Review: 2012 Matchbook The Arsonist and Tinto Rey
Two new releases just arrived from our friends at Matchbook in Zamora, California. One of them blew my socks off. Keep reading to find out which one!
2012 Matchbook The Arsonist Red Blend – 52% petit verdot, 24% cabernet sauvignon, 24% merlot. You’ll be hard pressed to find a better wine at this price level. Petit verdot at this concentration is very rare, but Matchbook makes it work far beyond all expectations. Brilliant violets and plum mingle with notes of chocolate and spice, melding together in the context of a fruity but balanced palate. Modest acidity and a lengthy, satisfying finish give this wine elegance and long-haul legs. It drinks well on its own, but it’s a gorgeous food wine — pair with just about anything. A / $22
2012 Matchbook Tinto Rey Red Blend Giguiere Family – 50% tempranillo, 27% syrah, 11% petit verdot, 8% graciano, 4% tannat. A less masterful wine, but it works well enough. A little thin on the palate, it offers notes of green vegetable and hemp rope, with a backbone of cherry, tea leaf, and dark chocolate. Somewhat scattered, it never comes together the way I’d like, and it exits on a relatively lackluster, moderately bitter finish. B- / $17
2012 Matchbook The Arsonist Red Blend
$22
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