Reviews & Ratings

2008 Blackbird Vineyards Red Blends or Varietals "Arise"

Winery: Blackbird Vineyards

Vintage: 2008

Wine Name/Vineyard: "Arise"

Wine Category: Red Blends or Varietals

Grape blend: 42% Merlot, 38% Cabernet Sauvignon, & 20% Cabernet Franc

Bottle size: 750 ml

Region: Napa Valley

State or country: CA

Price: $50

Cases produced: 1,570

KWG Score: 92.5 (based on 4 reviews)

Ken's Wine Rating: Very Good+ (93)

Review date: April 18, 2011

Wine Review: This dark ruby colored red blend from Blackbird is quite the crowd pleaser. It opens with a plum like bouquet with hints of blackberry. On the palate, this wine is medium bodied, well balanced, and shows terrific fruit forward flavors. Those flavors are a very tasty plum and boysenberry blend with hints of black licorice and black cherry. The finish is dry and its fine tannins drift away nicely. Our little mini-tasting group thought this wine went rather well with our Italian food smorgasbord. Enjoy - Ken

Winemaker Notes: The 2008 Arise welcomes you with complex aromatics of cherry, plum, bacon, tobacco, and subtle mint. Aged in French Oak barrels for 19 months, the well-integrated palate presents enticing flavors of cedar, earth, and toffee within multiple layers of rich, black fruits. Elegantly balanced with supple tannins, the mouthfeel is velvety and leads to a fine cocoa finish. Drinking well upon release, Arise will age beautifully with time in the cellar. - Winemaker, Aaron Pott

Buy it: Use 1000 Corks to find stores that sell Blackbird 2008 Arise.