2004 Core Red 163

I am continuing my tasting of wines from the Core Winery. Previously I reviewed their 2005 Turchi Syrah. I now have moved onto the 2004 Core Red 163 ($30).

The 2004 Core Red 163 is made of 60% Grenache, 28% Syrah, and 12% Mourvedre. Only 620 cases of this wine were produced. The grapes were grown at an elevation of approximately 3200 feet.

This wine is very fruit forward with lots of cherry and maybe some strawberry up front. Once past the fruit, you taste spice including some cinnamon and clove. The finish is moderately long. It is an easy drinking wine which should not offend anyone. It is definitely a New World wine, and not like the French Rhone wines, though the blend is reminiscent of a Rhone style. It is a good tasting wine but at this price point I was hoping for more. I had hoped for more complexity and not such a bright, fruity wine. So, I was disappointed with this wine. This is a Drink but I would not buy it again.

I await my tasting of their Hard Core, which is supposed to be more complex.