![]() ![]() Great news Matchbook Wines’ Holiday Sampler Pack is back! You can experience both The Arsonist and the Tinto Rey along with Matchbooks’ 2014 Chasing Venus New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc, 2013 Arsonist Dunnigan Hills Chardonnay, 2014 Matchbook Dunnigan Hills Tinto Rey Verdejo, and 2013 Mossback Chalk Hill Cabernet Sauvignon for only $119.94 plus a FLAT $2 shipping rate through December 31. These wines deliver well beyond their price points. The Matchbook Arsonist and Tinto Rey pair old world grapes and style with new world techniques to craft wines that seamlessly blend soft fruit notes with dusty earthiness. I especially enjoyed the marriage of the smokiness and cocoa of the enchiladas with the wines. Topped with cheddar jack cheese and the coolness of a lime, cilantro Mexican crema sauce it was a great weeknight meal that beautifully with the layers of flavors and complexities of both Matchbook wines. The Enchiladas were layered with flavors including sweet potatoes, ground beef, roasted poblano peppers, cocoa powder, brown sugar, green chili sauce and pureed chipotle pepper in adobo sauce. I chose to pair both wines with a simple week night meal of Chili Beef Sweet Potato Enchiladas. These bold California reds will pair beautifully with barbecue, grilled steak or game, pizza, roasted lamb, and wild boar ragu. ![]() $16.99 order direct from Matchbook Wines. This wine was 100% barrel aged for 26 months in 22% new and 78% 2-5 year old French, Hungarian and American barrels. Deep ruby in the glass aromas of red cherries, blueberries, plums and currants along with soft spice notes and cedar cigar box on the palate the aromas are met with a touch of chocolate, dry dirt and leather notes, rich and supple in texture, round acidity, chewy tannins, medium body, long pleasing tart finish that begs for another sip. Matchbook Tinto Rey Red Blend 2012: This “Red King” was crafted from 50% Tempranillo, 27% Syrah, 11% Petit Verdot, 8% Graciano, and 4% Tannat with the Tempranillo, Syrah and Graciano grapes from the Dunnigan Hills Vineyard and the Petit Verdot and Tannat from California vineyards. $21.99 order direct from Matchbook Wines. This wine was blended and aged for 28 months in a combination of French, American and European barrels. Scarlet in the glass soft fruit notes of cherries, blackberries, plums and cranberries, along with wooden spice box, and a touch of cherry cola on the palate those aromas are met with a smoky leather, dark chocolate and a touch of toasted walnuts well-structured and balanced with round acidity and integrated tannins creating a full mouth feel and lingering finish. Matchbook The Arsonist 2012 Red Blend: This wine was crafted of 52% Petit Verdot, 24% Cabernet Sauvignon and 24% Merlot the Petit Verdot is sourced from Dunnigan Hills Vineyard, Cabernet Sauvignon from Sonoma County’s Chalk Hill Appellation and the Merlot is from Lake County. Here is my tasting notes on the two Matchbook blends: (I suspect he asked me since I am “Fiery Red”) Upon reading a bit more about Matchbook Wines I knew I would be receiving wines of originality and high quality. When I was contacted by Dave at Matchbook Wines asking if I would be willing to review their wines I was intrigued by the nature of the name. But even today they look at the Matchbook brand with fond memories of the fires they once stoked. Over time, the Giguiere boys outgrew their fascination with the flame. They soon graduated to launching rockets, which resulted in more uncontrolled blazes and calls to the fire department. ![]() Fearing total ruin of house and farm, the boys’ father one day left them at the city jail for an hour’s “stay” to impress upon them the dangers of their fascination with fire. What happens when a youthful pyromaniac grows up to become a winemaker? Artistry is born!Īs farm kids growing up in the late 1950’s and early 1960’s, the Giguiere brothers were veritable pyromaniacs, setting numerous things on fire-including the family wheat fields. I have never been drawn to pyrotechnics but I can easily become mesmerized watching the fire in our outdoor fire place morph for hours. When my dad was a young boy growing up in the 1930’s in Alabama his fascination with fire and mischievous nature resulted in him setting a corn field on fire! I have seen videos of young boys creating their own flame throwers with a lighter and aerosol cans. Some of us are born with a fascination of fire. Pyromania: An obsessive desire to set things on fire.
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