wine reviews, wine events, and all things wine related
When Cindy Cosco of Passaggio Wines first started on her winemaking adventure, her initial intention was to create a white wine house because, well, those were the wines she enjoyed most. With her cool, crisp Clarksburg Chenin Blanc; her fun, almost funky Rosé of Tempranillo; and her all-to-rare-for-California single varietal Roussanne, I do believe that Cindy does justice to the wider wine category that is “white wine.” But, just wait until you see what this woman can do with red…
Puppies! Ok, now that I have your attention…
It’s said that ‘God created man; Sam Colt made them equal.’ This is, of course, in reference to Samuel Colt’s invention of the Colt .45 revolver: the first mass-produced, commercially available handheld gun. A weapon that could fit inside a pocket or be strapped to the leg evened the playing field of the ‘Wild West’ era — indeed, even elderly women began carrying the piece.
Wine is more like snowflakes than bullets — no two are created equal. But what Ammunition has done is even the playing field for the wine drinker, crafting an Old World-inspired red blend that fits in with the modern palate (and budget). With all the strength of character known to the Rhone and the finesse associated with the Left Bank of Bordeaux, The Equalizer bridges the gap between the two styles. And yet, with all that depth and complexity, this red blend is, at the end of the day, a fun and easy drinker.
In my experience, there are two major California Cab stereotypes: the overly-produced, mass-market red wine; or the mean, cranky old man who wants to stay in his bottle until he says he’s ready. Neither of these two extremes are absolutes by any means. You can scroll through this site and find a number of Cali Cabs that I’ve been able to enjoy straight out of the bottle, but still maintain a well-balanced complexity. Where the Ammunition Cabernet Sauvignon differs is in that latter bit. Well-balanced it is, complex it is not. And I mean this in the most complementary way possible. Here is an expression of the noble, nay — kingly — grape, that requires little thought and no pomp and circumstance. It’s an easy drinker, a companionate wine, a California Cabernet Sauvignon that (scroll all the way down) made me use the ‘f’-word…
Ammunition thrives to make wines rich with American spirit. I think we can all agree, especially within the last 10 to 20 years, there’s nothing more American — nothing more Californian — than Pinot Noir. As Director of Marketing for Ammunition David Dees says, “No one needs another wine.” True fact — the grocery store shelves are lined with Pinot Noirs boasting Sonoma grapes. But I say to you, what Ammunition has created is a Pinot of a different caliber, hitting a target and satiating a need I didn’t even know existed.
