Round Hill Wines

Continuing with the sequence of Rutherford Wine from California, a follow up to the November post on Silver Buckle. I've also tried the Round Hill wines for the first time back in 2011.

I'm reminded at times of my barber named Hawk, who cut my hair from the ages of 3-31. He operated out of the same storefront in Whitehaven for that entire period (and many years before), and at one point told me that he'd have someone come in for a haircut and think that the fellow looked familiar and upon further discussion, it was determined that the customer was a son or grandson of someone he cut hair for decades ago.

My own legacy with wine tasting is barely at the two decade mark but there are still times when I try something, go to look up information about it, and find that I wrote a review four or five years ago.

2011 Round Hill Chardonnay
California
100% Chardonnay
$8, 12.5% abv.

This is a classic California Chardonnay with strong buttered popcorn, vanilla, and apricot aromas. Full fruit flavors and a long finish. While I prefer a milder Chardonnay, I always love serving these wines to friends because the aromas are so powerful and it can be an easy way to show that wine can smell like things other than fermented grapes.

2010 Round Hill Cabernet Sauvignon
California
93% Cabernet Sauvignon, 4% Syrah, 3% Zinfandel
$8, 12.5% abv.

A fun little blend that contains notes of green herbs, black cherry and tobacco. There's a touch of leather on the palate with medium tannins. Strong enough to stand up to a hearty burger or pepperoni pizza.

2010 Round Hill Merlot
California
90% Merlot, 7% Cabernet Sauvignon, 3% Other Red
$8, 12.5% abv.

Ripe red cherry aroma with just a little white pepper. Mild mouthfeel and low tannins with a round, plummy finish. A very quaffable casual red, and of the three I found this to be my favorite. Just a pleasant red table wine to enjoy with dinner or while reading a book. Sometimes I really want a heavily structured wine with 3,000 years of history and aristocratic origins and a label that requires knowledge of four languages, and other times I just enjoy the simple pleasure of a glass of red enjoyed from a tumbler at the end of a long day at work.


Note: These wines were received as samples.