Since I was so impressed with the previous Big House wines (Pinot Grigio and Syrah), I decided to try their blends. I picked up the 2009 Big House White and the 2010 Big House Red.
2009 Big House White
Wow. What a fragrant nose. I’m getting some fruit (maybe gooseberry) and floral. There’s some rose and maybe another floral scent.
The flavor is a bit difficult to describe because there is so much going on. There’s some fruit, but there’s a lot of floral, too. I can’t really pick out individual flavors. There’s some floral (maybe that rose again) that lingers on the finish. There may be a bit of a green herb, too. Well balanced. Very enjoyable. I really should consider getting this in the 3L “cask” to keep in the fridge. It’s very inexpensive that way, but it doesn’t taste like a “cheap” wine.
I’m generally not a big fan of floral wines, but I like this wine. It seems to have just enough fruit to balance with the floral.
This wine gets the “Very Good” rating.
Wine Details
Producer: Big House Wines
Vintage: 2009
Appellation: California
Varieties: Malvasia Bianca 56%, Muscat Canelli 22%, Viognier 18%, Rousanne 4%
Alcohol: 13.5% ABV
Acidity: 0.62 g / 100 ml
pH: 3.56
Residual Sugar: 0.50 g / 100 ml
Harvest Brix: 22.0 – 24.0
Harvest Date: September – October 2009
My Rating: Very Good
2010 Big House Red
This is an interesting wine. There is a variety of flavors. The palate starts with some fruits (red berries), and some spice hits mid-palate. The tannins provide good structure. The wine has some oak, too. There’s even some floral notes. The wine is very well balanced.
This is a lighter red, and it is very easy-drinking. It’s somewhat similar to a Chianti or Rioja wine, but a bit stronger on the spice and tannins. It’s lighter than many of the “traditional” red varieties (Cabernet Sauvignon, Zinfandel, etc.). It’s a good, basic red wine. It would make a good “house red”. It’s a very good choice for a wine at this price point, at it is fairly complex, and the balance is very good.
Varieties: Petite Sirah, Tempranillo, Syrah, Grenache, Malbec, Mourvedre, Nebeillo, Tannat, Souzao, Aglianico, Barbera, Zinfandel, Petite Verdot, Cabernet Franc, Charbano, Nero d’Avola, Sangiovese, Sagrantino and Other Esoteric Reds
This wine also gets my “Very Good” rating.
Wine Details
Producer: Big House Wines
Vintage: 2009
Appellation: California
Varieties: Petite Sirah, Tempranillo, Syrah, Grenache, Malbec, Mourvedre, Nebeillo, Tannat, Souzao, Aglianico, Barbera, Zinfandel, Petite Verdot, Cabernet Franc, Charbano, Nero d’Avola, Sangiovese, Sagrantino and Other Esoteric Red
Alcohol: 13.5% ABV
Acidity: 0.65 g / 100 ml
pH: 3.67
Harvest Brix: 23 – 26
Harvest Date: Sept-Nov 2010
My Rating: Very Good
Both of these wines have a MSRP of $9.99 for the 750 ml bottle and $22.00 for the 3L wine cask.
