2006 St. Francis Winery "Red"

We have been drinking a lot of the 2005 St. Francis Winery "Red" for a while now and enjoying it a lot.  Last night we happened to pick up a couple of bottles of the 2006 vintage and while we enjoyed it a lot, it was not quite as good as the 2005 was.

The 2006 is a blend of 48% Merlot, 28% Cabernet Sauvignon, 15% Syrah, 3% Zinfandel and 6% mixed black grapes (Cabernet Franc, Grenache, Alicante and Malbec).  Interestingly enough, I would have expected to like the 2006 much better based on the blend.

Surprisingly, the fruit was much more pronounced in the 2006 vintage.  A lot of red cherry but also currant, plum and notes of black licorice.  Not a fruit bomb, but just more pronounced fruit than we were expecting.  The spice was much more subdued and the overall weight seemed lighter.  Going back to the blend, I was definitely surprised at these differences.

Cheers!