color of the wine.  The wine is obviously red, however there are other shades of garnet and purple mixed in there.  The wine is even colored from its center to the edge.  There wine was clear and sediment free.  The nose is slightly jammy with hints of vanilla and oak.  It shows signs of cherries and spice with a slight sign of bourbon.  The flavors are complex and varied.  The initial flavors are slightly fruity laced with a bit of pepper and clove.  The cherry undertones carry through from the front to the mid-palate and then fade into a light clove spice profile.  The finish is clean with subtle acid tones.

This wine really is quite delightful.  Although it is considered a heavy red, it isn’t overly heavy.  It is full-bodied and has the velvety texture that you would expect from a full-bodied red.  Right out of the bottle, it is a little on the lighter side.  The next time we have this wine, we will try to open it an hour before we intend to drink it to allow it to develop more flavor and take in more oxygen.  This wine does have the potential to age a few more years in the bottle (at least 3-4 more years), but it’s just so hard to let it stick around that long.  Next time we’ll have to pick up a few bottles and cellar one or two for the future.

Check out our other NC Wine Month postings:

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