Reynolds Family PersistanceReynolds Family Winery Persistence Red Wine, Napa Valley, 2005
Cost: $50-56
What: This is not a wine you will drink every day. But if you are renting your house for the Masters Tournament, or you will be entertaining special guests, leave out a bottle of Persistence and you will impress them. It is a big, bold blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Syrah and Petite Verdot that was made to serve with food. The deep, red wine opens with subtle aromas of tobacco and berries. In the mouth it is a complex blend of berries, tobacco and oak. Open the bottle at least an hour before drinking. The rich complexity of the wine really comes out as it breathes.
The Winery: When Steve Reynolds gave up his dental practice to open a winery, it took six years for the old chicken ranch he found on the famed Silverado Trail to produce his first vintage. Thus the name “Persistence” on his signature blend. He and his wife Suzie now produce seven hand-crafted wines, including a Chardonnay, two Pinot Noirs (from the Russian River Valley and Los Carneros), a Merlot, an Estate Cabernet, a Reserve Stag’s Leap Cabernet Sauvignon and “Persistence.”
Goes with:Red meat, such as lamb chops, or a thick steak. I had it with barbecue and with chicken pot pie, and it was wonderful with both. This is the kind of wine that cries out for a long, lingering dinner with rich food. Drink a little of this and you start sounding like a philosopher.
