Review: Michael-David’s Incognito Wines, 2010 Releases

Review: Michael-David’s Incognito Wines, 2010 Releases

Miachel-David is a winery in California’s Lodi region, where it produces wine under a half-dozen or so labels, especially the Zinfandels for which the region is so well-known.

Incognito is a label with two wines, both oddball blends. We tried both of the wines from the latest vintage, which have seen new labeling and branding.

2009 Incognito White is a blend of 58% Viognier, 19% Chardonnay, 9% Malvasia Bianca, 7% Roussanne, 4% Sauvignon Blanc, and 3% Symphony grapes. That Viognier character dominates the blend, with fresh peach and nectarine notes, but the apple and tart lemon character of some of the other grapes — particularly Sauvignon Blanc — come around as well. I like the balance here, and served cold this is a crisp and easy-drinking white. A- / $18

2008 Incognito Red is created — so they say — in a Rhone style, with 21% Syrah, 18% Carignan, 18% Cinsault, 13% Tannat, 11% Souzou, 10% Cabernet Franc, 6% Mourvedre, and 3% Petite Sirah. Very, very smoky, the core is plum and cherry, but it’s got almost a charred wood character to it. And yet the body is surprisingly light. The finish is on the rustic side. It grows on you, but it doesn’t have the weight to back up the more exotic elements it’s throwing out. B / $18

lodivineyards.com

2009 Incognito White

$18
9

Rating

9.0/10

A veteran journalist, the author of four books, a published poet, and an award-winning winemaker, Christopher Null has more than 25 years of experience writing about wine and spirits. He founded Drinkhacker in 2007. He also writes regularly about the science of booze for WIRED and is an occasional contributor to ADI's Distiller magazine. He has been a judge for both the American Distilling Institute Judging of Craft Spirits and Whiskies of the World spirits competitions and often works as a consultant, developing formal tasting notes for spirits brands around the world.

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