from Bennet Bodenstein, Wine Columnist sbj.net

I recently had the opportunity to sample some interesting and well-made California wines that deserve your attention.

3 picks from this wine writer including Purple Heart from C. Mondavi & Family

Purple Heart 2014 Napa Valley Red Wine

The Purple Heart red wine is a blend of four of the most popular red wine varieties: 80 percent merlot, 15 percent cabernet sauvignon, 4 percent petite sirah and 1 percent petit verdot. Typical of a Napa Valley wine, it displays a deep, almost opaque ruby color and the aroma of mulberries, plums, and blackberries backed up by the very noticeable under-flavor of licorice. The flavor accentuates red and black fruits with cranberry and pomegranate being the most obvious. These flavors continue through to the full-flavored finish, where they remain in the mouth for a long time and even longer in the memory.