What I’m Drinking: Kunin 2010 Pape Star

While this wine does push the limits of my self-imposed bottle budget, I appreciate the fact that it is consistently delicious from vintage to vintage, always a crowd-pleaser at parties and get-togethers, and topped with a convenient screw cap!  Always a Rhone-style blend, the 2010 vintage consists of 46% Grenache, 27% Mourvedre, and 27% Syrah, and is a brilliant and clear ruby hue in the glass.  At 14.4% abv, there are some faint legs, but the alcohol is not overpowering.

The clean, youthful nose bursts with fruit aromas - cherry, strawberry, and red plum - but also maintains more complex undertones of cola, oak, mineral, and wet earth.  Likewise, juicy, fresh raspberry and black cherry lead on the palate, but are complemented at the finish with black pepper spice and a notable minerality.

This wine is dry and well-balanced, with a healthy acidity and light to medium tannin levels to off-set the fruit and alcohol.  The result is a medium-bodied red with a lengthy finish that drinks well alone, and pairs well with a variety of dishes.  A bottle of this is worth snapping up for a weekend occasion!