New Release! K-J AVANT Red Blend

If you’re like me, when you see a red blend, you want to know what the grape varieties are. Rest assured that the 2012 K-J AVANT Red Blend‘s sophistication is based on its components of Merlot, Syrah and Malbec, the grape that launched Argentinian red wine to fame.

One sip is all it takes to know you’re ready for a second. The wine is dry, as red wine ought to be, and balanced in acidity, with tannins that are thick enough to stand up to steak, yet so refined in a silky, satiny way that you can drink it now. Flavor-wise, it’s all about black cherry jam, with a sprinkling of pomegranate juice, crushed black pepper, shaved dark chocolate and infused raspberry liqueur that’s heady despite a relatively low alcohol level of 13.5% by volume. By far the majority of the grapes hail from Sonoma County.

This is a wine that gets flashier as you drink it. Some wines pall after the first sip; not this one. I mentioned steak earlier as a great companion, and the essentially sweet fruity essence of this 2012 K-J AVANT Red Blend suggests a wine reduction sauce using the same wine. Grab that second bottle!