Johnny Cash ain’t necessarily the first thing that pops in my head when I think of wine. This changed recently, as “The Show” from Rebel Wine Co. demonstrates.
The Rebel Wine Co. is a collaboration between three winemakers: Charles Bieler, Roger Scommenga, and Joel Gott. You might recognize Joel Gott from his eponymous label (he makes a cult California zinfandel)–a post I have planned in the future will be devoted to a review of his new “815” cabernet, which is sourced from fruit grown all over California. I will be sharing the bottle with a few co-workers–presumably after a day at LegalZoom.
The cool thing about “The Show” is the label: there are three different designs, each created by Hatch Show Print, which has been producing bold, colorful show posters for artists ranging from Cash to Coldplay, Buddy Guy to Bruce Springsteen.
Dave over at Mission Wines wrote about “The Show” on the Mission Wines blog a few weeks ago, and I had been meaning to pick up a bottle. In the long-ago, dark days of college I once had a Joel Gott zinfandel and was pleased with it, leading to an affinity for all things Joel Gott. Also, any recommendation from the local wine shop merited a try. So, at the wine tasting last Saturday (which will be detailed in another post!) I picked up a few bottles of vinho verde and the François Chidaine sauvignon blanc. Dave was kind enough to provide me a bottle of “The Show” to try! (Thanks Dave!)
So I took it home, saved it for a relaxing evening, and popped the cork. And?
I thought it was a good standard cabernet. Deep purple in color, standard nose of cherry, dust, and vanilla. The wine was medium- to full-bodied with tannins that were not as soft as I thought they should be: the tannins reminded me more of leather (maybe due to the label???) than of tea. Standard cabernet flavors.
Overall, it was a good cabernet for the price ($14.99). Also, it has staying power: we finished off the bottle over three days, and it was still pretty delicious. In fact, the tannins has softened up with time, leading to a more easygoing wine.
I would compare it to Chateau Ste. Michelle’s cabernet sauvignon ($11.99). “The Show” is lean and tannic, whereas the Chateau Ste. Michelle is softer and rounder, with merlot-like levels of tannin. The latter would be a wine I would drink on its own, whereas I would break out “The Show” with some good barbeque and country music!
Vinicultured: A Wine Blog 
Hey Joon,
I found a ridiculously good winery that just opened up here in Golden yesterday. Happened to come in when the owners were finishing up lunch, including a few bottles of their wine that they had just bottled the day before. I came at the right time, as they invited me to sit down with them and try their wines (free, mind you)!
And surprisingly, they were remarkably good wines! Almost every one I tried was good, even the reds which can often be too bitter. This may be because they were relatively young wines, none older than a year. In any case, I ended up buying a bottle of their freshly-bottled Black Forrest Chocolate Cherry merlot, which was delicious and actually did taste of chocolate and cherries. If you ever make it out to Colorado, stop by and I’ll take you wine tasting!