Raymond Vineyard + Cellar - 2009 Field Blend Red (California)

First off, let me apologize for the delay in posting. I know it's been a while since my last post, but intensive work obligations, travel, and a brief cold kept me occupied for some time. But, I'm feeling better, and back to posting.

Today's wine is one I've in my cellar for quite some time. It's a 2009 California red wine produced by St. Helena, CA-based Raymond Vineyard + Cellar. This wine, called a field blend, is made up of a whole bunch of varietals including Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah, Petit Syrah, and Zinfandel. According to popular lore, a "field blend" is a type of wine made in the early days of California vineyards when many grapes were planted together, and rather than separating out the varietals and making separate wines, the whole vineyard was blended together to make a blend - hence "field blend."

I don't have too much experience with this vintage, or appellation, but since the bottle has been kicking around my cellar for three or four years, I figured I should finally see how it turned out. I admit that I had no idea what it was going to taste like when I opened the bottle, and that was part of the fun.

Before opening it, I trekked out to Trader Joe's in Foggy Bottom to get some dinner ingredients. I wanted to make a big, fancy dinner and wanted one of my nicer bottles of wine to pair with it. I'm pairing the Field Blend with a garlic-and-oregano-glazed roasted pork chop, made from scratch, with saffron rice with sauteed mushrooms, and fresh spring mix salad.

The wine poured nicely, and the nose is one of dark berries and plums. I was really surprised at the fruitiness of the aromas. The color of the wine is dark, and when held to the light it's a nice, clear red. Look at that color!

The taste really blew me away. The wine delivered very strong flavors of strawberries and cherries and give way to a very smooth finish of plums. The aftertaste is very fruity and fresh and lingers for quite a long time. This has got to be the juiciest, fruitiest wine I've ever tasted. No alcohol taste. Smooth in all aspects. This wine is bright, full and lacks any harsh tannic tastes.

We have a real winner here. It's one of the purest, fruitiest wines I've ever had. Total fruit flavors. Unfortunately, it wasn't the best pairing for dinner, since the fruit taste was a bit overpowering for the delicate flavor of the meat. But I'd definitely suggest this for a drink-anytime wine.

I'm going to be on the lookout for this wine again, if the 2009 vintage is any indication of the common taste. If it were not for the cost, I'd probably buy a case and keep it on hand. I strongly recommend you all to try some, too, if you can find it. You won't regret it!