Wild Hare Petite Sirah

Vineyard: Wild Hare
Location: Paso Robles, CA
Type: Petite Sirah
Vintage: n/a
Alcohol Content: 14.9%

Purchased: 1/26/09 - Mollie Stone's, Palo Alto, CA
Cost: $4.99
Rating: 4.75/10

The rating on this one was tough. Doesn't taste all that great, let's be honest. But it doesn't taste that bad, either. It's cheap, though, and friggin' strong! It also has no indication of vintage on the bottle, and the blurb on the back of the bottle claims that it's better newer. I don't know the type of wine that is generally better newer than older, but I but there is a pretty strong correlation between quality and ability to age. Definitely doesn't taste as bad as it could considering that.

Can't really think of the right occasion for this wine. The bunny on the label is drinking a glass on the beach - I can't really think of a better setting than that. Certainly not for dinner with grandma; she'd fall asleep in her dinner after telling some story that was probably better left untold.

Crane Lake Petite Sirah 2005

Vineyard: Crane Lake
Location: Napa, California
Type: Petite Sirah
Vintage: 2005
Alcohol Content: 12.5%

Purchased: 11/19/08 - Mollie Stone's, Palo Alto, CA
Cost: $2.99
Rating: 5.75/10

We are on to our second Crane Lake wine, and I doubt it will be our last. Turns out, Crane Lake is at least made by the 2 buck Chuck folks, if it isn't actually 2 buck Chuck itself. While 2$C is a whole dollar cheaper, Trader Joe's isn't walking distance from my house, whereas Mollie Stone's is. Downside, however, is that this wine will probably suffer the same fate: despite possessing a superior taste, its recognizable name and cost will cause this wine to never truly be celebrated as it so deserves.

This stuff, like it's cousins (whether different grapes of the same label or Charles Shaw), isn't all that bad. It's a bit sweet, but not the point where I would complain about it. Not too much nose or aftertaste to it, but let's be honest, those things probably do more to confuse the idontdrinkwine drinker than anything else. Cheers.